EasyPay: A Point-of-Sale System with Receipt Generation for Sarah's Laundry Shop

A Project Proposal
Submitted to the Faculty of the
College of Information and Computing Sciences
Mindanao State University

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Subject in
Information Engineering (ITD108)

Amer Hussien T. Macatotong

Professor

Submitted by
Inshira M. H.Edris
Jamima R. Hadji Malic

November 2024
I. Introduction

In today’s world, technology plays an important role in helping businesses run

smoothly and efficiently. For small businesses like laundry shops, having a system to
manage operations can make a big difference in saving time and improving customer
service. Sarah’s Laundry Shop, located near the College of Law at Mindanao State
University Main Campus in Cadayonan 2, Marawi City, provides essential services such
as washing, drying, and folding. Its primary customers include university students, local
residents, and professionals nearby who need convenient and affordable laundry
services.

Currently, the shop relies on manual processes for payment calculations, receipt
issuance, and customer transaction management. This setup requires the owner, who
also serves as the cashier, to handle all tasks, which can be overwhelming during busy
times. Calculations are done by hand, and the receipt is manually prepared, which can
sometimes lead to errors and delays. Hence, the manual system can be time-
consuming, prone to errors, and challenging during busy times.

To address these challenges, we propose a project called ‘EasyPay’, a point-of-

sale management system for Sarah’s laundry shop with receipt generation. This system
will automatically compute payments, generate receipts, and store transaction records
for easy reference instead of manually calculating totals, and writing both receipts and
transaction record copies. This system will help the shop owner to save time, reduce
human errors, and make it easier to focus on other important tasks. EasyPay will have a
simple, user-friendly solution to manage payments processing and provide a better
service for its customers. This project aims to improve their shop daily operations, to
create a more convenient experience for customers, and provide the shop owner with a
powerful tool for managing their business sales.
II. Objectives

The general objective of the ‘EasyPay’ Project is to develop a point-of-sale management

system to streamline payment processing, receipt generation, and improve customer
satisfaction, by providing a user-friendly tool for managing the business.

Specifically, the project aims to achieve the following:

1. Automate the process of calculating customer payments.

2. Provide receipts for completed transactions.
3. Store transaction records for easy references.
4. Build an interface to easily manage transactions and customer accounts.

III. Use Case

The following diagrams below show the use case of the system’s primary users
such as the shop owner and customers. The shop owner is the laundry’s cashier who
will use the system to manage and oversee the business payment processing and
receipt generation.
 Figure 1. Use Case Diagram for Cashier Functions in the System

Figure 2. Use Case Diagram for Customer Interactions in the System

IV. Entity-Relationship Diagram

As shown in Figure 3, the following entities of the database represent their

corresponding attributes and relationships.

Figure 3. Entity-Relationship Diagram for Database Structure

V. Fishbone Diagram

The Fishbone diagram (also known as the cause-and-effect diagram) highlights

the root causes of the challenges faced by the laundry shop. Figure 4 visualizes the
factors contributing to the problems, which categorizes these causes into four main
areas: People, Method, Technology, and Environment.
 Figure 4. Fishbone Diagram of the Current Challenges facing by the Shop

VI. Process Logic Analysis

Figure 4 below illustrates the logical flow of operations within the system. It
outlines how processes will work based on the use cases of the two system's major
users: Cashier and Customers.
 Figure 5: Process Logic Diagram for the Logical Flow of System Functions

VII. Entity Type Lifecycle Analysis

Figure 6 outlines the stages of entity type lifecycle in the system. This analysis is
based on the processes detailed in the Process Logic Analysis.

Figure 6. Entity Type Lifecycle Diagram

VIII. SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis is based on the data gathered from our client, Sarah's
Laundry Shop. This evaluation highlights the internal strengths and weaknesses of the
laundry business, as well as the external opportunities and threats of the laundry shop,
to provide strategic insights for the proposed project.
 Figure 7. SWOT Analysis Diagram for Sarah's Laundry Shop

IX. Technology To Be Used

The development of point-of-sale system with receipt generation for Sarah's

laundry shop, requires the utilization of various technologies to address the specific
requirements of the system, such as transaction processing, receipt printing, and
database management. The table below identifies the tools and technologies that will
be used.

Technologies Purpose
C# Language The core functionalities of the POS system will be developed
 using C#, a versatile and object-oriented programming
language that excels in creating desktop applications.
.NET Framework The .NET Framework will serve as the foundation for
building the POS application. It provides a reliable
environment for developing, deploying, and running
applications on Windows platforms.
Microsoft Visual Development will be carried out in Microsoft Visual Studio,
Studio an advanced IDE that supports C# and .NET.
Microsoft SQL Server All transactional data, customer details, service records, and
financial summaries will be stored in Microsoft SQL Server,
a powerful relational database management system.
SQL Server SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) will be used to
Management Studio manage the database and execute queries during
(SSMS) development and maintenance.
(Crystal Reports) Receipts will be designed and generated using Crystal
Reports, a powerful reporting tool that allows customization
of receipt layouts to include branding and transaction
details.
Windows OS The POS system will be deployed on Windows, ensuring
compatibility with the .NET Framework and Visual Studio.

X. Feedback Report

The researchers have chosen Sarah’s Laundry Shop as their business client. They
conducted a survey with the shop owner through interviews in identifying the challenges
currently facing by the shop. This shop is located near the College of Law at Mindanao
State University Main Campus in Cadayonan 2, Marawi City. The shop has been
operating since November 2023, offering laundry services such as washing, drying,
folding, and self-service options. They also offer flexible pricing structures for “Giant”
(Maximum of 8kg) loads and “Titan” (Maximum of 13kg) loads, along with add-ons like
comforter cleaning, super wash, and extra drying time, allowing the shop to serve
diverse customer needs effectively.

A. Sarah’s Laundry Shop’s Major Challenges

Based on the survey results and discussions with the shop owner, the primary
challenges revolve around payment processing and receipt generation, which are crucial
aspects of daily operations. The following are the key findings of their problems:

1. Manual Payment Process

The current system for payment handling is entirely manual, requiring the
shop owner to calculate charges and record transactions by hand. This leads to
delays, especially during peak hours, and increases the likelihood of human error.

2. Receipt Generation

The shop owner has also highlighted the need for a system that includes a
fast generation of digital or printed receipts. The absence of manual receipts
because of overwhelming workloads during peak hours can create confusion and
dissatisfaction among customers, who is requiring the details for their
corresponding total payments, especially for regular customers or those availing
of multiple services in a single transaction.

3. Customer Queue Management

The manual payment process and issuing of receipt lead to delays during
peak hours, frustrating customers and overwhelming the shop owner, who
manages operations single-handedly.

B. Client Priorities

From the feedback, it is evident that the shop owner values simplicity and efficiency
in addressing these operational challenges. The client expressed that their top priority is
implementing a system that focuses on payment processing and receipt generation to
streamline daily transactions and improve customer experience.

C. Conclusion

The feedback from Sarah’s Laundry Shop emphasizes the implementation of a

system that can address inefficiencies in payment handling and receipt generation. By
focusing on these critical aspects, the shop will be better equipped to manage peak
workloads, minimize manual errors, and deliver satisfying customer experience. This
targeted approach will empower Sarah’s Laundry Shop to enhance its operational
efficiency, to build stronger customer relationships, and remain competitive in the local
market.