Process and Data Modeling

RFP for Inventory Control System

Mr. Chesterfield Wrigglesworth, the manager of Baker Foods, a small convenience store, has issued the following Request for Proposals (RFP), and given the exclusive invitation to respond to DSU Consulting (thats us).

Request for Proposals

Baker Consulting is hereby invited to submit a proposal for the following effort. Baker Foods is currently operating in an era somewhat prior to the digital age and are finding this to our competitive disadvantage. We are using manual inventory control and a stand-alone cash register to support store operations.

We would like to investigate the possibility of creating a database system that will allow us to at least keep track of merchandise coming into and leaving the store, and support point-of-sale processing. This database should include all the data items necessary to support the tracking of inventory, both incoming and outgoing, allow us to keep track of the numbers of each item ordered and sold, support input by scanning or some other convenient form besides typing, and must be easy enough to use so that our least trained personnel (the stock clerk and checkout clerks) can use it.

All employees may use the database to enter data when asked to do so, as well as help customers check out and pay for items.

In order that we can prepare an appropriate response to this RFP, we need to do some preliminary fact-finding and conceptual modeling. As questions of your instructor or a convenience store clerk/owner if you need more information. You have been assigned to this task.

Deliverables:

1) Construct a context data flow diagram (DFD) of the proposed system.

2) Construct a Level 0 and (if necessary) a Level 1 DFD for processes you identify (stop there, do not decompose further).

3) Prepare an entity-relationship diagram (ERD), showing the tentative database design and the information environment within the grocery.