3. Input Required
When a stock check is carried out within the shop, the staff will have to input all the details regarding the CDs they have in stock into their database. This would include inputting the CD title; artist name; CD price, number in stock; supplier name and the supplier number. These details need to be entered when the database is first set up.
If a CD is sold in Lings Music then the database needs to be altered. The number in stock needs to be reduced for each CD sold, so the database remains up-to-date.
Likewise, if new stock arrives at the shop, the database needs to be updated. A new record needs to be added for the brand new CDs in stock.
If it is decided that certain CDs are to be removed from the shelves and no longer sold in Lings Music, then the stock number becomes obsolete, so that needs to be altered on the database.
4. Processing Required
When the stock is running low in Lings Music, the manager will have to find out which CDs are low in stock and which ones they need to reorder. For him to be able to do this he wants the database to produce a list of all the CDs running low in stock. To search the database for this information he will have to run queries on his database and then print out a report which gives him a list of all the CDs that need to be reordered. The manager can then send an order form via email. To do this, he will mail merge the addresses from the suppliers list into an order form, and then it can be sent and his CDs reordered.
5. Output Required
The manager will want to be able to print out reports of all the CDs low in stock, from the database. He will also want to be able to print out copies of any order forms he sends to suppliers, so that he can send a hardcopy through the post also, or keep one for his own reference. To make customer service more efficient, members of staff will need to be able to check on their monitor for details about specific CDs to answer customer queries.
6. Type of software
To build the ICT system in Lings Music, various different types of software will be needed. They will need data handling software e.g. Microsoft Access Database to produce a database to keep their CD information and stock numbers on, so that the manager can use it to know when stocks are running low, and so that members of staff can access it quickly to know whether or not a specific CD is in stock. They will need word processing software e.g. Microsoft Word to enable the manager to produce order forms which can then be sent to suppliers when their stock is low and they need to reorder. To send these order forms to the suppliers, Lings Music will need an internet browser e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer. The manager will then need to have communication/email software e.g. Outlook Express which will then allow for him to communicate with suppliers and send order forms via email.
7. Type of hardware
To build the ICT system in Lings Music, various different types of hardware will be needed. The complete computer system is essential. This includes the monitor; keyboard; mouse and the Central Processing Unit (CPU). Without the CPU, the computer will not work, so it is vital in order to have a working computer. The keyboard and mouse are needed to input information into the databases and onto the computer itself. If the computer was placed in the back office, a CRT monitor could be beneficial to Lings Music because it will save them money. However if the computer is to be placed in the front of the shop, then a TFT monitor would benefit them more because it looks better and doesn’t take up much space. To enable for the manager to print out order forms or reports of CDs that are low in stock, a printer will be needed. If money was an issue, then the cheapest printer for them to buy would be an inkjet printer, although it is costly to run. If the manager wants to print documents out quickly and in large numbers, then a LaserJet printer would be a good type of hardware for him to buy. It is fairly cheap to run and it can be run on black and white ink. The manager will also need to ensure he has a modem for the internet connection and a telephone line to plug it in to, otherwise he will not be able to access the internet from his computer.
8. Stored Data
The computer system will need to store different types of data. It will need to record CD details, such as the number of CDs in stock and any new CDs recently added to their stock. It will need to store order forms that the manager send out to suppliers so he can keep them for his own reference. Stored in a database, the supplier’s names and addresses will be needed, so he can use them to mail merge into order forms and send them via email. If the manager wants to keep in touch with customers and inform them of money saving deals etc… then he will need to store customer details on his computer system.
9. Testing
The manager will want to test that his system is working properly and to do this he will need to begin by proof reading his database. He will need to view his database on his monitor and check through it, making sure there are no spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or numerical errors. Once he knows the information in his database is correct, he will need to test for normal data. To do this he will need to check that text can be entered into fields that require text, such as the artist name or CD title, check that currency can be entered into fields that require currency, such as the price of the CD and that numbers can be entered into fields that require numerical data, such as the number of CDs in stock. The manager will then need to check for abnormal data. He will need to make sure that the correct information goes into the correct fields in his database and that text isn’t entered into a numerical field or that a currency isn’t entered into a field requiring text. Finally, he will need to test the extremes of data. The manager will need to check that his database accepts all extremes of data – figures entered between 0-15. He will also need to make sure that the data entered isn’t vastly incorrect on either end of that scale, for example, when CD prices should all be less than £15, a price is entered in as £30. To ensure this doesn’t occur, he could set a validation rule so that an error box shows if data is entered incorrectly. Once the manager has carried out all these tests on his database, it should be working properly and efficiently, ready to be used within Lings Music.