RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Table of Contents
Chapter One.........................................................................................................................................3

1.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................3

1.2 Background of the project.........................................................................................................4

1.3 Statement of the problem...........................................................................................................4

1.4 Objective of the project..............................................................................................................5

1.4.1 General Objective..................................................................................................................5

1.4.2 Specific Object.......................................................................................................................5

1.5 Scope of the project....................................................................................................................5

1.6 Limitation of the project............................................................................................................6

1.7 Significance of the project..........................................................................................................6

1.8 Target beneficiaries of the system.............................................................................................7

1.9 Methodology for the project......................................................................................................7

1.9.1 Data source...........................................................................................................................7

1.9.2 Fact Finding Techniques.......................................................................................................8

1.10 Feasibility Analysis...................................................................................................................8

1.10.1 Operational Feasibility........................................................................................................8

1.10.2 Technical Feasibility...........................................................................................................8

1.10.3 Economic Feasibility...........................................................................................................9

1.10.4 Behavioural/Political Feasibility.........................................................................................9

1.10.5 Schedule Feasibility...........................................................................................................10

1.11 Development Tools.................................................................................................................11

Chapter Two: Description of the Existing System...........................................................................12

2.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................12

2.2 Users in the Existing System....................................................................................................12

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

2.3 Major functions/activities in the existing system....................................................................13

2.3.1 Input Analysis......................................................................................................................13

2.3.2 Process Analysis..................................................................................................................13

2.3.3 Output Analysis...................................................................................................................13

2.4 Business Rules...........................................................................................................................13

Chapter Three: Proposed System........................................................................................................14

3.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................14

3.2 Requirements of the Proposed System....................................................................................15

3.2.1 Functional requirements......................................................................................................15

3.2.2 Non-functional requirements...............................................................................................16

Conclusions and Recommendations.....................................................................................................17

3.3.1 Conclusions.................................................................................................................................17

3.3.2 Recommendations.......................................................................................................................17

LIST OF TABBLES AND FIURES

Table 1: Hardware Requirement Cost..................................................................................................10

Table 2: Software Requirement Cost....................................................................................................10
Table 3: Development Tools.................................................................................................................11

Figure 1: Students Clearance form.......................................................................................................14

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Chapter One
1.1 Introduction
Clearance is a status granted to individuals typically students allowing them access to
information. The term clearance is also sometimes used in private organizations that have a
formal process to check the employee’s information. A clearance by itself is normally not
sufficient to gain access the organization must determine the cleared individual has need to
know the information.

Clearance is the process of determining and negotiating any permission that are needed
to use of someone else’s intellectual property creative project. Part of that process includes:-

 Determining the owner(s) of the intellectual property.

 Contacting the owners and negotiating on agreement.
 Administering written contracts.
 Handling other issues related to the use and licensing of intellectual property.

No one is supposed to be granted access to classified information solely becAUse of

rank or position, but once a clearance is obtained access to certain information or gain of
freedom will be granted.

The proposed system over comes one problem done by manual system. To reduce
misuse of manpower, avoiding errors, to save time, to provide comfort clearance process for
the students and to provide insurance for the organization especially for workers who play
role in the clearance processing system.

This system works for students of Rift Valley University. The online clearance
processing system allows the students to register for the membership to access the seAUice of
the system.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

1.2 Background of the project

Rift Valley University student’s clearance processing system is one of the processes
that will be done to be cleared the students from the campus. The manual clearance system
starts the process as Rift Valley University was established.

The system gives its function to many user of the University. The numbers of students
grow from year to year in many numbers. Now a day, there are many users of the clearance
processing system. But the project gives a service only the students. The students get one
copies of clearance sheet from department and get signature and stamp from around eight
offices. These are Advisor, Bookstore, Library, Health and physical Education, Student’s
Proctor, Student Service, and College/Institute Registrar. After they finished all necessary
requirements, finally the students take copies of sheet that has all signature and stamp from all
offices. This processing makes the students bulky because they go to about eight offices.

1.3 Statement of the problem

The process of clearing students of a named institution RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY
after the end of academic year requires that the students must be cleared in their various
departments. This clearance processing system service currently uses manual system which
creates the following major problems.

 Data recording system is not centralized or not in the modern system which is difficult
to search.
 It creates wastages of material & time.
 Data redundancy & loss of data.
 Consumes more resources to complete the process which is of high cost such as:-
 Stationary material.
 Printers and computers etc.
 Need more manpower to process the clearance in the respective offices.
 Error is happened during process the clearance System.
 The process is very offensive for students when there is a harsh atmosphere like rain.
 To process the clearance is lot of queue becAUse of the number of users.
 Employees involved in the clearance process are not available 24 hours of the day.

Hence, it became imperative for computer software based online clearance system to
eliminate the shortcoming of the manual system in place as above listed problem.

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1.4 Objective of the project

1.4.1 General Objective
The main objective of this project is to change the manual clearance processing
system to web based system and solve the above stated problems.

1.4.2 Specific Object

The specific objective of this project includes:-

 Able to register students.

 Check students from the data base.
 Fast data processing.
 To avoid the problems and stress of travelling and queuing up of student during
clearance
 Efficient use of time.
 Designing friendly user interface.
 To develop reliable clearance system.
 To provide borderless access.
 To ensure prompt clearance.
 To develop transparent clearance system.
 To develop effective and efficient clearance system.
 To avoid redundancy, and inconsistency.
 To overcome problem of wastage of resources like pen, paper and human power.

1.5 Scope of the project

This project is limited only for Rift Valley University students. Currently the university
performs clearance system manually or paper based processing system. Generally the scope of
this project includes:-

 Our system used for AU students only.

 The System contains all the recorded information that can be handled by
the registrar and other offices.
 Registration for a membership.
 Administrator controls the system.
 Users can view their profiles.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

1.6 Limitation of the project

Defines what the proposed system is not going to perform or what is not including in the
proposed system. This project covers some of the aspects of computer software based online
clearance processing system using Rift Valley University as case study. However the
following are the constraints:-

Time constraints: - Due to time constrain the web page covers only clearance for various
departments by the students.

Financial constraints: - Due financial constraints people cannot afford this kind of process
online especially towards the cost of accessing the internet. Therefore, it would cost a lot to
develop a full web based clearance processing system. Generally the limitation of this project
includes: -

 This project done only for Rift Valley University students.

 The system couldn’t give service to academic staff and administrative staff i.e. limited
only for students.
 If the students lost/damage the university property, he/she couldn’t gain clearance,
until the students pay the cash personally to finance.
 The proposed system cannot accessed with their local language.

1.7 Significance of the project

The project work will help in a good ways to ease the queuing system in the university
as the online clearance system will help students to achieve whatever they want without
coming to the various offices for clearance personally such as dormitory, bookstore, registrar,
sport, library and student service.

Online student clearance system allows the users to check their clearance status as
whether they are in any way obligated to the university, fill and submit their clearance form,
and obtain their clearance letter. There are many other advantage of student’s online clearance
system. Some of them are listed below:-

 It saves a time.
 It is very convenient to use it right from the dormitories, office or anywhere in the
campus or in the world.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

 Information processing is very fast and delays can be minimized.

 Help the University in reducing cost such as labour and stationary.
 Process clearance effectively and efficiently.
 Provides a reliable and transparent clearance processing system.
 It provides borderless access.
 It provides a reliable and transparent system devoid of person interest and inclination.
 The system removes the problems of stress, travelling to different office and queuing
up of students during processing of the clearance.

1.8 Target beneficiaries of the system

This project provides many benefits for:-

1. Students: - by providing fast access to the clearance system by reducing time like
waiting in the queue and going to different offices. The students access the system
anywhere and anytime when they need the clearance. It improves the tiredness of
student by avoiding to going to different offices to get the clearance system.
2. University: - in manual system there is loss of materials like time, paper, pen which is
cost and more manpower, the system reduces loss of costly materials and manpower.
3. Developers of the project: - it increases our knowledge and we get moral satisfaction
from the project we developed.

1.9 Methodology for the project

1.9.1 Data source
Is the way or mechanism in which we gather information to develop the system.

We have used the following methods: -

 By seeing the forms that the existing system uses how students clear and take out their
property from the campus.
 Interviewing the heads of the office and the clerk (asking open and closed question)
 Observing different files and reporting documents.
 Collecting information from different references, projects and web sites
 By discussing and analysing the problems with project team.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

1.9.2 Fact Finding Techniques

Practical Observation: - we observed physically the current existing system which is done
by manually. We referred different forms and documents in the department, registrar and
some other offices.

Document Analysis: - For more information about the existing system we refer relevant
documents, others reading materials and some forms in different offices.

Interview: - To get the basic information and background information about the existing
system structure, we ask different question from different persons who provide clearance
system.

1.10 Feasibility Analysis

Feasibility analysis enables the system to determine ether or not the project can be
developed, evaluates and identifies the newly developed system. Therefore, the feasibility
analysis of proposed system involves the following feasibility:

1.10.1 Operational Feasibility

The proposed system will solve the business and time problem for the organization .
Therefore the campus administration and other users providing effective processing system,
which satisfies their needs.

 The proposed system offers greater level of user-friendliness.

 The proposed system produces best results and gives high performance.
 The proposed system can be implemented easily.
 The proposed system can be solved the existing system problem and challenge.

1.10.2 Technical Feasibility

The system developers understand the scope, objectives including specific objectives
and limitations of the proposed system well and the users have technical capability/ability to
use this system. As a result they develop the system for Rift Valley University successfully
within proposed resources (budget, time, etc.). This also deals with the hardware as well as
software requirements. We have to find out whether the necessary technology and the
proposed equipment have the capacity to hold the data used in the project. The technical
feasibility issues usually raised during the stage of fact finding includes the following:-

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

 This software is running in windows and Linux operating system.

 The system can be expanded in any system platforms.

1.10.3 Economic Feasibility

When the team can be analyses the system by comparing the cost with the benefit (the
enterprise can get by using the proposed system), surely the benefit out weight the cost. The
cost of developing a full system, including software and hardware cost for the class of
application being considered should be evaluated. So, the benefit that obtain by using the
proposed system can be categorized as tangible and in tangible.

Tangible benefits are:

 Using less man power than the existing system.

 Increase speed of activities and competence.
 Reduce cost.

Intangible benefits are:

 Knowledge required by project developer.

 Facilitating information processing.
 Updating information.
 Increasing the competitiveness of the individual.
 Improved productivity.
 Improving the morale of our team.
 Facilitating information processing of our team

Therefore the team decided the proposed project is economically feasible.

1.10.4 Behavioural/Political Feasibility

Behavioural feasibility is the measure that how users use the system effectively. The
proposed system should be easy to operate, convenient in maintenance and effective in its
working. Thus behavioural feasibility is very important factor to be considered for effective
working of the system. Behavioural feasibility is dependent on human resources available for
the project and involves projecting whether the system will operate and be used when it is
functionally operate. The system is behaviourally feasible becAUse of the following:-

 The proposed system is easy to operate.

 Retrieval of information is easy, accurate and fast.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Since developing this new system will be solve the clearance system problems, the users
will undoubtedly have positive attitude towards the system and the system is politically
feasible and free from any legal claims.

1.10.5 Schedule Feasibility

Schedule feasibility is concerned with analysing the expected completion date of the
project and the constraints that may bring change to this date. We have so many fixed
schedule to work together the project with all groups within each day and for the simplicity
and fast developing purpose.

1) Cost of the project

A. Hardware Requirements cost

No Materials Required Amount Price Per Unit Total Cost

1 Toshiba Computer 2 12000 24000

2 Pen 10 4 40

3 A4 Size Paper 1 Destin 110 110

4 Print 100 1 100

5 Flash Disk 1(8G) 120 120

6 CD-ROM 2 7 14

Total 24384

Table 1: Hardware Requirement Cost

Software Requirements Cost

No Materials Required Price Per Unit

1 Microsoft Word 2013 Free

2 Notepad++ Free

3 Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Free

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Table 2: Software Requirement Cost

2) Cost break down

A. One time cost: - are costs incurred at the time of developing our project.
B. Recurring costs:-are costs those incurred to maintain our project once developed.

1.11 Development Tools

Software: - This project uses the following system development tools for different activities.

Tools Activities

Notepad++ For editing code

Ms office word 2013 For Documentation

Ms office PowerPoint 2013 For Presentation

Ms office Visio 2007 To draw UML Diagram and for designs

Adobe Photo Shop CS5 To design back ground images

Table 3: Development Tools

Hardware

 Hard Disk
 CD-ROM 700MB
 Flash Disk 8GB
 Printer

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Chapter Two: Description of the Existing System

2.1 Introduction
The current clearance processing system is the manual system that needs intensive
human labour, resource, consume time, less security. Here, the student to visit all the
clearance offices with a form for them to fill and get sign by the respected offices. Once these
forms are signed, it proves that the users have been cleared. This process takes some days to
be completed and possess a lot of stress to all the users and workers who provide clearance
system.

In the manual system, the clearance forms are documented in a file cabinet. Each time
the clearance form is needed, a search operation conducted on the file cabinets to locate a
particular user’s clearance form.

2.2 Users in the Existing System

The main player in the existing system includes the following: -

 Students: - Students will go to department to get the clearance form and fill the form
then go to different offices to get sign.
 Registrar: - They sign in the form and give the form to the students.
 Proctors: - They check the dorm materials like bed, window, door, and the door key if
all are not damage they sign in the students clearance form.
 Library: - They check either the borrowed books were returned or not.
 Sport Science: - This office check sport materials whether the student take from the
office or not.
 Student Service: - Any student debit is defined in this office.
 Book Store: - They check if the students have borrowed a book and return the book or
not, if they have not borrowed the students are cleared and they put sign in to the
clearance form.
 Departments: - Distribute clearance paper form for the students in respected
department.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

 Security Guard: - They check the student properties are matched with their clearance
paper.

2.3 Major functions/activities in the existing system

2.3.1 Input Analysis
Input to the system is the form which is fulfilled by the proper users. These forms are
filled by student and submitted to the various offices for issuing of receipts.

2.3.2 Process Analysis

The form is filling by the students then collected and signed by the respected offices to
certify that the student has completed all the necessary things. Hence a certificate issued to
show that the student have completed all the clearance processing.

2.3.3 Output Analysis

The output from the system is the certificate or one form of clearance issued to the
student stating that the student fulfilled all university obligation and is now free to pass out
from the university.

2.4 Business Rules

 Can only access Authorized user.
 Unauthorized user cannot access the system for the reason of system security.
 Users must be registered to access the system to be Authorized user by filling the
necessary information in the registration form.
 Users must have username and password to login to the system.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Figure 1: Students Clearance form

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Chapter Three: Proposed System

3.1 Introduction
The new system is designed to solve problems affecting the manual system in use. It is
design to be used online thereby relieving both the students and the offices workers from
much stress as experienced in the manual system.

This system will do the analysing and storing of information either Automatically or
interactively. It will make use of online access to Internet. The proposed system will also have
some other features like:-

 Login system must be present and secured by password and logout after cover.
 Accuracy in the handling of data.
 Fast rate of operation and excellent response time.
 The system is flexible i.e. it can be accessed at any time.
 Easy way of back up or duplicating data in diskettes in case of data loss.
 Better storage and faster retrieval system.
 Accessibility from anywhere.

3.2 Requirements of the Proposed System

3.2.1 Functional requirements
Functional requirement defines a function of a system and its components. A function is
described as a set of inputs, behaviour, outputs, data manipulation and processing and other
specific functionality that define what the system is supposed to accomplish.

Performance requirements: - The system performance is one of the functional requirement

in which they regularly and producing quality output. It is all time ready to perform all the
functions, faster response time and use minimal space usage.

Process requirements: - The system performs the services for all inputs by functional
components of the system based on the given inputs.

Input related requirements: - After the system is implemented, to perform a process it

needs inputs like student username, student ID No and other information which are necessary
to in processing clearance are entered in clearing process.

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Output related requirements: - The system takes in an input to perform or to process some
function in order to produce an output based on the given input.

Storage related requirements: - The system developed by using MySQL database server
which used to store all the students information like cleared students and the current available
students information to be cleared.

3.2.2 Non-functional requirements

Performance: -

 The system is very fast since it is automated.

 The software shall support use of multiple users at a time.
 It works very well with short response time, high throughput and high availability.
 Reduce costs and time waste by providing access to system in available place and time
where Internet connection is available

User Interface: - The developed system provides web application user interfaces that are
compatible browsers like Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google chrome, etc.

Security and Access Permissions: - The system provides or contains user name and
password for each users based on their privilege. This performs the following activity: -

 Authenticate user with predefined access right will only enter to the information
related to database.
 Every users should use strong passwords especially admin.
 User must enter valid user name and password to login to system. Without this, access
to the system is denied.
 Data is encrypted for security.
 System allows only registered users to access clearance system and also allows the
users’ to view their own profile not the other users’ profile.

Backup and Recovery: - When team member standard to develop a system they must have
to put use a backup mechanism by using removable flash disks, or CDs.

Usability: - The system shall be very easy to learn, needs a basic computer knowledge to
use and have a help menu to guide the user.

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 RIFT VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S ONLINE CLEARANCE SYSTEM

Availability: - There is no delay in the availability of any information, whatever needed, can
be captured very quickly and easily. The server should be always on to be available.

Conclusions and Recommendations

3.3.1 Conclusions
Rift Valley University Students Clearance processing system is one of the activities which are
done manually. By considering the problems of the manual system the team found
solution which reduces the problems of the existing system. With the contribution of
each member of the team, advisor and co-advisor in developing the new system from
starting of data (requirement) analysis to the implementation, we reached to the final
result. During the developing this project, team face some challenges, but by the
cooperation’s of all team members reach to their goal and come with this new project.

Generally, based on the existing system problems the team will find a proposed solution
which solves some problems of the existing system. Like it decreases time
consumption, energy consumption, resource loses during processing the clearance system
in manual system.

3.3.2 Recommendations
Based on shortage of time and some other condition like resources we do not include
some features to our project. The team want to recommend those who what further to work on
our project to include the features like adding chat room which facilitates
communication between administrator and the different offices listed in this project
and student to ask the administrator why he/she can’t approved their clearance
request. The other features we recommend to be added to this project are clearance
processing for administrative students and other worker like cafeteria workers, and library
workers and all employees of the Rift Valley University.

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