• Interface
• Table
• Operations
  • Print
  • Find
  • Change
  • Sort
  • Exit
• Imports & Exports
• Testing Plan

The Inventory Window is loaded when a user clicks on the Inventory button in the Main Menu. This window consists of two main sections: The inventory table, and the Operation buttons.

Description of each field:

UPC - Integer (5 digits)

UPC is a primary key, there can be only one record in this table which has this UPC code

Description - Text (length = 256)

Description is a short description of the product for those who don't know what the UPC relates to, this is usually the product name

Quantity - Integer

Quantity describes the current unit number (or weight) of that particular item in the store

Sales Price - Real

Sales Price is the price the store is currently selling the product for

Status - Enumerated value

Status is either "automatic", "manual","manager approval" These values determine the process by which the product is reordered

Alert level - Integer

When Quantity less than or equal to Alert level, the system will automatically reorder the product (if automatic)

Restock Qty - Integer

This is the number of items of this product that will be automatically reordered by the system if Quantity is less than or equal to Alert level

This table displays the records contained in the inventory database. It is most likely that a direct connection will be used between the display grid and the actual database (for easy sorts and finds). This will also result in automatic updates of changes performed by the user onto the grid.

Users are allowed to alter certain fields in the inventory grid in order to update some of the information. Note that only users with proper security access can change these fields. Those users without access will find the fields "locked" (read-only).

The fields that are alterable include:

• Quantity
• Sale Price
• Status
• Alert Level
• Target Restock quantity

All other fields will be "locked" (read-only), in order to stop the user from callously changing their data.

Before an update of the database occurs from a change performed by the user, the data input will be error checked to check ranges and ensure that the changes are valid. These range checks also include the validation that the input is numeric (if the field contains numeric data) and not alphabetic.

If any of these tests fail, an appropiate error message will appear and prompt to enter in proper data. The user will not be allowed off the grid until proper data is entered or the user cancels the change (by pressing ESC).

Print

This button is used in order to produce a paper copy of all the information stored in the inventory table.

The Print button will first load a standard Print Setup Dialog box, which will allow the user to adjust the current printer, and the format of the pages.

The PRINT function will produce the report:

• in the current sorted order shown on the grid
• one record per line
• formating it with headers/footers (format is not determined)
• to the page size and format as given in the Print Setup Dialog Box

Then the job will be sent to the printer to print.

Purpose:

To print a hardcopy of the grid records in the inventory window

Input:

- user_action (from User)

- inventories (from Inventories)

- desc_categories (from Products)

- Store ID (from User)

- Security Access (from Security)

Output:

- grid_records Listing (to printer)

- UPCs (to Product)

Error Conditions :

a) The inventory database is empty, ie nothing to print

Conditions Assumed True : All data is correct when printing

Process :

IF ( Security_access == FAIL )
report Error, then STOP
ELSE
CALL windows_print_dialog_box*
IF 'ok' is received THEN
QUERY "inventories" data store, using the following inputs:
Store ID
Security Access
and return all inventories

QUERY "Products" data store, using the following inputs:
inventories.UPCs
Store ID
Security Access
and return all desc_categories

IF no matching records found THEN // happens in empty database
report Error, then STOP
ELSE
CREATE a grid_records using the following:
inventories
desc_categories
SEND grid_records to Printer in specified format
ELSE IF 'cancel' is received
RETURN
END

*Note the windows_print_dialog_box will return either (ok) or (cancel), no other values can be returned

Find

The Find button allows a user to locate a particular record in the inventory table. This button loads a seperate window called the Find Form and allows the user to enter field specific data in order to locate a record.

The Find Form is a GENERIC dialog box. It will be used by all Find buttons on all windows, this will remove possible redundancy in the program. Upon creation of this form (by possible cloning techniques), the form will dynamically setup a list of labels and associated Input Areas which coorespond to the searchable fields in the table. A Search button and a Cancel button will appear then at the bottom of the form.

The Input Areas will be interface objects (such as a text box, dropdown combo box, or selection buttons) that relate to the data that field can contain.

For example:

The Status field in the Orders table is a dropdown combo box containing predefined selections

The Status Input Area on the Find Form will be the same (a dropdown combo box containing the same predefined selections)

NOTE:

It is possible to set up default criteria in this form. This can be static (the same criteria appears everytime the form loads), OR it can be dynamic (either the criteria from the last find is shown or possibly a user-defined criteria is set)

When the user has completed entering the data that they wish to search on, they will press the Search button.

If no data was entered in any of the above fields, the Search button will return the messsage:

No data was entered, please enter something into one of the above fields.

If data is given, the Search button will then search the table (using the quickest and most appropiate method possible).

If a record is found that matchs the criteria given, the Find Form will close and the table on the main window will scroll through the records in the grid to the first record that matched the search criteria is visible.

If though, no records were located, the following message will be displayed:

Sorry, no record could be found matching those criteria.

The Find Form will stay open, and allow the user to enter another search.

The Cancel button will close the Find Form without a search being performed. This allows a user to get rid of the form if it was loaded by mistake or no more searches need be performed.

Purpose:

To search for a particular grid record by some of it's values

Inputs :

- find criteria (from User)

- inventories (from Inventories)

- desc_categories (from Products)

- Store ID (from User)

- Security Access (from Security)

Output :

- grid_record (to Display)

- UPCs (to Products)

Error Conditions :

a) No find criteria given

b) The find criteria is invalid (improper values)

c) No record located

Conditions Assumed True :

Process :

Check to see if any find criteria were given
IF not find criteria given THEN
report error, and STOP
IF not find criteria valid THEN
report error, and STOP

QUERY "inventories" data store, using the following inputs:
find criteria
Store ID
Security Access
and return a matching inventory

QUERY "Products" data store, using the following inputs:
find criteria
Store ID
Security Access
and return a matching desc_category

IF no matching record found THEN
report Error, then STOP
ELSE
CREATE a grid_record using the following:
inventory
desc_category
SEND grid_record to Display
END IF

Change Record

Purpose:

To alter some of the values for an inventory record by way if update

Inputs :

- Inventory_a (from User)

- Inventory_b (from "Inventory" which corresponds to Inventory_a.UPC)

- Store ID (from User)

- Security Access (from Security)

Outputs :

- Inventory (to Inventory)

- Error_messages (to User)

Error Conditions :

a) Making an invalid change to a field

Conditions Assumned True : Assume that user cannot even attempt to change the

'read-only' parts of the Inventory records

Process :

WHILE (Inventory_a != Inventory_b) // ie a field has been changed
IF ( range_checks( All altered fields ) == FAIL )
report error
re-prompt the field change that failed
ELSE ( range_checks == SUCCESS )
IF ( Security_Access == FAIL )
report Error
restore original value to field(s)
STOP
ELSE
SEND Inventory_a to Inventory to update

END

Sort

The Sort button allows the user to sort the table using whichever field they deem usefull. This button will load the Sort Form which will faciliate this.

The Sort Form is a GENERIC dialog box. It will be called by all Sort buttons on all the windows in the application. The Sort Form will be created much like the Find Form (described above). It will dynamically create a list of selection buttons each of which designates a particular field in the table. (Note that not all fields need be listed, only those that can be sorted by).

The sort form will contain a scroll bar that will allow users to enter multiple field sorts (such as by Description AND Price), by enabling the user to scroll to the next sort type (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, etc.)

At the bottom of the Sort Form will be two more selection buttons, the Ascending and Descending buttons. These allow the user to determine in which direction the records will be sorted in. As well, there will be a Sort button and a Cancel button.

NOTE:

It is possible to set up a default selection in this form. This can be static (the same selection appears everytime the form loads), OR it can be dynamic (either the selection from the last sort is shown or possibly a user-defined selection is set)

When the Sort button is pressed, the button will first determine if any selection has been made.

If no selection has been made, the button will show the following message:

No sort criteria entered. Please select a field to sort by.

If no sort order has been selected, the button will show the following message:

No sort direction selected. Please select either Ascending or Descending.

If successful, the table will be rebuilt (possibly using SQL) and the records will be displayed in that order on the table on the main window. The Sort Form will then be closed.

If the Cancel button is pressed, the Sort Form will be automatically closed with no sort being performed.

Purpose:

To sort the grid records of the inventory window

Inputs:

- sort criteria (from User)

- inventories (from Inventories)

- desc_categories (from Products)

- Store ID (from User)

- Security Access (from Security)

Output:

- grid_records (to Display)

- UPCs (to Products)

Error Conditions:

a) Improper sort criteria/order given

Conditions Assumed True:

Process:

Check to see if the sort criteria are proper (valid or whatnot)
IF not sort criteria given THEN
report error, and STOP
IF not sort order given THEN
report error, and STOP

QUERY "inventories" data store, using the following inputs:
sort criteria
Store ID
Security Access
and return all inventories

QUERY "Products" data store, using the following inputs:
inventories.UPCs
Store ID
Security Access
and return all desc_categories

CREATE a grid_records using the following:
inventories
desc_categories
SEND grid_records to Display

Exit

If the user presses this button, the inventory window (and Sort and Find forms if they are open) will be closed.

As all data is updated immediately through the grid, no data need be stored at this point.

Purpose:

To exit from the inventory window

Input :

- None

Output :

- Closing of the Inventory screen and control returning to the

Main menu

Error Condidtions : None

Conditions Assumed True: The data has been saved properly

Process :

CLOSE Inventory_window
RETURN control to Main_menu
END

The Inventory Window, corresponds almost directly to the Inventory Table stored in the database.

The following fields of that table are loaded into the grid:

• UPC
• Quantity
• Sale Price
• Status
• Alert Level
• Target Restock Quantity

As well, using the UPC as a primary key, the following fields are loaded out of the Product Table in the database:

• Description
• Category

All records that are changed are restored in the database automatically

As well, the User Security level must be available to disable any fields on the grid that the particular user can not access.

Printing will export a formatted document to the printer (how this document will be formatted is not yet determined).

The list of Categories must also be loaded from somewhere (in order to populate the drop down combo box in the grid). This data can be stored in an INI file or in its own table in the database (whatever is decided).

Other "from user" inputs are detailed in each of the button descriptions.

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