Estimate, Dispatch and Costing System

Abstract

EDCS automates all basic business functions of constructor company and prepares information for Accounting system (Job Costing, Payroll, Accounts Payable, Inventory)

Purpose of the Project

Re-write existing customer’s information system using new methodologies and Instrumental tools. Implement effective distribution of office and on-site functions of the company between usual client-server system and the Palm application.

Objectives

• Create Estimates and calculate Billing Amounts required to provide a proposal and price for a potential customer (in Main System or on Palm)
• Create and calculate job estimate information by combining estimates and options and alternates (in Main System or on Palm)
• Data exchange between Palm and Main system
• Automatically or manually scheduling/ rescheduling jobs
• Produce documents for job performance
• Allow for actual material usage and labor amount entering when work is completed
• Calculate actual job cost, gross profit percent, show carryovers, allow partial invoicing
• A lot of Reports (Estimates, Job Estimates, Employee Earning, Material Usage/Requirements, Schedule reports etc)

Customer Requirements

• Old Data Transfer from un-relative data heap
• Interoffice communication via data import/export
• Automatic and manual archiving information
• Remote user connection from PC or Palm
• Using standard Windows features for EDCS
• Export Report to MS Office files
• Data exchange with Accounting System

System Architecture

>
>

Client-Server + Palm Application

Client — Server
Palm — Conduit — Database
Remote Palm & Client Connection

PC Clients

Hardware: P100 MHz 16-32 MB Personal Computer
Operating System: Windows 95+ 

Palm

Hardware: Palm III+
Operating System: OS 3.1+
Software: Network Synchronization Palm Utility

Database server
Hardware: Pentium 300
Operating System: Windows NT4.1 SP4
Database: MS SQL Server 7.0
Software: Palm Desktop; Network Synchronization Utility

Network Data Integration

Solution

Client forms
EDCS supports different ways of information viewing: lists, tree views, filtered view, user defined records orders

Client forms
System provides easy navigated «Tree View» for Estimate & Job Estimate Structures

style="float:left; margin-right:70px;">Client forms
EDCS supports all standard Windows features: right-click menus; objects Cut, Copy, Paste; Operations via drag and drop

Client forms
A lot of Tool Tips help user to work. Dynamic defined elements make data entering process very fast.

>

>

• Easy tools to sent data to Palm and receive it from Palm
• Network and remote synchronization with Palm
• Working with Palm (III,V,VII): easy and fast

Key Benefits

• Using Palm;
• Friendly end-user interface;
• Remote connections from Palm;
• Windows Interface features