Employer Tracking System

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
In today's world of service, safety and security, proper personnel monitoring is vital to ensuring a successful operation. Customer satisfaction is directly linked to a profitable business. Site safety and security is dependent on how well a company monitors its employees, 3rd parties and customers (Navaz et al., 2013).
While close range access control mechanisms are a way to secure the entry and exit of people through doors and narrow openings, it is not a measure to monitor their movement and location once they get in an environment such as a large building, yard, or other sizable areas. It also lacks the ability to track multiple people at the same time (Navaz et al., 2013).
Employees are the backbone of any company therefore their management plays a major role in deciding the success of an organization (Abrahamson, 2004). Human Resource Management Software makes it easy for the employer to keep track of all records. This software allows the administrator to edit employees, add new employees as well as evaluate an employee's performance. Employees can be managed efficiently without having to retype back their information in the database.
A flexible and easy to use Employee tracking software solution for small and medium sized companies provides modules for personnel information management thereby organization and companies are able to manage the crucial organization asset – people (Navaz et al., 2013). The combination of these modules into one application assures the perfect platform for re-engineering and aligning Human Resource processes along with the organizational goals. This system brings about an easy way of maintaining the details of employees working in any organization.
It is simple to understand and can be used by anyone who is not even familiar with simple employees system. It is user friendly and just asks the user to follow step by step operations by giving easy to follow options. It is fast and can perform many operations for a company.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Manual handling of employee information poses a number of challenges. This is evident in procedures such as leave management where an employee is required to fill in a form which may take several weeks or months to be approved. The use of paper work in handling some of these processes could lead to human error, papers may end up in the wrong hands and not forgetting the fact that this is time consuming. A number of current systems lack employee self-service meaning employees are not able to access and manage their personal information directly without having to go through their human resources departments or their managers. Another challenge is that multi-national companies will have all the employee information stored at the headquarters of the company making it difficult to access the employee information from remote places when needed at short notice.
The aforementioned problems can be tackled by designing and implementing an employee tracking system. This system will maintain employee information in a database by fully privacy and authority access. The project is aimed at setting up employee information system about the status of the employee, the educational background and the work experience in order to help monitor the performance and achievements of the employee through a password protected system.
1.3 Goal and Objectives of the Study
The research goal and objectives of the study are as follows:
1.3.1 Research Goal
The main goal of this research is to develop an employee tracking system which will enhance the task of maintaining employee records.
1.3.2 Research Objectives
The objectives of this study include:
To design a well-designed database to keep track of employee information.
To prescribe tool that can complement the on-going efforts to enhance the task of maintaining employee records.
1.4 Scope of the Study
The scope of this research will be developing an employee tracking system. The project will be limited to the following:
Employee profiles: The Admin will have access to the employee personal profiles and will be able to edit their details.
Electronic leave application: Complete elimination of paperwork in leave management by enabling an employee applies for leave as well as checks their leave status through the system. This will also enable the manager to accept/reject leave application through the system
Project Management: Assign tasks and projects to employees, assign a project team and keep track of the progress.
Report generation: The admin will be able to generate timely reports in order to monitor employees and this can be used for performance appraisals. The reports will be have all the information of an employee from educational background, trainings attended, projects done as well as technical skills.
1.5 Methodology
The methodologies to be used during this research are follows:
Literature survey- The current existing literature on employee tracking system will be reviewed.
Prototyping – the Prototype of this system will be developed.
1.6 Significance of the Study
Automated information system involves the use of computer hardware a software technology. As the manual information system fades out from use, automated system increases in usage.
An advantage of an employee tacking system is that they automate and streamline reporting. Reporting is major tool for organizations to see summarized information. The employee tacking system pulls information from the database, process and transforms it and ultimately generates a quick report that can be easily analyzed. This system must ensure that the report is timely so that decision makers are not acting on the old, irrelevant information and rather, able to act quickly and efficiently based on the report result. Thus deigning this system for organization will aid their decision makers.
This system is expected to be user friendly and will offer easy access to data as well as services and timely report generation, monitoring employee trainings, task management, project management and employee tracking.
Without an employee management system, it's a tedious job for the human resource department to keep track of each and every employee and even harder for a project manager to assign tasks to the project team. The management system will be developed to provide information of employees and many other facilities at the click of a button.











CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter summarizes the evaluation of the literature relevant to the Employee Management System. It examines theories, concepts, approaches, methods and techniques relevant to the project. Similar existing technologies relating to the development the EMS are discussed.
2.1 Employment management systems
Employee management techniques have evolved historically (Dulebohn et al., 1995; Jacoby, 1991). Within this historical evolution emerge three employee management types: simple management strategies, personnel management and HRM. Contextual circumstances permit the three employee management systems to co-exist simultaneously throughout the labor market.
An employee management system can simply be defined as a method to elicit effort from the workforce in order to obtain the highest labor productivity/cost ratio. Employee management is founded on the employment relationship (Edwards, 1992; Kaufman, 1993; Sisson, 1990). Edwards (1992) suggests that the employment relationship is focused on the process through which employers and employees, who are tied together in relations of mutual dependence, negotiate the performance of work tasks and conditions of employment under the guise of legislative rules. From a critical management theory perspective the employment relationship is viewed as a labor process, which generates a surplus and is central to the capitalist mode of production (Littler, 1990; Barley and Kunda, 1992; Jermier, 1998). There is the logic of accumulation that forces capital to constantly revolutionize the production process (Edwards, 1979).
Clearly this is a narrow view of the role of labor management and the aims of labor management. Given the rapid advancement in technology, communications and international trade, however, notions of mass de-skilling as a management mantra may not be a valid means for the enterprise to compete and survive in the market place.
Edwards (2009) therefore, offers both a historical and contemporary account of labor management given competitive constraints and management and labor consciousness (e.g. simple; technical and bureaucratic means of labor management and control).
2.1.1 Simple methods of control
The external labor market itself can act as the simplest form of controller/motivator and firms may even design part of their job structure to remove some workers from the protection of employment legislation (e.g. casualization of the labor market). Lepak and Snell (1999) characterized this form of employment relationship as seeking compliancy from workers. It has been described as an absence of systematic and rationalized practices (Edwards, 1979). "Where the workforce in unskilled and in abundant supply, and particularly where a company does not need continuity of employment, this is the most rational policy" (Dulebohn et al., 1995). In such a situation, the firm needs rudimentary methods of managing workers – hiring/firing and maintaining legislative imperatives.
An entrepreneur may be flanked by a small coterie of forepersons. They combine both incentives and sanctions in an idiosyncratic and unsystematic mix. The personal power and direction of the owner tended to be the primary mechanism for the management of employees.
The owner of the firm supervises the work activities directly, maintaining close watch on forepersons and interceded immediately to solve any problems, overriding established procedures, firing recalcitrant workers, recruiting, varying pay and handing out bonuses (Edwards, 1979).
2.1.2 Human resource management
The term HRM will be employed in this research to describe only the most recent forms of employee management systems (Legge, 1995; Guest, 1987; Peters and Waterman, 1982).
Using Walton's terminology (1985), it can be defined as strategies that lead to the "commitment" of the labor force to the company. The current form of employment management marks a "radically different work-force strategy" (Walton, 1985), they are now used to "capture the hearts and minds" of the workforce. HRM incorporates a series of HRM functions that encourage the achieve the strategic goals of the firm through the selection of human resources that are malleable and uphold the cultural values of the firm – that is reciprocal fashion attempt to cultivate role behaviours that achieve the strategic objectives of the firm (Schuler and Jackson, 1987; Schuler, 1992).
These arise as a result of the need for "co-operation" from the workforce. Huselid et al. (1997) wrote of "relatively recent innovations in policies and practices that have been termed strategic HRM" (e.g. strategic integration of HRM functions; compensation systems, team-based job designs, flexible workforces, quality improvement practices, employee empowerment).
Many critical management theorists have argued that HRM is a managerial discourse that attempts to foster and cultivate employee cooperation and minimization of resistance (Edwards, 1992; Willmott, 1993; Kelly, 1988). HRM is predominantly a management vehicle to shape and configure malleable human resources in the interests of the firm (Knights and Willmott, 1990).
HRM is a tool of managerial control to regress opposition and resistance of employees in a time of increasing education, skill and technology (Knights and Willmott, 1990). Moreover, the utilization of emancipatory rhetoric to cultivate illusory feelings of unity between management and employees and promulgation towards a unitary view of the firm may be viewed as a relatively new phenomenon (Sewell, 1998; Jermier, 1998). The institutionalization of HRM as a positivist and humanistic doctrine is a powerful "marketing tool" that can elicit extraordinary contributions from a highly committed and motivated labor force. The colourful and emotive imagery of unprecedented managerial concern for employee welfare, development and emotional security, inculcated within the legitimacy of the unitaristic umbrella are powerful tools to minimize opposition and tighten the "reigns of control" (Sewell, 1998).

2.2 Types of Employee-Tracking Systems in the Workplace
According to a survey done by the American Management Association, forty-five percent of large and mid-sized companies in the year of 1999, "record and review their employees' communications and activities on the job, including phone calls, e-mail and computer files.("Privacy Issues at Work," 1999)." With the fast paced advancement of technology today, businesses are taking advantage and controlling the performance of the company through electronic employee monitoring. According to the Office of Technology Assessment, electronic monitoring is the "computerized collection, storage, analysis, and reporting of information about employees' productive activities (Mishra and Crampton, 1998)." Employee monitoring is being used to increase customer satisfaction, improve employee performance, and enhance productivity. A company can monitor its employees using various monitoring systems including call-monitoring, video surveillance, and computer monitoring. The type, cost, and advantages versus disadvantages of the system should be considered in the selection process, as well as the laws regulating employee monitoring in the workplace.
2.3 Call Monitoring
The first type of monitoring system is the call monitoring system. Call monitoring is "listening to live phone calls and recording one's observations (Riechley, 1996)." The most important aspect of this system is the observer. The observer can sit next to the person making the call, which can be helpful with new employees who need training tips. The observer can also be a secret caller and judge the phone representative by playing a customer role. Lastly, the observer could wear a headset or another electronic device and listen to the calls from a separate room. This last method could consist of the observer recording the various calls and listening to them at a later time. Throughout the phone call, the observer takes notes on an evaluation form in order to evaluate the call and give feedback to the employee (Riechley, 1996).
When designing the form used for the evaluation process, a few points should be followed. First, the form should be continuously revised in order to accommodate the ever-changing business world. The forms are pretty complex and sensitive to change, so revising should be done at least once every quarter. Second, the forms should list various items in to test the skills and understanding of the employee. If the form is kept too general, then testing in a wide variety of areas such as knowledge skills, listening skills and verbal skills cannot be accomplished. Next, the form should be designed directly toward the job it is evaluating. According to Dr. Kathryn E. Jackson, "the call monitoring form is an assessment instrument used to determine if the rep has mastered all the skills and knowledge required to deliver excellence on the phone. The form is used to determine when reps master a skill or if they are struggling with it (Jackson, 1998)." The supervisor can then determine whether recognition or coaching is needed for the employee. The form should contain enough space for the observer to take note of different occurrences or ideas he or she may encounter throughout the process. This way the observer can give examples when noting a discrepancy. The employee will then be aware of the exact moment he or she did something right or wrong. Lastly, the form should take all components into consideration in the determination of the results. Some categories should be weighted more than others (Jackson, 1998).
2.3.1 Advantages and Disadvantages
There are various advantages and disadvantages to using a call-monitoring system. The first advantage is that call monitoring will result in a higher quality establishment. The employees will know that they can be monitored at any time, so they will always try their best. This effort will, in turn, make the customers much happier. Call monitoring is also an easier way to develop the staff. Because employees are being monitored, supervisors are constantly aware of the problem areas. Call monitoring can also let top management judge the overall operations of the company. The top management will have an easier time seeing how their company is performing (Riechley, 1996). Call monitoring also lets management find out who the stronger employees might be. The supervisors will be able to distinguish between those who are work hard and those who do not make an effort (Mishra and Crampton, 1998).
One disadvantage is the stress that will be placed on the employees because of the knowledge that they could be watched at any time. "According to John R. Aiello and Kathryn J. Kolb, writing in the 1995 Journal of Applied Psychology Vol. 80, research studies link electronic monitoring with increased stress, decreased job satisfaction, feelings of social isolation, and belief that quantity is more important than quality (Phipps, 1996)." This stress can affect the motivation of the worker leading to a decrease in productivity. Employees could also feel that their employers do not trust them. This feeling of mistrust can also lead to decreased productivity and decreased motivation. ".Stress levels and job dissatisfaction increase when workers feel they have no control over their jobs and when there is a lack of trust in the work environment (Mishra and Crampton, 1998)."

2.4 Video Surveillance
The next type of employee-monitoring system is video surveillance. Video surveillance is the viewing of employees through the use of various video cameras placed throughout the facility. Technology has advanced a great deal, and because of this, more and more employers are installer's video cameras to view their employee's behaviors (Turk, 1996). "Employers may use video surveillance cameras to monitor the workplace in areas where employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy (Turk, 1996).
The video cameras can either be placed in plain sight of the employees, or secretly hidden. Although the employees may be able to see the cameras in place, it is commonly expected that employers point out the cameras to the employees anyway. These conditions would eliminate any expectation of privacy that employees would otherwise have and, in addition, may halt or prevent workplace misconduct if employees know they are being watched (Turk, 1996). For some workers, being able to see where the cameras are located is a deterrent for bad customer service or inappropriate behavior. For other workers, the presence of the camera will not affect their behavior because they will assume that the management is not viewing the tapes or just do not care. Because the cameras can be interpreted in two ways by the employees, management must take the time to view the tapes and evaluate the employee's performance (Levine, 1999).
"Video surveillance is used by employers for detecting employee misconduct (particularly theft), monitoring job performance and efficiency, and assuring conformance with safety procedures (Turk, 1996). The cameras should be placed throughout the entire company and not just on the particulars. By doing this, the employees will feel that the video surveillance is more fair than if it would just be placed on certain individuals (Cook, 1999). Companies should inform the potential employees of the cameras and point them out to the new hires as well. Again, if they do not feel comfortable with this, they can always choose not to accept the position (Cook, 1999). More than likely, if the employees are planning to do their best, then the video cameras should not be a bother.
2.4.1 Advantages and Disadvantages
The major advantage of video surveillance is that it is objective. "This is a benefit because it provides an unbiased method of performance evaluation and prevents the interference of a manager's feelings in an employee's review (Mishra and Crampton, 1998). When the manager using the video surveillance evaluates the employee, he or she will base the review only on the taped performance. The manager will present the employee's actions directly to the employee with various criticisms and compliments. The employee will be able to view his or her performance on a particular date and have the benefit of being able to see exactly where the problem areas lie. This will make it easier for an employee to improve his or her performance. The tapes can be used as a tool to show employees their work habits and what they need to change to improve their performance (Mishra and Crampton, 1998).
Another advantage to having video surveillance is the fact that they can act as deterrents for bad behavior by the employees. If the employees know they are constantly being viewed, more than likely they will do their best to work harder to please the customer (Turk, 1996). The cameras act as motivators that encourage workers to perform to the best of their abilities. Good work can then be recognized.
There also are some disadvantages to a video surveillance system. Being constantly watched can make some employees feel that there is no trust between the management and employees (Mishra and Crampton, 1998). The system can also lead to higher stress levels for the employees. They do not want to underperform, so they are constantly worrying about their performance. This type of stress could lead to working conditions that could harm the production of the company (Mishra and Crampton, 1998). "These conditions include paced work, lack of involvement, reduced task variety and clarity, reduced peer social support, and reduced supervisory support, fear of job loss, routinized work activities and lack of control over tasks (Mishra and Crampton, 1998).
2.5 Computer Monitoring
"Electronic mail is becoming as common as the telephone as a workplace communication tool. But, unfortunately, employees' personal use of the e-mail has resulted in lost worktime and occasional improper use of the e-mail system (Shostak and Wong, 1999). This fact leads to the next type of employee monitoring system, which is computer monitoring. This type of system could monitor certain key strokes a worker may hit, the errors made, length of time, internet access, and view the e-mail accounts (Kidwell and Kidwell, 1996).
Computer-based monitoring is the use of computerized systems to automatically collect information about how an employee is performing his or her job (George, 1996). There are programs available that can track Internet activity by storing the websites the employee visits and record the time spent on that website (Xenakis, 1998). Some companies use a video display terminal which can track the number of mistakes an employee makes on the keypad, the speed of their typing, the accuracy of the typing and the number of jobs they are performing at once (Mishra and Crampton, 1998). By using this system, a supervisor can keep a record of an employee's particular performance. Also, it makes it easier to give advice to the employee on how they can improve in their position. This type of system makes it easier for supervisors to perform other responsibilities without having to constantly watch over the employees (Mishra and Crampton, 1998).
Tracking employees' e-mail is an important part of this system. Having e-mail available for the employees has greatly increased their ability to communicate. Every time the employee sends an e-mail from their job, the company's name is embedded in the address. To ensure the quality of a company's good name, the employer has the right to monitor the e-mails sent and received (Hartman and Bucci, 1999). Some monitoring systems can select and view e-mails on a random basis. They can also be programmed to check for certain key words that could signal a problem with the employee (Hartman and Bucci, 1999).
Some companies use this system to ensure that the e-mail is only being used for company situations (Hartman, 1998). Monitoring an employee's time on the Internet can also tell a company a great deal about the employees. First, if a certain employee is not performing up to standards and seems to be lagging behind, their activity on the Internet can be a crucial factor linked to their performance. The employee could be wasting time visiting various sites, causing their customer service skills to suffer (Hartman and Bucci, 1999). Employees can also unintentionally bring viruses into the company's system by downloading from the Internet. If a company uses a computer-monitoring system, they can prevent a situation like this from occurring.
2.5.1 Advantages and Disadvantages
There are various advantages and disadvantages to the computer monitoring system as well. By tracking the time spent on the computer, an employer will be able to evaluate an employee's performance better (Hartman, 1998). With a clearer understanding of what the employee needs to improve on, training and coaching can be given to the employee, which benefits them. For example, if an employee is taking a longer time in between keystrokes, the monitoring system will catch this. A supervisor can then find out why this occurring by asking the employee. The employee might not understand the computer program. By having the monitoring system, the company would find this out and train him or her on the program. The employer benefits from this as well because productivity will be increased and customer service will be improved. ".If electronic surveillance gives employees information to improve performance as well as remove bias from evaluating work, efficiency may be enhanced (Kidwell and Kidwell, 1996). One disadvantage to the computer monitoring system is the lack of trust felt by the employees. This is especially high in this type of monitoring system because the employer is actually going into the employees' e-mails and watching their every move on the computer. Workers tend to feel powerless (George, 1996). One of the most often discussed issues related to computer-based monitoring is whether monitored workers will shift their primary attention to quantitative aspects of their jobs, those things that can be counted through monitoring, and away from more qualitative aspects detracting from the level of service in the process (George, 1996). Employees can become stressed by the fact that they are constantly being monitored, which will lead to a decrease in good customer service. The advocacy literature routinely reports direct casual relationships between computer-based monitoring and increased stress and incidents of stress-related illnesses (George, 1996). The employees will focus more on the speed and numerical results on their computer and less time talking to customers or being hospitable to them.











CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
3.1 Introduction
This chapter gives a detailed outline of the software development methodology used in this research. Further, the functional and non-functional requirements of the system are explained in detail and the use cases which are a list of steps, typically defining interactions between a role and a system, to achieve a goal. Class diagrams have been given to show detailed data modeling of the system which will be translated into code.
3.1.1 Software Development Methodology of Choice
The incremental method was favored for the following reasons:
It allows for development of high-risk or major functions first
Each release delivers an operational product
Customer can respond to each build
Uses "divide and conquer" breakdown of tasks
Lowers initial delivery cost
Initial product delivery is faster
Customers get important functionality early
Risk of changing requirements is reduced
3.2 Use case analysis
A use case defines a goal-oriented set of interactions between external users and the system under consideration or development. Thus a Use Case Scenario is a description that illustrates, step by step, how a user is intending to use a system, essentially capturing the system behavior from the user's point of view.
In order to create relevant use cases for the system, the following actors for the system have been identified:
Employee (could be lecturers, accountants, technicians)
Head Of Department (HOD)
Human Resource (HR)
Admin
3.3 Proposed System
The proposed system is designed to eliminate all the drawbacks of the existing employee tracking system. The system shall be responsible for maintaining information about employees, thus their personal profile. The system shall incorporate leave management all the way from application to acceptance/rejection of leave requests as well as all employee projects with close monitoring of the projects from creation to completion and trainings to assist in monitoring active and inactive employees.
The main features to be added include:
Employee profiles
Leave management
Task management
Trainings
Projects (Work Breakdown Structure)
Notifications
Employee Self-Service (ESS)
Resume Tracking
3.4 System and Algorithm Flowcharts
Activity Diagrams are used to model different aspects of a system. The following activity diagram is used to model the leave application function.

Figure 3.1 Activity diagram for leave application

Figure 3.2: Leave Acceptance/Rejection

3.4.1 Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

Figure 3.3 Authorization & Authentication DFD
3.4.2 Sequence Diagrams
Sequence diagrams help in the identification of a detailed level of the operations required to implement the functionality depicted by a use case model.
Scenario 1: Admin add new employee
1. The user logs in by providing correct username and password.
2. If username and password are not found on the database access into the system is denied.
3. If the credentials are identical to the ones found on the database, access is granted.
4. User enters the details of the new employee.
5. The user input is written to the database.
Figure 3.4: Add new user sequence diagram
Scenario 2: Create Projects
1. The user logs in by providing correct username and password.
2. If username and password are not found on the database access into the system is denied
3. If the credentials are identical to the ones found on the database, access is granted.
4. The user creates a project and assigns members.
5. The user input is written to the database.

Figure 3.5: Create Projects Sequence Diagram
Scenario 3: Employee leaves application
1. The user logs in by providing correct username and password.
2. If the username and password are not found in the database access into the system is denied.
3. If the credentials are identical to the ones found on the database, access is granted.
4. User requests for leave form.
5. User enters leave details.
6. Details are written to the database.
7. A message confirming details have been submitted is displayed to the user.

Figure 3.5 Employee Leave Application Sequence Diagram






Use case diagrams:

Figure 3.6: HOD Use case diagrams

Figure 3.7: Human Resource Use case diagrams


Figure 3.8: Admin Use case diagrams
3.4.3 Pseudocode
Login into the system
Startup system
Enter username and password
On clicking the login button
Connect to database
Query database to know whether user credentials are correct
If not
Deny access and return login page with an error message
If correct
Check if credentials are for administrator
If yes
Allow login
Set admin session
Redirect administrator to admin home page
If no
Allow login
Set user session
Redirect user to user home page
Add new user
Check if administrator is logged in
If correct
Check if all fields entered are correct
If not
System message: please enter all fields
If correct
Registration of new user successful
Apply for leave
Check if employee is logged in
If correct
Check if all fields are entered
If not
System message: please enter fields
Check if file has being attached
If not
System message: please attach file
If correct
Leave request has being made
3.4.4 Database Design
MySQL stands for My Structured Query Language. It is the world's most popular open source relational DBMS. MySQL is available for free under the GNU General Public License for open source benefits/reasons related to development. Initially MySQL was free and some versions of it are still free though if you desire to use MySQL for commercial purposes you will need to purchase a license. It is non-proprietary, easily extensible and platform independent. Its downside is that it lacks a graphical user interface; therefore you need to know how the database works to make the most efficient use of it (Deitel & Deitel, 2008).




CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
4.1 Introduction
This chapter will explore the different aspects concerned with the implementation of the developed system. This research was concerned with the development and implementation the employee tracking system.
4.2 Description of Developed System
The developed system encompasses various activities associated with managing employee information. The main functionalities available in this system are:
Maintaining employee profiles
Leave management
ESS
Task management
Employee Trainings
Project Management
All these features include the ability to add user, update (edit), and retrieve through search results. It also contains a report generation system that can be saved in a pdf file format.
The system works in the following manner:
4.2.1 Accessing the System
Various companies and organizations may have different employee structures and hierarchy. Being generic, the developed System has four main access levels which are:
Employee
Head of Department (HOD)
Human Resource Manager (HR)
Administrator
All users are presented with the same login interface. User must login the system by means of valid username/password combination. After access is granted to the system, the admin can add a new user to the system by entering the basic information which are the full names and email address. The admin also assigns the new user a role which will determine the access level. During the process of user registration, the all users are issued with a unique username and password combination. Seeing that the system holds private employee information, the admin has the ability to monitor all activity logs into the system by date and time. The newly added user logs into the system with a default password which can later be changed to a more secure password. All employees can edit basic information such as newly acquired technical skills and emergency contacts. Employees can apply for leave by filling in a form as well as submitting an attachment to support their leave request.
The HOD has the ability to view all employees under his/her department, assign a task and trainings. The HOD can also create a project, add members to the project and create a work breakdown structure. Being an employee, the HOD can apply for leave as well as check leave days accrued.
Upon logging in to the system, the HR manager gets notifications on the leave applications submitted and has the ability to approve or reject leave requests as they are submitted. The HR carries out all employee tasks which include the ability to view and edit basic details, view pending tasks, projects and trainings. The HR also has to the ability to generate employee reports in PDF format.
4.3 Technical Details of Implemented System
4.3.1 Model View Controller architecture (MVC) In the implementation, as shown in figure 4.1, the whole application is broken down into a series of top-level components which may be referred to as tasks, actions, functions, operations or transactions (that's user transactions, not database transactions), each of which is may be related to a Use Case. Each transaction component references a single controller, one or more models, and usually a single view. Some components do not have a view as they are called from other components in order to perform a service, and once this service has been completed they return control to the calling component. Each component is self-executing in that it deals with both the HTTP GET and POST requests (Connolly and Begg, 2005).

Figure 4.1: Model View Controller Architecture
4.3.1 Implementation of MySQL Triggers
In MySQL, a trigger is a set of SQL statements that is invoked automatically when a change is made to the data on the associated table. A trigger can be defined to be invoked either before or after the data is changed by INSERT, UPDATE or DELETE statements. MySQL allows you to define maximum six triggers for each table.
BEFORE INSERT – activated before data is inserted into the table.
AFTER INSERT- activated after data is inserted into the table.
BEFORE UPDATE – activated before data in the table is updated.
AFTER UPDATE - activated after data in the table is updated.
BEFORE DELETE – activated before data is removed from the table.
AFTER DELETE – activated after data is removed from the table.
There are some statements that use the INSERT statement behind the scenes such as REPLACE statement and LOAD DATA statement. If you use these statements, the corresponding triggers associated with the tables if available will be invoked (Connolly and Begg, 2005).
4.4 Interface Design
The application was created with the following design considerations in mind:
Consistent. The website should have a similar look and feel on every page. Every page should have the same header/logo, heading style, fonts, navigations etc.
Efficient and easy to maintain. This refers to the fact that there is need to separate content from layout, so that you can easily change your page design without editing every page on the site.
Layout. The layout of each page should have a good contrast between the text and background area. This helps considerably with visibility as it will be difficult to read the text if it is almost the same color as the background. Monitor size should also be taken into consideration.
Easy to navigate and use. Users should not have a hard time trying to navigate the site. Navigation links should be consistent and clearly labeled. All navigation links should also be working properly and should point to the intended page/site.
Browser compatible. When designing the site consider different browser environments. Extensive testing should be done on each page in all the major browsers and the design changed appropriately to cater for all.
Visually appealing. The use of color, text, fonts and graphics should be carefully considered and used to ensure that the site is visually appealing to its visitors.
Speed. The performance of a website is mostly rated by its up -time and downtime. These terms refers to the amount of time it takes the site to respond to requests. Graphics should be kept to a minimum to allow the site to load faster. The pages on the site should load within an acceptable time e.g. under 10seconds.

Figure 4.2: Authentication page


Figure 4.3: Add employee form


Figure 4.4: Monthly work Confirmation

Figure 4.5: Payment Form
4.5 System Installation
The system was developed and tested on a laptop computer running Windows 7, and the XAMP Server. In order for the Web application to be accessible via the Internet it will have to be installed on a Web Server running Apache, PHP and MySQL. The suitable operating system for the web server will be Linux as it is more stable and less prone to virus but a windows based platform will equally do the job just as well. A suitable domain name will have to be chosen and registered in order for the web application to be accessed via a URL and hosting and administration fees paid to the web hosting company of choice either annually or monthly depending on the package and terms agreed upon. The web application will be accessible via most of the popular web browsers on the market. A suitable web browser e.g. Mozilla Firefox will have to be installed on the client machine wishing to access the web application.
4.6 Testing
The overall purpose of testing is to ensure the Employee tracking System meets all of its functional and business requirements. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the overall test plan and strategy for testing the system.
4.6.1 Testing Goals
The goals in testing this system include validating the quality, usability, reliability and performance of the application. Testing will be performed from a black-box approach. Tests will be designed around requirements and functionality.

4.6.2 Confirmation Testing
Confirmation testing or re-testing: When a test fails because of the defect then that defect is reported and a new version of the software is expected that has had the defect fixed. In this case we need to execute the test again to confirm that whether the defect got actually fixed or not. This is known as confirmation testing and also known as re-testing. It is important to ensure that the test is executed in exactly the same way it was the first time using the same inputs, data and environment. Hence, when the change is made to the defect in order to fix it then confirmation testing or re-testing is helpful.
4.6.3 Regression Testing
During confirmation testing the defect got fixed and that part of the application started working as intended. But there might be a possibility that the fix may have introduced or uncovered a different defect elsewhere in the software. The way to detect these 'unexpected side-effects' of fixes is to do regression testing. The purpose of a regression testing is to verify that modifications in the software or the environment have not caused any unintended adverse side.











CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary
The research was aimed at setting up employee information system about the status of the employee, the educational background and the work experience in order to help monitor the performance and achievements of the employee through a password protected system. The software product produced was fairly good, it achieved most of the user requirements, the user interface is good and is very easy to navigate, and even novice users can find their way around the web application easily. The client side validation is excellent. The lack of integration with a payroll system is the major drawback and the system was also unable to generate structured reports i.e. reports based on specific information the Human Resource is interested in.


5.2 Conclusion
An employee management system can simply be defined as a method to elicit effort from the workforce in order to obtain the highest labor productivity/cost ratio. The research is aimed at implementing an employee tracking system, but that proved to be a challenge because employee information is very critical. This led to the implementation of a generic system thereby drawing a few assumptions were possible meaning that requirements kept on changing as different views were put into consideration as compared to software which has a specific customer. Some of the challenges faced in the course of this research work were:
Getting hold of employee information for Human Resource.
In the designed system, the employee tracking system can generate a report containing all the employee information from personal profile, skills and educational background. Sometimes, the employer may be looking for specific employee information e.g. Educational background, technical skills or language and location in cases where a transfer is to be made, this poses a challenge because the employer will always have to generate a report of all the information about an employee, some of which may be not be needed.
The head of department creates a project and assigns tasks to a project team, therefore he becomes the project manager. This brings about a challenge in cases where a project must be managed by an employee that does not have the role of head of department.
Successful leave submission can only be made when an attachment is added to the leave request. This is a challenge for leave requests that may not have supporting documents.
The highly sleek and intuitive interface was made in order to improve Human Computer Interaction (HCI). However, this comes with challenges because lower versions of Internet Explorer (i.e. IE9 and lower) do not support certain features such as column-fill, column-span, align-self, back face-visibility etc.

5.3 Recommendation
The following were recommended for future research on employee tracking system:
Leave Management: The leave management module can be improved by having all leave requests approved by the head of department before submission rather than going straight to the HR manager. This feature is important because the HOD /Supervisor should know which of his/her employees which to go on leave.
Integration with payroll system: In order for the system to be more comprehensive, I'd recommend an integration of the system to a payroll system that will enable employees view and download their pay slips on demand.
Employee Performance: The designed system provides the HOD with the ability to assign tasks to project members. If further worked on, this functionality can assist in determining the performance of employees based on their ability to finish tasks on time.
Information archiving: A system holding all the employee information should have some form of archiving system so that retired, suspended or fired employees are archived rather than been completely deleted from the system. This is so because cases may occur where details of an ex-employee may be required especially in cases where an employee did several projects and there details are required for future reference.








REFERENCES
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APPENDIX
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Public Class WorkConfirmPage
Private WorkedAnswer, PaySlipDay As String
Private WorkedDays, Salary As Integer
Private PersonalTax, SalaryAdv, Deduction, ReductionSalary, TotalSalary As Double

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Me.Txt_WorkYear.Text = Date.Now.Year
PersonalTax = 0.05
'Txt_PayTax.Text = "5%"
End Sub

Private Sub Opt_WorkYes_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Opt_WorkYes.CheckedChanged
If Me.Opt_WorkYes.Checked = True Then
WorkedAnswer = "YES"
End If
End Sub

Private Sub Opt_WorkNo_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Opt_WorkNo.CheckedChanged
If Me.Opt_WorkNo.Checked = True Then
WorkedAnswer = "NO"
End If
End Sub

Private Sub Btn_WorkSave_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Btn_WorkSave.Click
Dim dbs As New DBCLass
dbs.connect()
Dim cmd As New SqlCommand
cmd.Connection = dbs.cn
cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO TBL_MonthlyWorkConfirmation VALUES('" & Txt_WorkEMPLNO.Text & "' , '" & Txt_WorkSname.Text & "' , '" & Txt_WorkFname.Text & "' , '" & Txt_WorkOthername.Text & "' , '" & Cmb_WorkDay.Text & "', '" & Cmb_WorkMonth.Text & "' , '" & Txt_WorkYear.Text & "' , '" & WorkedAnswer & "' , '" & Txt_WorkDays_worked.Text & "') "
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
MsgBox("Monthly Work Confirmation Save Successfully", MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Monthly Work Confirmation!")
ClearConfirmation()
dbs.cn.Close()
End Sub

Private Sub Txt_WorkEMPLNO_TextChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Txt_WorkEMPLNO.TextChanged
Dim dbs As New DBCLass
dbs.connect()
Dim cmd As New SqlCommand
cmd.Connection = dbs.cn
cmd.CommandText = "SELECT EMPL,SNAME,FNAME,OTHERNAME FROM TBL_GenPersonalInfo WHERE EMPL = '" & Txt_WorkEMPLNO.Text & "' "
Dim rd As SqlDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader()
If rd.HasRows = True Then
rd.Read()
Txt_WorkSname.Text = rd.Item("SNAME")
Txt_WorkFname.Text = rd.Item("FNAME")
Txt_WorkOthername.Text = rd.Item("OTHERNAME")
lbl_WorkInfDisplay.Visible = False
Else
Txt_WorkSname.Clear()
Txt_WorkFname.Clear()
Txt_WorkOthername.Clear()
With lbl_WorkInfDisplay
.Visible = True
.Text = "Invalid Employment Number!"
End With

End If
End Sub

Private Sub ClearConfirmation()
Txt_WorkSname.Clear()
Txt_WorkEMPLNO.Clear()
Txt_WorkEMPLNO.Focus()
Txt_WorkFname.Clear()
Txt_WorkOthername.Clear()
Txt_WorkDays_worked.Clear()
End Sub

End Class