Problem Identification & Analysis

Gun & Moore Purist

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Introduction & Background of the company

Cricket Shop is a company which sells cricketing gear and memorabilia. It is the Sri Lankan agent for 8 world-renowned brands ; Kookaburra, Slazenger, Gray Nicols, Gun & Moore, Reebok, MRF, Woodworm and Puma. It currently has one head office. Established in 1994 by Mr Shivanga Rodrigo, "Cricket Shop" was the first of it's kind to exclusively serve the cricket playing public in Sri Lanka. An acutely felt need, for an establishment capable of providing high quality cricketing equipment second to none, for domestic cricketers of all levels and visiting international cricketers, were the key factors in the establishment of "Cricket Shop" Today cricketing equipment of all leading manufacturers from countries such as England, Australia and India are freely available at extremely competitive prices at "Cricket Shop". With a clientele spanning the whole country, The "Cricket Shop" concept has grown in popularity as it caters to the varying needs of every cricketer, from the 5 to 6 year old beginner, the school team player, the club cricketer right up to the members of the national and foreign visiting cricket teams . After the death of Shivanga in 1996 the company was not managed well by his successors and it was declared bankrupt. The company was then sold and thereby it became a private company and the present management is as follows; Chairman - Mr. M.L.M.Haariz, Finance Director - M.M.Haneefa and Sales Director - M.A.Haneefa. Cricket Shop which was at the inset the agents for only Kookaburra and Gray Nicols later on became the agents of also Slazenger, Gun & Moore, Reebok, MRF, Woodworm and Puma. At present the record of all the sales, purchases and orders are kept manually which means when a transaction occurs the staff have to update all the records manually thus creating stock control difficulties. This has caused mistakes in calculations and customer dissatisfaction owing to out of stock problems. Therefore the chairman and his board of directors have decided to computerize the current manual stock control system.

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The Current System

When a sale is made - The sales clerk prepares an invoice. Two copies are prepared. One is presented to the customer and is known as the customer copy and the other which is known as the filing copy is kept by the company for future references. An example of a sales invoice is shown below;

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Order - If an item that a customer wishes to purchase is out of stock he/she is presented with an order form and asked to fill it and make a payment which is equivalent to half the value of his/her purchase. This order is then sent along with other orders to the manufacturer. An example of an order form is shown below;

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Purchases - Purchases are made by the company usually every month. The order clerk sends an order to the manufacturer along with any special orders. The manufacturer then ships the equipment which will reach the company within two weeks along with an invoice. When the goods arrive again the assistant makes the necessary changes to the stock levels. An example of a purchases invoice is shown below

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Stock-levels of goods - At the end of each week the assistant checks all the sales invoices and makes the necessary changes to the stock-levels of all the products that have been sold. So then when the stock level reaches the reorder level the management can be notified to restock. A product card is used to keep a record of each product held in stock. An example of a product card is shown below.

Product Card Product Code : Brand Name : Description Cost Price : Rs. Selling Price: Rs. . Quantity-in-hand as at // : ........................

Processes 1. Storing records of all transactions done Adding, amending and deleting sales, purchases and product records. 2. Storing records of suppliers and customers Adding, amending and deleting suppliers and customers records. 3. Calculating sales and purchases figures Using multiplications to calculate the Sub-Totals. Using multiplications to calculate the VAT. Using multiplications to calculate the Discounts Using additions and subtractions to calculate the Total Amount.

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Problems with the existing system

User's point of view; 1. When a customer calls and inquires about a particular product to search through all the files and find it takes a long time during which the customer will get annoyed and hang up meaning the loss of a potential customer. 2. As all the records are stored in filing cabinets lots of space is used up and to maintain them is also a tedious task. 3. Mistakes in calculations often occur as everything is done manually which ends up in complaints from customers due to incorrect bills. 4. When a file gets lost there is no record whatsoever of that file. 5. Also when a customer orders an item and if it is out of stock, the customer will have to wait until a special order is sent to the manufacturer and this will take time thus creating customer dissatisfaction. 6. To immediately update all the books after a transaction has been made is very difficult. 7. The reports are not clear and up-to-date Anaylsts' point of view; 1. Searching for a particular information is time-consuming as these are stored in manual files and also duplication of data occurs. 2. Lots of space is taken to store all the records and maintaining them is difficult thus producing inaccurate and inconsistent data. 3. When calculations are done mistakes occur as these are performed manually. 4. When files are lost there is no back-up to refer to. 5. Creating reports needs data to be gathered from different files manually thus taking a long time. As the files are handled manually these might not be updated regularly thus producing reports which are not up-to-date.

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Subtasks in the users point of view

Cricket Shop Stock Control

Purchases

Sales

Check the products which have been sold the most. According to finances decide which goods deserve to be restocked.

Show customer full range of products.

If customer shows interest in a particular product give them more details about it.

Check if there are any special orders and include them too in the list of goods to be ordered.

If customer decides to purchase the product do the needful.

Send supplier the list of goods wanted.

Prepare copies of the invoice. Collect the money from the customer and encourage him/her to visit again.

When supplier replies with details collect the necessary money needed to pay for the purchase.

Transfer the money to supplier's bank a/c and place order

When goods arrive transfer the balance money to the supplier's a/c.

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Sub-Tasks in the analysts point of view

Cricket Shop Stock Control

The purchases should be recorded in a single file

The sales should be recorded in a single file

Check the products which have been sold the most by using a query

If a customer decides to purchase a product prepare a sales invoice

Send supplier the list of goods wanted via e-mail.

Record payment from the customer into the sales file

When supplier replies via email with details collect necessary money to pay for purchase

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The requirements of the user from the new system

Amount of manual processes should be minimized. It should be easy to use. It should be flexible. Invalid data should be detected at all times. Data duplication should be minimized. Data input errors should be eliminated. Reduce the work load of the staff. Reports should be produced whenever necessary. Errors in calculations should be eliminated. Information should be retrieved quickly. Records should be sorted automatically according to the user's instructions. Provide effective and efficient man-machine interface

Objectives of the new system

All the records should be maintained efficiently thereby allowing the retrieval of data to be quick. Error-free invoices should be produced. A way of recovering data incase of an emergency should be in place. The information should be up-to-date. The system should be user-friendly so the staff can be trained easily. The system should be able to produce the necessary reports quickly and efficiently. Invalid data should be detected and an error message displayed to alert the user so that he/she can make the necessary adjustments.

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Criteria for success

Data calculations need to be done accurately - Update queries can be used for certain calculations thereby reducing the time needed to calculate them and increasing the accuracy of the calculations. The system should be able to maintain a set of files efficiently with minimum data duplication. Retrieval of data should be quick - Select queries can be used to search for particular information quickly. The system should be user-friendly so that people with basic knowledge of computers are able to use it - User-friendly interfaces should be created to help the user to use the system. Immediate updating of data after a transaction occurs - Update queries can be used to change the necessary data after a transaction takes place. Backups of the system should be taken regularly by using backing storage such as CD's. Necessary reports of the system need to be created Report generators available in most packages allow the user to design report structures so that information can be presented on screen and/or printed out in a format to suit his/her requirements and preferences. Security A password can be set for the whole system and user rights given if there are different types of users.

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Solutions to the problems

There are two ways in which the problems mentioned of Cricket Shop can be solved; Improve the manual system. OR Automate the system.

Both the solutions are discussed below and after comparing their various advantages and disadvantages the best will be chosen. Solution 1 - The manual system can be improved by employing more personnel thereby reducing their workload and increasing their efficiency which will then reduce the mistakes made by them. But employing more personnel means paying more salaries and added cost every month for allowances and things like that. Also more filing cabinets can be bought so that all the files can be stored in a very systematic way thereby enabling searching to be more easier and faster and also more importantly increasing customer satisfaction. For this to be done the company will have to shift premises because the current place is already packed and also good filing cabinets are pretty expensive. Solution 2 - If the system were to be automated there would be no need to employ more personnel instead the current lot could be professionally trained to use the automated system. This will also cost a fair amount of money. Also another advantage is that the vast amount of space taken to store all the files could be drastically reduced because a computer system does not take up much space. Also all the files can be stored very systematically. Searching for files is very quick and calculations can be performed accurately in an instant. Conclusion - The Board of Management came to a conclusion that it would go ahead with automating the system rather than improving the current manual system. Even though the initial cost of implementing an automated system would be high due to the purchasing of computers and the training given to the personnel it would be worth it in the long run as the maintaining of computers is not that expensive and most importantly customer satisfaction would be increased due to the speed with which things will be done.

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Design & Planning of the Solution

Kookaburra The Beast

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Software Requirements
As it was decided already to automate the system the following software is considered to implement the system; Database - One or more large structured sets of persistent data, usually associated with software to update and query the data. A simple database might be a single file containing many records, each of which contains the same set of fields where each field is a certain fixed width. Advantages 1. Files can be linked thus enabling them to be easily updated. 2. Information can be stored in a systematic way, which provides the user with flexibility in organizing, displaying and printing information. 3. Data duplication can be minimized. 4. Validation techniques help to reduce errors. 5. Production of reports and forms can be done easily. 6. Database production is simple (on certain packages). 7. Debugging is easy. Disadvantages 1. 2. 3. 4. Staff is not familiar with the software needed to generate the systems. Requires some knowledge on the part of the user. Certain databases cannot be used in a multi-user network. Calculations are not readily available.

Spreadsheet - A type of application program which manipulates numerical and string data in rows and columns of cells. The value in a cell can be calculated from a formula which can involve other cells. A value is recalculated automatically whenever a value on which it depends changes. Different cells may be displayed with different formats. Advantages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Can be used directly in spreadsheet programs. User can make own calculations and graphics to suit individual needs. HTML presentations of data easy to generate. Graph generating tools are available. Automatic updation - if one cell is updated then connected cells will be automatically updated.

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Disadvantages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Not enough validation techniques. No proper report tools. Large number of manual inputs. Difficult to use different access rights. Data duplication will be high. Difficult to implement a set of related tables.

Conclusion When comparing with the objectives stated previously such as reducing data duplication a database system would best suit the requirements so it was chosen ahead of a spreadsheet package. The next step would be to decide on how to create a suitable Database. The following methods were considered; Methods 1. Commercial Packages. 2. High-Level Programming Languages - Due to its requirement of highly skilled programmers its was decided not to use high-level programming languages to create the database. Commercial Packages Option 1 - Microsoft Access 2000/XP Advantages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Programming skills are not required to use the program. It is the most affordable package. Small user database can be developed quickly. Easy to use because of GUI tools and wizards. Data duplication can be minimized. Debugging is easy. It has the following facilities available to create a very user friendly system quickly. * Queries, tables, forms, reports and macros can be created by either using a wizard or design view. *Switchboards can also be created which make it easier to open relevant items.

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Disadvantages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Bad transactional control. Not designed for multi-user applications. Cannot handle very large amounts of data. Not very flexible. Not very robust.

Option 2 - SQL Server Advantages 1. 2. 3. 4. Low implementation costs. Data Management applications and services. Self-tuning and management capabilities. Easy to use Business Intelligence (BI) tools. Disadvantages 1. Not very elastic. 2. Expensive both to buy and to maintain. The Chosen Software The chosen software is "Microsoft Access 2000/XP". It was chosen ahead of other database packages such as SQL Server because of its non-requirement of qualified programmers, its affordability, its user friendliness and the availability of facilities such as forms, queries, tables and reports which are very essential for the system. Basically it is the only database package that can help achieve most of the objectives stated in Chapter 1.

Hardware Requirements imposed by the software chosen

Minimum Hardware Requirements 350 Mhz Processor 64 MB RAM 3.2 GB Hard Disk 16X CD-ROM Drive 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy disk drive 14" S.V.G.A. Color Monitor (800x600) 101 Keys Keyboard 2 button scroll mouse 16 MB VGA Card Ink-jet Printer

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Alternative Configuration 01 AMD Sempron 2200+ 1.5 GHz processor Asus 256 MB PC 100 SDRAM Maxtor Atlas 10K III 18.4 GB Hard Disk Sony CRX 230EE CD-RW Drive SmartDisk VST USB Floppy Disk Drive 15" View Sonic E55B Monitor (1280x1024) Adesso Multimedia PS/2 keyboard Fujitsu Wireless Mouse with scroll Jaton 3D Force MX 4000 64 MB VGA Card Lexmark Z 735 Ink-jet printer Viper UPS

Estimated Total cost Rs. 40,000/Alternative Configuration 02 Intel Pentium D 960 3.6 GHz processor 512 MB Dell Dimension 4400 DDR RAM Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 40 GB Hard Disk NEC ND-3550A Dual Layer DVD+RW Writer Teac 235HF Floppy Disk Drive Adesso Multimedia USB+PS/2 Keyboard Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 5000 19" View Sonic E90fb Monitor (1792x1344) Asus Extreme GeForce 6600 256 MB VGA Card Lexmark E232 Laser Printer DCP UPS

Estimated Total cost Rs. 55,000/Conclusion Alternative Configuration 02 was chosen because it exceeds the minimum requirements and is the best configuration available. Even though the initial investment is a little big it would be worthwhile because buying the best means that you don't have to upgrade it very often. Also it is the current trend to buy the latest computers in the market. A 3.6 GHz processor and 512 MB RAM was chosen so that then the system will be very fast which will please customers due to the speed with which their requests are attended to and the speed in which their invoices are prepared. A 40 GB hard disk was chosen so that about 2 years records could be stored. A DVD-RW writer was chosen instead of a normal CD-ROM so that constant backups can be taken of the system so as to prevent any loss if ever the hard disk fails. A VGA card and a large 19" monitor was chosen so as to provide the user with a very clear picture which then reduces his/her chance of getting eyesight problems due to the continuous use of the computer. A laser printer was chosen

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ahead of a normal ink-jet printer because of the quality of the printouts and the speed. A UPS is a necessity in a country like Sri Lanka where power loss is a frequent occurrence .

System Flowchart

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Data Flow Diagrams

Sales

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Purchases

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Method of Solving the Problem Original Database Structure

As stated above MS Access will be used and the system will consist of a set of related tables as shown below. A flat file database was considered as an alternative but not used because of the high amount of data duplication that occurs. Validation is also considered in the database structure shown below; Product Table Description The key field for the record. It is the unique number by which each product is identified. Brand Name The Brand Name of the product. eg. Slazenger. Description The description of the product. Cost Price The price at which the product was purchased for. Selling The price at which the Price product is being sold for. Quantity in The quantity remaining of hand the product in stock. Re-order The re-order level is the level Level which indicates when a product needs to be restocked. It varies for different products. Field Name Product Code (key field) Field Size 6 Field Type Text Validation Presence check as it is the key field. Input mask; LL0000 Combo Box Format Check Format Check Format Check Format Check

11 50 5 5 2 2

Text Text Currency Currency Numeric Numeric

Customer Table Field Name Customer ID (key field) Customer Name Address E-mail Contact No. Description The key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each customer is identified. The customer's name. The customer's address. The customer's email address. The customer's contact number. Field Size 4 Field Type Numeric Validation Presence Check as it is the key field. Input Mask; #### Format Check

25 50 20 12

Text Text Text Numeric

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Supplier Table Field Name Supplier Code (key field) Supplier Name Address Website E-mail Contact No. Fax No. Description The key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each supplier is identified. The supplier's name. The supplier's address. The supplier's website. The supplier's e-mail address. The supplier's contact number. The supplier's fax number. Field Size 3 Field Type Text Validation Presence Check as it is the key field. Input Mask; LL0 Format Check Format Check

11 50 30 20 12 12

Text Text Text Text Numeric Numeric

Purchases Table Field Name Invoice No. (key field) Date Supplier Code Product Code Quantity Sub-Total Shipping Charges Final Total Description The key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each purchase is identified. The date on which the purchase was made. The unique number by which the supplier is identified. The unique number by which the product is identified. The quantity purchased of the product. The sub-total of all the products purchased. The charges taken by the supplier to ship the goods to the company. The final total inclusive of shipping charges. Field Size 5 Field Type Text Justification Presence Check as it is the key field. Input Mask; \P0000 Format Presence Check

6 3

Date/time Text

6 2 5 5 7

Text Numeric Currency Currency Currency

Presence Check Format Check Format Check Format Check Format Check

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Sales Table Field Name Description Invoice No. The key field of the record. It (key field) is the unique number by which each sale is identified. Date The date on which the purchase was made. Customer The unique number by which ID the customer is identified. Product Code Quantity Sub-Total VAT Total Less Discounts Grand Total The unique number by which the product is identified. The quantity sold of the product. The sub-total of all the products sold. The amount of VAT charged on the sale. The total which includes the VAT. The amount of discount allowed on the sale. The grand total which is inclusive of VAT and discount allowed. Field Size 5 6 4 6 2 7 5 7 5 7 Field Type Text Date/time Numeric Presence Check Text Numeric Currency Currency Currency Currency Currency Presence Check Format Check Format Check Format Check Format Check Format Check Format Check Validation Presence Check as it is the key field. Input Mask; \S0000 Format Check

Validation Checks used

Input Mask: It sets a pattern for all data to be entered in the field and makes sure that all data is entered in the field is entered within the specified input mask. Length Check: It makes sure that entered data is within a specified length. Format Check: This check ensures that all entered data is within the specified format. Combo Box: It ensures that data entered is only from a specified list. Presence Check: It makes sure that data has been entered in the field.

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Relationships
A relationship links two or more tables together. The relationships of the Cricket Shop's database is shown below using a diagram:-

PURCHASES

1 1 1 1

SUPPLIER

PRODUCT

CUSTOMER

SALES

The relationship between the product and the purchases table is one to many. The relationship between the product and the sales table is one to many. The relationship between the supplier and the purchases table is one to many. The relationship between the customer and the sales table is one to many.

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Process Design
The following algorithm was used to create a select query; Eg. Searching for a customer Begin Open Customer table Enter Customer ID While not end of Customer table do Read next customer record If Customer ID = Customer.CustomerID then Display Customer Details End If End while Close Table End All search queries were created based on the above algorithm with each table and field changing according to the field which needed to be searched. The following algorithm was used to create an update query; Eg. Calculating the VAT field Begin VAT=0 Open Sales table Enter Invoice Number If Invoice Number = Sales.InvoiceNumber then VAT = Sub-Total*10/100 Update Sales.VAT End If Close Table End All update queries were created based on the above algorithm with each table and field changing accordingly to the field which needed to be updated.

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Query Design
Update Queries Sales VAT

This query is used to calculate the VAT amount on the sales Sales Total

This query is used to add the sub-total and the VAT amount.

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Sales Discounts

This query is used to calculate the discounts allowed on the total sale. Grand Total

This query is used to calculate the total amount that the customer has to pay.

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Final Total

This query is used to calculate the total amount that the company has to pay the supplier it is purchasing the goods from. Select Queries Customer Search

This query is used to search for a particular customer's record.

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Product Search

This query is used to find a particular product. Sales Search

This query is used to find a record of a particular sale.

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Purchases Search

This query is used to find a record of a particular purchase. Supplier Search

This query is used to find a particular supplier's record.

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Form Design
It was considered as an alternative to use pictures as command buttons but was not used as many users would not understand what the pictures meant. 1. Customer Form

The company's logo

The form label

The unique number that identifies the customer The customer's name The customer's address The customer's e-mail

The customer's contact number

Can be used to search for a particular customer Saves the current record Lets you enter a new record Takes you to the previous record

Takes you to the next record

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2. Product Form
The company's logo The form label The unique number that identifies the product

Clicking on the combo box displays a list of brand names out of which one is selected The product's description is entered here The prices at which the product was purchased at and is sold at is entered here The quantity remaining in stock of the product

The level at which an order has to be placed for more stock Takes you to the next record Saves the current record Lets you to enter a new record Can be used to search for a particular product

Takes you to the previous record

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3. Supplier Form

The company's logo

The form label

The unique number that identifies the supplier The supplier's name The supplier's address The supplier's website The supplier's e-mail The supplier's contact and fax numbers

Takes you to the next record Saves the current record Lets you to enter a new record Can be used to search for a particular supplier Takes you to the previous record

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4. Sales Form

The company's logo The form label The unique number that identifies each sale The date on which the sale took place

The unique number by which each customer is identified

Is explained below

The sub-total of all the goods sold Prints the invoice

Update queries which when clicked on calculate their respective fields

Takes you to the previous record

Takes you to the next record

The product subform contains the following fields; Product Code, Brand Name, Description, Selling Price and Quantity. The 'New' button lets you enter a new record, the 'Save' button saves the current record and the 'Search' button enables you to search for a particular sale.

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5. Purchases Form

The company's logo

The form label The unique number that identifies each purchase

The date on which the purchase took place

The unique number by which supplier is identified Is explained below

The sub-total of all the goods sold

The amount charged by the supplier to ship the goods

An update query which when clicked calculates its respective field

Takes you to the previous record

Takes you to the next record

The product subform contains the following fields; Product Code, Brand Name, Description, Cost Price and Quantity. The 'New' button lets you enter a new record, the 'Save' button saves the current record and the 'Search' button enables you to search for a particular purchase.

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Report Design
1. Total Sales

The company's logo and the report label in the report header

The chosen fields in the page header and their details in the detail section of the report.

The page footer

A button which calculates the total of all the grand totals.

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2. Products Sold

The company's logo and the report label in the report header

The chosen fields in the page header and their details in the detail section of the report.

The page footer

A button which calculates the total of the quantity sold of all the products.

Menu Design
Main menu (Switchboard)

Go to reports

Go to forms

Total Sales

Products Sold

Sales form

Supplier

form

Product form

Purchases

from

Customer form

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TEST PLAN
Product Table Test No.
01

Field Name
Product Code

Type of Validation
Length Check

Input Mask
LL0000

Sample Data Valid Invalid

SL3456 SL345

Expected Outcome Valid Invalid

The system should accept it. The system should accept it. An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length. An error message should be displayed because the item which was entered is not from the list of values given by the combo box. An error message should be displayed due to the invalid data type entered.

02

Brand Name Description

Combo Box

None

Puma

BAS Vampire

Type Check None 12500 125o0 The system should accept it.

03

Cost Price Selling Price Quantity in hand

04 05

Type Check Format Check

None 99

15500 24

15o00 2y

06

Re-order Level

Format Check

99

1o

The system should accept it.

An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '99'

Customer Table Test No.

07

Field Name
Customer ID

Type of Validation
Presence Check

Input Mask
9999

Sample Data Valid

1234

Expected Outcome Valid

The system should accept it.

Invalid
Null Value

Invalid
An error message should be displayed because the field was left blank.

Customer Name Address E-mail

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08

Contact No.

Format Check

000000000099

0112733155

011273

The system should accept it.

An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '000000000099'

Supplier Table Test No.

09

Field Name
Supplier Code

Type of Validation
Length Check

Input Mask

Sample Data Valid Invalid

Expected Outcome Valid

The system should accept it.

Invalid
An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length.

LL0

Supplier Name Address Website E-mail Contact No. Fax No.

Same as in 'Customer' Table Format Check 000000000099 0096650555666 7 009345 The system should accept it. An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '000000000099'

10

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Purchases Table Test No.

11

Field Name
Invoice No.

Type of Validation
Length Check

Input mask
/P0000

Sample Data Valid Invalid

1785 178

Expected Outcome Valid Invalid

The system should accept it. An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length. An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '00/00/0000'

12

Date

Format Check

00/00/00

21/10/2006

21/10/06

The system should accept it.

13

Supplier Code Product Code Quantity

Same as in 'Supplier' Table Same as in 'Product' Table Format Check 99 24 2k The system should accept it. An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '99 An error message should be displayed due to the invalid data type entered.

14 15 16

SubTotal Shipping Charges Final Total

Type Check Type Check Type Check

None None None

25000 5000 30000

adasfs sffsfs Sfsfsfsf The system should accept it.

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Sales Table Test No.

17 Field Name Invoice No.

Type of Validation
Length Check

Input Mask
\S0000

Sample Data Valid Invalid

2233 223

Expected Outcome Valid Invalid

The system should accept it. An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length.

Date Customer ID Product Code Quantity Sub-Total 18 19 20 21 VAT Total Less Discounts Grand Total Type Check Type Check Type Check Type Check None None None None

Same as in 'Purchases' Table Same as in 'Customer' Table Same as in 'Product' Table Same as in 'Purchases' Table Same as in 'Purchases' Table 2500 27500 2062.50 25437.5 0 250o 275o0 2o62.5o 25437.5 o An error message should be displayed due to the invalid data type entered.

The system should accept it.

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Query Test Plan

Name
Sales VAT

Type
Update

Task
To calculate the VAT on sales To calculate the Sales Total

Sample Data Valid Invalid

1204 Sub-Total:Rs.17,500 0000

Expected Outcome Valid Invalid

VAT: Rs.1750 VAT should be calculated accurately. Sales Total: Rs.19,250 Sales Total should be calculated accurately. Less Discounts: Rs. 1443.75 Sales Discounts should be calculated accurately. Grand Total: Rs. 20,693.75 The Grand Total should be calculated accurately. Final Total: Rs. 19,500 The final total should be calculated accurately. Nothing should be updated Nothing should be updated

Sales Total

Update

1204 Sub-Total:Rs.17,500 VAT:Rs.1750

0000

Sales Discounts

Update

To calculate discount allowed on Sales

1204 Total:Rs.19,250

0000

Nothing should be updated

Grand Total

Update

To calculate the Grand Total

1204 Total:Rs.19,250 Less Discounts:Rs.1443.75 0000

Nothing should be updated

Final Total

Update

To calculate the final total

1678 Sub-Total:Rs.14,500 Shipping Charges:Rs.5000 1191 Frank Lampard

0000

Nothing should be updated A blank record should be displayed A blank record should be displayed

Customer Search

Select

To search for a particular customer. To search for a particular product

11191 Pimp 123 The desired record should be displayed. The desired record should be displayed.

Product Search

Select

SL1234

SL123

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Sales Search

Select

To search for a sales record To search for a purchase record. To search for a particular supplier

1704

0000

The desired record should be displayed. The desired record should be displayed. The desired record should be displayed.

A blank record should be displayed A blank record should be displayed A blank record should be displayed

Purchases Search

Select

1811

0000

Supplier Search

Select

WO1 Woodworm

W1 W00dwo

Tools and techniques used

The following tools and techniques were used to create the database of Cricket Shop; The Create table in Design view option was used to create the tables(49). The Create query in Design view option was used to create the queries(55). The Create form by using wizard option was used to create the forms(51). The Command Buttons were created using the toolbox provided in Form Design(54). The Create report by using wizard option was used to create the reports(58). The Database Utilities option provided in Tools was used to open up the Switchboard Manager which was used to create the switchboard(61).

Note: The numbers in brackets next to each bullet is the page number in which the creation of that particular option is shown in detail.

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Implementation of Design

Kookaburra Genesis Hurricane

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Modifications made to the original design

This states the changes made to the Original Database Structure when creating the computerized database. In the Original Database Structure there were only five tables however when creating the database a need to create a further two more tables arose. The two tables were named Selling Products and Purchasing Products. They were created because of the need for interface tables between the sales and the product table and between the purchases table and the product table otherwise more than one product could not be entered for each record in either the sales table or the purchases table. Each field of the two tables created is explained below; Table Name - Selling Products Field Name Invoice Number Description The joint key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each sale is identified. Product Code The joint key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each product sold is identified. Quantity It is the quantity sold of a Sold particular product. Line-Total The Line-Total is the Selling Price x Quantity Sold of that product Table name - Purchasing Products Field Name Invoice Number Description The joint key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each purchase is identified. Product Code The joint key field of the record. It is the unique number by which each product purchased is identified. Quantity It is the quantity ordered of Ordered a particular product. Line-Total The Line-Total is the Cost Price x Quantity Sold of that product Field Size 4 Field Type Text Validation Input Mask; \P0000 Input Mask; LL0000 Field Size 4 Field Type Text Validation Input Mask; \S0000 Input Mask; LL0000 Input Mask; ## Presence Check

Text

2 7

Text Text

Text

2 7

Text Text

Input Mask; ## Presence Check

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Due to the creation of the two above mentioned tables a few fields in the sales and purchases tables were deleted so as to prevent unwanted data duplication. The fields deleted were product code and quantity from both the tables. Also test no. 13 was deleted as the field is now non-existent. Also in the product subforms for both the sales and purchases forms were modified the changes made are stated below:Product Subform in the Sales form:Deleted product code was replaced by selling products' product code. Brand Name remained unchanged. Description remained unchanged. Selling Price remained unchanged. Deleted quantity was replaced by selling products' quantity sold. A new field Line Total from 'Selling Products' was added to the subform. Product Subform in the Purchases form:Deleted product code was replaced by purchasing products' product code. Brand Name remained unchanged. Description remained unchanged. Cost Price remained unchanged. Deleted quantity was replaced by purchasing products' quantity ordered. A new field Line Total from 'Purchasing Products' was added to the subform. A few more queries which were not able to be created previously were created and are shown below:Sales Quantity in hand

This query updates the quantity in hand of a particular product after a sale has been made.

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Purchases Quantity in hand

This query updates the quantity in hand of a particular product after a purchase has been made. Both these queries were included in their respective forms namely sales and purchases using command buttons.

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The relationships between all the tables in the database changed due to the addition of the two above mentioned tables. The new relationships are shown below:-

The relationship between the product and the purchasing products table is one to many. The relationship between the product and the selling products table is one to many. The relationship between the sales and the selling products table is one to many. The relationship between the purchases and the purchasing products table is one to many. The relationship between the supplier and the purchases table is one to many. The relationship between the customer and the sales table is one to many. It was decided to create a password for the database as a whole with the security of the system in mind because if there wasnt a password anyone would be able to access the database and modify data at will. It is shown on Page No.60 how the password of the system was created.

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The following illustrates how the system was implemented: Creation of tables

Using design view is an easy way to create tables

Clicking on ' Create table in Design view' opens up the following window:-

Once a field name is entered a data type can be chosen from the list of values displayed

A field size is entered to limit the number of characters that can be entered in that particular field . As in this field the limit is 6.

An input mask determines the pattern of all the data which will be entered in the field.

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Once all the required fields are designed along with their data type, field size and input mask a primary key is chosen:-

The field that is to be made the key field is highlighted and then the mouse rightclicked on then the following menu appears and primary key is chosen.

Once the table has been designed and the primary key chosen the table is saved by doing the following:-

This button is clicked on and then the following pop-up shown on the right appears The name of the table is entered and then the 'OK' button is chosen and then the creation of your table is complete

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Creation of forms

Using the wizard is an easy way to create forms

Clicking on 'Create form by using wizard' opens up the following window:-

Clicking on this button displays all the tables and queries in the database

Transfers a selected field Transfers all the fields from the table or query

Once all the fields that need to be on the form have been selected this button is clicked

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Clicking on the 'Next' button opens up the following window:-

The list of all the available layouts

A preview of the layout selected

Clicking on the 'Next' button opens up the following window:-

Once the layout has been selected this button is clicked

The list of all the available styles

A preview of the layout selected

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Clicking on the 'Next' button opens up the following window:-

The form's title is entered here

You can either chose to open the form to enter information or to modify the form's design

The forms of the company were modified by adding the logo in the form header and also by having command buttons to save the record, search for a particular record, add a new record, arrows to move to and forth the records and the necessary queries in each form. It is shown in the next page how to create command buttons:-

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In the above window 'Modify the form's design' is selected and the 'Finish' button is clicked then the following window appears:-

Clicking on this icon and then drawing in the place that you want your command button to be anywhere in the detail section opens up the following window shown below

All the categories of command buttons are displayed here and for the one selected all their actions are displayed on to the right

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Clicking on the 'Next' button after selecting what you want your command button to be opens up the following window:-

The command button can either contain text or be a picture

Once your choice has been made this button is clicked and the creation of your command button is complete

Creation of queries
1. Select Queries

Using design view is an easy way to create queries

Shown below is how to create a select query to find and display a particular product's record

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Clicking on 'Create query in Design view' opens up the following window:-

After selecting all the tables that you need to create your query this button is clicked

Clicking on the 'Close' button after doing the above-mentioned opens up the following window:-

All the fields that need to be included in the query can be included by just clicking on them

The fields that need to be displayed are ticked by using the checkboxes and a criteria for the data to be displayed is entered within brackets

After doing the needful the query is saved and the creation of a select query to find and display a particular product's record is complete.

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2.Update queries As with select queries even to create update queries design view is used. Shown below is how to create an update query to calculate the VAT on Sales in the sales invoice. After adding the sales table to the query the following is done:-

The query type is changed to update by clicking on 'Update Query'

After doing that the following is done to create the query:-

The field that needs to be updated which is 'VAT' in this instance is entered here

A criteria for the 'VAT' to be updated is entered here. How the 'VAT' field is going to be updated is entered here

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After doing the above the query is saved and the creation of an update query to calculate the VAT on sales is complete.

Creation of reports

Using the wizard is an easy to create reports

Clicking on 'Create report by using wizard' opens up the following window:-

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After the fields which are required for the report are chosen the Next button is clicked and the following window is opened;

After the layout and orientation for the report is selected the Next button is clicked resulting in the opening of the following window;

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After the style of the report is chosen the Next button is clicked a window appears in which the report is given a name and saved.

Creation of a password
The database needs to be opened exclusively for a password to be created. Once it has been opened exclusively the following is done to create the password;

Clicking on Set Database Password opens up a window shown below

The password which is to be cricketshop is entered and verified and then the OK button clicked. Thus the creation of a password for the database is complete.

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Creation of a switchboard
A switchboard makes it easier to open forms, queries and reports. It is shown below how to create a switchboard:-

Clicking on switchboard manager opens up a window shown below

Clicking on the 'Yes' button opens up the following window:-

A new switchboard has to be created for Cricket Shop so when 'New' is clicked on the window shown on the left appears and name of the switchboard is entered Once the switchboard has been created it is made the default one so then whenever the database is opened it is the one that opens

To enable the switchboard to open forms and reports it needs to be edited. When the 'Edit' button is clicked in the above window the following window opens:-

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For a form or a report to be added to the switchboard the 'New' button is clicked

When the 'New' button is clicked the following window opens:The name of the form or report is entered here

The form or the report needed to be opened is chosen from here and 'OK' clicked For a form to be opened 'Open Form in Add Mode' is chosen and for a report to be opened 'Open Report' is chosen

The above will be done everytime for a report or a form to be opened. The procedures mentioned above are how the new system was created and implemented and shown below is how the system can be used.

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The final completed implemented system: Adding a new product record

When a new product's record needs to be entered the switchboard is used to open a new product form:Clicking on Go to forms from the main switchboard opens up the following switchboard;

Clicking on this button opens up a new product form as shown on the next page

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After all the product's details have been entered the 'Save' button is clicked and the entering of a new product record to the system is complete.

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Preparing a new sales invoice

Again the switchboard is used to open a new sales invoice. Clicking on 'Sales Invoice' opens up a sales form as shown below:-

The VAT, Total, Discount and Grand Total fields will be calculated by clicking on their respective command buttons. When one of those command buttons are clicked the following will be displayed:-

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When 'Yes' is clicked the following is displayed:-

The invoice number which in this case is 1555 is entered and then 'OK' clicked. Then the following window appears:-

When 'Yes' is clicked the respective field (VAT or Total or Less Discounts or Grand Total) is calculated. When the preparation of the invoice is over after entering the necessary data and doing the necessary calculations the invoice is printed to be presented to the customer. This is done by clicking on the 'Print' command button present in the form. Also the command button 'Save' is clicked on so as to save the invoice for future references by the company. After the invoice is printed the stocks also need to be updated. How that is done is shown below:First the command button 'Update Stocks' in the form is clicked then the following is displayed:-

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When the 'Yes' button is clicked the following is displayed:-

After the invoice number which in this case is 1555 is entered and 'OK' clicked the following is displayed:-

As two products were sold this process has to be done twice once for each product. The first product which was sold had Product Code KO1234 is entered first and 'OK' entered. Then the following is displayed:-

After 'Yes' is clicked the quantity-in-hand of the product with product code KO1234 is updated in the product table. This process is repeated once again for the other product sold but when the product code is asked GN1788 is entered instead of KO1234.

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Adding a new supplier's record

Again the switchboard is used to enter a new supplier's record. Clicking on 'Supplier' opens up a supplier form as shown below:-

After all the supplier's details have been entered the 'Save' button is clicked and the entering of a new supplier to the system is complete.

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Adding a new customer's record

Again the switchboard is used to enter a new customer's record. Clicking on 'Customer' opens up a customer form as shown below:-

After all the customer's details have been entered the 'Save' button is clicked and the entering of a new customer to the system is complete.

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Preparing a new purchases invoice

Again the switchboard is used to open a new purchases invoice. Clicking on 'Purchases Invoice' opens up a purchases form as shown below:-

The Final Total will be calculated by clicking on its respective command button. When the command button is clicked the following is displayed:-

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When 'Yes' is clicked the following appears:-

The invoice number which in this case is 1233 is entered and 'OK' clicked resulting in the appearance of the following window:-

When 'Yes' is clicked the Final Total is calculated. The 'Save' button is clicked so that the invoice can be viewed when needed. Also the stock levels of the products need to be updated. It is done by clicking the 'Update Stocks' button which results in the following window appearing:-

When 'Yes' is clicked the following window appears:-

The invoice number which in this case is 1233 is entered and 'OK' clicked resulting in the appearance of the following window:-

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The product code which in this instance is KO1234 is entered and 'OK' clicked resulting in the appearance of the following window:-

When 'Yes' is clicked the stock level of the product which was purchased is updated in the product table.

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Searching for a particular product

Sometimes it is necessary to search for a particular product.To do that the Product Search query can be used. It is done in the following way:-

From the 'Queries' menu the 'Product Search' query is opened

Once the Product Search query is opened a window similar to the one shown above appears and asks for the product code. For eg. if the product that needs to be found is KO1234. It is entered and 'OK' clicked. Then that particular product if it is there in stock will appear:-

This means that this particular product is available. That is how a particular product can be searched for.

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Searching for a particular customer

Sometimes it is necessary to search for a particular customer. To do that the Customer Search query can be used. It is done in the following way:-

From the 'Queries' menu the 'Customer Search' query is opened

As shown above, when the Customer Search query is opened a window asking for the Customer ID appears. If the user wishes to enter the Customer ID he can do so or he could skip the Customer ID window and move on to enter the Customer Name in the Customer Name window as shown below:-

Either the Customer ID or the Customer Name has to be entered and then that particular customer's record will be displayed if it exists after clicking on the 'OK' button:-

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Searching for a particular sales record

Sometimes it is necessary to search for a particular sales record. To do that the Sales Search query can be used. It is done in the following way:-

From the 'Queries' menu the 'Sales Search' query is opened

As shown above, when the Sales Search query is opened a window asking for the Invoice Number appears. The invoice number of the record that needs to be found is entered which in this eg.1909 and the 'OK' button clicked. Then that particular sales record is displayed:-

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Searching for a particular purchases record

Sometimes it is necessary to search for a particular purchases record. To do that the Purchases Search query can be used. It is done in the following way:-

From the 'Queries' menu the 'Purchases Search' query is opened

As shown above, when the Purchases Search query is opened a window asking for the Invoice Number appears. The invoice number of the record that needs to be found is entered which in this eg.1233 and the 'OK' button clicked. Then that particular purchases record is displayed:-

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Searching for a particular supplier

Sometimes it is necessary to search for a particular supplier's record. To do that the Supplier Search query can be used. It is done in the following way:-

From the 'Queries' menu the 'Supplier Search' query is opened

As shown above, when the Supplier Search query is opened a window asking for the Supplier Code appears. If the user wishes to enter the Supplier Code he can do so or he could skip the Supplier Code window and move on to enter the Supplier Name in the Supplier Name window as shown below:-

Either the Supplier Code or the Supplier Name has to be entered and then that particular supplier's record will be displayed if it exists after clicking on the 'OK' button:-

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Testing of the Solution

Slazenger VSE Ultimate

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Test Results
After the system has been implemented it is necessary to test all the fields to see if they would detect any invalid data entered according to the Test Plan which was created in the 'Design' stage of the solution; Shown below is a table which states whether each test in the test plan was a success or a failure and the page no. of the screenshots which show the tests in detail. Test No. 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Test Result It was a success It did not take place as expected. The modifications made to correct the problem and the re-test are shown along with the failed test. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. The test was a success but there was another problem with the entering of data to this field. This problem and the modifications made are shown along with the test result. This test was deleted. Reasons given on page no. 47 It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. It was a success. Page No. of screenshot 80 80,81 81 81 82 82 82 82 83 83 84 84,85

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

85 85 86 86 86 86 86 86

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Test No. 1 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length.

As you can see from the above screenshot the achieved outcome tallies with the expected outcome of the Test Plan. Test No. 2 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the item which was entered is not from the list of values given by the combo box.

As you can see from the above screenshot the outcome achieved was not the expected one because the data entered was not from the list of values displayed on the left and a error message was expected to be displayed but it was not. The modifications made to achieve the expected outcome from the Test Plan are shown below:The reason for the error message not being displayed was because in the lookup table properties the 'Limit To List' property was set to 'No'. That was changed to 'Yes' and the field was tested again. This time an error message similar to the one which was expected was displayed;

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Test No. 3 & 4 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed due to the invalid data type entered.

As shown in the two above screenshots both tests achieved their expected outcomes.

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Test Nos. 5 & 6 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '99' Invalid data could not be entered in the two fields because of their input masks. Only numbers could be entered because when alphabets are entered nothing appears. So there could be no mistakes in the entering of data in those two fields namely 'Quantity in hand' and 'Re-order Level'. Test No. 7 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the field was left blank.

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved. Test No. 8 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '000000000099'

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved.

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Test No. 9 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length.

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved. Test No. 10 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '000000000099'

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved.

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Test No. 11 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length.

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved. Test No. 12 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the data entered is violating the input mask '00/00/0000'

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved. But there was another problem with this field in both the 'Purchases' and 'Sales' tables. When correct values were entered sometimes the system automatically changed the values as it thought correct. Screenshots are shown below;

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Before

After

As you can see above when an invalid date is entered in the 'Before' screenshot the system instead of detecting the error and displaying an error message changes the date in a way which it thinks is correct but is still wrong. There is no way that this problem can be corrected so this has to be considered a weakness of the Microsoft Access Package. The user has to make sure that he is entering the correct date everytime for this mistake not to occur. Test No. 13 was deleted. The reasons for its deletion is explained fully on Page No.46 Test Nos. 14, 15 & 16 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed due to the invalid data type entered.

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As shown in the three above screenshots all three of the tests achieved their expected outcomes. Test No. 17 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed because the entry is of the incorrect length.

As shown in the above screenshot the expected outcome was achieved. Test Nos. 18, 19, 20 and 21 Expected outcome when invalid data is entered - An error message should be displayed due to the invalid data type entered. As with Test Numbers 14,15 and 16 when alphabets were entered instead of numbers the four fields in Test Numbers 18,19,20 and 21 displayed error messages as expected. Most of the tests went according to the Test Plan while a few needed some modifications to function as expected.

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Query Test Results

All the queries were also tested and their results are shown below; For all the update queries there are 'Before' and 'After' screenshots which show the respective fields before the query was run and after the query had been run. 1. Sales VAT(Update Query) Before After

2. Sales Total(Update Query) Before After

3. Sales Discounts(Update Query) Before After

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4. Grand Total(Update Query) Before After

5. Final Total(Update Query) Before After

6. Purchases Quantity in hand(Update Query) Product Code - GN1788 Before After

7. Sales Quantity in hand(Update Query) Product Code - GN1788 Before After

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8. Customer Search Customer Name - Shamlan Latiff/Customer ID - 2311

9. Supplier Search Supplier Name - Puma/Supplier Code - PU8

10. Sales Search Invoice No. - 1704

11. Purchases Search Invoice No. - 1233

12. Product Search Product Code - SL0056

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Testing the command buttons

Even though there was no test plan created for the command buttons in the 'design' stage of the solution it was decided to randomly test the command buttons. It ended up being a very good idea because two command buttons namely 'Print' command button in the 'Sales' form and 'New' command button in the 'Product' form did not function as expected. Those two command buttons were deleted and created again. It is shown on Page No. 54 & 55 how to create command buttons.

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Evaluation of the Solution

Slazenger V389Pro

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Comparison of the solution with the criteria for success

How it was achieved Update queries were created to calculate all the fields that needed to be calculated. Command buttons were created next to the respective fields in the forms to make the calculations faster as well. A query could not be created for one field. It is explained in detail on Page No. 93 The system should be able to maintain a set Relationships between all the tables in the of files efficiently with minimum data database were created so as to minimize the duplication. huge amount of data duplication. Retrieval of data should be quick - Select queries can be used to search for particular information quickly. The system should be user-friendly so that people with basic knowledge of computers are able to use it - User-friendly interfaces should be created to help the user to use the system. Immediate updating of data after a transaction occurs - Update queries can be used to change the necessary data after a transaction takes place. Backups of the system should be taken regularly by using backing storage such as CD's. Necessary reports of the system need to be created Report generators available in most packages allow the user to design report structures so that information can be presented on screen and/or printed out in a format to suit his/her requirements and preferences. Security A password can be set for the whole system and user rights given if there are different types of users. Each table had a key field so as to distinguish between records and select queries were created to search for a particular record in the table. Command buttons named 'Search' were created in each form so as to make searches faster. The software chosen 'Microsoft Access' is very user-friendly but in order to make the system more user-friendly a switchboard was created. Update queries to update the stock-levels immediately after the event of a transaction taking place. In both the sales and purchases forms command buttons called 'Update Stocks' were created so as to make the updating more easier and faster. Backups of the system are taken regularly using DVD disks. Two reports namely 'Total Sales' and 'Products Sold' were created using the 'Report Wizard' of 'Microsoft Access' Criteria for success Data calculations need to be done accurately - Update queries can be used for certain calculations thereby reducing the time needed to calculate them and increasing the accuracy of the calculations.

A password for the whole system was created but user groups could not be created because it required a qualified programmer to create them.

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Weaknesses of the system

A query could not be created to calculate the field 'Sub-total' for both the 'Sales' and 'Purchases' forms. It has to be calculated manually by using a calculator. In order to eliminate mistakes which might occur the person who is preparing the invoice rechecks the calculation. By doing that extra time gets consumed which at times annoys the customer if he/she is in a hurry. Even though a password has been set for the whole system as a whole everyone in the store knows it and are able to access it and modify data at will. It would be better if Access Rights could be set for different user groups. Even though queries were created to immediately update the stock levels of goods once a transaction occurs it was not possible to create a query to inform the user when a product's stock level reached the re-order level. So daily the person who is in-charge of sending orders to the suppliers has to check each and every product to see whether there is enough stock or whether it has reached the re-order level and needs to be re-stocked. This is a very time-consuming job.

Further Developments to the system

The company plans to introduce online sales for its customers. This would mean that additional hardware would need to be purchased such as a modem. To enhance the security of the system and prevent unauthorized people from accessing it passwords can be used. User-groups can be created which will provide access to only selected sections of the system to the employee. A macro can be created to backup the system which will save time and money because previously backups would be saved on DVD's which are pretty costly and also take time to save the whole system. Using a macro eliminates the need for a DVD to save the data. Due to increased sales the company also plans to open another branch in Kandy the 'Hill Capital'. This would mean that both the branches need to be networked so that important information such as the availability of a certain product can be shared. Additional Hardware such as network cards and cables would need to be purchased.

The Hardware
The hardware performed upto expectations and will not need to be changed for some time unless ofcourse as mentioned in the 'Future Developments' the company decides to introduce online sales and open another branch and network the two branches.

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The Software
For now the software chosen 'Microsoft Access' is satisfactory. It is user-friendly and was able to achieve most of the requirements of the user from the new system except for a few which is mentioned in the 'Weaknesses of the system'. In the future when the company obtains higher profits and the company is able to afford to hire a qualified programmer it may be decided to use a High-Level programming language which will help in creating a very fast and flexible database. However for now it is good enough for a company like 'Cricket Shop'

Quality of the man-machine interface

The Cricket Shop system uses a menu-driven interface where the switchboard acts as the main menu through which the user is able to access the whole system. The usage of command buttons in all the forms has made moving to-and-forth records, saving and creating new records very easy. Searching for data is very quick and easy due to the search queries which have been created for each table. As all the tables in the database are related using relationships data does not have to be entered many times and duplication of data never occurs. All the calculations are made very quickly and accurately due to the queries which have been created for all the fields that require to be calculated. So in conclusion it can be said that the quality of the man machine interface is extremely good in comparison to the manual system and it has been quite effective in providing a solution for most of the problems mentioned in Chapter 1.

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User Feedback
A month after the system was implemented the manager in charge of the store was interviewed to get his comments on the new system and its performance. Given below is the transcript of the interview: Interviewer: Is the system user friendly? Manager: Most definitely, it is very user friendly. Interviewer: What about the accessing and entering of data? Manager: Data can be accessed within a matter of a few seconds and the entering of data is very quick. Interviewer: What are the features that have been most useful? Manager: One very useful feature has been the detection of invalid data by the system and another very useful feature has been the automatic calculations made to the payment fields like VAT. Interviewer: How has the system in general affected your organization? Manager: Well, it has greatly minimized the many previously tedious tasks such as searching for a particular product. Interviewer: Any comments made by either the customers or the suppliers? Manager: The customers are very happy with the error-free invoices they receive and the suppliers have nothing to complain about as all their payments are made on time. Interviewer: What are your views on the huge amounts invested by the company on the system? Manager: I think in the long-term that it is a worthwhile investment because other costs such as purchasing of new files, paper, filing cabinets etc. will not be incurred anymore. Also the benefits derived from the new system has been enormous. Interviewer: In your opinion what do you think can be done to further improve the system? Manager: It would be nice if Access Rights could be set for different employees because now even the cleaner is able to access the system as he knows the password and modify data at will.

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