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The project proved to be a large undertaking as we spent a significant amount of time delving into the details of what the maintenance an apartment building requires and all of the rent laws in Pennsylvania. The amount of work required significant breakdown by services. We had team members who worked on rent interactions, inspection processes, maintenance and the unfortunate possibility that a tenant‟s lease might be terminated, either by the tenants or the landlord‟s choice. The following desig
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DREXEL ISCHOOL
Project Category: Analysis & Design, Apartment Management System
Group Project Submission 6/10/
For our project, we have decided to do comprehensive UML model of the Apartment Management System. The requirements of the AMS require a tool be built for a local building management company wishing to automate many of the interactions between tenant, landlord and apartment management staff. In addition to just handling rent money exchange, the system needs to keep track of the entire services apartment owners offer to their tenants such as maintenance, basic inspection and transfer of tenants.
The project proved to be a large undertaking as we spent a significant amount of time delving into the details of what the maintenance an apartment building requires and all of the rent laws in Pennsylvania. The amount of work required significant breakdown by services. We had team members who worked on rent interactions, inspection processes, maintenance and the unfortunate possibility that a tenant‟s lease might be terminated, either by the tenants or the landlord‟s choice. The following design document reflects all of those features and more.
For the group members that have never lived in an apartment, this project proved to be quite the learning experience. We hope the following can accurately portray a sample of what such a software suite would require and how it could be coded to become a reality.
A small Apartment Rental company would like to create a management system, common for every apartment blocks distributed by Philadelphia and towns around.
(a) Overall goals of the system
The overall goals of the system are to keep track of tenant maintenance requests, tenant record, document and contract management, to make easier to the tenant and controlling the rental payment.
(b) Context and Importance of the system
It is critical that any apartment rental company to control the expenses of the apartment management and tracking the rental payment for the tenants. Managers complain that tenants often forget to pay the rent on time, and some of them are even difficult when it comes to communicating or being localized. An on-line system which improves the communication between property managers and tenants will serve as a reminder for making on-line payments obligations and in case of delays, and to warn them about it, instantly. Tenants complain that managers are slow in problem solving and sometimes they are difficult to localize. An on line system to make request about maintenance problems allows managers to be more effective to resolve the problem and the central management to be able to plan expenses, to contract or hire some services at the best price and put on disposition to very apartment manager the company which would help with the problem.
(c) Scope of the project
IN-Scope:
AMS will include only tenants and their requests and obligation, rental payments, apartment maintenance services as plumbers, windows, insects, etc., building maintenance service such as gardening, roof, central heating, etc, and contract management as new tenant contract, current tenant renewals. It also includes requests and reports from the managers to the central administration and service contract from the central administration to the managers.
OUT-Scope:
SAMS (Small Apartment Management System) will not include a central accounting system.
3.1 Functional Requirements (partial list)
The system will be password-protected. AMS will be a multi-user system where every user must log in. AMS needs to perform the following functions:
Tenants to the manager system:
(1) Request a change of apartment.
Group Project Submission 6/10/
For each invoice, SAMS will need to keep track of invoice#, invoice date, total billing amount from all the billable items which are not marked as Paid In Full.
For each payment, SAMS will keep track of payment#, payment date, description, amount, payment type, check#, and bank name.
3.3 Business Rules and Logic (Partial List)
(1) The outstanding balance of a client will always reflect the summation of balances of all the billable items. (2) When a new billable item is created, initial amount and balance are zero. Later when a payment is made, the initial amount remains the same, but balance must be reduced by the amount of payment amount. (3) The status of billable items must be properly changed its value. Initially, when the item is created, the STATUS is Un-invoiced. When an invoice is sent out, the STATUS becomes invoiced. When the item is paid in full, the STATUS becomes Paid in-full. When the tenant is deceased or other circumstances arise, the STATUS will become payment-in-process. (4) When the item is paid by only by partially, the STATUS becomes Paid-in- Partial. The state changes need to be automatic. A billable item could also be discounted or cancelled. (5) The total billable amount is derived as the summation of current unpaid billable items. (6) SAMS will be used by multiple accountants, and thus some important activities must be noted on who recorded or changed the record with the last update date. (7) When a request for a sublease is sent out, the system will then process the request. With regard to the information the system will either approve or decline the request.
3.4 Non-functional requirements Requirements on usability, reliability, performance, supportability, security, recovery, interface, implementation, operation, and legal.
(1) The system will be a screen-based application. (2) Menus should be organized in a hierarchical manner (usability) (3) The system will be password-protected. (Security) (4) SAMS will be backed up daily. (Back up)
3.5 Other Assumptions (What are the assumptions of the system? What are HW and SW constraints? Are there any implementation constraints?)
(1) We will assume SAMS will be used by a small accounting firm in a real-world setting. (2) SAMS runs on a client/server environment, running Windows Server as OS.
Group Project Submission 6/10/
(3) The underlying DB system is Microsoft Access (4) State specific rental laws will be based on Pennsylvania laws, should any discrepancies arrive. (5) Buildings affected will not be rent-controlled units.
Examples of system input: (1) A tenant pays rent by a personal check. (2) A tenant wants to sublease an apartment before completing the contract. (3) A tenant rents an apartment. (4) A staff adds new tenant information.
Examples of system output: (1) System prints tenant information including payment history by tenant requests. (2) Payment reports comply with local tax codes. (3) System keeps logs of rental unit history. Past and present tenants. (4) System maintains information regarding regular unit inspections and compliance with tenant; insuring units remain up to code.
The problem is an Analysis and Design project. First we will develop our requirements based on our common sense and the current knowledge. After that, we will consult with an actual accounting office to validate our requirements.
We will use Rational Rose for developing all the UML diagrams. Microsoft Access will be used when the system needs to be prototyped to get the ideas for screen developments. The application itself is PC-based running on XP.
We intend to turn in a complete set of UML diagrams along with supporting documentation. We will also put together a report describing our experience with analyzing the current process, what we were able to learn from our study, known pitfalls, remaining questions after project, and any recommendations on how to improve the current system.
Group Project Submission 6/10/
Process credit card payment PaymentSystem
Add inspector
Send out notifications Inspector
Record pest control
Record emergency test
DocumentManagerSystem
Store occupancy verification
Process lease termination
Process tenant's apartamentchange request
Process tenant registation
<
Schedule inspection <
<
Enter inspection results
Record regular maintenance Manager
<
<
Request lease termination
Request apartment change
Send on-line registration <
Requests inspection
Submit feedback form
Request maintenance
Pay rent
<
Check payment status
Login
Staff
Renew lease
Run Credit Report
Manager Send eviction notice
Send renewal notice
Staff
Edit apartment information
Schedule visit
Prospect Tenant (^) Send rental application
Tenant
Tenant
Landlord Check room availability
Group Project Submission 6/10/
Use Case Name: Schedule visit Actor(s): Prospect Tenant Purpose: Booking landlord time for visiting the apartments. Overview: Prospect tenant (after a visitor phone petition) chooses a date and time available for visiting the apartments.
Use Case Name: Send rental application Actor(s): Prospect Tenant Purpose: Renting an apartment Overview: Prospect tenant can rent an apartment sending the solicitation form and required digital documents. Prospect tenant must provide a credit card to pay the security deposit and prepaid rent.
Use Case Name: Check payment status Actor(s): Landlord, Staff, Manager Purpose: To clearly know the payment status of an apartment. Overview: Landlord can check the payment status to know whether the tenant pays the rent or the apartment payment is on time.
Use Case Name: Check room availability Actor(s): Landlord, Tenant, Staff, Manager Purpose: To check the apartment availability and basic information. Overview: Landlord can check whether the apartment is available and view the basic information related to the apartment.
Use Case Name: Request inspection Actor(s): Tenant, Staff, Manager Purpose: To submit a request to inspect the building. Overview: Shows the process of requesting inspections. Tenant will submit the request in order to be processed by the landlord.
Use Case Name: Request maintenance Actor(s): Tenant, Staff, Manager Purpose: To submit a request to fix accidental apartment problems. Overview: Shows the process of requesting maintenance. Tenant will make an appointment, set a schedule, and fill out a maintenance form for repairing the accidental maintenance problems.
Group Project Submission 6/10/
Use Case Name: Process lease termination Actor(s): Staff, Manager Purpose: Releasing the apartment, calculating the amount the former tenant will get or pay and making the Document Manager System know about the lease termination. Overview: Landlord enters any damage to the apartment and the apartment conditions or required services to be in perfect conditions. The system calculates the former tenant‟s final balance.
Use Case Name: Renew the lease Actor(s): Automatic process Purpose: Report to the tenant the lease renewal and any increase in the rent. Overview: 70 days before the lease expires, the system report to the tenant, the lease will be automatically renewed and the new rent.
Use Case Name: Send renewal notice Actor(s): Staff, Manager Purpose: To send an email to notify tenant that the lease is expiring. Overview: Staff or manager sends an email to remind tenant to renew the apartment lease.
Use Case Name: Run Credit Report Actor(s): None, everyday process Purpose: Keep tenants reported about the payment status. Overview: Runs a credit report on tenants to ensure that all tenants have settled their debts and are able to pay rent, report about fines for lateness, etc.
Use Case Name: Process tenant‟s apartment change request Actor(s): Staff, Manager Purpose: Accepting a tenant‟s apartment change request Overview: The landlord accepts the change petition, so a new lease must be signed.
Use Case Name: Record regular maintenance Actor(s): Staff, Manager Purpose: To make sure each tenant knows the maintenance schedule. Overview: An email about regular seasonal/annual maintenance will be sent to all the tenants in order to notify tenants in advance for the inconvenience, so they can make a slight change for their schedule.
Use Case Name: Schedule inspection Actor(s): Staff, Manager Purpose: To program an external inspection of the building. Overview: Landlord selects an external inspector and fixes the inspection date and time. The inspection is notified to the tenants.
Group Project Submission 6/10/
Use Case Name: Enter inspection results Actor(s): Staff, Manager Purpose: To enter the inspection result in order to make them know to the tenants. Overview: Landlord enters the inspection results to the system. Tenants can also pull out the inspection results from the system.
Use Case Name: Store occupancy verification Actor(s): Manager Purpose: To verify rental applications entered by staff. Overview: Allows the manager to verify rental occupation, cost and profits.
Use Case Name: Send eviction notice Actor(s): Manager Purpose: To send an email about eviction notice. Overview: Manager checks the apartment and tenant status, and then sends an eviction notice.
Use Case Name: Record pest control Actor(s): Purpose: To eliminate pest to make apartments cleaner. Overview: Landlord will^ regularly (seasonal) eliminate pest, including mice, cockroaches, and bugs. This is an included use case. So, it does not have a responsible actor.
Use Case Name: Record emergency test Actor(s): Purpose: To test the facilities to make apartments safer. Overview: Landlord will regularly test the fire alarm/sprinkler and make the facilities usable. This is an included use case. So, it does not have a responsible actor.
Pennsylvania Landlord/Tennant laws can be found here: http://www.rentlaw.com/pennsylvaniarentlaw.htm
Actors: Tenant, Landlord, Inspector, Superintendent
Assumptions:
Group Project Submission 6/10/
Group Project Submission 6/10/
USE CASE #^1 USE CASE Name Record regular maintenance ACTOR Staff, Manager Goal (1 phrase) To make sure each tenant knows the maintenance schedule Overview and scope An email about regular seasonal/annual maintenance will be sent to all the tenants in order to notify tenants in advance for the inconvenience, so they can make a slight change for their schedule. Meanwhile, the related records will be stored in the system. Level Primary Preconditions The staff is logged into the system. The tenants‟ email list is available.
Postconditions The information (name and date) of regular maintenance was recorded and stored. The notification email with the information of regular maintenance was sent. The notification email is forwarded to manager.
Trigger The staff has chosen “Regular Maintenance” option. Included Use Cases Record pest control. Record emergency test. Extending Use Cases None MAIN SUCCESSFUL SCENARIO in numbered sequence
Actor Action System Action
Group Project Submission 6/10/
USE CASE # 2 USE CASE Name Record emergency test ACTOR Goal (1 phrase) To test the facilities to make apartments safer Overview and scope Apartment staff will regularly test the emergency devices (fire alarm and sprinkler) and make the facilities usable. Level Included Preconditions Emergency test information (date and type of testing device) is entered.
Postconditions Emergency test data was recorded. Notification related to emergency test was generated.
Trigger A new notification was written or an old notification was modified.
Included Use Cases None Extending Use Cases None MAIN SUCCESSFUL SCENARIO in numbered sequence
Actor Action System Action
Step Branching Action
UNSUCCESSFUL SCENARIOS
Conditions Actions
Priority in scheduling First Frequency 2 per month Other non-functional requirements
The notification is generated within 2 seconds.
Business rules and data logic
The notification builder is embedded to the system.
Superordinates Record regular maintenance Developer Fangwu Wei Creation date and last modified date
Version 1, 05/08/ Version 2, 06/02/ Other Comments
Group Project Submission 6/10/
USE CASE # 3 USE CASE Name Record pest control ACTOR Goal (1 phrase) To eliminate pest to make apartments cleaner Overview and scope Apartment staff will regularly (seasonal) eliminate pest, including mice, cockroaches, and bugs by using different methods of pest control. Level Included Preconditions Pest control information (date, type of pest, and type of pest control) is entered.
Postconditions Pest control data was recorded. Notification related to pest control was generated.
Trigger A new notification was written or an old notification was^ modified.
Included Use Cases None Extending Use Cases None MAIN SUCCESSFUL SCENARIO in numbered sequence
Actor Action System Action
Step Branching Action
UNSUCCESSFUL SCENARIOS
Conditions Actions
Priority in scheduling First Frequency 2 per month Other non-functional requirements
The notification is generated within 2 seconds.
Business rules and data logic
The notification builder is embedded to the system.
Superordinates Record regular maintenance Developer Fangwu Wei Creation date and last modified date
Version 1, 05/08/ Version 2, 06/02/ Other Comments
