How to Implement DBMS

A database management system or DBMS is essentially any grouping of computer programs that are used to organize information about the business, including production, expenses, human resources, sales and marketing efforts and customer care data and profiles. Implementing a new DBMS can be tricky, but there are a few ways to make sure the process is as seamless as possible.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Identify all the elements that need to be included in the database management system. This will vary depending on the size and type of your business. At the very least, you will need to be able to access data on raw and finished goods inventories, customer information, shipment tracking, employee data and Accounts Receivable and Payable data. Knowing what you need will make it easier to include all important elements in the DBMS.
2. Set perimeters for access to data. Not all employees need to have access to all data. This means establishing login credentials for all employees and setting up a hierarchy of privileges associated with each set of credentials. For larger companies, this usually means establishing specific privileges for a job or position. In smaller companies, the authorizations may focus more on the individual employee and less on the position.
3. Test drive the new DBMS. Before pressing the new database management system into service, run it for a period of time outside your “real” business by running it through all the projected applications. Enter data, run reports, look up histories, run queries, and conduct any other intended uses of the system. This will provide the chance to correct any small issues with functionality before the system goes live.
4. Educate all users. This can often be the most time consuming part of the implementation process, outside the offline testing. If the processes are well defined and fairly straightforward, then the learning curve will be a relatively short one. Making sure that all users understand how to use the new DBMS will minimize downtime and other issues that are commonly associated with a new implementation.
5. Evaluate the system after it has been up and running for a time. This is an aspect that is often overlooked as part of the implementation process. After running the system live, ask users to evaluate the ease of use and to recommend ways that the system could be used to make life easier for everyone in the company.

Tips & Warnings

• An effective DBMS is one that streamlines processes and helps to increase productivity. If the data management system is not helping with those two functions, it should be reworked.
• Don’t automatically assume that new is always better. Depending on your corporate culture, you may be able to achieve similar benefits by making some enhancements to an existing system rather than junking it and starting over with something completely new or different.