- Include an icon to enable user to delete the customer
- Produce a mail merge letter
What are the different ways this problem could be solved?
- Use a database
- Use spreadsheet
- Use paper based system
- Use word processing application
What is the best way to solve the problem and why?
The best way to solve the problem is by using a database. A database is made up of one or more related files. Data from the company can be ordered in tables. In a database you can use a Query so that you can search for particular criteria. In addition, you can add an icon of your choice in the table. Also in a database you can use an input mask so that fewer mistakes could be made and also less time is needed. In a database you can use a backup in case you lose the documents. The records in the database are stored safely, they are available when needed. Also in the database you can easily update it if the customer details have changed. The database can be kept secure by the use of passwords. In addition, you can store a large amount of data and also a database is very fast when searching for something. A database can also be used to analyse data. In a database you can use verification data so that it is more accurate. The document can be saved on the computer or on a USB. It requires less equipment such as a basic computer system to use it. You can use a variety of Font sizes and Font styles in a database, and you can bold them or change the colour. In the database, you can also create reports. Reports are summaries of the data held on a database. The benefit of using a report is that you can put the result of the Query in a specific layout of your choice. In addition, you can create in database forms. Forms allow for the user to put the data into the system. You can create the design in a variety of styles. The advantage of using a form is that the user can create his own design for what work best and also the user is able to create icons in a form. Icons are small pictures which represent a specific file like print, save record and delete record icon. By using the sort command, data can be sorted for example, the surname alphabetically.
What is your estimated time scale for implementation?
5 weeks
ANALYSE
What information do I need to gather and where will it come from?
The customer reference number will come from the present system. New customers of the company will get a unique Customer ID. The price will come from the company pricing policy. The address1, 2 and 3 will come from the customer as will the telephone number. The post code of the customer will be created from the government and the customer will tell us it. The last Purchased Date will come from the date when the customer bought something from the company. The surname of the customer will come from the customer including their initials. The payment method used (cash, cheque and card) will be shown in the invoice.
Show the data flow?
See separate system
What hardware and software will be needed?
Hardware
- Modem
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Printer
- Monitor
- Tower
Software
- Database Software(Microsoft Access)
- Anti virus
- Anti spam
- Firewall
- Word Processing(Microsoft Word)
- Browser
How will I input the data?
What processes will be carried out on the data?
The first objective that I will be doing is to create a database and then create two tables. One will contain the customer details like name and the other will contain the customer contacts. Also in the database, I am going to add records, edit records and create records. In addition, I am going to validate the gender. Data in the database will be print, save and delete. The two tables will be sorted into surname order. Also the fields will be included to give details of the order. There fields will be the subject of several stored queries.
How will the results of the data be presented or output?
- Monitor
- Printer
- Form view
- Design view
- Report
- Datasheet view
How will I store and back up the data?
Data from the company will be stored in a hard drive. To make sure that the data will not be lost, a magnetic tape will be used to make sure that no data has been lost. So a magnetic tape will be used as a strategy to store data as backup. The backup will be taken in the morning at 7am. The reason why it is so early is to make it safe, i.e., that no one could steal the magnetic tape which will have important documents about the company and also in the morning there are no customers in the shop so it is safer. The person who will collect the backup will be the manager and no one else will know that it is him. He will take the magnetic tape to his home and put it into a safe. The reason why he takes it home is because in case of fire in the company building. The data in the company will be lost but if it is stored in a different place, data will be not lost because it can be used as a backup to restore data. Data in the magnetic tape which is longer than 2 weeks old will be deleted and the magnetic tape will be re-used again. If data in the company has been lost, the manager can bring the magnetic tape and restore the data.
How will the data be secure?
Software security
I will use usernames and password in all the computers because the username will give restricted access to certain staff. So for example, a cleaner can’t get access to important documents such as personal information about the customers. To protect all our computers from all known viruses I will use an antivirus program so that all the computers are protected from viruses. The antivirus software will be updated so the risk that one PC will have a virus will be very low. A virus is a special program made to destroy all documents which are saved on the computer. It comes from a floppy disk, USB stick, E-Mail and downloading something from the Internet. Every PC will have a firewall which protects the PC from hackers. Hackers are people who are trying to break codes to enter a computerised system. Also I will use Spyware so that nobody can pay bills by taking our money. Anti-spam will be used to protect us from spam or cookies from the Internet or E-Mails.
Physical security
In our company there will be security guards overseeing the furniture throughout the day and night. CCTV will operate in our building to protect us and our customers from crimes. Also we will have a burglar alarm. The burglar alarm will go off if someone tries to steal the furniture during the night. Every member of staff who enters the shop has to swipe the cards at the padlock which is at the entrance of the building. Some doors of our building will have a key lock because in these rooms valuable furniture will be stored. The keys to open these doors will be held by only the manager. In case of a fire, we will have a fire alarm. The high valuable furniture will be stored in an anti-fire room so that even if a fire breaks out, this furniture will not be destroyed. Interviewing staff will ensure the staff do not steal furniture or money from the company. Take references from other employers will also help. The data needs to be kept secure, in order to comply with the Data Protection Act. The Data Protection Act is designed to protect personal data stored in a computer.