XYZ Limited is a store that buys computer components at low prices, assembles the components into computers, and then sells the computers at high prices. Each computer is assigned a unique identification number, and computers that have common configurations are categorized into types (e.g. Barnacle is a laptop is easily networked and is recommended for businesses. Ghost is a desktop that is intended for home and small businesses. Categories must be entered into the database before any computers in the categories are actually assembled. The computer components are purchased from wholesalers. One of XYZ's purchasing agents submits an order to the wholesaler that has listed a given component for sale. If the order is accepted, one of the XYZ's inventory clerks receives the item(s). Multiple orders accepted by the same supplier may be consolidated into one dispatch. Orders are accepted in their entirety or not at all. Nearly all of XYZ's orders are accepted. Sometimes the incorrect components are delivered to XYZ and XYZ has to return them to the appropriate supplier. Sometimes XYZ returns components to suppliers for other reasons (e.g. as the result of a change in planned production of a certain category of computers). Only about 10% of XYZs purchased components are returned to suppliers, and any return would result from only one purchase.
When payment is due for a purchase, one of XYZ's cashiers issues one cheque for payment in full for the item(s) on that purchase. Sometimes if multiple purchases have been made from the same supplier within a short period of time, XYZ will pay for those purchases with just one cheque. One of XYZ's managers is required to authorize all purchase orders greater than $5,000 and is also required to sign all cheques (including those for expenditure other than purchases or computer components). XYZ needs to keep track of the managers' participation in these transactions as well as the participation of all other employees in these events.
All sales are handled via mail or e-mail, as XYZ does not have any showrooms. XYZ assigns salespeople to its large corporate customers and the salespeople take sample computers to the customer locations to demonstrate features as part of their sales calls. Only a small percentage of XYZ's sales calls result in orders, and sometimes a salesperson might need to make several sales calls to the same customer to obtain one order from that customer. Orders also result from customers surfing the Internet and seeing descriptions of the computers on XYZ's web site. These customers are not assigned to specific salespeople; XYZ only tracks the salesperson that actually took the order. Some of XYZ's salespeople are hired just to handle such orders and as such are not assigned specifically to any customers.
If a customer orders multiple computers on one sales order and some of the computers are immediately available whereas others are not yet assembled, XYZ will ship the available computers right away and then ship the remainder of the order when the rest of the computers are assembled. Sometimes XYZ combines computers from multiple orders into a single shipment. For example, once a customer ordered 10 computers and the next day decided that wouldn't be enough so he ordered 4 more. XYZ shipped all 14 computers in one shipment. XYZ only accepts cheques for its sales of computers; customers can pay for multiple sales with a single cheque. A sale must be paid for in full as no partial payments are accepted. Each sale transaction is tracked by a shipment ID; an invoice is sent to the customer that is due within 10 days, with no discounts allowed. XYZ does not allow any sales returns i.e. all sales are final. Cash receipts are never spilt between two cash accounts; rather each receipt is assigned to one of XYZ's cash accounts by one of XYZ's cashiers. XYZ also receives cash from other activities (e.g.loans).
1. Proposed system
Design a new information system for this company. Your solution should include the following items:
a. An overview of the primary features of the new system, explaining why this is the best solution for the firm to pursue.
b. A systems flowchart of the new information system, showing automated and manual procedures.
c. A description of the technology platform for the system.
d. A data model of the business process using the entity relationship (ER) diagram approach.
e. A list of financial and nonfinancial data attributes for each entity in the ER diagram.
f. The base tables needed to support the views; these should be normalised to 3NF.
g. Implement this data model in MSACCESS and include a copy of the MSACCESS relationship report
h. A discussion of the appropriate accounting controls for the new system.