Examples of Card Connections produce
Below are some examples of the kind of greetings cards Card Connection have to offer:
What is the current problem with my parents accounts?
Currently, the problem with the accounts are that they are not all organised, badly written and poorly presented, and as well as this, they are not always up to date. As it stands, all of the accounts for the business are being worked out by hand on sheets of paper, with the basic layout and design being printed from a computer but the actual information and sums being worked out by hand. This is therefore time consuming and prone to mistakes because working things out by hand all of the time, is bound to produce a mistake or two, or more. This would then mean that the accounts would be inaccurate and could have a dramatic impact on the finances on the business when it come to budgeting etc. It is also time consuming compared to using a computer system. As the current method is time consuming, it means that it is less likely to be completed because my parents never actual get around to do it because they just keep putting it off because it will take too long. If it was on a computer system then this may not be such a problem. See separate sheet number 1 for an example of the current accounts sheet used.
Data Flow Diagram of current method
In order to understand fully, just how this current process is performed. As it stands, my father travels down to the Bournemouth area 4 days a week, and each of those days re-stocking cards in the outlets. Each outlet currently has a folder with core information about it, as well as the accounts for that particular outlet. At the end of each day, he is supposed to complete the accounts for that outlet, and each outlet gets visited every 4 weeks. However, the only problem with this is that, the accounts don’t always get done when they are supposed to because they are boring and time consuming. Perhaps a computer system could change all of this.
This data flow diagram has been produced from my own knowledge with regards to what my parents do as I have witnessed them doing this on a regular basis. However, despite this, when it comes to actually interviewing my parents I will ask them about the process in which they visit each outlet with regards to the accounts of that outlet, and I will display the process later on in the project.
How could the current method be improved?
After reviewing the way in which the current method is carried out, I feel that it can be improved with regards to updating the overall accounts for the business at the end of each week, with a computer system because this will make it much easier to write up the accounts and information, as well as saving time, and probably being more accurate at the same time. As this is the case, it would make it much easier for my parents because it is quicker than the previous method so they may have more motivation to complete and update the accounts on a regular basis. At this current position in time, all of the accounts they have need to be transferred into a computer system because the results will be presented more clearly which will be ideal as my parents are currently trying to sell the business. This would probably be best done in a spreadsheet as these are ideal for calculating results from figures that have been entered into the spreadsheet.
What is the current problem with the stock ordering system?
The problems with the current stock ordering system are that the first phase is done by hand and by memory, which is not always a good thing because mistakes can be made which means that there may either be too little stock, or too much stock, both of which can create problems. For example, problems with having too much stock can include storage space etc. The more stock there is, more space is required in order to store it. As well as this, the stock may become ‘out of date’ and may not sell very well because nobody wants that particular product anymore by the time it has actually got into the outlets. Problems with ordering too little stock and quite obvious, for example, too little stock will mean that there will not be enough stock to fill all of the outlets which therefore means that the business may not be maximising its profits because it may not be selling as much as it could be.
Currently, picking boxes are produced the day before each outlet is visited, each picking box contains various amounts of cards, which are recorded, the amount of each etc. On the day of visiting the outlet, the picking box is used to re-stock to outlet with the cards it is missing, or new products my parents wish to try. At the end of each day, the picking box comes back and is unpacked, with each card being put back into its correct place, and, as with the packing of the picking box, the contents of the picking are recorded to maintain stock levels. The recorded information would then be analysed carefully before an order is put through, which, unfortunately can take time, and is once again, a very boring thing to do.
Data flow diagram of current method
Once again, in order to understand fully the extent of which the current stock ordering method works. For example, from picking the boxes the day before, to unpacking them the next day after the outlet has been visited.
Once again, this data flow chart has been produced from my own knowledge about how the business works after having first hand experience with regards to how it works. However, I will check that this method is correct when it comes to interviewing my parents about the business and what they actually need.
How could the current method be improved?
I think that this current method could, like the problem with the accounts could be improved with a computer system. Currently stock levels are only recorded by pen and paper, but a computer system would enable them to have a clear view of their current stock levels which will help when it come to ordering more stock online via the Card Connection website. If the system was on a laptop then the system could be used when the picking boxes are actually being picked, when the outlets are re-stocked, and also when the picking boxes are unpacked at the end of each day. This would then save writing everything down and then transferring it on a computer system, which would once again, take longer than putting it straight into the system.
1st interview with my parents
In order to check that the data flow diagrams I have already done from my knowledge of how the business works, I will ask my parents some questions to hopefully confirm what I already know and have analysed. I will also check what they actually want doing for the business in order to help them sell it. Below are the question I asked them.
Date of interview: 1st October 2003
Time of interview: 17:30
As you already know, for my IT coursework I need to help a business with a new computer system for a real person/business. Do you currently use IT for any aspects for the running of the business?
Yes, but only for the ordering of new stock every Wednesday night, but other than that, no!
What do you feel you actually need to sell the with regards to a new computer system?
Well, we could really do with a database with the outlets and the accounts for each outlet as well as the sales figures, which could then be used to help with the stock ordering system because at present it is not always accurate enough. The accounts also need to be formal and well present for potential buyers of the business.
How user friendly should it be?
Well as it will get sold on with the business, it needs to be very user friendly because other people will be using it, not just us two.
When does it need to be completed by?
As soon as possible really, it will help with the selling of the business!
What details of the outlets will need to be included in the database?
Basically, details such as the name of the outlet, current owners of the outlet, address, telephone number, basic contact details and useful information about the outlet.
And what about the accounting side?
Figures of the number of cards sold, as well as the type of cards sold for general day to day birthdays etc, as well as the occasions.
How many occasions are there, and what are they?
- Christmas
- Easter
- Fathers day
- Mothers day
- Valentines day
Please could you quickly run through how you keep an eye on your stock levels?
Well cards get packed into a picking box the day before the outlet is due to be visited. When the outlet is being visited the shelves get re-stocked with cards in the picking box. The box is then unpacked at the end of the day, with the cards being put back in to their proper location.
And at any point do you record the cards which go out in the picking box, what gets put onto the shelves and what comes back?
No, only mentally, we know what cards are in the box at the start and can relate that to what comes back.
And what about the accounting side?
Well for each outlet the accounts are done at the end of the day, with the amount of cards sold written up and the figures calculated, which isn’t really a problem.
What is the problem then?
The main problem is the overall accounts for the business, i.e. the total profit the business has made over the year and showing the variable and fixed cost etc, as well as how much money was lost through tax. I should complete the overall accounts at the end of each week, but never seem to get round to it.
And is this what you need on a computer system then?
Yes, as well as the accounts for each individual outlet and the stock ordering.
Thank you for your time.
Interview analysis
After conducting the interview with my parents, I have come to the conclusion that my data flow diagrams etc, for the business are mainly correct, with a few minor things wrong, which I will go over and re-produce for both the stock ordering system and the accounting system. I will discuss these later on in my project.
Review of data flow diagram for the accounting side of the business.
With regards to the data flow diagram for the accounting side of the business, it is virtually the same, but with one difference, so I have decided to create another data flow diagram to illustrate this. This can be seen below.
As you can probably see from this data flow diagram, the main difference is the fact that the accounts are not written up at the end of each week, but other than that, it is unchanged.
Review of data flow diagram for the stock ordering system
This is also relatively unchanged, but there were a few minor problems with is, so like the accounting side of the business, I have decided to do another, corrected copy. This can be seen below.
As you can see from the data flow diagram above is the fact that the amount of cards taken out at the start of each day, ones re-stocked and the cards which have come back do not get recorded on a piece of paper, but only mentally, which can cause some issues. This is mainly because there is even more chance for human error because you may forget things and they may get muddled up and therefore get things wrong which in turn means that the stock ordering will be inaccurate so stock levels will be incorrect.
