Business Impact Statement

|| Human Resources || Facilities || Business Processes ||

Effects of the proposed E-Commerce system on Human Resources

|| Church Hall Hire || Newsletter || Online Donations || Technical Support ||

|| Sermons Online || Web Site ||

Church Hall Hire

The effect on human resources regarding the Hall Hire is that extra work will need to be performed. A database will have to be maintained and accessed to see what the bookings are. This means also that if the hall is hired and the web site is not used for the hire extra caution would have to be taken in order to make sure there were no double bookings. It may be possible for the church itself to have a no fee hire done for themselves entered into the database.

One extra effect on human resources is that someone in the church would have to be trained how to use the database. This could include such things as additions and deletions. The pastor could be trained this, but that would give him extra workload. Another member of the congregation, such as an elder could be trained. Any existing diaries in paper form for hall hire would need to be updated as well or replaced.

There would also need to be some information on how to make a booking contained in the web site.

It is suggested that ASP be used to make the pages that update the database and a Microsoft Access database be used. There would need to be someone available such as ourselves, another web designer or someone in the congregation to make and maintain the database and the associated asp pages.

The newsletter would have an effect on human resources because someone would have to upload it. This involves some time for that person. Arrangements could be made so that person did not need to use HTML. The newsletter would need to be typed as a pdf document or the photocopied newsletter scanned by a scanner. If the former was done the newsletter producer would need to have keyboard skills and if the later was done they would need to have scanning skills. Training would be required so that person knows how to produce and how to upload and update the Newsletter.

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Online Donations

Online Donations has different levels of effect on human resources. For online donations to the church the effect is that someone will have to reconcile and look after the online donation system. They will need to be trained how to do this. There may need to be the updating of books used in the accounting of the church and also the auditors will need to know exactly what money came in from the online donations, and what money did not.

Technical Support

Technical support would have a effect on the church in that someone would have to receive and reply to the requests for support. Someone in the church could do this if they had a good background in computers. However, if there were no one in the church who could do that, then the church would have to spend the time and/or money to find someone else to answer the question.

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Online Sermons

The placing of sermons online has an effect upon a number of different elements. There would be an extra amount of work to be performed by the person who currently tapes the sermons. That person will need to listen to and transcribe the sermon or get a copy from the pastor. There is also the extra time and processes required in actually uploading and archiving sermons.

Web Site

The web site itself would initially have a considerable effect on the pastor as interviews, queries, questionnaires and phone calls would need to be made. The pastor could also be asked to write some of the content. All of this puts an extra workload on the pastor as well as an extra use of his time. Once the site is well established the amount of time and effort by the pastor may decrease.

The ecommerce web site could be designed in-house by a member of the congregation, by one or more of us or by other web designers. As such, this would involve a use of the web designers' time. If it was a member of the congregation or an office holder of the church doing the designing the time factor comes into play as well.

Effects of the proposed E-Commerce system on Facilities

|| Church Hall Hire || Newsletter || Online Donations || Technical Support ||

|| Online Sermons || Web Site ||

Church Hall Hire

The effect on the facilities is that the hall may get used more than it is now. This may result in more wear and tear on the church hall, thus requiring more maintenance and possibly more money spent on its upkeep. This needs to be weighed up against the extra monies coming in for the hall hire.

Another effect is the possibility of double bookings if the web site database is not checked before making a booking. This would present a problem that would have to be reconciled.

The newsletter would have an effect on facilities in that the actual number of paper newsletters could be reduced. This would save the church time and money. Less paper would need to be bought and the photocopier would be used less. This would have the result of lowering the wear and tear on the photocopier itself, thus prolonging its lifetime.

Multiple copies of previous newsletters would not have to kept as previous issues would be archived on the web site and could be printed as required. This then would the effect of less physical storage space being needed at the church. This space could then be put to other uses.

There would be a need to use computer software and Adobe Acrobat is proposed to be used. If, though the newsletter producer decides that they would rather scan the letter instead of type it, a scanner would have to be obtained.

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Online Donations

Online donations to the church would not have an effect on the facilities of the church apart from the books of account and financial statements from the bank. The books of account would need extra columns drawn up to account for online donations or another book started up. There would also be more statements coming from the bank depending on the number of online donations.

Technical Support

Technical support would have an effect on facilities if a computer other than the pastors was used for the receiving of the Email. The pastors computer is already connected to the Internet and so there is one extra expense involved in obtaining a computer or a connection. However, if a member of the congregation looked after this they would need a computer and a connection to access. It is recommended that the pastor obtain a virus checker and a software firewall. This has the effect of costing money unless a free version is to be used.

Online Sermons

There is a small impact on facilities in that software would need to be bought or got as freeware that could produce pdf files. There would be a need for a computer that could handle such a program. There is also the storage space to consider on the web server.

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Web Site

A web site would have the effect on facilities in that it would need room for it to be out on. The suggestion is that the site be hosted on the server that the Uniting Church of NSW has. They have a number of churches hosted on that server. A computer would also be needed to design the web site and/or maintain it, unless this was not to be done in-house. Church stationary and business cards will need to have the web site address placed on them. This may involve reprinting them or the purchase of a rubber stamp to put the address on them.

Effects of the proposed E-Commerce system on Business Processes

|| Church Hall Hire || Newsletter || Online Donations || Technical Support ||

|| Online Sermons ||

Church Hall Hire

The business processes effected are Collection of Money and Accounting and Hall hire. The Collection of Money Process will have to change as there will be an electronic transfer of monies for hall hire into a bank account of the church. This is a new method of receiving payment for hall hire. The effect of allowing the hire of the hall made online on the Hall Hires process is that is that the existing system of the pastor looking after the bookings would change. The manual method of recording the hires would need to be amended to include the web site method or be replaced by the web site method.

The effect of the newsletter is on the Newsletter process. The newsletter will need to be produced for the Internet as well. This will involve extra work and will use a computer for the production. Currently, a photocopier is used. The effect of putting the Newsletter online is that a new process will need to be added. This is the actual uploading and updating of the newsletter and the archiving of the old newsletter.

Online Donations

The Online Donations for the church will effect the Collection of Money and Accounting processes in the same way as it would for Church Hall Hire (see above).

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Technical Support

The Technical Support regarding the web site will have an effect on none of the above processes as it will be a new process called Technical Support. Thai process does not exist at present as there is no web site.

Online Sermons

The placing of sermons online will have an effect on the Distribution of sermons process. There will be extra work involved and a new extra way of doing things. Sermon tapes will still need to be made for distribution at the service, however, a new process of online sermons will come into existence. This involves similar processes as placing the newsletter online.

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