BUS-ADM 749 Data and Information Management
Assignment 1
Perform conceptual design for the following case. Turn in both an ER diagram and a
specification document that includes additional constraints not shown on the diagram. If
you need to make additional assumptions to resolve any ambiguities in the case description,
clearly state them in the specification.
Continental Palms Hardware Company (CPHC) is considering creating an information system.
Your group has been hired to design a conceptual schema for the database in the information
system first.
CPHC is a wholesaler of various manufacturers’ hardware products. Its clients are hardware
stores, which in turn sell the products at retail to individual consumers. Every client is assigned a
unique client number. Other data held on a client include a name, an address (street, city, state,
zip), and one to three phone numbers. CPHC also keeps track of several employees of each client
as points of contact. It is assumed that each client assigns its own employees unique employee
numbers, which, however, can only be assumed to be unique within that client. Other data held
on an employee of a client include name (first name, last name), title, and up to three phone
numbers, which may or may not be the same as those of the clients.
CPHC’s own employees are assigned unique internal employee identifiers. Other data held on an
employee include name (first name, last name), title, home phone, work phone, birthdate, age,
gender (male or female), hire date, and the number of years worked (number of years since the
hire date). No employee younger than 18 years can be hired. A salesperson also has a unique cell
phone number and a commission percentage (0 to 25%). A salesperson may have a manager and
may be a manager of other salespersons. This supervision relationship is hierarchical up to three
levels, that is, one salesperson may be the manager of the manager of another salesperson.
CPHC has several offices. Each office has a unique office number, a fax number (may be shared
with other offices), a size (square feet), and a capacity (maximum number of employees that can
work in the office). The capacity of an office is between one and five. Every employee of CPHC
works in exactly one office.
Exactly one salesperson is assigned to work with each client. However, the salesperson has one
or more backups, who can also work with the client when needed. Every salesperson may (or
may not) serve as a backup for others.
Each product is uniquely identified by a UPC (Universal Product Code). Other data held on a
product include name, manufacturer, and unit price. A product may be made up of parts, which
are also sold as products individually. A product may be a part of many other larger products. For
example, basic items like hammers and wrenches may be sold separately or combined and sold
as sets. This composition relationship is hierarchical up to five levels. The quantity of a part that
is included in a larger product needs to be recorded. Apparently, this quantity must be at least
one.
A salesperson is authorized to sell one or many products. A product can be sold by one or many
salespersons. If a salesperson is authorized to sell a product, he must be authorized to sell all the
parts included in the product, if any.
When a salesperson sells one or more products to a client, an invoice is generated. The invoice is
assigned a unique invoice number. The products (UPC, name, unit price) and their quantities are
listed in the invoice. Other data held on an invoice include the date and total amount. The
salesperson selling to the client must be the salesperson assigned to work with the client or a
backup or the manager of the salesperson. Every product in the sale must be one that the
salesperson is authorized to sell.
Every payment from a client is authorized by an employee of the client, received by an employee
of CPHC, and used to pay an invoice of the client. Every payment is toward exactly one invoice,
but one invoice may be paid off in one or multiple payments. Every payment is assigned a unique
payment number. Other data held on a payment include date, payment method (e.g., check,
online transfer), and amount.