Managing a bar with spreadsheets.

Managing a Bar with Spreadsheets

My project will be based on the College Coffee Bar. I will be designing and constructing a spreadsheet that shall assist the owner or manager of the business. The spreadsheet should allow users to store data such as, items being sold, selling and buying costs. It should also make it easy to calculate profits and losses over a period of time. At the moment the company record their data by hand as they do not have a computer. They store these written files in a large cabinet, which take up large amount of space. The company also find it hard to locate specific files/records. As these are written on paper, they can be easily damaged or lost, and can be difficult to transport from place to place. What I am planning to do should be a radical improvement in reflection with the currant method they are using.

Here are my tasks and subtasks in order of which I will complete them:

Ø To do this I shall have to create a data capture sheet. I think the easiest and most reliable sources of gaining this information required is to interview Elain Ridgeway and Mrs Sawford who both organise catering for school lunches and special events such as concerts.

Ø To make this successful I will firstly have to find out what businesses are currently using so I know what I have to better, I will also be able to ask their views and what they think it should include. Therefore then using their input I should be able to design a spreadsheet that it caters for as many of their needs as possible.

Ø Design several layouts for my final spreadsheet using the views of potential users and choose the most appropriate.

Ø Then using that template create a fully functional spreadsheet that is useful, and substantially better than what they are currently using.

Ø Test it and if necessary make changes to improve the quality.

Ø Then I will have to make two user guides, the first showing how I made the programme and the second being instructions on usage and how to solve frequently occurring problems.

After looking at my returned data capture forms the most popular ideas mentioned for ...

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Ø Design several layouts for my final spreadsheet using the views of potential users and choose the most appropriate.

Ø Then using that template create a fully functional spreadsheet that is useful, and substantially better than what they are currently using.

Ø Test it and if necessary make changes to improve the quality.

Ø Then I will have to make two user guides, the first showing how I made the programme and the second being instructions on usage and how to solve frequently occurring problems.

After looking at my returned data capture forms the most popular ideas mentioned for improvement were; automatic updating of record, to be able to locate certain records, to store large files, simple screen layout, to highlight mistakes and needs to be able to be recalled at a later date.

Most of these tasks are software and hardware based so I will have to search certain software programs and produced a minimal specification for the PC to see if they can be done. This applies to all the of the following:

1. Firstly I will have to ensure there is enough memory. This shouldn't be a very big problem as there will be plenty of space available. Microsoft Word, excel should not be a problem when it comes to space. I will have at least 30 records to store on this spreadsheet.

2. If my spreadsheet would be able to automatically update a record when a single piece of data is changed, it must be able to use formulas. These are very useful as they save time by calculating numbers instantly, and when a cell changes it will update accordingly.

3. To be able to locate certain records of data it must have a search facility or to be able to filter data that doesn't fit into a certain group.

4. Any programme as long as it is saved can be recalled at a later date. I would suggest that it should be saved on the hardrive so it can be used on that computer, and my results also showed it would be useful if it could be opened on a different computer, therefore making floppy disks essential.

This final task is completed by me as it is how I choose to design it:

5. The screen layout must be easy to interpret, so to do this I will firstly use a clear and easily legible text, and also if I use colours it must be easy to distinguish between them and they must be explained probably by using a key. Another important feature is to choose an appropriate layout so scrolling up and down is at a minimal but also the text is not to small.

My spreadsheet must also have the following columns (probably more!!):

ÿ Item- to list all the items stocked by the bar

ÿ Buying cost- so profit can be calculated

ÿ Selling cost- so profit can be calculated

ÿ Amount sold- so profit can be calculate

ÿ Money spent- to show owner how much he has to pay

ÿ Money made- to show how much he has money worth of products he has sold

ÿ Money lost- shows owner what stock is selling well and what isn't, therefore allowing him to decide if it is worth buying

ÿ Total profit- to show owner how much he has made on all the items put together.

DESIGN SPECIFICATION

My spreadsheet needs to:

Ü Contain 30 records or more

Ü Simple screen layout

Ü Be easy to interpret

Ü Be able to use formulas

Ü Needs a large amount of memory

Ü Be able to save and retrieve information at a later date

Ü Be able to edit/ change the data in a record

Ü Have a search or filter facility

Ü Have a user guide; to help new users trouble shoot

Ü Have another user guide; to show how it was made incase of necessary duplication

I will need the following hardwareto complete these tasks:

v VDU - So I will be able to look at the information in the computer I have entered and use the Windows Icons Menus and Pointers.

v KEYBOARD - So I will be able to enter the characters via keystrokes and change case quickly.

v MOUSE - To make moving from programs and selecting options much quicker and easier.

v DESKTOP -The store of the CPU (central processing unit), backing store, programs, files, and documents etc.

v PRINTER - to print out documents.

v FLOPPY DISKS - To save work and to ensure documents can be transported from home and school.

I will also need the following software to complete these tasks:

v
WORD (below)- to word process documents.

EXCEL (below)- to create spreadsheets.

v COREL PRINT HOUSE (below)- for clip arts and various other things that will improve my presentation.

v MICROSOFT PUBLISHER (below)- another interesting programme for desktop publishing

Managing a bar with spreadsheets.