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DESIGN OF A WHOLE SALE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING UML

Conference Paper · November 2015

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 Proceedings of the 1st Management, Technology, and Development Conference
4 – 5th November, 2015, ATB University Bauchi, Nigeria, ISBN: 978-978-950-158-8
th

Design of a Whole Sale Inventory Management System Using UML

Mustapha Maidawa, Hussaini Mamman

1 The wholesaler did not have any computerized system for

Abstract—The design phase in a System Development life cycle now. All the business activity are recorded and documented
is crucial in the success of the software development process. To manually. A lot of time is consumed during the process ofthe
this end, many standard object oriented specifications are available 'business activity.
in the literature. This paper presents an application of a Unified
Modelling Language (UML), as a standard notation of real-world This paper presents the layering of entity relation, object-
objects for developing object-oriented design methodology for oriented UML class diagram and some of the implementation
whole sales inventory applications. UML enables the visualization, for whole sale company on top of a purely relational
specification, construction, and documentation of the artifacts of a database. The techniques and issues involved in mapping
software-intensive system. Class diagram is a structure diagram that from the class model to the database model have been
is used to show the classes and their association with each other. illustrated, including the flow chat for the system, the
The class diagram includes the notations such as classes, attributes, concepts of Unified Modeling Language (UML) the class
operations and associations. The study has an important managerial
diagram and entity relation diagram have been discussed in
implication and the benefit of UML (class diagram) implication
improvement and the flow chart for the whole sale application have this paper.
been discussed.
.
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
Keywords—Design, UML, Class diagram, Wholesale
Management System. In this section, the review of existing literature in the area
would be discussed.
I. INTRODUCTION A. An Overview of UML
The first step in developing an object-oriented design An introduction and critical analysis to UML diagrams and
methodology for computer applications as well as for notations is presented in this work. Software designers and
database systems is the use of UML (Unified Modelling developers have been provided by Unified Modeling
Language) as a standard notation for the modelling of real- Language (UML) with a stable and common design language
world objects. UML was conceived as a language for that could be used to develop and build database systems and
modelling software. Since this includes requirements, UML computer applications (Bell, 2003).
supports world modelling at least to some extent. UML is
It was in the 1990s when the UML has first appeared and
also considered an industry standard modelling language with
become the industry standard for software modeling and
a rich graphical notation, and comprehensive set of diagrams
design, as well as the modeling of other processes in the
and elements. The list of notations includes use case
scientific and business worlds (sparxsystems.com).
diagrams, class diagrams, and interaction diagrams describe
sequences of events, package diagrams, activity diagrams, UML has various benefits for modeling of complex systems.
state diagrams. It is used to specify, visualize, modify, UML is a semi-formal language in which each element of the
construct and document the artefacts of an object-oriented language is strongly defined,there is a confident when
software-intensive system under development (Lee, 2012). modeling a particu-lar aspect of a system in a sense that it
will not mislead to an incorrect design. UML is a simple and
Wholesale management system is developed aim to improve
easy to under-stand designing language (Podeswa, 2009;
the efficiency and performance of daily business activity of
Alhumaidan, 2012). The entire language is made up of simple
the wholesaler.
and straightforward concepts and no- tations. It is
comprehensive language and describes all important aspect of
a system. Although UML is not a for- mal language but it has
M. Maidawa is with the Department of Management and Information enough expressive power to han-dle massive and complex
Technology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria (Phone: systems(Dennis,Wixom and Tegarden 2005;Alhumaidan,
+2347035233508; e-mail: [email protected]). 2012). It is the result of best practices in modeling of
H. Mamman is with the Department of Management and Information
Technology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria (Phone: complex systems using object-oriented concepts and has
+2348031178070; e-mail: [email protected]). proved to be a successful modeling practice. UML has
become a de facto standard for modeling of systems using
object oriented tech- nology (Miles, and Hamilton,(2006).

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4 – 5th November, 2015, ATB University Bauchi, Nigeria, ISBN: 978-978-950-158-8
th

classes. Association relationship is used in order to capture

B. Definition of UML the relations among the objects of the classes. In this
relationship it is specified how objects are connected to each
UML can be described as a general purpose visual modelling other. A relation is a link relating one set to another with
language to visualize, specify, construct and document information needed to be related. There are various kind of
software system. Although UML is generally used to model association relationships, namely, many to many, many to
software systems but it is not limited within this boundary. It one, one to many and one to one. For example in class-staff
is also used to model non software systems as well like relationship, as one staff can register many retailers and many
process flow in a manufacturing unit etc. product can be supplied by one supplier that is why we can
UML is not a programming language but tools can be used to describe this relation as one to many and many to one
generate code in various languages using UML diagrams. respectively (Alhumaidan, 2012).
UML has a direct relation with object oriented analysis and
design. After some standardization UML is become an OMG
(Object Management Group) standard. E.Weaknesses
UML diagrams represent two different views of a system Although relationships among class diagrams are important
model but it is difficult to implement expressly for generating class
diagrams to specification for the next phase. In case of
1) Static (or structural) view: Emphasizes the static structure multiplicity relationship, if an intersection of two objects
of the system using objects, attributes, operations and exists and a new object is introduced then the multiplicity
relationships. The structural view includes class diagrams and relationship will be changed by changing design of the
composite structure diagrams. system. Class diagrams are generally used to catch the static
2) Dynamic (or behavioural) view: Emphasizes the dynamic aspects of a system and their use is com-mon in software
behaviour of the system by showing collaborations among development(Alhumaidan, 2012). However, sometimes it is
objects and changes to the internal states of objects. This required for designers to analyze static as well as dynamic of
view includes sequence diagrams, activity diagrams and state the system.
machine diagrams. UML aims to be a standard modelling
language which can model concurrent and distributed
systems (Siddique, 2010). F.Theoretical framework
Using collaborative adaption of integrated modelling method,
Steeneken and Ackley (2012) developed a Supermarket
C. Critical Analysis of Class Diagram Model that clearly defined core-processes and their
Class diagram is a structure diagram that is used to show the functionalities based on powerful baseline for business
classes and their association with each other. The class performance improvement. Their study viewed supermarket
diagram includes the notations such as classes, attributes, as a single functional system clearly describing the nature of
operations and associations. Classes in UML diagrams are its underlying core processes. Then by managing and
used to capture the information about the system to be improving them as parts of a single system, substantial
developed. A class is an artifact in UML diagrams which can improvements can be made on critical success factors, such
create any number of objects that share the attributes, as lead-time requirements and the precise availability of stock
operations, relationships among the objects, and some other when needed, throughout the supply chain. The model
semantics in the diagrams (Bennett, McRobb & Farmer, showed how every business enterprise has the same inherent
2011). system structure.
Das (2013) design and implemented an automated system for
D.Benefits a Super Market that could maintain all the details in relations
to the various customers and vendors involved in the
Classes in UML are the most important building blocks for transaction of the super market. The system keeps the
object oriented systems modeling and design. Attributes required transaction details on any product to maintain
visibility in class diagrams can be either private, package, product flow and also the records of all the day to day
protected or public which is a very good modeling practice transactions invoices which record the details of sales made
because in this way protecting security of data is guaranteed by the market. Payment made by store customers and
if required (Alhumaidan, 2012). issuance of receipt are handle by the system. Super Market
Multiplicity in the relationships among class diagrams is an also generates various types of reports in order to keep all the
important concept which is required in many applications, for activities under proper control. The software package
example, from family relations to relational databases. Many “Automation of Super Market” can be said to be a benchmark
kinds of relationships, namely, association, generalization, for betterment of the service in Super Market as it takes care
aggregation, inheritance and composition exist among of the system administration. Java Programming language

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was used where SQL server 7.0 served as the system The current system operates manual inventory system stocks
backend. HTML, Java Server Pages (JSP), Web server- Java products, ordering and purchases etc. Recorded insufficient
Web Server 2.0 (JWS 2.0) and TOMCAT 4.1.0 are used to data analysis. Information regarding stocks product sales
develop the software package “Automation of Super Market. and purchases are still in black and white which is not
Similarly, Chhatrola and Lakhlani (2014)aimed to create a properly organised and managed. From the wholesale to
system that would serve as a guide to a consumer for retailer bills, ticket, vouchers receipt of products are not
shopping by sending one SMS to supermarket inquiry being properly handled. As a result it is difficult in
number to inquire about goods information from anywhere processing adding and managing. The factor for these
and at any time like quantity, price whether item isavailable difficulties are: Time consumption, poor communication,
in stock or not, in which rack or floor the item is placed etc. physical counts, daily order and ordering suppliers (Abisoye,
The system provided good service to consumer atvery low et al. 2013).
cost and reduced the wastage of time to find a particular item.
Selling will be definitely increased and it is beneficial for
both consumer and merchant. Inventory management is also C.Flowchart for the Application
easy for merchant. Programmers use different kinds of tools or aids which help
Abisoye, Boboye and Abisoye (2013) aimed to explores the them in developing programs faster and better. Such aids are
challenges of manual inventory management system for studied in the following paragraphs. Important aids available
supermarkets and infers solutions to the current challenges by to a programmer are flowcharting and decision tables which
designing a computerized inventory management system to help him in constructing programs very fast and very easily
order and update the stocks. The main method used for this (“Flowchart Techniques”, 2012).
research work is interview. Data were collected from 5 A flowchart is a pictorial representation depicting the flow of
heterogeneous supermarkets and used as a tool for obtaining steps in a program, people in an organization, or pages in a
facts. When the goods were supplied the update of the stocks presentation. In instructional design, flowcharts provide a
were being taken from time to time. The finding shows the bird's-eye view of the structure and sequence of a lesson.
challenges facing the manual system of inventory Elements are represented by simple icons (circles, rectangles,
management system; the manual system requires everyday diamonds, or other shapes), with lines and arrows
counting of items in the inventory, human errors are very representing connections between events and the direction or
prevalent during counting and recording and in case of order in which they occur. A flowchart indicates sequences
disaster like fire or flood or poor communication, all the and decision points as well as starting and stopping points.
manual inventory records will be damaged and irretrievable. Since it is easier to grasp relationships in a visual form than
Based on the findings this paper highlights the possible in a verbal description, flowcharts can prevent the omission
solutions to the above problems; a computerized inventory of steps in a process. Flowcharts areparticularly useful for
management system to order and update the stocks was instructional designers who are novice or occasional
designed and goods were supplied to implement the possible programmers (“Flowcharts”, n.d).
solutions. Flowcharts are highly important when it comes to explaining
different kinds of figure based information. In some
II. ANALYSIS documents, flowcharts are so important to illustrate a lot of
details and make it easier to understand. Some of complex
In this section the flow chart of proposed system would be problems cannot be solved directly without explain these
discussed. problems in flowcharts. The most significant role of using
A. Understanding Wholesale Management System flowcharts is in project design. In many projects,
WholesaleManagement System (WMS) is a business methodology of structured design is one of primary steps to
application system developed for wholesaler. This system build entire system and solving engineering problems that
will simplify the daily management and daily business can be explained by using flowcharts and other types of
activity and improve the performance of the wholesaler. figures. Using flowchart in design helps to divide problem
into smaller parts and manage problems easily (Arrish, Afif,
A whole inventory management system is the process of Maidorawa& Salim, 2014).
efficiently overseeing the constant flow of units into and
out of an existing stock of goods. This process usually
involves controlling the transfer of units order to prevent the
count put the operation of the company in jeopardy( Abisoye
et al. 2013).

B. Difficulties in Manual Wholesale Inventory System

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Figure 1. Flowchart for order placement.

IV. DESIGN

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4 – 5th November, 2015, ATB University Bauchi, Nigeria, ISBN: 978-978-950-158-8
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Figure 2. UML Class diagram for whole sale application.

which another class can be associated via a relationship set.
A.Functional Dependencies, Multiplicity and Cardinality This is most useful in describing binary relationship sets.
Functional dependencies are indicated in the UML To determine the multiplicity normally requires examining the
diagram.Multiplicity is the number (or range) of possible precise relationships between the data given in an enterprise
occurrences of a class type that may relate to a single and constraint using sample data. In above UML there is
occurrence of an associated class type through a particular relationship between Supply class and Product class, which
relationship.Cardinality is this is the entity instance’s relates the supplier and the product to be supplies. The
participation count that expresses the number of classes to

356
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