Business Information Systems
BT2003
The DreamHome Case Study
Student: Terence Smith
Lecturer:
G20109733
Mr. S Jackson
BT2003 Dreamhome
Contents
Contents
Contents ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 2
Technical Requirements............................................................................................................... 2
Starting......................................................................................................................................... 3
Structure ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Reports ......................................................................................................................................... 5
System Maintenance .................................................................................................................... 6
Branch Details...................................................................................................................... 7
Staff Details ......................................................................................................................... 7
Property for Rent.................................................................................................................. 8
Owner Details ...................................................................................................................... 8
Renter Details....................................................................................................................... 9
Lease Details ...................................................................................................................... 10
Advertisement Details........................................................................................................ 10
Newspaper Details ............................................................................................................. 10
Viewing Details ................................................................................................................. 11
Inspection Details............................................................................................................... 12
Enquiries Submenu .................................................................................................................... 13
Introduction
This report covers the user instructions for the database DREAMHOME. The section is
designed for an employee within the estate agents Dreamhome.
Technical Requirements
The system requires a computer capable of running Microsoft Office 2002.
DREAMHOME was developed using Microsoft Access 2002 and must be included in the
installed package.
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Starting
Starting
After first turning on the computer you will be presented with the local desktop. On the
desktop the following icon will be displayed.
DreamHome.mdb.lnk
(fig.1)
Clicking on this icon will open the Dreamhome package. You will be presented with this
screen. (fig 2.)
(fig 2)
This is the main menu from which all functions are available. As the diagram shows, there are
three areas.
1. Reports Submenu
2. System Maintenance
3. Enquiries Submenu
The structure and layout of the programme is as follows.
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Structure
Structure
Main Menu
Maintenance
Branch
Enquiries
Reports
Property managed
by staff
Staff member at
each branch
Property / Renter
requirements
Supervisors at each
branch
Staff
Owners
Renter
Lease
Adverts for
properties
Adverts in
newspapers
Advertisements
Comments on
properties
Properties at each
branch
Renters at each
branch
Return
Newspapers
Lease agreements
Viewing
Inspections
Inspection
Return
Properties
Return
(fig 3)
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Reports
Reports
Clicking on the Reports Submenu
button opens a second level menu
(fig 4) containing a number of
reports.
To get back to the main menu from
any of the submenus, click on the
‘Return to Main Menu’ button.
(fig 4)
Four reports are available by clicking on the buttons on the left of the screen. An example page
showing the report generated by choosing report three is displayed here. (fig 5)
.
(fig 5)
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System Maintenance
System Maintenance
The second submenu available
from the main menu is the
System
Maintenance
menu.
Clicking on one of the buttons
opens a form relevant to the
button label where you are able
to enter all the details required by
the system. Example screens
follow.
(fig 6)
All the screens in this section operate in the same way. In the header section there are a
number of buttons as shown here.
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System Maintenance
Branch Details
This screen (fig 7) is
used to enter details of
any
branch
DreamHome.
of
Details
are filled in simply by
clicking on the new record button and entering the information in the text
(fig 7)
areas on screen.
The form can also be used to recall records of branches already created. Click on the down
arrow under [Branch Search] on the right hand side of the screen to see a list of all branch
numbers along with the city or town in which the branch is situated. Select one of the branches
and the full details will be displayed in the form to the left. Once displayed, all details can be
edited.
Staff Details
All details of the staff
are entered through this
form (fig 8). Two dropdown menus are located
under
[Employee
Search].
The
first
search option is staff number and the second is staff name. To assist in
(fig 8)
locating the correct staff member both surname and first name are displayed under staff name.
The screen is divided into personal and employment details.
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System Maintenance
Property for Rent
The form shown here is
split into four sections.
The
details
of
the
property itself are all
together at the top left
hand side of the screen.
The top
right hand
panel holds the branch
information to which the property is allocated. The staff member responsible
(fig 9)
for the property is held in the lower left hand panel while information on the owner of the
property is detailed in the lower right hand panel.
Data can be entered into the [Property Details] and [Staff Responsible] sections but not into the
remaining sections. These are provided for information only and are locked. To change
ownership or branch details, the correct form must be used.
Owner Details
The Owner Details form allows details of both owners and their properties to be entered. This
form has three purposes.
1. Entering new owners. To enter a new owner, click on the add record button
on the button bar. Ownership details can be added in the top left part of the
form. Once completed the owner’s property is entered in the form across the
bottom of the screen.
2. Looking up existing owners. The top right hand section of the form contains a
drop down box labeled [Owner name]. Clicking on this box lists all owners in
alphabetical surname order. Selecting an owner will display all information
regarding that owner.
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System Maintenance
3. Adding new properties. If an owner adds a new property to his/her portfolio,
the property will be added here. Use the drop down box to display the
relevant owner and click in the PropertyID field adjacent to the * under
[Properties Owned]. Details can then be added using the TAB key to advance
across the fields.
(fig 10)
Renter Details
This form works in the
same way as the other
forms.
Details of the
renter are entered in the
top left hand section
with the preferences of
the renter in the lower
left hand side. Under [Renter Search] is a drop down box listing the renter
(fig 11)
by name. Using this feature recalls particular renter details which can then be edited.
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System Maintenance
Lease Details
Continuing the theme,
the
[Lease
Details]
form follows the same
format as other forms.
Use the [Add Record]
button to start recording
a new lease. Enter the details of a lease taken out in the left hand
(fig 12)
section. The right hand section holds the property details to which the lease appertains.
Advertisement Details
The
[Advertisement
Details] form is used to
enter
details
advertisements
of
placed
in newspapers. All fields can be duplicated except the Advert No. which
(fig 13)
has to be unique. Add and delete records using the buttons on the button bar.
Newspaper Details
The
[Newspaper
Details] form is used to
record details of the
newspapers
DreamHome
used
by
when
advertising properties for let. All information is entered into the left
(fig 14)
hand panel. The right hand panel under [Newspaper Search] contains a drop down box which
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lists the newspapers stored in the data base.
System Maintenance
This can be used to recall information on
newspapers if details need to be changed. i.e. new contacts. As new publications are added to
the database the drop down list will automatically expand to accommodate the added
newspapers.
Viewing Details
The [Viewing Details] form is similar in construction to the [Owner Details] form. It is used to
record details of viewings carried out at a specific property. There are three ways in which this
form can be used.
1. New properties can be created by clicking the [Add] button and details entered
into the form.
2. Existing details can be recalled by using the drop down box under [Property
Search]. Choosing a property here will recall both the property details along
with information on the viewings previously carried out. These show in the
table at the bottom of the screen.
3. Viewing details are added by recalling the property, as in point two, and
clicking the RenterID field next to the *.
Use the [TAB] key to move across
the form.
(fig 15)
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System Maintenance
Inspection Details
The [Inspection Details] form is used to record details of inspections carried out at a specific
property. There are three ways in which this form can be used.
1. New properties can be created by clicking the [Add] button and details entered
into the form.
2. Existing details can be recalled by using the drop down box under [Property].
Choosing a property here will recall both the property details along with
information on the inspections previously carried out. These show in the table
at the bottom of the screen.
3. Inspection details are added by recalling the property, as in point two, and
clicking the StaffID field next to the *.
Use the [TAB] key to move across
the form.
(fig 16)
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Enquiries Submenu
Enquiries Submenu
The third submenu available
from the main menu is the
Enquiries Submenu. Clicking on
one of the buttons opens a report
relevant to the button label. Most
of the enquiries will open one or
two [Enter Parameter Values]
boxes. In the box a question
relevant to the enquiry will be
displayed.
(fig 17)
In the example shown here (fig 18), the enquiry is asking ‘how
many rooms’ and refers to [Enquiry 2]. By entering a specific
number - say 5 - the enquiry will list all properties with five rooms
available for rent.
(fig 18)
(fig 19)
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Enquiries Submenu
Parameters required by the enquiries are:
1. Enquiry 1
Properties managed by staff.
2. Enquiry 2
Properties by renter requirement
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Enquiry 3
Enquiry 4
Enquiry 5
Enquiry 6
Enquiry 7
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Adverts for specific properties
Adverts in specific newspapers
Comments on specific properties
Lease agreements on properties
Inspections for specific properties
Enter staff surname
Enter number of rooms
Enter type of accommodation
Enter property number
Enter newspaper name
Enter property number
Enter property number
Enter property number
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