Case Study

BOOKING SYSTEM

Introduction
Company C currently use a Lotus Approach Database Application to control customers, quotes, bookings and supplier confirmations. Many parts of the system have no links and data has to be keyed several times. The requirement is for a system whereby they can control the booking process without re-entry of the data. Company C currently runs a sister company, which has a web based enquiry and booking system.

Proposal
Currently Customer Data, Quote data and Enquiry data is stored in the Approach system. In future this will be stored within the website as this information is entered when creating a quote or enquiry. To ensure staff can always get access to the quote website, it will be replicated between the online website database and the office database using SQL replication. The office will use a intranet (internal) website to gain access to the office database. The office website will be used for all customer interaction up to and including the order being placed. It is suggested for payment that a virtual terminal is used, this means each user can enter credit card payments for deposits from their desktop. After processing through the terminal, the reply and confirmation will be recorded in the back office database. It is also suggested that an encrypted database for short term storage of credit card details and payments if it is not possible to connect to the virtual terminal due to broadband outage. A daily reminder will be send on payments due that are stored within this database. Once payment is made all details will be removed from the credit card database. The back office system will be used to follow up after the booking has been made. This will include confirming bookings for hotels, golf, car hire and flights. Final costs, payments and exchange rates can also be added to the system to provide feedback on margins and profits for bookings. Reports as agreed will be included within the system. Further reporting will be achieved using Microsoft Access and ODBC access to the database.

Infonote Datasystems ltd tel: 01858 467746 email: john@infonote.com Registered Office : The Lilacs, 6 Fairfield Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9QQ Infonote Datasystems Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under no. 03496036

Case Study

BOOKING SYSTEM

The booking database will have a menu driven system to allow access to different tasks within the application. This will allow access to all Quotes, all orders, customers, hotels, car hire, golf, flights, tasks due, payments due, profits/margins (TBD). If access control is required, the system will control access of users (TBA).

The view of quotes and orders will list all active orders and active quotes. These will be searchable using a search form by criteria TBD. Quotes and Orders can then be open from this screen. Quote and Order forms will contain information about the quote, what has been booked, confirmed etc. Alternatively the quotes and orders can present an entry view so criteria can be added and results returned as in the current Approach system. The order form will return details based on the quote for this holiday. It has been suggested that quotes be grouped by a holiday reference i.e. Golf holiday Easter. All quotes for this reference and customer would be seen against the order. Changes to the order would be made by re-quoting and adding the quote to the order. All orders will have a number of switches that must be set to show certain tasks have been completed i.e. Hotel confirmation sent, car hire booked, flights booked etc. It will be possible to view the hotel booking, book the golf etc via a menu and forms system. Outstanding amounts due and payments will also be viewable from this screen. A summary form will also be available to see payments, costs, exchange rates and profits from the booking. The view of customers will show all customers within the quotes database. This list will be searchable using a search form by criteria TBD. Customers can be opened from this screen. The customer form will contain all the information about a customer including all quotes, all enquiries and all orders within the system. Quote and order forms can be opened from the customer screen. Alternatively the customers can present an entry view so criteria can be added and results returned as in the current Approach system. Hotels, car hire, golf and flights will give views of all items and their current status quoted, ordered, confirmed etc. Task due will show all items that have a to do associated with them, confirmation of golf, confirmation of payments etc. Payments due will show all payments due by customer and to suppliers. All forms and views will be based on those already in the Approach database and discussion with Company C. All documents and letters created from the system will be achieved using Microsoft automation. Templates, fields and bookmarks will be used to transfer information from the database to the office documents. Though it is possible, the completed office documents will not be stored within the system as it is assumed all information used to create the documents will remain in the database. Hard copies of the documents can be stored in the office filing system.

Infonote Datasystems ltd tel: 01858 467746 email: john@infonote.com Registered Office : The Lilacs, 6 Fairfield Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9QQ Infonote Datasystems Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under no. 03496036

Case Study

BOOKING SYSTEM

Data in the current Approach system will be migrated to the new system as agreed with Company C. The minimum data migrated will include customers and all current quotes and bookings. This will be investigated with Company C. The system can either be intranet based (web technology) or application based on each computer. Though web technology is improving it can still be limiting, use of newer technology is usually sandboxed preventing interaction with other applications and hardware attached to the computer. It is recommended that application based technology is used. Browser windows can be included for interaction with the quote system. As the system is vital to the operation of Company C, it is important that it is developed with their full input. The project will start with a kick off meeting to confirm the basics of the system outlined in this quotation and to layout an appropriate project plan. Infonote will arrange regular progress meetings with Company C to demonstrate and review the system. This will ensure that the system remains within the working criteria of Company C. Training will be given on a demonstration system before the system is fully installed and becomes operational. A manual will not be supplied with the system unless requested by Company C. If requested this will be supplied at an additional cost.

Infonote Datasystems ltd tel: 01858 467746 email: john@infonote.com Registered Office : The Lilacs, 6 Fairfield Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9QQ Infonote Datasystems Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under no. 03496036

Case Study

BOOKING SYSTEM

Company C Website

Brochure Enquiries

Bookings

Quotes

Reporting
Website SQL Database Online Deposit Payment Failed

Credit card data stored in encrypted database for reprocessing

Booking SQL Database

Succeed

Booking Database
Customers

View View Brochure Enquiries Bookings

View

Quotes

Hotel Booking

Golf Booking

Flight Booking/ Confirmation

Car Booking

Documents

Infonote Datasystems ltd tel: 01858 467746 email: john@infonote.com Registered Office : The Lilacs, 6 Fairfield Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9QQ Infonote Datasystems Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under no. 03496036

Case Study

BOOKING SYSTEM

Required Work
Tasks (No. Days) Setting up replication of the Quote website database. (0.5) Investigation and integration of the virtual credit card terminal. (2) Creation of an encrypted database for temporary storage of Credit Card details. (1) Creation of back office database (2) Creation of forms for input and output of data from Credit card database (2) Reminder system for outstanding Credit card payments (1) Views created within quote database to provide easier reporting (1) Quote\Order forms associated view (1) Hotel forms (2) Golf form (3) Flights form (2.5) Payments Form (2) Summary Screen (2) Customer Form including views for quotes, orders. (2.5) Views for hotels, car hire, flights etc (3) To Do view for things to be completed. (1) Office document automation (2) Review information in current database for migration of data to new database. (1) Data migration based on the above study. (3) Kick Off Meeting & Progress meetings (4) Training (1)

Infonote Datasystems ltd tel: 01858 467746 email: john@infonote.com Registered Office : The Lilacs, 6 Fairfield Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9QQ Infonote Datasystems Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales under no. 03496036