How long to build a db with data clean up added? 5

[jebry]

Hi!

Here is the situation:

I have a friend who is the director of a non-profit organization. She wants to hire someone to build a database from Access that will be used to run all aspects of the organization. She wants LAN based security levels, traking of edits to the data, financial programming (transactions, receipt printing, reports, etc.), membership tracking, validation and verification of entered data, automation of commucation and a initial load of existing data which will need to be cleaned up due to years of hand entering information. Her board of directors agree with the project but they will only have funding for a part-time person (20hrs/wk) and they will only be able to afford a new graduate.

So, my question is, assuming that this db is the only duties for the new hire, about how long should they anticipate it taking? We have different expectations and, since our numbers aren't too close, I thought I would ask the experts!

Jeff

 

[dhookom]

I would not go down that path. Consider finding good off-the-shelf applications like QuickBooks or PeachTree to handle the financial stuff. The membership tracking might be a good fit for a custom Access application. Most accounting packages allow some type of exporting of information if you need to get it into the Access app.

For managing membership, the first thing I would do is buy a copy of Building Microsoft® Access Applications by John Viescas. It contains a fully functional membership application that would take a seasoned developer months to create.

There is no way that I would expect a "new graduate" to handle most of this. I have worked with several programming or MIS students and recent grads in the past and would not trust them to create a sustainable application that met current and future requirements.

Duane
Hook'D on Access
MS Access MVP

 

[jebry]

That was my first thought as well! I have been trying to convince her that a new grad would need 18-24 months to do this at least, but she is convinced that I am exagerating and 6 months should be enough.

So your vote would be infinite time because the completed project would not be what they were expecting.

Jeff Bridgham
Purdue University
Graduate School
Data Analyst

 

[PaulBricker]

Depending on which version of Access they are using (2003 and earlier or 2007), creating user level security can be a little more difficult than it used to be and it was never very easy. Ask you friend if they really want to risk someone accidentially locking themselves out of their data. It happens to a lot of novices (I managed to lock myself out a couple time in learning to implement it. Fortunately I was using sample data to learn on). My fist guess for getting it all together was about 12 months but 18 to 24 does not sound terribly unrealistic.

Paul

 

[MichaelRed]

without more details of what is meant by the various requirements, infinity is at least reasonably safe (hard -but not impossible to exceed an infinite budget!).

Simce there are a number of fuzzy requirements, THE first step shopuld be to generate formal and detailed specification. This should include:

The data set to be implemented;

The relationships between the tables;

Specific security roles and the data each role may access AND what privledges each has (Read/Write - or Add/Edit/Delete [but be sure to note that edit encompasses delete unless specific fields are excluded]);

At least a general discussion of the forms and reports expected;





MichaelRed

 

[JoeAtWork]

That was my first thought as well! I have been trying to convince her that a new grad would need 18-24 months to do this at least, but she is convinced that I am exagerating and 6 months should be enough.

I agree with you there, this is way to complex for a new graduate. The scrubbing of the "hand entered" data alone requires someone with years of experience under their belt. The best that can be hoped for is a poorly implemented solution that will go way over budget.

Joe Schwarz
Custom Software Developer

http://www.plandev.net

 

[alvechurchdata]

I agree with you there, this is way to complex for a new graduate.

I'm in my fifth year of tidying up a system built in this way. I'm only doing a day or so a week but it's been a long job.

The design is just so far wrong that I really had great difficulty knowing where to start. Just as a starter there's no true primary key on the main table - it uses the equipment serial number. And the user has to make up a number if the item doesn't have a serial number. And this field is named serial_no, serialno or serial_number in different tables. And the grad built a very complex backup system to keep old records in an archive and to swap them in and out of the main table when required.

A new graduate may be an ace programmer but they won't understand the business and they're unlikely to understand that "reliable" is more important than "cool" or "interesting".

Geoff Franklin

http://www.alvechurchdata.co.uk