Deliverables

When you buy a computer program from us you get more than a working program. Indeed, you may even ask as not to proceed with the program part way through the process.

We can accomplish this by having a number of deliverables at set milestones along the way. This page describes those deliverables in detail.

Application Overview

The Application Overview is a brief description of the program and answers the following questions:

  • What does the program do?
  • How many screens or windows?
  • Who will use it?
  • How many computers?
  • Is it on a server?
  • Does it access a database?
  • Will there be online help?
  • Will there be written help?
  • Is training required?

We would also address issues such as whether it is likely that further updates will be required or whether additions are likely to be made.

Business Requirements

This document shows each screen and details the functionality of each control (i.e. button, list, text box etc) on the screen. It documents any data validation such as dates or text formatting etc.

All database tables and fields used on the screens are documented. Samples of printouts are provided.

At this stage you make any adjustments to the requirements and then sign off the document.

This final form of the Business Requirements should now describe accurately what you want built.

We also provide with the Business Requirements a firm quote for producing the System Specifications and a price for the finished program.

System Specifications

This document mirrors the Business Requirements. But, as the names infer, while the Business Requirements describe how the business, or user, or you, will use the application, and the business data that will be accessed; the Systems Specifications describe how the programmer will build it.

The Systems Specifications are not of any great value to you unless you decide that you would prefer to have another consultancy build the application. With the System Specifications any competent programmer could build the application.

The reason we give them to you is that first, you have paid for them, they are yours; and secondly, you can then decide how, and with whom, you wish to proceed.

System Sign-Off

After reading the Business Requirements and the System Specifications you may have decided to make some changes. These need to be incorporated now. Once we agree on what will be produced we ask you to sign off on the program that we will produce.

This does not mean that changes cannot be made later. But we cannot guarantee the price quoted if changes are made. Some changes may have little or no impact on the price, others can alter it dramatically.

The system sign off states that we will produce the program detailed in the specifications for the price quoted.

Program

We then provide a working application which has undergone internal testing. But we won't be using it. You will. So we would like you to test it to see if it has any annoying quirks, to try and break it, and generally make sure that you are happy with it and that it does what you have asked for.

Implementation

The application must now be implemented on your computer. Depending on the program we may provide you with a CD, or more likely, we will install it at your premises and ensure that it is working satisfactorily.

You will be supplied with a copy of the program on a CD.

Manuals

Unless it is a very simple application it is likely to have online help. However most people like to have a hard copy manual. We can provide this if required.

Training

By this stage you will probably know the application pretty well. And usually the program should be fairly intuitive to use. But it may be necessary to provide training to you and your staff. This can be provided if required.

Ongoing Assistance

We are proud of our products and back them up with 24 hour 7 day assistance.