a. The library at Big State University routes all purchase requests through its requisitions department. Faculty, staff, and students can suggest titles for books, periodicals, electronic media, and other items via e-mail or by using a paper form sent to the requisitions librarian.
The requisitions librarian tracks the various requests in a database; once at least 10 requests for the same item have come in, the requisitions librarian orders it from an appropriate vendor using a standard purchase order. The requisitions librarian e-mails the requestors to tell them the item has been ordered and files a copy of the purchase order by title. When the item is received, the receiving clerk matches it against the purchase order supplied by the requisitions librarian; if it matches, the item moves out of the receiving department into the library, where it is filed. A copy of the receiving report goes to the requisitions librarian and to the financial services department; financial services clerks match the invoice against the receiving report and purchase order. They also reconcile any differences between them with the vendor. Invoices are paid on a monthly basis according to the company name of the vendor; for example, vendors starting with A through C are paid the first five days of the month. The financial services clerk creates a payment packet of all relevant documents, stamps “Paid” on the top, and files it alphabetically by vendor name, and by date within vendor name. Create
a flow chart or data flow diagram that depicts the preceding process.
b. Goodkind Corporation replaces one-third of its desktop computers every year, so that every employee has a new computer every three years. In January of each year, Goodkind’s information technology division accesses the corporate database to determine which computers are eligible for replacement. The information technology division manager consults with the chief financial offi cer to determine the budget for computer replacement, then asks each employee whose computer is eligible to be replaced for a list of three “must have” features and three “wish list” features for his or her new computer. A committee comprised of the information technology manager, the chief financial offi cer, and three employees prepares a request for proposal (RFP) to send to various computer vendors; vendors typically have about 30 days to respond to the RFP. At the end of the RFP period, the committee ranks the proposals based a on standard set of criteria. After discussion, they select the best proposal and contact the vendor. Goodkind’s purchasing department issues a purchase order; the original goes to the vendor, while Goodkind’s accounting department receives a copy. The receiving department gets a “blind copy” of the purchase order. When the computers arrive, the receiving department inspects them for quality; any computers that do not meet quality specifications are returned to the vendor. The receiving department prepares a receiving report for all good computers received. The computers are transferred to the information technology department; IT staff install them for the employees, typically in April of each year.
c. Visit my AIS blog at bobhurtais.blogspot.com/. Access the entry titled “Acquisition/
Payment Process: Buying a Home,” posted on 16 April 2011. Watch the video, then write a short description of the home buying process. In a format specified by your instructor, document the written description you prepared.
d. Brooks Corporation strives to keep a minimum cash balance of $10,000 for its operating needs. When its actual cash exceeds that threshold by at least $5,000, Brooks’ management frequently invests the excess cash by purchasing marketable securities. The board of directors’ finance committee consults preestablished criteria for such investments, then conducts a search to identify potential investments. From the list of potential investments, the finance committee chooses the top three to present to the full board of directors. After discussion, the board approves up to two of the investments; Brooks’ chief financial officer purchases the securities through the corporation’s broker. Brooks maintains an electronic database of its short-term investments, liquidating them as necessary to meet the corporation’s cash needs.