CASE STUDIES CASE A: Office Warehouse, Inc. (Order entry) Office Warehouse, Inc....

CASE STUDIES

CASE A: Office Warehouse, Inc. (Order entry)

Office Warehouse, Inc. is a wholesale distributor of office supplies, such as disks, stationery, file cabinets, and related items. Customers receive an updated catalog annually and place orders over the phone.

When a customer calls in with an order, a clerk asks for the customer ID and name. The clerk keys in the customer number, and the computer retrieves the customer record from the customer database and displays it on the clerk’s screen. The clerk compares the customer name to the data on the screen to ensure that the customer is legitimate. If everything checks out, the clerk enters the customer’s order. After the order is entered, the computer compares the amount of the order to the available credit to ensure that the purchase does not exceed the credit amount limit.

This results in the creation of an entry in the sales event data store and an allocation of inventory. At the end of the day, the sales event data is processed against the customer data and the inventory data, and the sales order is recorded in the sales order master data store. At the same time, a customer acknowledgement is printed in the mailroom and is mailed to the customer. Also, a picking ticket is printed in the warehouse and will be used to assemble the customer’s order.

CASE B: Office Warehouse, Inc. (Shipping)

Before starting this case, review the facts of Case A and see that a picking ticket has been printed in the warehouse and will be used to assemble the customer’s order. The completed order (goods and attached picking ticket) is forwarded to the shipping department. The shipping clerk keys the sales order number into the computer, and the order is displayed on the screen. The shipping clerk keys in the items and quantities being shipped, and after the computer displays the shipment data, the clerk accepts the input. After the shipment is accepted, the computer updates the sales order and inventory master data and creates a record for billing (in the billing-due list data store). The computer also prints a packing slip and bill of lading on a printer in the shipping department. These shipping documents and the goods are given to the carrier for shipment to the customer.

CASE C: Bondstreet Company (Order entry and shipping)

The Bondstreet Company sells medical supplies to hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices. Customers place orders over the phone to the Bondstreet customer fulfillment center. Bondstreet uses an ERP system for all of its business processes.

The sales process starts when the customer calls the Bondstreet fulfillment center and gives his name to the CSR. The CSR keys the customer name into the ERP system, and the system retrieves the customer record and displays that data on the sales order entry screen. The CSR examines the data on the screen to ensure that the correct record has been retrieved. If everything checks out, the CSR enters the items and quantities being requested by the customer. As the order is entered, the computer compares the amount of the order to the available credit to ensure that the purchase does not exceed the credit amount limit and allocates the inventory. After the order has been entered, the clerk saves the order, and the computer creates a sales order record, prints a picking ticket in the warehouse, and displays the sales order number to the CSR. The CSR reads the sales order number to the customer.

In the warehouse, clerks pick the goods from the shelf, record the quantity picked and the lot number on the picking ticket, and bring the goods and attached picking ticket to the shipping department. The shipping clerk scans the sales order number from the picking ticket, and the computer displays the order on the screen. The shipping clerk then scans each item and saves the shipment data. The computer updates the sales order and inventory master data (for lot number and quantity shipped) and creates a record for billing (in the billing-due list data store). The computer also prints a packing slip on a printer in the shipping department that the shipping clerk attaches to the goods and gives the goods to the carrier for shipment to the customer.

CASE D: Polis Grocers, Inc. (Customer order and delivery)

Polis Grocers is an online grocery service that provides home delivery of groceries purchased via the Internet. Polis operates in the greater Chicago area and provides delivery to precertified customers. To be certified, the customer must have a user account with an established credit or charge line and rent a refrigerated unit to store delivered goods at their residence should they not be home at the time of delivery.

To enter an order, the customer must log on to the Polis Web site with a user name and password. Using the customer database, the system confirms that the customer has a refrigerator unit in place and that the customer is in good standing. Once approved, the customer can browse the product list that is generated from the inventory database and add items to the shopping cart. When finished, the customer proceeds to the checkout screen to authorize the billing amount to be charged to her account. When the order is submitted, items are allocated in the inventory database, and a new order is recorded in the order database.

In the warehouse, a clerk downloads an outstanding order from the order database to a handheld computer. The downloaded order provides an electronic picking ticket for use in assembling the customer’s order. The clerk reads the order from the handheld computer screen, picks the goods, and scans each item as it is placed in a box. As each item is scanned, the computer updates the inventory and order databases. When the order is completed, the clerk presses a button on the handheld, and the computer prints a barcode on the handheld computer. The clerk attaches the barcode to the outside of the box and places the order on a conveyor belt to delivery services.

In delivery services, the delivery person uses another handheld device to read the barcode and access the sales order information from the order database. The items in the box are rechecked per the order and loaded for delivery to the customer. Keying in the confirmation of the order contents by the delivery person triggers the printing of delivery directions and receipt. Upon delivering the groceries and receipt to the customer, the delivery person once again reads the barcode with the handheld device and presses the button for confirmation of delivery. The completion of the delivery is automatically recorded in the order database. The system at this time also updates the customer’s master data for billing purposes.

For the case assigned by your instructor, complete the following requirements:

a. Prepare a table of entities and activities.

b. Draw a context diagram.

c. Draw a physical data flow diagram (DFD).

d. Prepare an annotated table of entities and activities. Indicate on this table the groupings, bubble numbers, and bubble titles to be used in preparing a level 0 logical DFD.

e. Draw a level 0 logical DFD.