Design a computer system for a video hire shop.
I work for a video shop called 'Vinnie's Vid's' and he has been moaning about the files. He is complaining that he needs a better way to store files about the users, videos and who has what video on loan. I will make a database for each of the problems and connect them. I will collect the information about users and videos from Vinny. His current system is a paper and pen system, which is too slow and inefficient. It could be lost at any time with only the one copy he will have to start the records all over again. A PC based system is fast, accurate and good for presentations. He has asked me to create a database by using Microsoft Access
Objectives:
* Make a database, which can find a certain type of film in 30 seconds.
* Make a database which can automatically show who has the rented videos.
* Make a database which shows who has overdue videos and how much they owe
Introduction
Choice of Problem:
I have noticed that keeping customer records on paper can be time consuming and neither practical or easy to use. The aim of this project is to create a database for a company or an organization; I have chosen Vinnie's videos. My database will include customer information to make organization and customer relations simpler; the new system will be more practical. An electronic database will make life easier as it will be superior to a card filling system and will save time and money.
A computer system is better than the old card filing method for many reasons. Example, searches can be carried out instantly rather than many manual records being waded through, customer information for a hundred people can be copied almost instantly to a standard letter. Vinny will be able to keep customer information lists, detailing contact information, stats on the customers videos, lists of regular jobs that need to be performed i.e. check who has videos out; in order that notices can be sent using mail merge. This will help Vinny keep up to data and on top of customer relations and business. A search function for my database will make it simple for letters detailing special offers which are customer specific to be sent out easily.
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 ...
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* 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.
Strengths and Weaknesses of current system:
Vinny currently has 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.
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:
Name
Address
Post code
Telephone Number
Job
When
What features
Individual Number
Harry Framer
57 Crompton Road
N8 7YT
8340 3452
YES
30.11.01
Fountain
Lawn
01
Jake Smith
24 Park Avenue North
N10 2ER
8883 2453
NO
Pond
Lawn
02
Gino Guilanni
7 Akashia Road
N13 7TY
8341 2232
YES
6.01.02
Rock Garden
Veg Patch
03.
Daniel Hutber
61 Uplands Street
N10 6RG
8809 5681
YES
6.12.01
Trees
Lawn
04
Sunny Sanga
2 Sunny Villas Muswell Road
N8 9JH
8889 8857
NO
Hedge
Lawn
05
Jasper Doyle
34 Essex Road
N7 5FG
7263 8208
NO
Fountain
Hedge
Lawn
06
Tom Vidowsksy
89 Howcow Street
N13 7DG
8889 8857
NO
Pond
Lawn
07
Robert Carver
203 Green Lanes
N8 HFD
8292 4130
YES
20.01.02
Trees
Lawn
08
Susan Croft
3 Durahm Road
N11 9GJ
8340 4813
NO
Vegatables
Lawn
Hedhe
09
Cherri Benn
98 South view road
N13 9HY
8888 8182
YES
2.11.01
Trees
Lawn
0
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 clippie.
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
o Contain customer info on Vinnie's customers
o State whether and when a customer has rented a video
o Show what videos are available
* 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.
I will need to use a database creation package like MS Access, Fox Pro, DBASE II or IV or Borland Database Explorer to create my database tables, queries, forms, reports and macros easily and also program them with the Visual Basic programming script to make my database into a professional running program. According to the user requirements MS Access is the best one also because it is mostly familiar to people. I will need a word processing package like MS Word, Notepad, WordPad and Word Perfect. MS Word is the best one to use because you can use word art and insert pictures or print screens into the document and also is mostly used by people.
Hardware needed: I need a computer that can run Microsoft Access and Microsoft Word just in case I need to use the mail merge. For this I will use a QWERTY keyboard for the manual input of data and the commands for the computer. I will need a mouse or trackball to design the database forms, to navigate the GUI of the OS and to move copy and paste data. I will need to use a 31/2 inch floppy disk and drive or a CDRW disk and drive in order to save my database and to make backups of my database. I will only use a CDRW if the database exceeds 1.38-1.44 MB. CDRW's can hold from 500-700 MB of information. I will need a printer to print out the design of my database of for word documentation of the database. The system should have at least 300 MHZ hard drive speed, and 5 GB memory, it should have at least a 128 MB RAM.
Problem1: a system management to put the videos in order
Form of output: a database
Information to be output: video title, video director, main actor, year released, length and genre, how many copies are available and how many are on loan.
Data needed to produce the output: video title, video director, main actor, year released, length and genre, which will be provided by Vinny.
Desired outcomes and performance criteria:
It has to be sorted so you can see a certain type of genre or year.
Testing: To see if all the correct records are in the right query.
Problem 2: needs a system to store all the members' names and addresses
Form of output: a database
Information to be output: name, address, user number, telephone.
Data needed to produce the output: name, address, user number, telephone. This is provided by Vinny.
Desired outcomes and performance criteria: member's details available so we can contact them if needed.
Testing: not needed
Problem 3: I don't have a system to see who has what video checked out and who has videos that are over due.
Form of output: database
Information to be output: name, user number, video rented, date taken out, date due back
Data needed to produce the output: name, user number, video rented, date taken out, date due back. This will be provided by Vinny, anyone that rents a new video will be entered into the database.
Desired outcomes and performance criteria: a list to see which videos are on loan. When somebody rents a video out all I want to have to do is click on the film name and type their name in. The rental time allowance will be 3 days and automatically entered
Testing: see if the people who have taken a video out have a book due on the database
Analysis of Strategies for Backup and Security
The system will be backed up on CD-RW's daily and on hard disk drives and a server. The database will have an encrypted modification password and it will be write-protected so it cannot be deleted. If a staff member needs to access the database to modify it, then a staff password is needed. It will not open until the password is correct
Information Flow
Error Checking
To ensure that the information is correct the staff will send the members an invoice with their details they have inputted and attached is another form to fill in the correct information and then collect it and update the database. For the videos the staff will do daily checks on the database to see any obscure looking information in the database and will edit this info by getting the video and re-entering the video data again. Or the staff will do two copies of information identical to each other because the information will be inputted twice and if they are not identical then one or the other or both are changed with the correct information.
Skills
The user is a competent pc user and will not need any sort of training, he would like it to be user friendly though, so if any new staff join, it will be easy to pick up.
ICT coursework 2. Database Project