Currently the newsagent uses a paper account system, in which she records all his transactions, stock and delivery details, at the end of the night into a book. Throughout the years she has always used this system and his books pile up. Performing this task is very time consuming and when searching for required information it can sometimes be quite difficult. My newsagents also admits that she is not particularly good at maths so when it comes to adding up all her calculations at the end she is worried that there are many errors. This could affect her business and she could lose customers.

She knows that her current method is inefficient and inadequate but never converted to a spreadsheet system because her knowledge of ICT is not very good and she does not own a computer. When I asked if I could do this for her, she gladly accepted as she saw this as an opportunity to modernise her system. It meant that she would have more time for other things like concentrating on other bits of the shop or give her more free time.

When taken into the back to get information on the shop I noticed that her records took up a lot of space. I mentioned that with a computer it would take up much less space to store all her documents and if she wanted to search for specific things she could do it with ease rather than fumbling around in the back. Another problem with her records is that they are all on paper and based at the shop. With a computer she would be able to make backups of all her documents in case something happened to the originals. For example a fire or flood could easily destroy all her current documents then she would have no evidence of what happens in her shop.

With human error the main threat when using a paper account system many aspects can be disrupted. Delivery and payment details can be mixed up which would cause problems for the newsagents and the customers. Staff wages and stock numbers could change slightly. If transaction numbers were changed then the newsagent would not know the true profit made. All of the factors could affect staff and customer relations and affect the reputation of the shop.

The computerised system will make it easy to store documents and searching for relevant information will be made a lot easier. Floppy disks can save lots of information compared to files of paper and also it should work out more cost-effective. It will be a lot less time consuming because input of data will be easier. Only the initial cost of a computer is a problem but eventually it will prove cost-efficient. Should improve customer and staff relations because delivery details and payment should always be correct (unless tampered with) because the computer works out the calculation. Human error will be kept to a minimum because the computer will perform calculations. The only way that error can take place is with the input of data.

By using a computer backups can be easily made so no information should get lost. Also the information is a lot safer – the newsagent said that she wanted herself and only one other to be able to access the information being store. By using a password that only she knows the information will be kept safe and away from prying eyes. Her information will be kept confidential helping staff/customer relations. Calculations will be made faster because it will only require the input of data then click on a few buttons. The system should – when timed – be considerably faster than a paper account system and it will be able to highlight areas that are good and bad with a numeric measurable criteria.