Equipment Inventory Tracking Database Project
This description covers the highlights of an equipment tracking database system successfully implemented
for a client in Ottawa. The client had been tracking equipment inventory using a standard Excel spreadsheet,
but as the number of manufactured units available increased, and the complexity of the equipment options
grew, it was decided to move to a database driven system. The client had long range plans to move to an
off the shelf ERP solution as the business grew further, but a custom database application with links to
the factory for equipment inventory was chosen by the client as the best interim step. Our development
of this database included:
- Meetings with the client and preparation of document describing client requirements
- Review of above document with client and confirmation of plans
- Selection of the database application meeting client requirements
- Definition of the database tables and relationships between the tables
- Definition of custom reports to be supported
- Review of above detailed design with client and confirmation of plans
- Implementation and testing of the new database and custom reports
- Population of the new database with historical data (approximately 100 records)
- Installation and test of new database on client's Windows based server
- Training of client staff on use of the new database system
- Development of a user’s manual
- Acceptance testing by client's staff
The solution provided to our client involved a two step delivery strategy to meet their
requirement to have the basic equipment tracking functionality in place as soon as possible.
Detailed Requirements
For the purposes of defining the requirements, the following terms were defined:
System – the assembled unit including all software and hardware.
Component – a high-level component in the system. Each of the cards
included in a system, the software and the chassis itself are each considered components.
The following requirements were defined:
- Read/write/edit/delete access to the database
- Store basic system information including the components that make up the system
- Store basic component information
- Track the usage history of each system and of each component
- Track repair history information for each component
- Track ownership history of each system
- Ability to add a file of test information to each component
- Support for simultaneous read/write access for up to 5 users
- Ability to produce a custom report showing all components included in a selected system
- Ability to product a custom report showing the history of all components in a selected system
- Ability to produce a custom report showing the history of a selected component
- Support for a web-based interface
- Availability of documentation to use the database
Two Step Delivery
The contents of each of two development drops were defined as follows:
-
Delivery 1 – Basic equipment tracking provided the following:
- Ability to enter basic component and basic system information
- Database populated with current client inventory information
- Ability to generate a report that shows the component information and system information for a selected system
- Entry was single user only - via a keyboard
- Installation on a desktop
- Basic training only on use of database system
-
Delivery 2 – Complete equipment tracking functionality
- Upgrade of Delivery 1 database to the new format
- Web based user interface
- Ability to enter usage or repair information for a component
- Ability to enter test information for a component
- Ability to generate a report that shows the history of components in a selected system
- Ability to generate a report that shows the history of a selected component
- User documentation
- Entry is via a keyboard or web-based interface, with multi-user support
- Installation on client's Windows based network server
- Training on use of database system
Database Structure
