ERP System For The Improvement In Marias Aquarium

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Question :

INFT 6500

Accounting Information Systems – Semester 2, 2018

Assignment 3 - Implementation Plan

(15% of final assessment)

Your implementation plan will concentrate on the issues involved in the implementation of the system you have recommended for Maria’s Aquariums.

Your report should contain:

  • Implementation Strategy (2 - 4 pages): an outline that details the implementation strategy you will be using for the new system. Discuss why you have chosen this strategy, the issues and risks you could expect to encounter, and how you will manage these.
  • Testing Strategy (2 – 4 pages): an outline that details the testing strategy that you will implement. It should detail what is to be tested and how you will test it. This should deal with the whole system testing strategy. You should include examples of test data that you would include in a test bank and describe the situations that they are intended to cover. You should also include evaluation strategies that detail how you will decide if your testing has worked.
  • System Controls: - an outline (2 – 4 pages) of the system controls that will be implemented in your new system. This should be an overview of all controls that you consider necessary; ranging from large-scale issues such as disaster/recovery planning, normal operations procedures, backup schedules and procedures as well as security techniques.
  • Post Implementation Review Strategy: – an outline (1 – 2 pages) of when the review is to occur, what is to be reviewed and what the outcomes of the review are likely to be.
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Answer :

ACCOUNTING INFORMATION


Introduction

Maria’s Aquariums has established by Maria Piscatore 25 years ago. She was so much interested in fish and for this reason she had set up some breeding facilities. After her retirement, her son Raymond started to take care of this Aquarium. As he took over, he found some issues with the stock card of the company. Therefore, for solving the issues created in Maria’s Aquarium, Raymond has implemented the ERP system for the improvement and development in Maria’s Aquarium. The purpose of the ERP is to meet the requirement of all customers.

Discussion 

Implementation Strategy

It is noted that the ERP has been used for increasing the high work efficiency, apart from these it’s also used as an obstacle remover for increasing the further development in the Maria’s Aquarium. Although, implementation strategy is very much necessary because its sets the well-maintained designs of solutions for removing the issues and obstacles which occurred   in the implementation process (Sudhaman and Thangavel, 2015). Moreover, the ERP systems has generally changed the way in the business with the help of the use of computerized systems so many improvements can take place in stock taking, customer service, payroll systems and in the management control. All these following improvements can be taken place if it is well operating by the related employees. This consists the most important factor that included in the implementing strategy: training of the staff and an appropriate supportive system.

Enterprise resource planning [ERP] is actually management software; the Maria’s Aquarium for managing their office and for automating the business function has used it. ERP makes the data more usable and easily accessible. This has provided an accurate planning in the Maria’s Aquarium. This company has scheduled all the daily activities through the help of these software solutions. Eventually, this software provides help in maintaining the finance as well (Schunselaar et al. 2016). These ERP software solutions play a beneficiary role in the developmental process of Maria’s Aquarium. ERP solutions helps this company in maintaining the records of their employees as well as s it’s also allow Raymond to manage the growth in the Maria’s Aquarium. 

These ERP software solutions have allowed this company to build a fluent communication with their clients. This software was very cost effective and their benefits are much bigger than the investment. This software is helping this company in long-standing management and planning. It eliminates the use of other management software. It helps in integrating the relations between quality control, sales, marketing, supply lines human resource module, customer relationship management, product processes, information technology and other different functions in a particular database. These ERP systems have been lowering the chances of re – entry or typing errors (Schunselaar et al. 2016).  It enables the Maria’s Aquarium to use only single software and help in maintaining the single database for their company. 

ERP software solutions have played a beneficiary role in reducing the quality costs by assuring that the Maria’s Aquarium has effective and efficient management systems or the efficient quality assurance. Use of single software systems can reduce the cost of training employees in the Maria’s Aquarium. An ERP software system has completely removed the issues of manually collective data used in various software systems and in various software processes.  An ERP software archives, compile and allows several teams of Maria’s Aquarium for sharing their all information on the single system (Mushtaq et al. 2018). 

The Enterprise Resource Planning software solutions makes easier for various teams in the Maria’s Aquarium for producing a huge number of reports from the expense statements, income reports and from the key performance indicators [KPIs] to the new complete list of status updates. An efficient ERP Systems ensures that each minute each employee and each resource has being used properly for reducing the wasted time and for enhancing the possibilities in the Maria’s Aquarium. 

Testing strategy 

All the organization is now desire about the digital excellence for gaining the competitive edging and for meeting the changing desires of the customers. Speed is one of the most essential factors but quality is also important for ensuring the stability for digital initiatives. Therefore, Quality assurance and the Software Testing have now become the crucial elements in the software development process. Agile testing strategies are one of approaches and methodologies chosen by various organizations for achieving the quality assurance and for assuring the faultless consumer experiences. 

Agile adoption not only focuses on the developmental areas of the Maria’s Aquarium but also focus on technical practices in this organization. Except this, the agile testing also emphasis on different tools specially the test computerization tools for maintaining the speed in the testing activity in the Maria’s Aquarium. Collaborative balance is one of the greatest highlights of the agile testing which has being maintained for testing and for developmental teams (Khodakarami and Chan, 2014). 

Agile testing has now provided the flexibility in the Maria’s Aquarium and helps a lot in their progress. Agile testing strategies are consisted of various automation plans, which help the teams to enhance their testing process and to ensure about the quality parameters (Mushtaq et al. 2018). Agile testing has bought so many developmental progresses in the Maria’s Aquarium, which are as follows:

  • Agile testing has one frequent cycle and one shortest testing cycle. There are some instances in the Maria’s Aquarium where all the roles get exchanged. Agile testing has brought open channels of communication in the Maria’s Aquarium.
  • Test Driven Development [TDD] and the Behavior Driven Development is one of the best agile testing strategies used in Maria’s Aquarium for reducing the pressure on training of a team and help in bringing some improvement in the developmental activity in the Maria’s Aquarium. 
  • Agile understand the need of more communication and collaboration among the team members that needs in the Maria’s Aquarium. Therefore, it is mush required to encourage the frequent communication in the Maria’s Aquarium. 
  • Agile testing is much required for the digital transformation, which is important for establishing the significance of agile testing strategy in the software testing strategy. Therefore, for the software development, agile testing strategy is one of the effective strategies, which have being used for enhancing the development in the Maria’s Aquarium. 

Agile testing provides the scalability and the flexibility to the Maria’s Aquarium but also incorporate the software testing strategy for bringing the development in the digital transformation. 

System controls

To improve the efficiency of the business Raymond can obtain the ERP software (Sudhaman and Thangavel, 2015). The ERP is proficient for improving the business operations. There are five major component parts of the most ERP systems, which is summarised below:

Disaster/ Recovery Planning: This is a documented process or a set of methods to recoverand protect the strategy of business implementation. ERP software is very effective for thecompetitive business in the market provided with many advantages. Most of themanufacturers cannot afford the software of ERP whereas the competition enjoys reaping allthe benefits implemented by the function of ERP (Khodakarami and Chan, 2014). Thecurrent owner of Maria’s Aquarium Raymond should implement the business strategy withERP if he wants to expand his business essentially.

Normal Operation Procedures: This document offers set of information of how to implementthe business strategy. The software mainly focuses on the review of customers. The reviewscan be either positive or negative according to the sales activity. The software can planstrategy to attract the customers. Raymond can directly communicate with thecustomers to know the reviews by the customers about his services of Maria’s Aquarium.Customer’s satisfaction is very important to implement in order to expand any kinds ofbusiness such as Maria’s Aquarium. Therefore, this particular software can help the companyprovide more valuable information to attract the customers towards the business and help toexpand it soon within a short period of time.

Backup Schedules and Procedures: Backup schedule is one of the most effective start-ups forimplementing business strategy and protect their crucial and important data from disaster.Only performing time to time manual backup is not sufficient neither safe. Therefore, weevery individual should set a rigid setup. This ERP software is implemented to improve theefficiency of a business. Various activities and financial documents are analysed to createsuccessful tactics for managing business like Maria’s Aquarium. The best backup schedule togrow the business usually depends on the niche.

Security Techniques: There is nothing to worry when the data security has an enterpriseplanning resources, as it will improve the new systems consistency are protected by the datasecurity. Therefore, through the help of it any individual can create their own securedsoftware where they can implement and expand their business larger. Choosing the properbackup is one of the best ways for implementing the backup strategy in the Maria’sAquarium because it determines the total numbers of data required for the backup.

Financial Accounting: This particular core component of ERP software can manage the revenues and outcomes of the business strategy for Maria’s aquarium. Any kind of accounts can be managing here with varieties of taxation levels. According to Schussler et al. (2016), business related reports could be implemented using this software. Raymond the current owner can take decisions after analysing the reports, as it will help him to improve the business. With the help of this software, the prices for every item can be automatically entered in the systems, which the customer makes a purchase in the store. 

Manufacture and distribution:This are one of the most important software of ERP as it provides a clear streamlined view to grow and expand the business efficiently. This software offers crucial details about the supply and demand levels of business implementation for Maria’s aquarium. By using this software, the user can view whether there is any deficit in stock management and marketing patterns.  

Customer relationship management:This software mainly focuses on the review of customers. The reviews can be either positive or negative according to the sales activity. The software can plan effective strategy to attract the customers. Raymond can directly communicate with the customers to know the reviews by the customers about his services of Maria’s Aquarium. Customer’s satisfaction is very important to implement in order to expand any kinds of business such as Maria’s Aquarium. Therefore, this particular software can help the company provide more valuable information to attract the customers towards the business and help to expand it soon within a short period of time. 

Human resources: ERP software is also use to keep the records of the employees. Through the ERP software, it is easier to access the record of every individual, who are working in the company for analysing the statistics as well as for the implementation of changes in the company. Raymond can also implement the Human resource function of ERP to track the records of his employees that works under him. In addition, Raymond can monitor the performance of the employees working in his outlets (Mushtaq et al. 2018). Further, he can provide additional training to employees to improve their performance. Previously, daily register was maintained in the organisation to track the activities. Now as the activities are monitored digitally, the owner can measure various deficits easily and effectively. 

Stock and sales: This are one of the major functions of ERP to expand the business effectively (Erkut, 2018.). Effective planning and stock control are crucial for developing any kinds of business-like Maria’s Aquarium through which the company will bloom essentially. The stocks include types of fishes, types of aquariums. The storekeeper can easily guide the customer by seeing the status of the stocks through the ERP software. Further, the storekeeper can also tell regarding theavailability of stocks as per customer taste. 

Post implementation strategy

After implementing the new system, there needs to be a review in order to analyse the advantages that have been added to the working of Mari’s Aquariums due to it. This can be done in the following manner.

Time of the review:

The review should be done at least one month after the system has been introduced in the company. This will provide ample data for the analysis and will help Raymond understand in a better way if the system can prove to be effective in his company or not (Sudhaman and Thangavel, 2015).

Components of the Review:

In order to perform the review, there should be a number of aspects of the new system that need to be judged Schussler et al. (2016). The first thing will be the efficiency of the system to manage the sales and stock details of the company and the ease with which it can be done. Further, the efficiency of the system to manage the employee attendance, stock reports, customer demands and other financial details also need to be reviewed. The efficiency of the system to manage the payments of the company, generate invoices for the customers and suppliers should also be reviewed to make sure that the system is working efficiently for Maria’s Aquariums.

Possible Outcomes of the Review:

After the review, it is expected that the gap in the sales and stock prize of the company will be eliminated. This will allow Raymond to plan his future business endeavours in a better way. It will also help the company in managing their staff (Mushtaq et al. 2018). The staff members are also expected to be assisted with the inventory, customer needs and invoice generation both for the customers as well as the suppliers of the company. Overall, it is expected that the system will ease the processes of the company which can open prospects of business expansion for Maria’s Aquariums in the future. 

Conclusion:

In this project, an effective accounting system is designed to improve the business of Maria’s Aquarium. ERP software is diploid as the new system. In addition, implementation strategy, testing strategy is applied to analyse the functionality of this software. Further, all the system components of ERP software are renewed. After implementing the system, the post analysis is done to check whether the system is fit for the business of market.