Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The introduction gives the background of the project and the rationale for conducting the study. A good introduction should: a. tell the background and b. show the rationale and justification of choosing the subject. 1. 1 Introduction University of Caloocan City formerly Caloocan City Polytechnic College is a local university located in Gen. San Miguel St. Sangandaan Caloocan City. It was founded in 1971. It offers various courses that can develop the intelligence and moral of its students in different fields. Some of its departments are the Management Information System Department (M. I. S) and the Guidance Office. The M. I. S department handles different transactions such as releasing of registration form, assigning student number, maintaining computers inside the laboratories and processing students and faculty members ID Card. The Guidance Office handles and resolves issues regarding students and provides request form for student ID. As we observe, we found out on one of their transactions that is providing request and processing of IDs for students and some faculty members is currently on its manual process. This results lost of data, delayed releasing of ID’s, less efficient and time consuming of ID processing, because they are only relying on their records on the form filled-up by the students. We proposed UCC-ID Monitoring System; this is to convert their manual operation into a very reliable and efficient computerized system that can make their ID transaction easier and faster. This computerized monitoring system will help the MIS and Guidance department, UCC students and faculty to make their ID transactions and processing more efficient and accurate. This system is capable of managing Student ID request, printing of Student ID, notifying students through SMS when their ID is done, logging ID transactions and printing hardcopies of ID transactions and logged records. 1. 2 Background of the Study Management Information System (M. I. S) and Guidance Offices are responsible to many important transactions inside the school and because of this they have less time managing their minor transactions, mostly the ID processing of the students. This causes problems not only to the department itself but also to the students and faculty in requesting for their ID. Common ID transaction problems encountered by the department in using their manual operation are lost of ID forms, less efficient, less accurate and lack of way of notifying students and faculty when their ID is done which lead to the delaying of process, inaccurate records and reports. Common problems encountered by the students and faculty are lost of confirmation when their ID is done and delaying of getting their IDs. These problems are the reasons why we intended to create the UCC-ID Monitoring System, because as a student of UCC wants to help in making ID processing and transactions to be more efficient and more productive. This is for the benefit of the UCC students and faculty for them to acquire their IDs in less time and also for the MIS and Guidance department for them to lessen the time consumed in processing IDs. 1. 3 Conceptual / Theoretical Framework Log-In Module (Guidance Office) OUTPUT PROCESS INPUT Username and Password Locate and Verify to the database if the username and password are existing Main Menu Module and enable some parts of the system where the users are authorized Add New Student ID Request Module (Guidance Office) Request ID Locate the last inputted Request ID and add one Request ID Add New Faculty ID Request module Proceeding to Add New Faculty ID Request module Add New Faculty ID Request Locating student number in student database Student Number New Students ID Request Saving new information of Students ID Request in the database Student personal information Information of Students Student Image Locating Student Image Click Browse Image Button Student Signature Locating Student Signature Click Browse Signature Button Student ID Request priority Selecting Request Priority Select Priority Remarks Inputting request remarks Request Remarks Add New Faculty ID Request Module (Guidance Office) Request ID Locate the last inputted Request ID and add one Request ID Add New Student ID Request module Proceeding to Add New Student ID Request module Add New Student ID Request Locating ID number in faculty database ID Number New Faculty ID Request Saving new information of Faculty ID Request in the database Faculty personal information Information of faculty/professor Faculty Signature Locating Faculty Signature Click Browse Signature Button Faculty Image Locating Faculty Image Click Browse Image Button Selecting Request Priority Select Priority Student ID Request priority Remarks Inputting request remarks Request Remarks View Student ID Pending Request Records Module (Guidance Office) Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Faculty ID Pending Request Records Module (Guidance Office) Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Student ID Processed Request Records Module (Guidance Office) Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Faculty ID Processed Request Records Module (Guidance Office) Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Student ID Released Request Records Module (Guidance Office) Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Faculty ID Released Request Records Module (Guidance Office) Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category Restoring Database (Guidance Office) Display database path Selecting the current database path Change Source Current Source New database path Saving New database path or location Add/Update User Account Module (Guidance Office) Saved or updated user account Adding or updating all inputted information of system user in the database Input Name, Username, Password, Position Sleep Mode Module (Guidance Office) Main Menu Module Re-inputting the password for security purposes Password M. I. S MODULES Log-In Module OUTPUT PROCESS INPUT Username and Password Locate and Verify to the database if the username and password are existing Main Menu Module and enable some parts of the system where the users are authorized Preview of the new layout style selected Choosing a new layout style Choose Layout Style Print Student ID Pending Request Module Select ID Request Priority Filtering records with the related to the selected ID Request Priority ID Request Priority Print Faculty ID Pending Request Module Choose Layout Style Preview of the new layout style selected Choosing a new layout style Select ID Request Priority Filtering records with the related to the selected ID Request Priority ID Request Priority Print ID Module Click Page Setup Menu Student ID in an ID paper Printing the Whole Page containing the students ID Click Print Menu New Default Printer Open the Dialog Box choosing the user default printer Click Default Printer Menu Name of the default printer Getting the name of the user default printer Send SMS Module Click Send button Sent SMS message Sending the Confirmation message in the recipient numbers Choose Type of Message Choosing type of message if New Message or Default Message Default Message in the Message Field or New inputted message Input Message Verifying the number of characters in the confirmation message Inputted Confirmation Message Recipient Number Input Recipient Number Verifying the recipient number if the format is valid View Student ID Pending Request Records Module Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Faculty ID Pending Request Records Module Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Student ID Processed Request Records Module Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Faculty ID Processed Request Records Module Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Student ID Released Request Records Module Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category View Faculty ID Released Request Records Module Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category Release ID Module Selecting in the Search by Menu Input Search Choose in the Search by menu Sorted records in the data grid Selected ID owner Selecting in the ID owner ID Owner Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category Selected category to locate Released ID Selecting Processed ID to be release to their owner Students/Faculty Records Print Student Released ID Records Module Choose Course Sorted records of course in the data grid Filtering the Students Released ID database with connection to the course selected Filtering the Students Released ID database with connection to the year selected Choose Year Sorted records of year in the data grid Sorted records of section in the data grid Filtering the Students Released ID database with connection to the section selected Choose Section Printed Student Released ID record Printing all students ID released records Clicking Print All Button Printed Student Released ID record Printing the filtered students ID released records Clicking Print Button Print Faculty Released ID Records Module Filtered Faculty Released records in the data grid Locate the inputted data to the pending request database with connection to the selected category Input Search Selected category to locate Selecting in the Search by Menu Choose in the Search by menu Clicking Print Button Printed Faculty Released ID record Printing all faculties ID released records Clicking Print All Button Printed Faculty Released ID record Printing the filtered faculty ID released records Add/Update User Account Module Saved or updated user account Adding or updating all inputted information of system user in the database Input Name, Username, Password, Position Create/Update ID Template Module Previewed Front and Back ID Layout Locating and Choosing ID Front and Back Layout in the computer directories Click Browse Image Button New Front and Back ID Layout Saving the image path and adding it to the list of ID Layouts Click Save Button Layout ID user Selecting between Student and Faculty ID Layout Select ID Layout User Enabled Front and Back View Frames Enabling front and back view frames Click Proceed Button Object Properties Module Showing the Object Properties Module Click Objects Button Object Properties Module Visible Label Making specific label visible Click Visible Checkbox New Font Name, Style, Size, Color Selecting Font Name, Style, Size, Color Click Change Font Button Assigned Field Selecting Fields in the database assigned in a specific object Select Fields to Fill Object Width Changing Object Width Scroll Width Object Height Changing Object Height Scroll Height The paradigm of UCC-MIS ID Monitoring System shows the flow of data including its inputs, how it will be process and the result or output. The inputs shows the data needed to be filled up by the user; the process analyzes the data inputted and the output displays the result of the process. 1. 4 Statement of the Problem / Objectives of the Study Statement of the Problem: This study will try to formulate answers to following questions regarding the existing operation of the department and the system we are proposing. 1. Security of Information — the important and private information are less secured since many persons are inside the department. It is more possible that anyone can have free access on processing ID request, printing of reports, and releasing processed IDs. a. Log-in — there is no restriction of personnel on processing ID and there is no way to record the person who is involved in ID transaction. b. Making Multi-User Account — personnel who is involved in ID transactions doesn’t have their own identity because manually it doesn’t support this kind of feature 2. Changing ID Layouts — the current procedure in creating lay-out on ID’s takes a lot of effort because each ID request is process separately by using several applications. 3. Number of Request — the department or personnel cannot strictly monitor the number of their pending ID request which results in delaying on releasing ID’s. 4. Double ID Issuance — they are not aware on how many request are already done by one person resulting to ID duplication. 5. ID Monitoring — the processing, storing and managing ID transactions request during their manual operation are less efficient and less secured for non-personnel in the department 6. ID Availability Announcements — there’s a lack way of informing students when their ID’s are ready which results in delaying of ID releasing and confusion on the part of the students 7. Organization of Records — they have a hard time keeping their records because their current operation is less organize and they don’t have one specific location where all the important data are saved. Objective of the Study: This study is aiming to solve certain problems that the existing operations are facing. The following are the objective of our study: 1. Security of Information — it includes security module that will keep the system from unauthorized personnel and security features for all the complicated part of the system 2. Customizing ID Layouts — it can change or add different layouts that the user wants in less time. 3. Number of Request — it always monitors the request happened within the specific date it was requested and who accepted the request. 4. Double ID Issuance — it avoids the duplication of ID releasing since the system is capable of keeping records of the request that already been done. 5. ID Monitoring — the whole system provides not only monitoring on all the ID transactions but also securing important records in a more organize manner. 6. ID Availability Announcements — it has an SMS feature for informing the persons about the status of their ID. 7. Organization of Records — it keeps all the records in a one designated database and can sort all of it the way you want it to view. 1. 5 Significance of the Study UCC-ID Monitoring System is a computerized system created to make ID processing and ID transactions more efficient, reliable and accurate. This project aims to benefit all the people inside University of Caloocan City by providing them a fast and well made Identification Card. The following beneficiaries are: 1. Students — The primary features of the UCC-ID monitoring system is focus on the benefits of all student of the UCC. It is capable of processing their IDs more efficient and accurate, because it can add New ID Request, Change ID Layouts and print Students ID in less time. It has also SMS feature wherein the students can be notified when their IDs are done and through SMS they can ask inquiries about ID transaction. 2. MIS Department/MIS Staff — The computerized system can benefit the MIS Department and MIS Staff by means of organizing files and records because the system has a database for logging of records and ID transactions. It also benefit them because they will not needed to use many software to process IDs because they can already change layout, add new request and print ID using this system. It can also print reports regarding ID transactions. 3. Professors — They can benefit through this system because more students can have their IDs in less time and if that happens all of the students entering their class are all in proper and complete uniform including their IDs and also for the faculties who also requesting for ID. 4. Departments/Department Heads — All of the students under their department can get or claim their IDs at the same time because the system can sort ID request by means of course, year and section and process it. 5. Guidance Office — The system can benefit the guidance office because the students will not have enough reason not to wear their IDs. The office can be easily informed about all the released ID’s because the system can produced reports regarding the released ID’s. They are also the one who is responsible in encoding and keeping records of ID request and send it to the MIS department for printing and releasing to make every transaction more efficient. 6. University of Caloocan City — The UCC as a whole can benefit from the system because all of its students and faculty members are more possible to process and claim their ID’s in a short period of time. That means that students and faculties of UCC can wear a complete and proper uniform in less time. 1. 6 Hypothesis Implementing the UCC-ID monitoring system in University of Caloocan City will have a significant difference compared to their manual operation. The proposed system will be useful for the Guidance office and MIS department. It will provide them a secured, efficient, and accurate way of keeping records, faster ID productivity, less time transacting between the departments and students and faster way of informing the students when their ID is ready to be released. 1. 7 Scope and Limitation Scope: The study is for the benefit of the MIS Department, Guidance office and the students of UCC for the purpose of ID transactions and processing. 1. The system will monitor and secure the students records for the ID transactions between the students and the department. 2. It can produce reports of the students who already have their ID in every course and section. 3. It can automatically apply the student’s needed information to the format or layout of the ID presently used by the school whenever you store the student’s information in the database from the filled-out form of the student. 4. It can add new customized layouts or designs in case the school wants to change their existing ID layout. 5. It is capable of notifying the user if there is already five (5) IDs that is ready to print that fits the size of the material used by the MIS for printing. But there is also an option wherein you can already print less than five (5) IDs if you want to. 6. It has a log-in form for the security of the system and for acknowledging the position of the user. 7. It has a main menu module for easy access on all the main parts of the system. 8. It indicates the date when the student requests for an ID and when it is released. 9. The system is also capable of notifying the students if their ID is already done and ready for releasing and for the students inquiries about the ID via its SMS feature. 10. The SMS feature provides default message to send regarding to the purpose of messaging. 11. It can add or change account of the user. 12. It is capable of sorting data and previewing the ID layouts. 13. It can view and print pending request records, logged records transactions and released ID records. Limitation: 1. It is only for the use of the main campus of UCC. 2. The customization of ID layouts only focused on adding objects in the image; it is not capable of adding advance designs. 3. The system is not capable of connecting a camera device directly to the computer for capturing student image. 1. 8 Definition of Terms Operational Terms: 1. Monitoring System — a computerized system used for monitoring ID transactions 2. MIS (Management Information System) — a department that handles computer related problems and transactions 3. Log-in Module — a form where the user enters their username and password before accessing the system 4. Menu / Main Module — a start-up form where you can find all the functions that the system can do 5. Add New ID Request Module — a request form where you can fill up the needed information of students who are requesting for ID 6. Print Pending Request Module — a form that displays the entire pending ID request that you can select for printing 7. Print ID Module — a form that displays the layout of IDs that are ready to be print 8. Send SMS Module — a form where you can send messages as a notification for students when their ID is done 9. Received SMS Module — a form that receives and displays all messages sent by the students for their inquiries 10. View Reports Module — a form that displays all the important records that the system can provide 11. Print Report Module — a form where you can print hard copies of records. 12. ID Transactions — operations happen during requesting and processing of IDs 13. Log-in — a button in the log-in module that will verify the username and password in the database 14. Add / Update Users Account Module — a form where you can add new or change accounts of system users 15. Add New — a button in Add New ID Request Module that will enable all the text fields for inputting information 16. Save — a button in Add New ID Request Module and Add / Update Users Account Module that will save or record the data in the database inputted by the user 17. Locate — a button in Add New ID Request Module and Add / Update Users Account Module that will find or search for a particular record in the database 18. Update — a button in Add New ID Request Module that will change or modify a particular record that has been changed by the user 19. Send — a button in Send SMS Module that will allow the user to send text messages using the system 20. Delete — a button in Received SMS Module that will erase a particular messages in the inbox 21. Delete All — a button in Received SMS Module that will delete all the messages in the inbox 22. Print — a button in Print ID Module and Print Reports Module that will allow the user to print ID and a hard copy of records 23. Search — a button in View Logged Record Module, View Pending Request Module and View Released ID Module that will sort and locate a particular information or records of transactions 24. Back — a button in most of the modules that will allow the user to return to the previous module 25. Exit — a button that will end or terminate the system 26. Data Report — an object in the system that will show the contents of the database Technical Terms: 1. Username — a user define field inputted by a specific user for the security of his access in the system which may consist of letters and numbers 2. Password — a user define secret code for the security of the user’s account in the system 3. SMS (Short Messaging System) — composed of letters, numbers or special characters that can send from one device to another 4. Mobile Computing — capability of the system to send and receive SMS 5. Textbox / Fields — a rectangular shape where the user inputs data or information 6. Buttons — an object in the system needed to be press or hit to do a certain operation like saving, editing, locating, updating, printing, etc 7. Request ID — a unique field in the Add New ID Request Module that is automatically added or assigning number after a certain transaction which serves as the counter of ID transaction 8. Side Bar — a rectangular bar on the left part of the menu where you can see the name of the system and some important information 9. Database — a container of records that will hold all the information inputted in a certain transaction 10. UCC-ID Monitoring System — a computerized system that will manage and monitor ID transactions in the MIS Department 11. ID Layout — an image designed in other photo or image editing software that can be embedded in the computerized system