You are a star consultant from "Databases R US" IT consulting and managing firm. Just graduated from APUS and this is your first critical job. You just got hired by "Home Solutions Inc" a construction and parts company to help them with their customer and parts data management. Unfortunately, the company has been depending on the owner's nephew for their data needs and Joe has done his best to come through for the family business. His lack of experience with data management is hurting the business as they have been unable to successfully keep track of their inventory system, customers and sales. Joe has put together a spreadsheet, see below, and they have been using it as a database of sorts, to track their customers and inventory.
Your specific tasks to help the business are in parenthesis are the percentage that correspond to the per item payment (grade weight):
1) Review the existing spreadsheet, and their sample data and make any assumptions you need about the company. Make any comments about the approach that you are going to follow, as you see fit.
2) Redesign the spreadsheet into a database with tables, add any fields that you think could be useful, even though it is not absolutely necessary. Explain your actions as you go along.
3) Perform a functional dependency analysis, and include it as part of your deliverables, for every step of the normalization process
4) Clearly take the existing un - normalized structure through distinct 1NF, 2NF and finally 3NF stages, using the shorthand representation. All three stages of normalization have to be clearly defined and depicted for full payment by the proprietor. Do not forget Primary keys assignment.
5) Finally, create an MS Access prototype (actual database), including the data provided, with the newly designed tables. Upload the prototype to the assignment area as part of the deliverables.
6) Create a Query (In MS Access) that may include one or more tables, as needed, that provides the answer to the following request: List the Invoice number, Customer Name, and Parts Description for purchases by Customers that have an Account Balance of $3,000 or higher. Short them with the highest balance being displayed first (Descending values)
7) Create one Form: New Customer Input - this form should include any relevant fields that you think "Home Solutions Inc" might need (In MS Access)
8) Create One Report: Items Price List - this report should include any relevant fields that you think "Home Solutions Inc" might need (In MS Access)
Make sure you document your work as you go along for full payment, as the owner of the business, wants to be able to show your work to new hires and they should be able to pick it up and understand why the database was put together the specific way you are suggesting.
Below you can find the "database" that Joe has put together with his limited data management knowledge, and your starting point.
|
Invoice
|
CompanyName
|
Acct Balance
|
Acct Limit
|
Part1
|
Quantity1
|
Price1
|
Part2
|
Quantity2
|
Price2
|
|
87
|
Mary's IT Services
|
5000
|
20000
|
Bolt
|
50
|
10
|
Nut
|
40
|
20
|
|
72
|
Mel's Hotdogs
|
7200
|
7200
|
Bolt
|
100
|
10
|
Screw
|
45
|
30
|
|
57
|
Brookings
|
500
|
12000
|
Screw
|
60
|
30
|
Bolt
|
65
|
10
|
|
67
|
Parker's
|
1000
|
5000
|
Nut
|
70
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Action Computer's
|
1000
|
10000
|
Screw
|
40
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
Kline's
|
8000
|
9999
|
Bolt
|
30
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
John's
|
10000
|
30000
|
Nail
|
25
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Lee's
|
700
|
1000
|
Bolt
|
75
|
10
|
Nail
|
120
|
50
|
|
19
|
Al's
|
7000
|
7000
|
Screw
|
110
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
Al's
|
7000
|
7000
|
Nut
|
90
|
20
|
|
|
|
You can assume that the quantities reflect packages and the prices are per item
Below you can find an alternative format for the same "database" that Joe has put together with his limited data management knowledge, and your starting point.
|
Invoice
|
CompanyName
|
Acct Balance
|
Acct Limit
|
Part
|
Quantity
|
Price
|
|
87
|
Mary's IT Services
|
5000
|
20000
|
Bolt
Nut
|
50
40
|
10
20
|
|
72
|
Mel's Hotdogs
|
7200
|
7200
|
Bolt
Screw
|
100
45
|
10
30
|
|
57
|
Brookings
|
500
|
12000
|
Screw
Bolt
|
60
65
|
30
10
|
|
67
|
Parker's
|
1000
|
5000
|
Nut
|
70
|
20
|
|
3
|
Action Computer's
|
1000
|
10000
|
Screw
|
40
|
30
|
|
7
|
Kline's
|
8000
|
9999
|
Bolt
|
30
|
10
|
|
9
|
John's
|
10000
|
30000
|
Nail
|
25
|
50
|
|
17
|
Lee's
|
700
|
1000
|
Bolt
Nail
|
75
120
|
10
50
|
|
19
|
Al's
|
7000
|
7000
|
Screw
|
110
|
30
|
|
20
|
Al's
|
7000
|
7000
|
Nut
|
90
|
20
|