Recipient Database for the Central Pennsylvania Foodbank

Archibald Jamieson

Edward Bond

Joshua Berkey

Ryan Robinson

Summary

Central Pennsylvania Food Bank sponsored by Christ Community Church

Use outdated MS Access database Build new MS Access database VB6 GUI

– Easy to use Make record keeping more efficient Generate dynamic reports for tax purposes

Project Introduction

Problem: Food Bank uses an outdated database that does not offer much functionality to keep track of donors and recipients

Objectives: Build a new, relational database that will serve as more than a list of donors and provide greater functionality

Sponsor Organization

Central Pennsylvania Food Bank run by Christ Community Church

Part of Missions and Ministry Department Dedicated to collecting and distributing food

items to needy families Point of Contact: Debra Benedict

Project Objectives

Create new, relational database Generate on-the-fly reports Calculation of number of households served

and age demographics Install database on lap-top to allow on-site

data collection

Project Scope & Constraints

Scope: The database will be primarily for one user who will be able to collect on-site registration and demographic data. Constraints– Windows XP – Microsoft Access DBMS– Visual Basic 6 GUI– One lap top (future purchase)– No budget

Project Roles

Arch: Data modeling, Requirements Eddie: Coding Josh: Requirements, Testing Ryan: Liaison, Co-coder

Project Justification

Enhance Efficiency and capability of Food Bank

Major undertaking of Christ Community’s Missions and Ministry Department

Help to spread God’s love to the needy

Project Overview

Initial Project Organization: Neighborhood Center of the United Methodist Church– No contact ever made

Actual Project Organization: Christ Community Church (Central PA Food Bank)– Project savior Prof. Earhart– Project started at milestone 1 due date

Overview Cont’d

Meeting Feb. 18, 2004– CCC Tech Support: Mark Crieg– Obtained registration and “tax” forms

Milestone 1 turned in one week late– Review of existing database

Meeting with Prof. Nejmeh Feb. 19, 2004– Expansion of project requirements– Increment 3 brainstorming

Overview Cont’d

Meeting Feb. 23, 2004– Visited Wednesday site at 2nd United Church of

Christ on 2nd Street– Talked to ministry coordinator Joe Regal– Observed operations of food bank– Suggested creating ID card system

Milestone 2– Creation of Requirements Document

Overview Cont’d

Meeting March 9, 2004– Demo low-fidelity prototype to Debra Benedict

and Cliff Freshman– Discuss the addition of a clothes voucher table

Milestone 3– Developed logical database schema in MS Visio– Documentation of business rules– Low-Fidelity prototype

User Interface Mock-Up

Physical Database Design

Overview Cont’d

Milestone 4– Physical Database creation– Implementation of GUI– Implementation of search functions and record

additions through GUI– Project sailing smoothly

Overview Cont’d

Milestone 5– Implementation of queries used to generate

dynamic report– Project difficulties

Access crashes Complex SQL code Creating Access report containing multiple queries Inputting parameters once for multiple queries

Project falls to yellow status

Overview Cont’d

Meeting Apr. 23, 2004– Could not access database from CD– Sponsor displeased with application demo

Milestone 6 intentions– Finish implementing increment 2 functionality

from milestone 5

Overview Cont’d

Meeting Apr. 26, 2004– Could not access database on hard drive due to

read-only permissions– Demo better but many bugs

Milestone 6– Transition to sponsor organization not feasible

due to lack of platform (no laptop)– Create training and system manual– Develop final presentation

Overview Cont’d

Meeting May 4, 2004– .OCX controls not installed on computer– Happy with application improvements– Liked dynamic report generator

Application Demo

Application Impact

Improved Efficiency– Faster registration– Faster check-in– Easier reports

Goals– Basic goals should be met

Volunteer and clothes voucher functionalities to be implemented

Follow up system not implemented If application is successful the Central Pennsylvania

Food Bank may make it a standard record keeping tool

Strengths/Weaknesses

Strengths– Dynamic generation of reports– More efficient food bank administration

Weaknesses– Clothes voucher and volunteer functionality never

implemented– Full search capabilities not implemented

Sponsor Assessment

Excited about the prospect of having a database application to make running the food bank easier

Interested in continuing work on the application with future students

Pleased with dynamic report generation of real data rather than statistics

Lessons Learned

Get an early start Stay in touch with sponsor organization Factor in mistakes Watch out for scope creep Communicating with non-technical people