Name: Simudzirayi Pacinave

Subject: Computer Science

Candidate Number: 3010

Year : 2022

School: Magunje Barracks High

Home Hardware
Management System

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Table of Contents
Background...........................................................................................................................................9
Problem Identification........................................................................................................................10
Investigation.......................................................................................................................................11
Interviews.......................................................................................................................................11
Facts gathered after interviews.......................................................................................................11
Observation.....................................................................................................................................12
Facts gathered from observation....................................................................................................12
Broad Description Of The Current System..........................................................................................13
Inputs..............................................................................................................................................13
Process............................................................................................................................................13
Output.............................................................................................................................................13
Storage............................................................................................................................................14
Evaluation of the current system........................................................................................................15
Requirements Specification................................................................................................................16
Aims and Objectives of the proposed system.....................................................................................17
Aims – Long term............................................................................................................................17
Objectives – Short term..................................................................................................................17
To upgrade the existing system..........................................................................................................19
Developing a new system...................................................................................................................20
Justification of the chosen method.....................................................................................................20
Test Plan (Phone number)...................................................................................................................27
An algorithm to register a new item into Home Hardware Management System................................29
An algorithm on the point of sale of the new Home Hardware Management System.......................30
Program flow chart of registering new item.......................................................................................31
User documentation...........................................................................................................................33
Installation......................................................................................................................................33
Running the System........................................................................................................................33
Exiting the System...........................................................................................................................33
Evaluation of the new system.............................................................................................................35

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Evaluation of the new system.............................................................................................................39
Achievements..................................................................................................................................39
Weakness / Limitations...................................................................................................................39
Opportunities for future developments..........................................................................................39

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Appendices

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 Appendix 1:
Interview Guide and
responses

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Appendix 2:
Description of observation

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 SECTION A
SELECTION,
INVESTIGATION AND
ANALYSIS

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Background

Home hardware is located on shop number 6 Kamfinsa shopping centre, Greendale, Harare,
Zimbabwe. It was established on 27 June 2013. Its population size is ten employees. The
company manager is Nomore Mungororo. The product range of Home hardware include
camping and outdoors products, electrical goods, home and garden bolts and nuts and tools
for business activities. Home Hardware Company operating hours from Monday to Friday is
from 08:00 am to 05:00 pm and from 08:00 am to 01:00 pm on Saturdays. It does not operate
on Sundays and on Public holidays.

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Problem Identification
Home hardware uses the manual management system, which has the following problem:

 It is slow in saving the customers because it involves lot of manual calculations of

totals invoice of the hardware sold using calculators.

 There is no security because records of hardware items bought per day, total sales per
day and the date where transaction was carried are kept in storeroom, which is kept
under a lock and key. When one happen to have the keys he or she can access the
records of a hardware

 When the storeroom burnt all records of items bought per day, total sales per day and
date where transaction was carried are not recovered because there is no backup.

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Investigation of the current system
The system analyst investigates on the current system using the following as research
instruments:

Interviews
The system analyst chose to use interviews as a research instrument because:

 The researcher can ask for clarification on some points that may not be clear.

 Non-verbal gestures like facial expression can help the researcher to determine if the
respondent is telling the truth.

Facts gathered after interviews

 Cashier takes about 15 minutes to serve one customers.

 Records are stored in a storeroom, which is kept under a lock and keys. The keys are
kept by the manager and by the deputy manager if the manager is not around. If both
were not around the senior cashier keep them.

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Observation
The system analyst chose observation as a research instrument because:

 The researcher can take part in operating the system thereby getting insight on how
the system operates.

 Observations are used to validate the facts gathered on interviews.

Facts gathered from observation

 There is only one written document of the hardware items that is the hard copy.

 When the customers brought goods to the till, the cashier checked the cost of goods
from a book and punch on the calculator and chances to punch wrong figures are
high.

 The receipts are written by pen and chances for the cashier to stole some money are
high

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Broad Description Of The Current System
The Home hardware uses the manual management system as follows:

 When the customer buy items in the hardware, the cashier write his or her name on a
book of records. The cashier also writes the types of items bought and the quantity.
The cashier calculates the amount to be paid using calculator. When the money
tendered is more than items bought the cashier calculate the change to be given to the
customer and then give him or her and the receipts of amount paid.

The following are inputs, processes, output and storage:

Inputs
Customer’s details

 Name of customer
 Customer’s national identity number
 Date where transaction is carried

Item’s details

 Name and type of items

 Price of items

Process
 Calculation of total sales per every month
 Calculating items left on the hardware to know how much items to be bought
 Calculation of how much profit is earned from items bought

Output
 Reports of total sales
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  Reports of items returned by customers
 The quantity of each and every items bought

Storage
 The reports of all transaction recorded are then stored in a storeroom which is kept
under a lock and key

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Evaluation of the current system
Strengths of the current system are:

 It works in the absence of power

 It is easy to use even to those who did not know how to operate a computer because it
uses manual

Weaknesses of the current system are:

 It is very slow in saving customers as it take about 15 minutes to save one customer

 There is no backup of the hardware records if the storeroom burnt

 There is no security of the hardware records which is stored in a storeroom

 There are high chances of calculating wrong amounts

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Requirements Specification
Software requirements for the new system are:

 Window 7 operating system or above (32/64 bit)-For good processing speed

 .Net Framework 4.0 or later-building the system
 Ms Access Database 2002-2003-For good record keeping

Hardware requirements for the new system are:

 4 desktop computers with:

• 2 GB RAM or better-For storage purposes

• 500 GB hard disk drive or above-For storing large amounts of information

• Monitors “44” display screen-For displaying outputs that are in the system
 2 printers:
• 1 colour printer-For bringing out and producing output in paper form which
clear to see
• 1 black and white printer-For producing output on paper when the colour
printer

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Aims and Objectives of the proposed system

Aims
 To improve the storage of hardware’s records of goods bought or sold by storing
them in a secure database

 To increase data security and avoid loss of hardware’s records of goods bought or
sold as data and the records will be kept in a secure database

 To reduce arithmetic errors in calculating hardware’s total transaction occurred

Objectives
 To provide backup if the hardware’s records of goods bought or sold are destroyed by
natural disasters

 To reduce paperwork and buying of stationery like books and pens as all the
recording of hardware records are done in a computer

 To reduce human labour cost and improve the outputting of hardware records

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SECTION B
DESIGN

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Consideration of alternative methods

To upgrade the existing system

This method is when we improve the existing system by adding the following:

 2 more tills and 4 more workers

 Spreadsheet for better record keeping

Advantages

 It is easy to use since the new system is not totally different from the existing system

 It is cheap since few thing are added that is 2 more tills and 4 more workers

Disadvantages

 It is slow in producing hardware’s records and invoices

 There is no backup for lost hardware files

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Developing a new system
 The problem is solved by developing a new system through hiring system analyst
who do investigation and feasibility studies
 The system analyst would design the new system and the implement it

Advantages

 There is room for correction of errors when it does not suit and solve the problems
available to the fullest

 It is developed for Home hardware so it solve problems specified to the fullest

Disadvantages

 It is expensive since you need to start a new system that solve the problems to the
fullest

Justification of the chosen method

The analyst has chosen to develop a new system as a solution to the problems because:

 It reduces number of employees

 It solves problem to the fullest than upgrading the existing system

 It is client based

 There is room to correct errors

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Input Design

Data Capture Forms:

Item number…………………………………………………

Item
name………………………………………………………

Cost Price………………………………………………….

Supplier…………………………………………………….

Selling Price………………………………………………..

Item ordered…………………………………………………….

Quantity…………………………………………………………….

Total………………………………………………………………

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Screen layout

Item ordered

Item number

Item registration
Item name

Cost Price

Supplier

Selling Price

ADD Clear Exit

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Order Form

Item Ordered

Quantity

Total

Save Exit

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Output

Customer’s list Report

 Customer’s name
 Address
 Phone number
 Vendor number

Customer’s list Report

Customer’s Address Phone number Vendor

name number
Nigel M Magunje 0778338311 A001
Talent N Kazangarare 0712325974 A005
Catherine G Karoi 0774200593 A023

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Hardware Details Report

 Hardware name
 Hardware ID
 Department

Hardware Details Report

Hardware name Hardware ID Department

Home Hardware A0035 Tools
Home Hardware A0035 Chemicals

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Test Plan (Phone number)
Name of test Description Expected
Normal The user will enter the The program must accept
customer’s phone number the phone number and
between the range that is continue running
acceptable (digits only)
for example 0778339645
Abnormal The user will enter The system must reject
customer’s phone number and prompt the user to
that mixed with characters enter correct phone
for example 077S65UT3F number
Extreme The user will enter the The system must accept
phone number that is the phone number and
maximum and minimum continue running
of the range for example
0770000000 and
0779999999

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 SECTION C
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

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An algorithm to register a new item into Home Hardware Management System

START

Enter item name

Enter item code

If item code = Correct Format Then

Enter cost price

Enter Markup

Enter the name of the supplier

Selling price = cost price * markup

Else

Display wrong item code

End If

STOP

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An algorithm on the point of sale of the new Home Hardware Management
System

Start

Enter customer’s name

Load transaction number

Load date

Select item code

Load item name

Load unit price

Enter quantity

If quantity = correct format then

Selling price = unit price * quantity

Display selling price

Else

Display wrong quantity format

End If

Exit module

Stop

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Program flow chart of registering new item

STAR

Enter item code

Display error message

Is item
No
code in
NO correct
format?

YES
Enter item
name

Enter type of item

Load supplier

Enter price of
item

Do you
YES NO
want to
STO
add
another

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Page 30 of 39
Program Code

PrivateSub btnSave_Click(sender AsObject, e AsEventArgs) Handles

btnSave.Click
ConnectDB()
MyDatAdap = New OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter("Select * from Users",
MyConn)
MyCmdBld = New OleDb.OleDbCommandBuilder(MyDatAdap)
MyDatAdap.Fill(MyDatTbl)

If txtConfirm.Text <> txtPassword.Text Then

MsgBox("Password Mismatch, please Re-enter to proceed!",
vbInformation)
txtPassword.Clear()
txtConfirm.Clear()
txtPassword.Focus()
EndIf

Dim myRow AsDataRow = MyDatTbl.NewRow

With myRow
.Item(0) = txtUsername.Text
.Item(1) = txtPassword.Text
.Item(2) = txtAccesslevel.Text
EndWith

MyDatTbl.Rows.Add(myRow)
MyDatAdap.Update(MyDatTbl)

MyDatAdap = Nothing
MyDatTbl.Clear()
MyConn.Close()
txtUsername.Clear()
txtPassword.Clear()
txtConfirm.Clear()
txtAccesslevel.Clear()
MsgBox("Record has been successfully added to the database",
MsgBoxStyle.Information)
EndSub

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User documentation

Installation
Load the system in the CD Drive, copy the folder “Database” and paste it in Drive C:\.
Before doing anything. After this action, check the existence of Microsoft.Net Framework
4.0. If it does not exist then first download on the Microsoft Website. After that you can now
run the setup of the Home Hardware Management System and a short cut will be placed on
the desktop.

Running the System

Double–click the short cut of the Home Hardware Management System on the desktop and
you will be welcomed by a login form. On the login form select the user and enter password.
After entering the correct password, the user will access to the main menu of the Home
Hardware Management System. The main menu the user access to all other modules of the
system. If the user wants to register a new item to the database, he / she clicks the register an
item button and if he / she wants to perform a transaction, he / she just click the compute
button on the point of sale mode

Exiting the System

On the main menu, the user can click log off button to exit the current logged in user, but the
system will continue running. To completely exit the system, the user must click exit button.

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 SECTION D
TESTING AND EVALUATION

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Evaluation of the new system

Normal Test

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Abnormal

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Extreme

Minimum

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Maximum

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Evaluation of the new system

Achievements
The new Home Hardware Management System has improved in working conditions in a way
that:

 The chances of making arithmetic errors are reduced

 Human labour cost were cut since most of the work for serving customers are now
being done by the system
 Storage costs are reduced as records are stored in a secure database
 Customers are now served very fast and in less than one minute customer will be
already served

Weakness / Limitations
 Frequent power cuts which causes delay of some process such that some components
were left unattended
 The time frame for developing of system was not enough since some problem were
not solve and included in the system

Opportunities for future developments

In the future, the new Home Hardware Management System will be improved to meet
international standards. This will be done by:

 Spreading the new system to other branches of hardware companies so that standards
of serving customers will be improved.
 Making it online so that customers will buy hardware item without travelling to the
shop.
 Provision of Electronic Fund Transfer at Point of Sale.

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