The document outlines a project plan to develop a new payroll system for an organization using the waterfall development methodology. It estimates the project will take 33.3 person-months to complete based on industry standards of allocating 15% of effort to planning, 20% to analysis, 35% to design, and 30% to implementation. It also discusses developing a work plan, staffing the project, and coordinating project activities to manage the system development life cycle.

1. Project Plan
For our Project Plan, we are going to develop a new information
system for a mid-size organization that will automate the
payroll transactions. Since we already have all the information
that the new system needed, we propose to use the Waterfall
Development Methodology because we are going from one
phase to the next.
Planning
System
Implementation
Design
Analysis
Estimated Projected Time Frame:

2. For Estimating the Project Time Frame, the project manager
will develop a preliminary estimation of how long it will take to
build the new system. There are several sources that the project
manager uses to estimate the time frame. First is they can take
it from projects that had similar tasks and technologies, an
experienced developers can provided the estimation, or the type
of methodology that is being used. It is a good practice to keep
track of actual time and effort values during the SDLC so the
data can be redefine and are used as a guide for future projects.
For now, I will use the Industry standard to estimate the project
time frame. Within the Industry standard for a typical business
application system, they will spends 15% of effort in the
planning phase, 20% in the analysis phase, 35% in the design
phase, and 30% in the implementation phase. With the planning
phase take 5 month to complete, then for the total project time
is 33.3 person-month to complete the project.
Project time line
Planning
Analysis
Design
Implementation
15%
20%
35%
30%
5 person-month
6.66 person-month
11.66 person-month
10 person-month
Developing the Work Plan:

3. Once the project schedule has been established, the project
manager can start creating a work plan for the project. The
work plan is a schedule that he projects manager use to keep
record and keep track of all the tasks that need to be
accomplished over the entire project. The project manager will
need to identify the entire task that are needed and determine
how long each of the tasks will take. Then the task will be
organized within the work breakdown structure. For the main
task to be complete, the subtask has to be completed first.
Staffing the Project:
The project manager needs to figure out how many staff is
needed for the project. The amount of staff is needed depend on
how fast they want to finish the project. Increase in staff does
not mean increases in productivity. If more staff is needed,
make sure to have some kind of reporting structure. The project
manager needs to know the staff capabilities and assign task
according to their skills. Project manager needs to know how to
motivate the staff for a project success.
Coordinating Project Activities:
The project manager needs to have activities put in place during
the entire SDLC. Activities are tools that is use to ensure that
he project stays on track and that the chance of failure is kept to
a minimum. Case Tools (computer-aided software engineering),
Standards, and Documentation are all activities that are use
within the SDLC cycle.
MGMT 321 – Aviation and Aerospace Systems Analysis
Methods
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide Online
write a marketing plan to address the following scenario:
PluginsPLUS has been creating PhotoShop special effects
plugins for over ten years. They are a small company and are
working hard to manage their costs. Direct mail works well for
them and they frequently run mail campaigns to their registered
users with each new product release. Because of the costs, they

4. only do a small percentage of "prospecting mail."
The company has a fairly substantial installed base of 30,000
registered users. About 60% of those registered names have an
e-mail address connected to them. Their latest plugin, PLUSfx
Version 4 is a significant upgrade to their flagship product
PLUSfx 3. Although the product will be ready to sell in it's
downloadable version at the end of the month, the CD replicator
has informed the company they will not be able to begin
delivering their boxed software version for 45 days at the
earliest.
The President has challenged you and the rest of the team to roll
out a web based marketing campaign to maximize sales of the
new product as ESD (electronic software delivery). Demonstrate
an understanding of the various media strategies discussed
through the lecture and explain their creativity in utilizing the
strategies to develop an effective marketing campaign. Justify
your rationale for incorporating the marketing components you
select. Your work should reflect attention to:
1. A combination of media
2. An appreciation targeted marketing (a strategy for each of the
subgroups in the target audience)
3. Unique promotional offers
500-750 words (12 pt. font) prepared in a Microsoft Word
document. The paper should be single spaced and sources
should be used to support your conclusions. Remember MLA
format has citations in the work as well as a works cited page at
the end of the paper. This is always the last page.
Data Models
Data modeling was established because DBMS (Database
Management Systems) and data needed to be specifically
structured in file systems that enabled better control and

5. handling of information and data sets. A data model therefore
can be defined as concept sets that describe operations carried
on and structure of information systems and databases (Navathe,
1992). One of the practical data modeling purposes is to serve
as a blueprint for the physical intended database. It also helps in
implementation of the system’s information access level
impacting strongly on modifiability and overall performance.
The activity of data modeling has become common in the
process of developing information systems which implement
database management technology to store information and
sensitive data. A data model is the result of graphically
represented data structures and interactions as well as their
relationships (Merson, 2009). Information systems’ data models
hold vital architectural information and they provide the
following useful functions:
· Providing a database structure creation blueprints
· Facilitating the inclusion of stakeholders in analysis and
collecting specific requirements
· Guide the actual coding of the database including setting
parameters for queries and database access.
· Providing the objects’ relationships and conceptual
descriptions
· Serving as input for the automatic production of records
access codes and schemas for the database
Distinguishing between the actual database and the database
description is very important in any application’s development.
This description of databases is designed by analyzing
requirements for users and applications and it is referred to as
Schema.Schemas sometimes undergo model to model
transformation during the database design process. The whole

6. activity involving producing definitions from requirements to
the implementable final DBMS database schema is called
schema design (Navathe, 1992).
Fig. 1 A conceptual database schema design diagram
Fig. 2 An example of network database schema
Purpose for Data Modeling
Data models are documentations and formalizations of events
and processes that exist during the design and development of
applications. Analysis and planning should precede the process
of data modeling. Determining database requirements is done
through analysis while planning defines the intended objectives
of the database, their importance and setting a path to achieve
the set goals (Mamčenko, 2004).
End user data requirements are accurately and completely
represented by effective data models which should be simple
and detailed enough for database designers to implement and
end users to understand. The data modeling process is bottom

7. up and basically independent of both software and hardware.
Data Modeling Scope
The scope of data models has been limited to schema design of
databases in the conventional sense and they have been for
modeling data static properties. Data modeling simply
illustrates data entity structures and the relationships involved
between them. In an information system, the different entities
dictate the architectural design. Relationships may determine
that a single employee can have more than one connection to
identifying attributes. In our case with the payroll system, it
will look like this;
Fig. 3 Payroll System Context Diagram
Database Design and Data Modeling
Designing databases requires the combined use of function
models and data models in the abstract design procedure. Data
models emphasize on database storage while function models
will deal with ways to process the data (Hall, 2011). Relational
tables in databases are developed from data models while on the
other side; queries to control operations and access of data in
the relational tables are designed using function models.
Analyzing Requirements
The main purpose for carrying an analysis is to;
· Determine executable transactions and the interaction between
transactions and data in the database
· Determine primitive objects’ data requirements
· Identify data integrity governing rules

8. · Describe and classify information on primitive objects
· Classify and categorize the objects’ relationships.
Data Modeling Abstraction Levels
The system development cycle involves a number of abstraction
levels ranging from defining classes, modeling formal
requirements to use case modeling. A three step approach to
database design and modeling that has been established well
throughout the years includes three levels. These core stages of
database design are;
a) Conceptual Level – the basic data entities and their
relationships are documented here.
b) Logic Level – here details of the implementation of the
entities and the specified relationships are omitted while clearly
defining both.
c) Physical Level – the database structure is defined here.
PAYROLL SYSTEM
A company’s payroll system can be equated to a special
purchase system where the item on sale is labor from
employees. The following reasons however explain the need for
payroll systems to have specialized measures. They include;
a) Procedures used in payroll systems differ from one class of
employee to the other. This simply means employee classes
could range from permanent and pensionable, hourly or part-
time, commissioned to piece work. The other processing
requirement is taxation.
b) Unlike activities usually involved in general expenditure,
businesses keep payroll activities and procedures as discrete as
possible.
c) Special control for writing employee checks is required and

9. payroll fraud is easy when both normal trading transactions are
combined with managing payroll systems.
The figure below simplifies the payroll system to two logical
steps. The key processes and relationships are shown.
The employees can have several attributes defining and
distinguishing each employee to separate and accurately
identify each employee as a single entity. An example is
illustrated below.
Fig. 5 Employee Context diagram
The payroll process can also on its own be expanded to;
Fig. 6 Payroll System level 0 DFD
Where;
· Process 1 (p1) – this is where different employee time cards
are collected and stored in the TCF (Time Card File). This
includes the total hours each employee works.
· Process 2 (p2) – the employee records are accessed to retrieve
EHWRs (Employee Hourly Wage Rates) corresponding to each
ETC (Employee Time Card) data and Gross Pay is calculated.
The formula used in the Gross Pay calculating process is
usually
· GP (Gross Pay) = Hours Worked * Hourly Wage Rate
· Process 3 (p3) – the input to this process includes the gross

10. pay passed from p2 and tax rates from the TRT (Tax Rate
Tables) file. These inputs are used to produce among other
things, the final net pay.
· Process 4 (p4) – the resulting payroll data from p3 is updated
into the employee’s file by p4 which it does using SPD
(Summary Payroll Data) to finally produce employee pay checks
and the related pay stubs.
Batch Systems and Data Processing
Due to the bulk involved in the simultaneous processes taking
place in the payroll system, it has become mandatory to use
batch processing in almost all sized business organizations.
Many businesses rely heavily on data processing to run daily
operations like account maintenance, invoicing and paying
salaries. Batch processing systems input data and output
information in batches in between databases and storage files.
The results are then either prepared for storage in the database
or computed for printing as shown below.
Fig. 7 Batch data processing system
For our proposed payroll system, the batch processing of data is
illustrated as;
With varying procedures in various payroll systems, the
proposed payroll system’s general errands will include the
following described major components (Hall, 2011).
i) Department of Personnel – this is where processed personnel
action forms are submitted after preparation onto the function
called “prepare payroll”. These PAFs (Personnel Action Forms)
are used to identify and determine valid employees, deductions
in payroll, changes in rates per hour as well as job group or
classification.
ii) Department of Production - here two time records are

11. prepared: time cards which capture the employee’s time at work
used to calculate their paychecks and job tickets which capture
time spent on production jobs by each employee. These
documents are implemented by cost accounting for direct labor
allocation charges to accounts called WIP (Work In Process).
iii) WIP Account Update – the LDS (Labor Distribution
Summary) which is basically a summary of labor costs
generated by cost accounting and allocated to the WIP accounts,
is passed to the GL (General Ledger) function.
iv) Payroll Preparation – the department of production sends
data about hours worked for each employee while the
department of personnel sends taxation and pay rate data to the
payroll department. A clerk working in the payroll department
therefore performs the following;
a. Payroll register preparation which shows deductions, gross
pay, overtime pay and lastly the net pay.
b. The clerk then submits the above information into the EPR
(Employee Payroll Records).
c. Preparation of pay checks for employees
d. Sending pay checks to the function distributing paychecks.
e. Filing a payroll register copy, personal action forms and time
cards.
v) Paycheck Distribution – many companies employ a pay
master who is independent of both preparation and authorization
of paychecks and is used to distribute paychecks. This prevents
fraud in payroll by submitting nonexistent employees’ time
cards. All unclaimed paychecks by valid employees are taken
back to payroll for further investigations.
vi) Accounts Payable preparation – the clerk in charge reviews
payroll registers and prepares vouchers to pay out funds for the
payroll’s amount once confirmed for correctness. The voucher

12. is then recorded into the voucher register after which the
combined packet (payroll register and voucher) is submitted to
funds disbursement. The general ledger also receives a duplicate
of the payout voucher.
vii) Cash Disbursement Preparation – when the cash
disbursement function receives the voucher packet, it combines
the whole payroll pay outs into one amount which it deposits
into the PIA (Payroll Imprest Account). A journal voucher is
finally prepared and passed on to the GL (General Ledger)
function.
The General ledger is then updated using information from
Accounts Payable’s payment voucher, the journal voucher and
summaries of labor distribution from cost accounting. The
above information can be modeled into the following design
when implemented (Hall, 2011).
Fig. 9 Payroll Procedures Data Flow Diagram
PHYSICAL PAYROLL SYSTEM
Manual Payroll System
The above procedures can be represented in manual system
context thereby providing the following clarifications;
· Two different sources send information on hours worked by
employees and authorization of payrolls to the payroll
department. They are production and personnel.
· Distribution of paychecks by the payroll department to the
employees after reconciling the information received above and
calculates payrolls.
· Information about time spent from production on each job is
sent to cost accounting and posted to WIP (Work In Process)
accounts.

13. Fig. 10 Manual payroll system
Fig. 11 a continuation of the Manual payroll system
Computer Based Payroll Systems
A payroll system is usually automated using batch data
processing because it is run periodically on a monthly or a
weekly basis. A hard copy of the job tickets, personnel action
forms and job cards is received and digitized for batch
computers applications to perform checks on thorough record
storage, GL functions and check writing. Figure 8 shows a
detailed batch processing computer based payroll systems (Hall,
2011).
Fig. 12 Payroll System Procedures showing real-time elements
UNDERSTANDING PAYLINES AND PAYSHEETS
Paylines
A payline consists of:
· Employee name.
· Benefit record number.
· Employee ID.
· Line number.
· Manual check indicator.

14. · Employment record number (used for multiple jobs).
Paylines are associated with one or sometimes more PE (Pay
Earnings) records. Each PE record associated with a payline
includes the information below:
· Regular pay amount.
· Number of ordinary hours.
· Supplementary pay.
· Additional income.
· Information on Taxation.
· Job data such as job code and department.
Note: every employee listed for pay during a pay phase must
have at least one Pay Earnings record and one payline.
Otherwise the system will have no data with which to compute
salary, taxes, and subtractions.
Paysheets
A paysheet brings together different information from the
system and when accessed it displays a payline for every
employee are listed. Paysheets are arranged by lines and pages
and every member of staff appears on a different line that
encloses regular compensation information which include
regular working hours, job data and regular salary.
Summary

15. In conclusion we can revisit the data modeling concept as the
first step in database design and creation. Information collected
during the analysis of the requirements is used to develop the
initial models with the objective of classifying and identifying
data objects together with their relationships. Database schemas
are then developed from the successful definition of all entities
and how they interact in numerous processes. Data modeling is
vital for any development of information systems especially
when they are database driven which constitutes many of the
common implemented systems in modern data processing
organizations (Mamčenko, 2004).
References
Hall, J. A. (2011). Accounting informat ion systems. (4 ed.).
Mason, OH: South-West Cengage Learning.
Mamčenko, J. (2004). Introduction to data modeling and
msaccess. Understandig of models and system of information
resourses,.
Merson, P. (2009). Data model as an architectural view.
Research, Technology, and System
Solution
s, doi: CMU/SEI-2009-TN-024
Navathe, S. B. (1992). Evolution of data modeling for
databases. COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM, 35(9), 112.
Retrieved from
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~sham/classpapers/p112-navathe.pdf

16. Project
Requirements Collection and Analysis
Database Requirements
Conceptual Design
Conceptual Schema
(In a high-level data model)

17. DBMS - Independent
Logical Design
Conceptual Schema
(In the data model of a specific DBMS)
DBMS - Specific
Physical Design
Internal Schema

18. (For the same DBMS)
Fig. 4 Payroll System and Employee Context diagram
Fig. 8 Payroll Batch processing diagram
MGMT321 Group Project
You were hired as an analyst to develop a new information
system to automate the payroll transactions
in a mid-size organization. The proposed system will contain
employees’ data and interface with the

19. organization’s General Ledger system (GL). The new system
will include information such as Employee
ID, Employee Name (broken down into last name, first name),
Employee SSN, Employee DOB, Employee
Number of Dependents, Employee Title, Employee Grade,
Employee Gross Salary, Tax Deducted,
Employee Net Pay, Pay Interval, Cost Center, Payroll Account
Number, etc.
The proposed system total financial benefits exceed the total
costs by $65,000 a year over the next five
years.
Create the following documents for the proposed system and
deliver each SDLC documents by the end
of each designated module, as shown below
1- The Planning Phase: (Due at the end of Module 6)
A- Create a system request
B- Create a feasibility study

20. C- Create a project plan
2- The Analysis Phase: (Due at the end of Module 7)
A- Requirement definitions
B- Create the applicable Use cases
C- Create the applicable process model
D- Create the applicable data models
3- The Design Phase: (Due at the end of Module 8)
A- Alternative matrix
B- Architecture report
C- Hardware and software specifications
D- Interface design
E- Physical process model
F- Program design
G- Database and file specifications including physical data
model
4- The Implementation Phase: (Due at the end of Module 9)
A- Test Plan
B- Change Management Plan
C- Business contingency plan
D- Training plan

21. Be sure to read the instructions in the Module Activity for each
group assignment.
Designate one person from your group to submit the assignment
due that week. Be sure to include all
of the names of the group members in the document(s).
You can submit the Group Assignment by selecting the activity
link in the appropriate weekly module, or
submitting it through your group.
Please Note: To access your group, select your group located in
the "My Groups" area below the
course menu. You should see the group assignments for
Modules 6-9, have the designated
team member submit the group assignment.
After the group assignment has been submitted, be sure
everyone fills out the Peer Evaluation form

22. each week and submit those individually to your instructor
using the activity link in your Blackboard
Course. The Peer Evaluation form can be accessed in the
module activity in your Blackboard Course.