M elbourne U nified S ymphony O rchestra

1. Melbourne UnifiedSymphony Orchestra Learnthe Effective Waysto Manage MUSO Hula Kahlal – Rasha Putrus S3236327 – S3238168 0411 345 086 – 0422 624 287 Bianca Annaniev Business Computing1 ISYS2056

2. What will be Presented: • Introduction • Business problems • Benefits and purpose of this software • Features of MUSO Database and how staff can use it • Summary of the main points of this presentation

3. Introduction • In the past: The MUSO business consisted of a very complicated and inconvenient way of managing data and information • Reason: neglecting the use of technology such as computer programs • Purpose of this presentation: clearly showing that the most convenient solution adopted to manage the data and information in this business, is to depend mainly on the computer programs, such as Database, which is the main focus

4. Business Issues: • MUSO staff members were mainly depending on hard copy information and data, and using manual filing. MUSO needs a more sophisticated and précised techniques. Manual handling of information is very inconvenient and time-consuming, and are easily subjected to mistakes. Moreover, when there is a need to certain reports or forms which are often requested within a timely manner, it is very hard to obtain and to sort the requested data and information to meet the deadlines. Also, when there is a mistake in calculations, the procedure of correcting or even modifying these data becomes harder and more time consuming. • Contacting previous and current ticket purchasers manually (i.e. typing and enveloping each letter). It is a very inconvenient way of contact because there is a big chance of making errors while typing in the addresses or the names of the ticket purchasers. Making such errors will lead to confusion and losses when wrong details are typed. The business is relying on the public attending the concerts, therefore, there should be an at most accuracy and speed in the process of typing that cannot be guaranteed. Again, when addressing the public attending a specific concert, this will need sorting the purchasers’ details relevant to that specific concert, and to type their details without confusion, that was most difficult if following the manual way.

5. Cont’d Business Issues: • Customers need to book by mail. Sending bookings by mail is totally frustrating for both customers and business owners. The customer wants to enjoy attending the concert in the easiest, most convenient and less time consuming means. Taking the trouble of typing the customer’s details in a letter and sending it by mail is not the encouraging way for most of them. Ultimately, this will impact negatively on the business. • Staff members are not able to deliver the required reports on time, and often those reports contain wrong figures. Insufficient use of technology and depending mainly on manual operations can certainly cause errors which lead the business to loss of profits, also wasting too much time that can be allocated in organising the upcoming concerts or other business operations. As the MUSO business is considered to be a large one, because it consists of a large number of categories according to each type of concert. This will need an accurate classification of data for each type, reports and separate and different calculations too. Handling all these operations manually will be exhausting and time consuming. Ultimately, mistakes and delays are expected to occur

6. Cont’d Business Issues • Customer’s desire to have an easy access to the booking methods are not fulfilled Picking up tickets in person by customer is an additional time and effort added to them which makes the whole process discouraging and frustrating. Customer requires the most handy way that is the online booking which includes approval of their booking at the same time. The purpose of the MUSO business is to please its customers from A to Z, and that means providing the most comfortable way in booking, receiving tickets up to the end when customers attend the concert and enjoy the performance. • Human Resource department of the business doesn’t get reliable information to be able to pay the musicians A large number of musicians for different types of concerts will need an accurate way of sorting their details, working hours and number of performances they made. Following manual way of entering these data, sorting them and handling calculations needed for their payments will be confusing and easily causing errors.

7. The Benefits of using Database The gathering, processing and use of information relating to the operations of a business are vital to its success. Even something as simple as a customer mailing list needs to be managed appropriately if it is to be kept up to date and accurate. Therefore, any tools or applications that can make the tasks involved easier and more efficient need to be given serious consideration. • Gathering, storing and processing large amounts of information about customers, musicians and concerts using database software can provide the business with a distinct advantage because it helps you know whether the business is being profitable and whether customers are making repeated purchases. • Reduces the time spent managing data and information. Normally, the business requires a complicated way of sorting and calculating of its data, therefore, finding an accurate with speedy way of achieving this aim comes through adopting the database software.

8. Cont’d the benefits of using Databases • The ease of contacting the customers Instead of sending letters to customers by mail (spending time on typing, enveloping and mailing), the use of database makes it much easier to address the entire number of customers booked for a specific concert with all needed contact details provided. Moreover, the database gives a very flexible and fast way of mail-out, and that is the process of merging the data regardless of its volume which means the ability to address all existing customers by using this facility. • Improving the quality and consistency of information Database has the ability to save as much information as the business contains regardless of type of details, and it also links these information to enable the user to find the relations and makes the required calculations flexibly without having much trouble in finding the data elements. Adding to that, the way these information are distributed in the database can take many forms that match the needs of any business.

9. Cont’d the benefits of using Databases • Producing reports depending on specific requirements One more crucial benefit of database is its ability to produce reports and calculations depending on certain conditions and for specific type of data (e.g.. sorting previous and future customers) • Controlling the access to data Specially, when the volume of data becomes huge, the speed and accuracy of accessing the data by using database will be maintained by using a unique identification number (primary key) for the main parameter within the data

10. Features of MUSO Database • MUSO database consists of various tables, queries, reports and forms • Tables contain information about MUSO concerts, concert series, concert items, composers, ticket purchasers and payments receipts. This should help MUSO staff to access/retrieve the information or the input they have at any time. • Queries are responsible for all the processes in the database. In MUSO, there are two queries. The firs query contains information about the concert series, and the other query enables the user to find all the relevant information about a certain concert by entering Concert ID. Staff should be able to use Queries in sorting concert series, each with its brief description, budget, location and season. Also, queries enable staff to access the “only requested” concert ID, with all its relevant data and information. This helps management and staff to minimise the effort and time wasted in finding details about a specific concert within large amounts of information.

11. Cont’d features of MUSO Database • Forms It is a very friendly and easy way to read information related to a specific requirement and it displays information per one record in a designated way that makes the access to any relevant parameter readable. In MUSO, forms are created for tickets where each ticket purchaser’s details are displayed clearly. And also regarding the receipts. There is also another form in MUSO which is the details for each concert type and composers each displayed separately in a way that at any time these details can be submitted to staff members or management or even to customer who need to receive a printed copy of the receipts or tickets. • Reports By using the Report feature, we can get a well ordered and formal presentation for the details of each type of concert. Reports are mainly required by the management before holding the meetings for discussing the progress of the business. Therefore, it is important to submit these reports in a readable form with the needed information. • Also, there are two main menus with buttons, linked to all forms, reports and queries, and a button back to the main menu. By using these buttons (links), the user of the database will be able to move flexibly from one feature to another across the Database. This is considered another easy and speedy way added to the many facilities existing in the Database, because the more usable and easy system becomes, the faster and more accurate the access to the data is achieved.

12. Summary of the presentation From all the mentioned above, we conclude that using Database software will help: • Minimizing the effort spent in gathering, sorting, filing and the calculations needed in the business • Reducing the time to a large extent in processing the information • Reaching the best accuracy in calculations • Achieving the best way to encourage customers when making their bookings • Gaining the trust of both customers and staff in the business by providing formal, precise and fast response (confirmation of bookings, timely mannered payments) • Reducing number of staff needed in working out the information • Ensuring the provision of the required information in a well designed form (reports) to the management when needed in a timely manner

13. A sample of MUSO Database

14. Relationships