An I.T. system for Busy Bees.

Feasibility:

        Both systems have advantages;                

                

                Paper (card filling):

• Does not need electricity to run.
• Does not suffer from computer errors, or viruses.
• Does not need trained staff to use.
• Contains all the information.
• Can be locked away securely.

• Not easy to search for information.
• You cannot bring up one specific field.
• Uses paper.
• Very time consuming to create a back up copy.
• Easy to damage records.
• It can’t be edited, changed amended easily.
• Very difficult to change the record structure.
• Takes up a lot of space.

Electronic:

                

• Easy to search for information
• You can bring up one specific field.
• Does not use paper.
• Quick and easy to create a backup copy.
• It can be changed, amended and edited.
• Easy to change record structure
• Can be stored on a disk or CD.
• Can be looked at by as many people as you have computers.

• Needs electricity to run.
• Employees need some training use.
• Needs a computer system, which can be expensive.
• May suffer from computer errors or viruses.

After considering the pros and cons of the two systems I have decided that it is definitely more practical to use a computer system over a card filling system.

There are also a number of programs that I could consider using, they are Microsoft word, Microsoft excel or Microsoft access.

        Microsoft Word:

                

• You can enter information into separate fields.
• You can sort information.
• You can get a print out.

• You can’t query.
• You can’t carry out searches.
• You can only enter data in one format.
• It is not easy to add fields or records.
• You can only look at it in one view.
• It has limited features and is a word processing program

Example of what a database might look like if made in word:

 

Microsoft excel:

                

• You can enter information into separate fields
• You can get a print out.
•  You can collate some of your information into a pretty graph.
• You can put some of your information into alphabetical order.

• You can’t query.
• You can’t carry out searches.
• You can only enter data in one format.
• It is not easy to add fields or records.
• You can only look at it in one view.
• It has limited features and is a spreadsheet program

Microsoft access:

        

• Easy to search for information
• You can bring up one specific field
• You can enter information into separate fields
• You can get a print out.
• You can sort the information.
• It is easy to add fields or records.
• You can look at the information in several views.
• It is a database program with many useful database-making features.

• It is made by Microsoft and subsequently has many of the drawbacks of many of the Microsoft range i.e. the program incorporates clippy.

A screen shot displaying some of the functions of Microsoft access:

After careful consideration I have decided to use Microsoft access (the database program) as it is best suited to the task, as it has all the features I need.

Success Criteria:

        

• I will create a working database that will

• Contain customer info on busy Dees customers
• State whether and when a customer has arranged a job.
• State features of a customers garden

• It will have an attractive form view.
• It will have a number of queries.
• It will be easy to search information
• With the database I will be able mail merge to send certain customers information.
• It will be easy to use.
• It will be easy to add, amend and delete information.

Strengths and Weaknesses of current system:

        Busy Dee’s currently have a very primitive filling system, It has a lot weaknesses.  It takes a long time to find records, as they are stored in a filling cabinet.  When editing a record you must remove the entire card and rewrite it, it is time consuming to add new records.  To re-sort the records would take a very long time as it would obviously have to be done manually.  To search for information is also time consuming, especially if you are looking for a number of customers with similar records for some purpose.  However the database is comprehensive and does contain all the records needed.  What I need to do is design and makes a new database with all the information from the old one transferred into it.