DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTER BASED WAREHOUSING INFORMATION SYSTEM (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA PORTS AUTHORITY) (NPA) LAGOS

ABSTRACT

This project is to address the problems encountered by the staff of custom and their customers. In view of this problems, the manual process involved in the handling and management of goods in custom office were critically studied and the problems noted. This project went further to treat the different techniques used in implementing the newly designed software.

This work is conducted towards the computerization of the existing system of processing data in order to identify some various problems that is being encountered in mechanical aspect of it and the manual method of data processing in the billing of imported and exported customer goods and thereby recommending first class solution to the problem of information system in the organization.

This theory also compares the existing system with the new system which is exact and a faster way of processing data and the problem that is faced by customers when they are clearing their goods from the wharf. This theory includes with the implementation, programming, test run, change over the process of the new system. The software is designed using visual basic 6.0 language. This language was chosen as a result of its easy syntax and structure for developing windows-based applications.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Warehouse is where goods and commodities are kept for further clearance.  Narrowing it to Nigeria Ports Authority, there are many warehouses where imported consignment and goods are stored.  This is cleared by carrying the billing papers from post to post, waiting and wasting much time in seeing who is in charge.  Goods that takes about two weeks to berth into the country takes another two weeks to get cleared.  This makes the importers and the clearing agents to run from port to port, in search of where the goods were kept.

The introduction of computer in warehousing will enable importers know which and where their goods are kept, as it will always be stipulates on the bill of laden papers.  Computer is hereby seen as a way of handling, by systematically organizing them, recording or making notations on them, following up with the appropriate action or the like.

1.2  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The processing of billing papers for clearance of goods, with manual method has led to omission of many records that ought to be included.  This is caused by inaccuracy of the manual billing process.

Due to the inefficiency in manual billing process, billing papers are carried from post to post, waiting for who is in charge, thereby delaying the goods that suppose to be delivered.

More so, goods are not delivered on time, due to the fact, that goods that takes about two weeks to get into the country, still takes another two weeks to be cleared.

1.3  PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of this is study is to

1. Identify those problems caused by using manual billing clearance
2. Finding out the effect of this in Nigeria Ports Authority
3. Create computer awareness
4. Identify prospects for solution of problems.

1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research, base on the problem and prospect of using computer in Nigeria Ports Authority, will help to develop interest towards computer.

The findings of this research will also help the management to increase the income generation of Nigeria Ports Authority and smooth running of the warehouse in general.

1.5  SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The researcher will identify all the problems, including the financial constraints of the problems, encounter with the use of manual billing clearance in warehousing.

1.6  LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Due to the financial constraints of the researcher and lack of time, the researcher is concentrating the study in only Nigeria Ports Authority Lagos.

1. DEFINITION OF TERMS

GOOD- Goods carried in a ship

TONNAGE- A measure of the capacity of a ship (1 ton = 100 cubic feet)

PORT- A place where ship load and unload goods shattered form storms.

VESSEL- A ship for transport by water

BILL OF LOADING- A list giving details of a ships goods

CONSIGNCE- A person or company to whom goods are sent form the counting of export and who receives them.

MANIFEST- A list of all goods on the ship

WHARF- This is a landing stage built along the shares for loading or unloading vessels.

LABOUR- An area of water protected from the open sea by land or walls in which ships can shelter.

BERTH- This is a place in the wharf where a ship can be died up or swing at anchor.

PORT OF LOADING- A place where ships load goods and leave for the definition.

PORT OF DISCHARGE- A place where unload goods from poof of loading.

OCEAN FREIGHT- This is an amount charged by the carrier by the carrier for transportation of goods by sea.

VOYAGE- A journey by water mostly a long one in a ship.

SHIPPING- This is the process of pulling things on in a ship or transportation goods by ship

WAREHOUSE- This is a store house

TRASNPORT- This is carriage of goods from one place to another

SAILING- This is the movement of ship on a sea from one place to another

CUSTOM- This are the people that are in charge of checking the vessel if it contains any contraband items and the paper that contains the particulars of the container in the vessels.

ROTATION NUMBER- A number allocated by the department of customs and exercise to every ship entering into future use.

COMPUTER- This is an electronic machine that accepts data as input, process it using a set of instructions and given out result as output. It also stores information which could be received for future use.

DATA- This are raw fact that have not been processed.

DISK- It is a storage device that stores data or information.