I.C.T. Data logging and control.

I. C. T.

DATA LOGGING AND CONTROL

My comrade (General Moeen Ahmed Abbasi) who was about to start his business of manufacturing new fighting jets had asked me to make him a system by which he could be able to see how his business was running. The reason for why he had asked me this is that I had my own business of developing new software and hardware.

I went to meet him and he told me that he needed such an application by which he could be able to see his:

company details
employees details
customer details
shipping / importing / exporting details
sales Expenses

And so forth. He wanted me to make this system of his ready in two weeks. This was of course more then enough, but as you should know that there are many people outside who haven’t got a clue of what uses a computer is and how to use a computer is absolutely out of question. Now let’s get back to the subject, as I was saying that it shouldn’t take me too long. The longest it will take me should be no more than one day to design the database, one day to make it and two days to enter the company information.

The manager had told me that to do everything manually would be like a migraine headache, because he also has a hotel that he used to run manually and therefore had the experience of running something manually is like “the horse riding you”. So I have planned to split the database system into four parts.

company details (sales, employee details)
customer details
shipping details
query

The most suitable package that I found for this database system is Microsoft Access®. You must be thinking if we have a company of developing new software then why don’t we use our own software, the answer to this is that we are develop only that kind of material which is yet not on the market. The reason for why I have chosen this package rather than any other package is that firstly this package is easy to use (a plus point for them), secondly it has several more facilities and finally I am more familiar ...

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For hardware/software there won’t be any problems because luckily we had provided them with this. So the programs (software) will more likely be the same. However I will be using Windows XP®, Pentium IV as my processor and I will be using Microsoft® Office XP®. For backup I shall most possibly use a CD-RW or a memory card should do. The reason why I said CD-RW in place of CD-R is that the can keep it up to date.

Most of the information is already given to me; however I don’t know all the information yet. All I know is like the foundation of a building, so the walls still have to come. The best way to approach the manager will be to send him a questionnaire. I have prepared the following questionnaire for him.

Now after I have received the questionnaire that I had sent, I will start my work without any delay. After I have made my rough copy I will make a printout of it and show the manager how it looks like. First of all I will give a short explanation of my database system which I am about to make. As I am using MS ACCESS® I will dived the system into four five different forms. However, I will have to make the tables first.

I think that it will be better if I make a switchboard; this will make it easier for the manager to get all the information needed just by clicking the heading once. Thereafter I will make each table separately by inputting all the information needed. I will name the tables like:

        1. Employees details
        2. Customer details
        3. Suppliers details
        4. Products details
        5. Shipping details etc.

Key points for data flow diagram:

DATA FLOW DAIGRAM

After making the tables I will start designing forms for each one of them. Like this I will go on designing queries then reports and the like. Now whilst I am doing my work I will show you how it looks like. Firstly I would like to show you a data flow diagram.

Here I am designing my table for my company information.
You can see that there are three main headings:

Field Name: this gives you the opportunity to add a field to your table
Data type: allows you to use certain data field.
Description: the information which shall be entered.
After making this table I will go and make the form for it which looks like:

A sigh of happiness, I have completed my task. Now I will show you how it looks like when information is entered and so on.

Now in case if the manager wants to enter the details of a new employee then it would look something like:

It might be possible that the manager or some one else might enter incorrect information, to stop this I will do the following:

Now if you will enter wrong information then:

Now as I had mentioned before that I will be using a query, if the manager wants to look up detail of a certain person then the best method will be to use a query. What you will have to do in a query is just type in the information which you have setup in the settings of the query. For example if you want to know how many people are working in your company under the age of 25, then all you have to do is type the following in the criteria “>#01/01/1979#”.

This will be shown in the table like:

I never had any big problems during my task. It was a nice job to give your brain a rest. The manager was really pleased and told me that he will give me a surprise. Never know, could be a private jet. I could have improved this system by using better validation. If you look at the picture above you see that I had entered wrong information then it had stopped me from progressing my task, but even if you enter a space or a – sign to separate the city code then it will also stop you from continuing. Another thing which would have improved this system is; the database has only a password for accessing the system but it hasn’t got a password for every different main file you open. So the manager has to appoint a trustable person who has to look after every thing, from updating the products coming in to entering the details of the customers. Thus if we appoint a password then the manager can forward the system to the reception for looking up data and other offices for records etc.

Aasim Hussain
ICT Coursework
Sunday 18/04/04