GHANA TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

(GTUC)

FACULTY OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEM.

TITLE:

DESIGN OF A WEB-BASED AND POS SYSTEM FOR PHARMACIES.

A PROJECT WORK SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR BSC. INFORMATION TECHNLOGY.

BY:

ABROKWAH SHADRACK ABOAGYE: 04TU918239.

AFFUL RICHARD KWABENA: 04TU918290.

SUPERVISOR:

MR. EUGENE LOUIS BADZANGOLY.

JULY 2020.
 DECLARATION
This project is presented as part of the requirements for BSc in Information Technology awarded
by Ghana Technology University College. We hereby declare that this project is entirely the result
of hard work, research and enquiries. We are confident that this project work is not copied from
any other person. All sources of information here however have been acknowledged with due
respect.

AUTHOR: ABROKWAH SHADRACK ABOAGYE SIGNATURE……………

STUDENT ID: 04TU918239 DATE: ……………………………..

AUTHOR: AFFUL RICHARD KWABENA SIGNATURE……………

STUDENT ID: 04TU918290 DATE: ……………………………..

SUPERVISOR: MR EUGENE LOUIS BADZANGOLY SIGNATURE……………..

HOD……………… SIGNATURE…………………….

DATE: …………………………….

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 ABSTRACT
The practices of pharmaceuticals have developed after some time to turn out to be completely
incorporated in all parts of pharmacy itself. Such practices include: administering of
medications, counsel, regulation of drugs, and the dispensation of these drugs. In recent years
there has been a mass increase in the purchase of a various products online like cloths,
groceries, gadgets and the sale of medications has also increased greatly on the internet.
Internet pharmacies is one technology that since its introduction has brought about
advancements and has created a huge demand. This is due to the fact that online pharmacies
provide lots of benefits. Though there are a number of risks internet pharmacies may pose,
they will still be the first choice of people when it comes to purchasing medicines. Example
of these people are the disabled or housebound individuals. These people can get access to
their medication via online channels easy. Another reason being that online pharmacies
operates or could be accessed 24 hours daily. Anytime you need a medication, you just place
an order and it gets delivered. With our platform we intent to provide a user-friendly system
which will be used by people to gain more access to health related information as well as
medications easily and conveniently.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents
DECLARATION.......................................................................................................................i
ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................iii
LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.......................................................................................................vii
CHAPTER ONE.......................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................1
1.2 Background of Study.........................................................................................................1
1.3 Problem Statement.............................................................................................................2
1.4Aim and Objectives.............................................................................................................3
1.5 Significance of Study..........................................................................................................3
1.6 Scope....................................................................................................................................3
1.7 Limitation............................................................................................................................4
1.8 Organization.......................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER TWO.....................................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................................................5
2.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................5
2.2 Evolution of Pharmacies....................................................................................................5
2.3 Internet marketing of Pharmaceuticals...........................................................................6
2.3.1 Risks posed by online pharmacies.................................................................................6
2.3.2 Benefits of online pharmacies........................................................................................7
2.3.3 Types of internet pharmacy sites...................................................................................8
2.4 Online shoppers take on pharmacy service issues..........................................................8
2.5 Evolution of POS systems................................................................................................10
2.6 Current and future of pos................................................................................................11
2.7 The future of online pharmacies.....................................................................................12
2.8 Reviewed Systems.............................................................................................................14
CHAPTER THREE...............................................................................................................19
3.1 Design Specification.........................................................................................................19
3.2 Design Methodology.........................................................................................................19
3.2.1 System prototyping.......................................................................................................19
3.3 Functional Requirements................................................................................................22

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3.4 Non-functional Requirements.........................................................................................23
3.5 Feasibility studies.............................................................................................................24
Entity relationship Diagram..................................................................................................26
User Use case Diagram..........................................................................................................27
Admin Use case Diagram.......................................................................................................28
Flowchart Diagram................................................................................................................29
User sequence Diagram.........................................................................................................30
Admin Sequence Diagram.....................................................................................................31
3.6 Development and Implementation..................................................................................32
3.7 System Architecture.........................................................................................................33
3.8 Procedural or Modular Approach..................................................................................34
CHAPTER FOUR..................................................................................................................36
SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING..............................................................36
4.1 Testing Techniques...........................................................................................................36
4.2 Testing Objectives............................................................................................................36
4.3 Implementation................................................................................................................36
4.4 System Testing..................................................................................................................37
CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................................71
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION.................................................................71
Summary.................................................................................................................................71
Recommendations..................................................................................................................72
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................73

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 LIST OF FIGURES.
Figure 1 Entity Relationship................................................................................................................26
Figure 2 Admin Use Case....................................................................................................................28
Figure 3 Flowchart Diagram................................................................................................................29
Figure 4: User Sequence Diagram.......................................................................................................30
Figure 5: Admin Sequence Diagram....................................................................................................31
Figure 6: System Architecture Diagram..............................................................................................33
Figure 7: Homepage............................................................................................................................38
Figure 8: Registration page..................................................................................................................40
Figure 9: Login Page...........................................................................................................................42
Figure 10: Cart Page............................................................................................................................43
Figure 11: Shop Page...........................................................................................................................44
Figure 12: Details Page........................................................................................................................46
Figure 13: User Profile Page................................................................................................................48
Figure 14: Admin Login......................................................................................................................49
Figure 15: Admin Dashboard..............................................................................................................50
Figure 16: Admin View Products Page................................................................................................51
Figure 17: Admin View Customers Page.............................................................................................52
Figure 18: Admin View Products Categories Page..............................................................................53
Figure 19: Admin View Slides Page....................................................................................................54
Figure 20: Admin View Manufacturers...............................................................................................55
Figure 21: System Database Tables.....................................................................................................56
Figure 22: Admins Table.....................................................................................................................57
Figure 23: Boxes Table........................................................................................................................58
Figure 24: Cart Table...........................................................................................................................58
Figure 25: Categories Table.................................................................................................................59
Figure 26: Customers Table.................................................................................................................60
Figure 27: Customer Orders Table......................................................................................................61
Figure 28: Manufacturers Table..........................................................................................................62
Figure 29: Payments Table..................................................................................................................63
Figure 30: Pending Orders Table.........................................................................................................64
Figure 31: Products Table....................................................................................................................65
Figure 32: Product Categories Table...................................................................................................66

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Figure 33: Slides Table........................................................................................................................67
Figure 34: Terms Table.......................................................................................................................68
Figure 35: POS System Interface.........................................................................................................69
Figure 36: Customer Receipt...............................................................................................................70

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We wish to express our sincerest and upmost gratitude to God Almighty whose grace has
seen us through to this point in our education. We are grateful for the wisdom, knowledge
and most importantly good health we have been granted throughout this study which us
complete this project successfully. We also wish to render our profound gratitude to our
supervisor Mr. Eugene Louis Badzangoly for his constant assistance and guidance which
made it possible for us to accomplish this work. We are mostly grateful to him for his
comments, suggestions, criticisms and overall patients which saw us through this endeavor.

We also continue to thank our families, relatives and friends for their support in all forms. We
all most certainly grateful.

We extend our gratitude to all lecturers of the university for the knowledge they passed onto
us that made it possible for us to complete this project. We say thank you and God bless you
all,

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 CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction.
Online shopping has long been considered a recreational activity by many. Within these past
few years online shopping has increased dramatically. There’s been well established online
shops like amazon providing services for shoppers worldwide. This system is being
developed to provide convenience for people who want to purchase medication online. A
pharmacy is the science and method of planning and apportioning drug. It is a well-being
calling that joins wellness sciences with substance sciences and ability to assurance included
with powerful utilization of pharmaceutical medications. The extent of drug keep exercise
contains more and more popular jobs, for example, intensifying and administering
prescriptions, and it likewise incorporates current day administrations identified with
medicinal offerings which include scientific administrations, auditing meds for well-being
and viability, and giving medicinal drug data. Drug specialists, accordingly, are the experts
on tranquilize treatment and are the integral wellbeing professionals who decorate utilization
of prescription to serve patients [Sidra 2020].

1.2 Background of Study.

A web based pharmacy or a web pharmacy may be a pharmacy that basically operates over
the web. It sends orders to customers mostly through the mail or shipping companies. Some
people express their view that there's the particular need for these sorts of systems. Ordering
systems from isolated computers and private PCs are accessible from everywhere. Whereas
these sorts of web-related systems are often accessed from anywhere, literally from any a part
of the planet easily, all you would need is an online connection and a Pc. As our online
pharmacy is launching a website with these benefits of the web , they will provide better cost
and effective services to customers, not only that but with this type of system customers will
find it easier to navigate our website. Realization of those quite systems includes the
gathering of the many technologies at one point. Implementation of this technique will
involve both server-side programming and client-side programming.

The web has facilitated a serious proliferation of mail-order pharmacy operations. Order
pharmacies aren't new, they need served the Americans since the late 1800s. Web based
pharmacies often mentioned as “online pharmacies”, can also be described as websites that
sell prescription medication over the web that is dispensed by mail-order.

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During the mid to late 1990’s when online pharmacies begun to operate, they suddenly
became a subject of concern for federal bodies and regulators due to various illicit and
dangerous practices. The NABP came up with the Verified internet pharmacy sites (VIPPS)
in the year 1999 which was a program designed to help customers identify safer online
pharmacies by opening series of domestic ones [PharmacyChecker 2015].

We are also going to develop a point of sale system for pharmacies to record transactions and
manage inventory as well. A POS is basically a tool which is used mostly by retailers to
collect payment anytime customers make purchases at a point in time. We can refer to it as an
area where transactions of customers take place. These systems came way before telephones,
automobiles and the others. Anywhere there was an exchange of goods or services with
money, a sort of POS system was present. It simply begun with the exchange of goods and
later moved forward to the exchange of money or cash. Recently, POS systems have
increased its use and features as it can now help users or retailers manage inventory, as well
as track customer’s usage and also add multiple channels and locations into a single system.

1.3 Problem Statement.

One of the existing issues concerning online pharmacies or web based pharmacies are its
complications. Most customers get frustrated when they come across complicated
navigations, overwhelming options and unnecessary details. Research estimated that
approximately 50% of sales are lost because potential customers are unable to find what they
are looking for [Forrester 2010].

Another problem associated with online pharmacy is illegal or unethical pharmacies sending
out counterfeit medication. These unethical pharmacies webpage does contain false
information about their country of origin or their certifications. They may ship out
medications which are expired or outdated and usually do not follow safety protocols. These
pharmacies can alter website for it to look genuine. It is always important to check from the
institutions which regulates online pharmacies in a country before going ahead to purchase
from them just to be on the safer side. [FDA, 2019].

Illegal pharmacies do not have age restrictions for controlled substances. People under 18 can
purchase drugs from a large online supplier which may cause them harm. [Blackstone et al
2014], [Bate 2008], [Ghodse 2010]

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In Ghana, people face challenges when it comes to buying medication online. We are
developing a system that will enable responsible individuals purchase medication with great
convenience and help pharmacies get more online presence.

1.4Aim and Objectives

1.4.1 Aim
The main aim of this study is to design and develop an online pharmacy that will allow users
create an account, log in to make various purchases and a Point of sale (POS) to process and
record transactions.

1.4.2 Objectives
 Review and analyze the existing or current drug purchase pharmacy system to identify
challenges.
 Model or design an easy to use web-based interface where users can order medication.
 Develop a point of sale system for pharmacies.

1.5 Significance of Study

 Academia

It will add to the body of knowledge and also serve as a guide for researchers who would
want to improve upon it or undertake similar projects.

 Society

It will make it easier for individuals to place orders at the comfort of their homes and at their
own convenience.

 Industry

Our online platform will give pharmacies the opportunity to get more customer base.

Our POS system will help pharmacies manage inventory, track sales and take stock.

1.6 Scope
The current system can be extended to have an easy to use checkout process and multiple
payment options.

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1.7 Limitation
 Dragging and dropping a product into cart in order to purchase is not available.
 Writing a review about products.
 Adding a products to wish-list.

1.8 Organization
This study was organized in five chapters. Chapter one covers the background, problems
associated with online pharmacies and the purpose of our research with clear aims and
objectives. Chapter two details the literature of our topic. Next up was chapter three with the
methodology used. The methodology talks about the approach used to design the system.
Chapter four states the systems implementation and design. Finally chapter five summarized
the major findings of the study to come out with conclusions and offer honest and appropriate
recommendations.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction.
The internet has brought transformation and changes to our lives including our ways of
communicating, purchasing and general approach to situations [Von et al, 2017]. As there
continue to be an increase in the access of the internet, there is also an expansion in its use to
more find more information about our health. A worldwide estimation of internet searches
indicate that about 4.5% of these search are related to information or questions about health
[Das & Faxvaag 2014]. In a study conducted in the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and technology and Central University by [Asibey et al 2017] they
found out that, 67% of these students used the internet to find health-related information. This
is because, it is much easier to find these health information as 95.7% of these students chose
the same reason. These habits are more stretched by persons with mobile devices [Gawron &
Turok 2015]. However, the use of the internet today is not only to search for health
information but also to acquire heath products and services. [Orizio et al 2009], [Fox 2013].

2.2 Evolution of Pharmacies.

Before we begin to delve into the literature of our topic, we first of all want to identify the
beginning of pharmacies before it started to operate online. A pharmacist is an individual
who has studied medicine as a profession and has the mandate to give out drugs or
medication based on the prescription of a doctor or a physician [Mpallchealthpulsealliance
2014]

The fact that individuals have been using medicinal substances to treat themselves way back
as people came on earth, the pharmacy profession is very recent. It can be tracked as far back
as the Sumerian population, who are now residing in today’s Iraq around 4000BC, these
people utilized available plants like opium, myrrh, liquor ice and mustard. In those days,
there were a group of people who worked to prepare the various medicines and others who
can be called medics worked on diagnosis and treatment. The predecessors to these
pharmacists added their role to that of a priest. From 2700BC, the Sumerians wrote the
earliest prescription. During that same era in china in about 2000BC, there was a man called
ShenNung who also wrote the first native herbal which was a description that contained 365
plant-based drugs. [Perak 2011].

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Now physical stalls and shops and stalls that sold medicines existed around 1900 BC in a
called sippara which can be found on the Euphrates River. In London however, the earliest
shop that sold medicines was opened in 1345 [Perak 2011].

2.3 Internet marketing of Pharmaceuticals.

[Fung et al 2004] made a prior interpretation of an internet pharmacy as a seller based on the
internet that sells medication and may function independently as an online pharmacy, a
community pharmacy that has online presence, or a website that partners with community
pharmacies. In short, an internet pharmacy is website that offers to deliver or send out orders
of medicines to users directly to customers on the internet [Orizio et al 2011]. The quick
growth of the internet, the movement of self-diagnosing away from the normal relationship
between doctors and patients, easy mail order business and growth in general digital health
has all caused the online pharmacy market to grow tremendously [Mackey & Nayyar 2016].

The supply of pharmaceutical products on the internet has developed in various ways and
based on various models globally. This is because of economic, cultural and different
regulator environments. The internet pharmacy market in the United States is mostly
Prescription based meaning you need to secure a prescription before you can order medicines.
In Europe it is the opposite of non-prescription [Dudley 2014]. Internet pharmacies can be
accessed from every part of the world today. This means economic and legislative point if
views should be evaluated in every country. Therefore, internet pharmacies has the tendency
to mostly bring about confusion in regulations as their provision of health services cross
regional and country boundaries. Hence, the countries in which they operate must be
evaluated [Cohen 2014].

2.3.1 Risks posed by online pharmacies.

There exists various risks that is related to safety when it comes to online ordering of
medicines way outside the traditional chain of supply which may include outdated or fake
medications. The percentage of fake medicines in the world is estimated to be 10%
[Blackstone et al 2014] varying from 1% less in developed countries [Howard 2010] to more
than 30% in developing countries like Asia, Latin America, India and Africa [Dorsey et al
2007], [Bate 2008].

A number of illegal online pharmacies primary tend to pay much attention on selling of
prescription medications outside the regulated medicine supply system [Levvagi et al 2008].
[Bate 2008] states that these illegal pharmacies often devise a market strategy of offering

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customers benefits like discounts, convenience, privacy, bulk orders and many more as they
ultimately refuse to give information about drug interaction, side effects and conflicts.

Almost all healing and medicinal medicines is at hand on the internet. Not just performance
and lifestyle medicines [Corraza et al 2014], [Flower 2004] like medicines to prevent
baldness [Hellstrom 2011] but medicines that actually saves lives example are ones from the
WHO medicines list [Boyer & Wines 2008], psychiatric medications [Trefi et al 2008],
Obesity medications [Hackett & Krska 2012] and cardiologic medications [Blackstone et al
2014]can be secured on the internet.

2.3.2 Benefits of online pharmacies.

Despite the fact that [Bate 2008] made arguments that online pharmacies tend to pose a
greater health risk to users, [Prashinta et al] states that internet pharmacies could be much
beneficial to its customers. Conducting transactions on the internet offers several advantages
over “bricks and mortar” thus physical pharmaceutical shops. In the past, we could only walk
up to a shop to buy a prescribed drug. Now, we can sit in the comfort of our homes and
purchase the drug online for it to be delivered to us. There are lots of benefits to purchasing
medicines online. Internet pharmacies are available 24 hours a day for people to place their
orders [Prashinta et al]. Although traditional pharmacy chains have been adding increasingly
numbers of 24-hour stores in certain communities, these still only represent a small
percentage of the total number of pharmacies [Collaizi, 2000].

With online pharmacies, the patient can submit questions to pharmacists at any time.
Customers now have the opportunity to ask questions or talk about issues that may be
embarrassing [Prashinta et al].

Also, purchasing medicines online is much easier than going to the drugstore. The elderly
spend much on drugs and considering their state of mobility, it is easy for them to place
orders online [Prashinta et al]. Customers always like to be comfortable and be in
convenience when purchasing items. Online shops give them all of this.

Another benefit of online pharmacies is that patients purchase drugs discreetly without a
face-to-face interaction. Most often some individuals feel embarrassed walking into a
pharmacy to purchase a medication they may need. There are lots of factors why they may
feel that way, most are always personal issues. This people have the opportunity to buy from
an online pharmacy as it may not require interacting with any individual. Most times even the

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delivery person may not know what they are delivering. So one may feel comfortable buying
from an online pharmacy.

2.3.3 Types of internet pharmacy sites.

When it comes to purchasing medicines online, there are different types of online pharmacy
sites. First are traditional pharmacy services online. These websites offer traditional
pharmacy services only thus they only dispense medicine to a consumer who has first
obtained a prescription from a doctor and then submitted it (electronically or not) to the
online pharmacy. These sites will only sell to individuals who have prescriptions which are
valid and was obtained from a physician [Mills 2000].

Another category of an internet pharmacy is one that prescribes medications for customers.
Usually, these sites do have pharmacists and doctors working for them. However, they are
different from websites that do have doctors and pharmacists employed but only gives out
medical advice or information about health. Most times, these sites set up customers or
patients and doctors to interact through questionnaires and sometimes in videoconferencing.
This action could be termed as consultation and it is usually not free. After the interaction
between the doctor and the patient, the medication that may be prescribed will then be
processed by the online pharmacy and delivered to the patient [Mills 2000].

Finally, the online drug store. This name seems appropriate as these pharmacies just sell
drugs to people who may need them. Here, the customers do not need prescriptions in order
to purchase anything. All they have to do is go to the website, place order and make payment.
Usually these sites sell drugs that are easy to get hold on. Most of these sites operates in
foreign countries and hence are far to be reached by local authorities [Mills 2000].

2.4 Online shoppers take on pharmacy service issues.

Online shoppers face a couple of customer service issues. In the late 90’s internet pharmacies
started showing up online and traditional pharmacies also begun to move some their services
to this space. Due to this, it made competition very intensive and the competitive advantage
which comes from greater customer service and the quality of information systems were very
crucial if a company wanted to succeed in this industry.

Nevertheless, internet pharmacies still get into situations with how quality their services are.
These hindrances are still available basically due to how unpredictable the internet channel

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could be. If only internet pharmacies had an idea of what qualities customers looked for when
analyzing their service provided and customers’ satisfaction, they would then device
measures to improve their overall performance [Yang, Peterson & Huang 2001].

In a Johnston study in 1995, he stated how important it is to find out about the various factors
that leads to customers’ satisfaction, customers’ dissatisfaction and the double factors of both.
Further, Mittal and his colleagues, realized that the effect positive performance of customer
service has on overall customer satisfaction is lower compared to negative performance. This
effect shows how critical it is to research about positive and negative performance of the
quality of service and to pay more attention to the negative performance. [Yang, Peterson &
Huang 2001].

Paying attention to these factors can help service providers like internet pharmacies create
strategies to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, listening to consumer
complaints and compliments can help companies gain valuable feedback on performance and
devise strategies to correct weaknesses and reinforce strengths. This study aimed to expand
the current body of knowledge relating to service quality. Internet-based online pharmacy
companies will only be successful if they make sure customers are satisfied with the service
they receive. But what attributes of service quality leads to satisfaction and dissatisfaction?
[Yang, Peterson & Huang 2001].

Product cost and availability: The availability of internet search engines gives customers
the opportunity to compare products that are offered by online shops. Online pharmacies are
therefore forced to pay more attention on other attributes like the total cost of delivery,
variety of products and product availability. As more people tend to like shopping online
most tend to focus on how much delivery costs rather than focusing solely on product price.

In addition, most customers use the internet to search for medicines that is not easily found.
This creates a greater opportunity for an internet pharmacy that has a wide range of products.
[Yang, Peterson & Huang 2001].

Customer service quality: Over the past four decades, researchers have tried to find out
about the service attributes that are very important when customers are assessing the quality
of service provided by a company. Hellin and colleagues in 1979, found out that customers
long wait time, the price of medicines and poor pharmacy services are the leaders to customer
dissatisfaction. A study by Parasuraman and colleagues also showed a couple of service
dimensions. Following that, researchers have identified the various factors that leads to

9
customers’ satisfaction when it comes to pharmacy services. These includes, providing drug
information and composition, communication channels, emotional and physical comfort,
location as well as convenience. [Yang, Peterson & Huang 2001].

Online information system quality: The end user is always very important as they are
online customers in all e-commerce transactions. In order to find out how satisfied an end
user is, Doll and Torkzadeh discovered five quality dimensions namely timeliness, format,
content, accuracy and importantly ease of use. These factors and other internet attributes like
security and easy navigation can be the underlying framework to measure the online quality
of online information systems. [Yang, Peterson & Huang 2001].

2.5 Evolution of POS systems.

The start of POS framework we see today was in the late nineteenth century. A man who was
a local of Ohio called James Ritty who additionally possessed a cantina put the main ever ill-
advised register in the year 1879 alongside his sibling. The named it Ritty's Incorruptible
clerk. An online reference book article that examines the historical backdrop of Ohio clarified
that Ritty got the motivation to make the gadget in 1878. In this year while Ritty was on a
boat structure from Europe, he found a machine that could tally the occasions the boats
propeller got done with rotating, expressed by the article. With a similar innovation of the
boats propeller, he realized he could design a machine that would monitor his deals.
[Merchantproexpress 2017].

As the story proceeds, Ritty was resolved to structure the machine as he had discovered years
sooner that somebody among his workers was skimming assets from him and he thought this
was a more noteworthy method of halting whoever that was. The sales register we see today
is the improved variant of his gadget. [Merchantproexpress 2017].

Ohio history expresses that the machine recorded the quantity of deals made alongside the
measure of each. Presently he had the option to monitor every one of his deals just as each
sum coming in. Afterward, Ritty didn't see his creation bringing any monetary profit so he
offered his patent to John H .Patterson, who proceeded to set up an organization in the year
1884 which was known as the National Cash Register (NCR). The organization is still in
business today simply that is no longer passes by NCR Company yet NCR Corporation and
they are entrusted to make sales registers for organizations. [Merchantproexpress 2017].

10
Many businesses begun making use of the cash register by the 1900s. The cash register as
improved upon as it had various functions like a paper for receipts, a drawer for cash and
others. Due to this much more business also started utilizing the register which enable them
to record all their business transactions. [Merchantproexpress 2017].

As the twentieth century proceeded, considerably more changes were made to additionally
refine the sales register, partly in light of other new innovations. As per the NCR
Corporation, mechanical headways, for example, LCD screens, MasterCard attractive stripes,
and warm printing, happened during the mid-1900s, bringing about extra changes to the sales
register. Eventually, these changed it into an advanced machine that would be generally
utilized, for quite a long time. [Merchantproexpress 2017].

PC programming changed the game for the POS framework during the 1980s and 1990s.
Online asset The Green Sheet examines a portion of the progressions that occurred during the
1980s and 1990s. One 2016 article explicitly clarifies that between Gene Mosher's
touchscreen interface innovation in the late 1980s and Martin Goodwin and Bob Henry's
Microsoft stage POS framework, the first sales register got an entirely different makeover.
Nonetheless, note that POS frameworks varied and still do contingent upon the business. For
instance, Mosher's touchscreen was at first for eateries. Moreover, the NCR Corporation
features other new highlights presented during this time, including store mechanization and
mark catch. POS frameworks that developed during this time look a great deal like those we
use today. [Merchantproexpress 2017].

There obviously have been other mechanical headways all through the 21st century,
explicitly with regards to interfacing the physical and advanced universes.

2.6 Current and future of pos.

Presently, entrepreneurs deal with the front end of deals at the POS terminal, however they
likewise oversee back end activities. With incorporated frameworks like stock administration
and CRM usefulness, POS frameworks permit cutting edge organizations full control. Deals,
promoting, stock following, bookkeeping, and client data would all be able to be gotten to
and broke down with altered reports. [Tallysoft 2019].

Mobile Point if same systems brought about the meaning of control and permit workers to
take these highlights anyplace. Credit cards capacity is incorporated with the most recent
forms of POS frameworks and gives propelled safety efforts to card checking. Looking

11
towards the future, entrepreneurs will see adaptable, simple to-utilize, and secure frameworks
that give full power over business activities remotely and at the terminal. Innovation
advances after some time to fit the changing needs of the present customers. Fortunately,
POS frameworks today are quick, natural, and stuffed with each element and usefulness that
you could consider. [Tallysoft 2019].

2.7 The future of online pharmacies.

Pharmacies do fulfill lots of roles, which are someway related to other aspects of the health
service, and the long term future of pharmacies can be based on online platforms. There are a
couple of plans for combined electronic healthcare systems by fusing internet based
pharmacy interfaces which can be assessed by patients and pharmacists [Kart et al 2008]. It
has been very important to develop patient portals that are secure and offer content,
communication, commerce and community [Felkey & Fox 2009]. This point of view was
offered with regards to supporting autonomous living for more established individuals,
concentrating on health instead of foreseeing disease.

There are intense circumstances for which online drug stores will never be the best option,
yet buyers of long haul meds and human services items have convincing motivations to
support an online channel. [Gray 2011]. Past the flexibly of items, online drug stores may
wish to consider how they may offer types of services online for which payment is made. So
far, online drug stores are not effectively advancing on the web adherence support for
patients. Or maybe, some give data about consistence bolster gadgets that can be gotten to
coming up. [Gray 2011].

It would be intriguing to see programs accessible through online drug stores to offer online
help for individuals taking prescriptions, be it through gathering support for individuals
taking certain meds like statins, where the danger of suspension toward the start of treatment
is impressive, or through updates and live visit contact with an individual from the drug store
group prepared in persuasive meeting and adherence support. Similarly as blocks and-mortar
drug stores have moved as of late from an attention on items to administrations, there is
extension for building up the online subjective drug store administration area. [Gray 2011]

For instance, on the off chance that patients construct an online meds portfolio, what might
then keep their drug specialist from participating in an online talk with housebound patients
to attempt intermittent prescription audit? Numerous drug stores are expanding their online

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usefulness, and some include a nearness inside Social Media like Facebook. Highlights were
related with wellbeing and a more extensive scope of human services items. [Gray 2011].

A long range informal communication job for drug specialists in small scale and large scale
extends that advise the general population about medical problems, prepare associations to go
up against general medical problems, and take part in research about new bits of knowledge
into wellbeing arrangements has just been proposed [Cain et al 2003].

Drug store staff need to concentrate on the additional worth that they bring to an eye to eye
exchange. On the off chance that clients see that they get customized guidance and treatment
from staff, they are apparently less inclined to look somewhere else. Some buyer writing has
featured the more noteworthy inclination of more youthful purchasers for online meds
dispersion [Linebery & Bostwick 2004]. There is a danger of losing generation who have a
wired way of life and don't get the opportunity to create doctor and patient relationships with
their healthcare providers losing the opportunities of creating preventive measures. The mix
of the on the web and presence offline with individuals beginning a discussion on the web
and afterward getting the opportunity to tail it up in person merits investigating. [Nutbeam
2000] space of intelligent wellbeing education is tied in with following up on data acquired,
but one of the most troublesome things to discover on the Internet has been data about local
support [Hansen et al 2003]. Pharmacies that are present on the internet as well as have
physical structures can make use of this combination, far from the store locator attribute.
[Gray 2011].

[Montoya 2008] gives a summary of the current situation of internet pharmacies. Healthcare
marketing ideas give guidelines to business owners for then to determine what patients want
and be able to differentiate it with what they actually need. Usually online pharmacies tend to
mistake marketing principles and sometimes become hostile at the market place and pay
more attention on their sales and profits alone rather than focusing on the long term success
which includes the concern for the safety of patients or customers. [Gray 2011].

[Wagner et al 2001] proposed that physical pharmacies have to reflect. They made this
proposal because as more businesses move aspects of their services online there shouldn’t be
any room for error for community pharmacies. They should endeavor to have stronger
personal relationships to their customers or patients by counseling, disease monitory and
providing educational programs as patients always use pharmacies that fits their need the
best.

13
In a lot of studies, we encounter online pharmacies maintaining high standards. There are
high number of online pharmacies who refuse to supply sildenafil without a valid prescription
[Eysen back & Diepgen 1999]. There is indeed a place for certified online pharmacies as the
first choice for customers. It will depend greatly on good regulatory practices and the act of
empowering consumers that will influence the wide spread of quality internet pharmacy
provision.

2.8 Reviewed Systems.

2.8.1 Addpharma Ghana.
Add Pharma Limited is a pharmaceutical company in Ghana that deals in both the wholesale
and retail sectors. This company was formed in the year 2006 by two pharmacists who had
experience working in the pharmaceutical industry. Initially it only operated as a wholesale
company, due to the success it gained, it later on added the retail aspect in 2003 established
its first outlet at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel. After they took this initiative, they finally
came into the lime light of the retail pharmacy business based on how they delivered their
services with technology.

Add Pharma goes on to provide pharmaceutical services and products to customers at their
homes and offices. After they ventured into retailing in 2003, they have since established two
more outlets making it three in total. Their latest outlet has an inbuilt call center to assist
customers in the provision of enhanced door to door delivery of pharmaceutical services.

From the establishment of this same branch, products can be delivered internationally with
the partnership of DHL and FedEx. [Addpharma 2019].

Mission Statement.
Add Pharma endeavors to be the most confided in the pharmaceutical brand in West Africa
by giving the most secure, financially savvy and dependable pharmaceutical administrations
in the most expert way. Keeping up a situation where its staff are appropriately prepared to
meet any rising chances and difficulties. Contributing genuinely to the government assistance
of its locale in which it works.

Retail Outlets.
Add Pharma has community pharmacies at the following locations.

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Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, The Emporiums Ground Floor, Accra, Lighthouse Branch,
Inside Lighthouse Mission Hospital, North Industrial Area, Accra, North Industrial Area
(NIA) ,JD Plaza, Near the Qodesh, North Industrial Area, Accra, North Ridge Branch.
Behind the Kanda Total Filling Station, Next to Dashen Opticians. [Addpharma 2019].

Website: https://addpharma4u.com

2.8.2 1mg.
1mg is an online drug store that permits clients to arrange solution based prescriptions,
protein supplements, clinical gadgets and individual consideration items. 1mg was
established in 2015. Its base camp is situated in Gurgaon, Haryana, IN 122001.
Notwithstanding letting you request your medications, it additionally causes you assemble
data on your drugs. It additionally sells conventional prescriptions. Regardless of whether
you would prefer not to purchase from them, you may utilize the application to find out about
it. You can get some answers concerning the substitutes and symptoms if assuming any of the
medications you are requesting. [Kamat 2016].

The administration is operational in Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Agra,

Indore, Bhopal and Bengaluru. It has organization with drug stores in these areas. It lets you
get your medications from one of the closest banded together drug stores.

A couple of notable highlights of the 1mg are

• It lets you discover substitutes for prescriptions. You simply enter the name of the drugs and
it offers you the rundown of section options.

• You can keep getting customized wellbeing tips dependent on the medications you request.
In addition, these wellbeing tips originate from experienced specialists themselves.

• The reactions of your doctor prescribed meds are recorded on the application and the site
for around 100000 medications.

• You can utilize the application to book indicative tests.

• The administration lets you locate the best specialists at your area. Arrangements can be
reserved through the application in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai. It has an

15
additional favorable position of hearing the second point of view on disease from specialists
in the field.

• Their application has won a few honors for its greatness in the field. They have applications
for both android and IOS. [Kamat 2016].

Website – www.1mg.com

Weaknesses:
It takes longer hours to just validate a prescription and it they are cannot approve medicine,
they keep you in the loop for another day and you keep getting repeated mails instead of call
directly and even when reply they hardly see the mails and then keep sending mails again and
again. Customers also complained that date shown that your order would be delivered isn’t
the actual date it would be delivered.

2.8.3 Medimart Pharmacy.

Medimart Pharmacy is a limited liability company established in 2005 with the aim of
providing healthcare for customers emphasizing on drugs and cosmetics. Mr. Ebenezer
Bediako is a pharmacist who owns Medimart. The company’s manager is Mrs. Arabella
Bediako and they have managed to secure about five outlets within Tema and Accra are
focused on becoming the first choice of people when they need pharmaceutical services. All
Medimart outlets have pharmacists present as well as customer service staff dedicated to their
job and aspire to provide the best customer care. [Medimart 2020].

Vision - Their vision is to be known as the best option for pharmaceutical social insurance
and administration conveyance.

Mission – is to convey world-class drug store benefits and give high caliber and safe
medications to assist patients' with carrying on with solid lives.

Values - Medimart works on a lot of basic standards as epitomized in their qualities.

Care – Their expert calling motivates us to act with responsibility and energy.

16
Dedication – They strive to approach the holy obligation of patient consideration with
compassion and speed to convey excellent outcomes.

Confidentiality – They love the uniqueness of their customers.

Website: https://www.medimart.com.gh

2.8.4 Netmeds.
Netmeds is a licensed internet pharmacy based in India that allows people to purchase
healthcare products as well as prescription medications. The company has about 279 people
employed and has $1M in revenue. It has its headquarters based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The main other online pharmacies Netmeds compete with are 1mg, caring and HealthSavers.
The company has gotten funding of $64M. [Kamat 2016].

Users can order medicines from all parts of the world but the company only delivers to
locations only in India. Netmeds in under the Dadha Company which is trusted when it
comes pharmaceutical service delivery. This firm has been known since 1914 and it
pioneered in online pharmacy service delivery in India with the introduction of Netmeds.
Users can go to the Netmeds webpage and place orders for whatever medication they need.
Alternatively, users can download the Netmeds App and upload their prescription and place
their order. Usually delivery is processed and dispatched within two to three days. There is
the cash on delivery payment method as well as Credit or debit card payment. [Kamat 2016].

Features of Netmeds

 You can place orders from any part of the world as long as you want it to be delivered
to any Indian location.
 Users can make enquires via email and Whatsapp.
 The Netmeds app offers a discount of 15% off orders and 5% off non-prescription
medicines.

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  Netmeds has a wide variety of products ranging from herbal products, health care
devices, personal and family care products and many more.
 The Mobile App is available on Android and IOS.

Website – www.netmeds.com

WEAKNESSES.
When you place an order, you sometimes do not receive the medication yet the amount for
the product may be deducted from your account.

2.8.5 Top-up Pharmacy.

Top-up pharmacy is a licensed pharmaceutical establishment that operates in the Retail and
Wholesale industry and is based in Tema, Ghana. The company is about to launch a brand of
its pharmaceutical, cosmetic and pet products onto the market. The company currently has a
single wholesale facility and four retail outlets. Their retail outlets has a wide variety of
medicines and other products. [Topuppharmacy 2020].

Website: https://top-uppharmacy.com

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 CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Design Specification.

After a system is approved for development, the process of developing the new system must
go beyond mere computerization of the existing system to evaluating the entire system and
the business associated with it. This chapter talks about the analysis of the proposed systems.
It also gives an insight of some basic requirement analysis which will include use case
diagrams, Sequence diagram and entity relationship diagram of the approved system. It
further talks about the design of the system which includes the database modelling, database
tables and their relationships of the system.

3.2 Design Methodology.

It is very important to fulfill the planning for the implementation phase. This can only be
done if the proper methodology is selected. Design methodology is important to make sure all
project lifecycles are being carried out without any shortcomings. Methodology helps the
system developers to take one step at a time toward accomplishing the proposed system. In
our system development the Software Prototyping model was used.

3.2.1 System prototyping.

System prototyping refers to building programming application models which shows the
functionality of the item or work in progress. However, it may not really hold the specific
rationale of the original system. Prototyping is utilized to permit the clients assess designer

19
proposition and give them the opportunity to have a feel of the system before it is
implemented. It additionally comprehends the prerequisites which are client explicit and
might not have been considered by the designer during item plan [Tutorialspoint 2020].
Approaches needed to create a system prototype are as follows.

 Basic Requirement Identification.

This step basically implies understanding the system requirements especially based on the
user interface. More of the detailed external aspects of a system such as security and
performance can be passed over at this stage but not forgotten.

 Developing the initial Prototype.

This is the stage where the preliminary prototype is developed, here the basic requirements
are presented along with the user interface. These traits may not work exactly in the same
way as it will work internally in the actual system. Meanwhile, this technique is used to give
a client or a user the same feel and look in the prototype.

 Review of the prototype.

At this phase, the developed prototype is presented to the client or user and others who are
invested in the project. The outcome is then collected and put together in a manner that would
be used to further enhance the system being developed.

 Revise and Enhance the Prototype.

At this stage, the response and analyzed comments are then talked about and if there are
negotiations needed, there are made to happen based on details like budget and time
constraints as well as technical feasibility of the final system implementation. The changes
accepted are then absorbed in the new prototype that will be created and this cycle will go on
until the expectations of stakeholders or customers are met.

There are two aspect of prototypes, horizontal and vertical. The horizontal aspect shows the
UI of the framework and proceeds to give a more extensive view on the framework totally
without focusing on the inside capacities. The vertical aspect is the finished delineation of a
specific capacity or a sub framework in the real final result.

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The main idea behind horizontal and vertical prototype is not the same. The Horizontal
prototypes purpose is to collect more details on the user interface level as well as business
requirement. It can be showcased in sales demos to get more business in the market. Vertical
prototypes on the other hand is in nature very technical used to collect more information
about the functions of the system. An example is data processing in a provided system,
database requirements and interaction [Tutorialspoint 2020].

3.2.3 Types of Prototyping.

 Throwaway/Rapid Prototyping.
This type of prototyping is additionally referred to as rapid prototyping. This kind of
prototyping utilizes next to no endeavors with least prerequisite examination to fabricate a
model. When the genuine necessities are understood, the model is disposed of as the real
framework is created with clear understanding of client or user prerequisites.

 Evolutionary prototyping.
Evolutionary prototype is a framework that depends on building genuine useful models with
insignificant usefulness in the first place. The model created forms the core of the future
models on which the whole framework is fabricated. By utilizing the evolutionary
prototyping, the surely knew prerequisites are remembered for the model and the necessities
are included as and when they are comprehended.

 Incremental Prototyping.
This type of prototype involves developing a number of models of the different sub-systems
and then combining all the models built to form one complete system.

 Extreme Prototyping.
Extreme prototyping is usually employed in web development. It is made of three
consecutive steps. Initially, a fundamental model with all the current pages is introduced in
the HTML group. At that point the information handling is reproduced utilizing a layer of
prototyping services. At this point, the administrations are executed and incorporated to the
last model. This procedure is called Extreme Prototyping used to cause notice to the second
step of the procedure, where a completely useful User interface is created with next to no
respect to the real services.

Prototyping is very useful when developing systems that have a much increased user
interactions like our online pharmacy system. Our system for example requires users to create

21
accounts or login in to be able to place an order. For that to happen, users need to fill out a
registration form or a login form in a case where the user already has an account. As our
system requires users to go through a number of screen in order for data to be processed,
prototyping is very efficient to produce exactly how the system looks like and how it feels
way before it is developed [Tutorialspoint 2020].

Prototyping Advantages.

 Users and Stakeholders get more involved in the system before it is implemented.
 Based on the fact that a prototype produces a working model of proposed system,
users usually can comprehend the system which is being developed.
 Saves money and time as deformities can be identified a lot before.
 Quicker client criticism is accessible prompting better arrangements.
 Missing functions can be distinguished without any problem.

Prototyping Disadvantages.

 A user can get confused with a prototype and the main system.
 A lot of time could go into building the prototype if proper monitoring is not
conducted.

3.3 Functional Requirements.

Functional requirements are functions of a system based on the technical functionality of a
system.

3.3.1 Sign up or registration form for users.

This system shall provide a form for users to enter personal information into system before
going ahead to make purchases. Users are required to provide the following:

 Username.
 Email
 Password.
 Country.
 City.
 Contact.
 Address.
 Profile Picture.

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3.3.2 Login form.

There shall be a login form for users who already have accounts. They would be required to
enter their email and password to gain access.

3.3.3 Cart.
Our system shall provide a shopping cart for customers which can contain as many products
as the customer wants to purchase. Within the shopping cart customers will be able to see
added products with their quantities and prices as well as order summary which contains the
total price of orders.

3.3.4 Search Products.

Customers shall have the option to filter through or search for products with keywords. They
can filter through by ticking the various options provided at the sidebar on the Shop page.
Also, they can search for product categories with keywords. They can search for product
manufactures, categories and product categories.

3.3.4 Products Detail Page.

All products have a detail page available which contains information about drugs and other
products as well as their dosage and various uses. Before a product is added to a cart, the
details page is displayed to the customer just in case he/she does not have an idea about
product composition and uses.

3.4 Non-functional Requirements.

3.4.1 Security.
The systems security is ensured by the web server. The administrator has access to modify
content on the various webpages. This may include delete customer, insert customer, insert
products, delete products etc. Layout of the website including fonts and style can be modified
by the administrator. General users do not have access to modify any item on webpage apart
from their personal information.

3.4.2 Performance.

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This pharmacy system operates it functions in a small amount of time in less than two
seconds and can be accessed by lots of users at a time. To make purchases, a user must first
create an account. Other than that, users can view product prices and details and add items to
cart without necessarily having to sign in.

3.4.3 Usability.
Anyone familiar with using a web browser can operate our system since its interface is very
user friendly. All navigations on this pharmacy system are very easy to use.

3.4.4 Reliability.
This system is available based on user needs and works very properly hence very reliable.
Various payment options are provided including mobile money payment and cash on
delivery. The page refreshes by itself within a few seconds in any case of an invalid
operation. Data is protected and controlled by only the admin.

3.4.5 Availability.
When it comes to the purchase of medications, it is almost always very delicate. So our
system is going to be made available online always.

3.4.6 Recoverability.
Users can always recover their accounts in any case of lost or forgotten password.

3.4.7 Integrity.
The integrity of user data is always important. Only administrators have access to all user
information except their passwords. Any user who uses our system should know that their
password is safe as no one has access to it but them.

Once your password is entered during registration there is a special code which hashes out
your password as it enters the database. No one can use this to access your account.

3.4.7 Maintainability.
Our system wouldn’t be had to maintain as we conformed to most coding practices and
standards. Doing so, there are comments within codes which tells a developer what is done at
each point which makes it easier for maintenance.

3.5 Feasibility studies.

System feasibility can be divided into the following sections:

24
3.5.1 Economic feasibility.
This project is economically feasible as the only cost involved is having a computer with the
minimum requirements and a smart phone. For users to access the webpage, the only cost
involved will be getting access to the internet.

3.5.2 Technical Feasibility.

To deploy this system, the only technical aspects need are mentioned below:

Operating Environment windows XP, 7,8,10 MAC.

Platform .Net Framework.
Xxamp Server.

For users:
Internet Browser.
Internet Connection.
3.5.3 Behavioral Feasibility.
This system requires no special technical guidance and all the views available are self-
explanatory. The users are well guided with warning and failure messages for all the actions
taken.

25
26
Entity relationship Diagram.

Figure 1 Entity Relationship

27
User Use case Diagram.

28
Admin Use case Diagram

Figure 2 Admin Use Case

29
Flowchart Diagram.

Figure 3 Flowchart Diagram

30
User sequence Diagram.

Figure 4: User Sequence Diagram.

31
Admin Sequence Diagram.

Figure 5: Admin Sequence Diagram.

32
3.6 Development and Implementation.
During the development phase of this project we used a couple of tools in the process. The
various tools used are HTML, PHP, CSS, JAVASCRIPT, SUBLIME TEXT, and XAMPP
SERVER.

3.6.1 HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

HTML is a group of markup symbols or codes embedded in a record expected for show on a
World Wide Web program page. The markup advises the internet browser how to show a
Web pages words and pictures for the client. Every individual markup code is alluded to as a
component which numerous individuals call it tags. A few components comes two by two
that show when some presentation impact is to start and when it is to end.

3.6.2 PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor).

Previously known as Personal Home Page, PHP is a broadly utilized open source universally
useful scripting language that is appropriate for web improvement and can be installed into
HTML. What recognizes PHP from something like customer side JavaScript is that the code
is executed on a server, producing HTML which is then sent to the customer. The customer
would get the aftereffects of running that content however would not comprehend what the
hidden code was.

3.6.3 CSS (Cascading style sheet).

CSS portrays how HTML components are to be shown on screen, paper, or in other
media.CSS spares a great deal of work. It can control the design of different site pages at the
same time. It is also a website page got from various sources with a characterized request of
priority where the meanings of any style component struggle. The falling template level 1
suggestion from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) which is actualized in the most
recent renditions of the Netscape and Microsoft Web programs, indicates the conceivable
templates or proclamations that may decide how a given component is introduced in a site
page.

3.6.4 JavaScript.
JavaScript is a programming language that began basically as a component to add rationale
and intuitiveness to an in any case static Netscape program. In the years since its
presentation, it has not just superseded other kinds of languages and technology to turn into

33
the standard for programming in relation to browsers, yet it has additionally extended past the
customer space to become predominant language on the server side also.

3.6.7 Sublime Text.

Sublime text is a restrictive cross stage open source code manager with a python application
programming interface. It locally helps many programming and markup languages.
Additionally, capacities can be included by clients with modules, commonly network
constructed and kept up under free-programming licenses.

3.6.7 XAMPP.
This is an open-source programming software created by Apache friends. It contains a variety
of Apache components like Apache server, Maria DB, PHP and Perl. What's more, it is
essentially a local server and a local host. The local server operates on users work area or PC.
The utilization of XAMPP is to test the customers or your site before transferring it to the
remote web server. This XAMPP server programming gives you the appropriate condition for
testing MYSQL, PHP, Apache and Perl ventures on the nearby PC.

3.7 System Architecture.

Figure 6: System Architecture Diagram

34
This architecture diagram above which also be could be called a three level desgin is a system
architecture that is basically made of three layers. Usually, they are used in applications as a
particular kind of client-server framework. Three tier architecture give numerous advantages
to creation and improvement situations by modularizing the UI, business rationale and
information storage layers. Doing so gives more noteworthy adaptability to innovation groups
by permitting them update a particular piece of the application autonomously of different
parts. This additional adaptability can improve the time a system get to market and provides
decreased cycle time for development by providing teams with the chance to update or make
changes to the other tiers independently without it having any adverse effect on the others.

3.7.1 Presentation Tier.

This tier is the front end of a three tier system which is made up of the user interface. This
user interface is one that is more graphical and is usually accessed via a browser or a web app
and usually reflects or exhibits information which is in one way or the other beneficial to a
user. It is mostly built on JavaScript, HTML, CSS and other web development Software and
uses the Application programming interface to interact with the other layers.

3.7.2 Application Tier.

The application tier is made of the functional business logic which drives an application’s
core capabilities. It is often written in C#, Java, Python, C++ .Net, etc. It can be kept on
servers on the cloud or ones that are house based which is mostly dependent on how much
power the application needs to process.

3.7.3 Data Tier.

This tier can also be called the storage tier as it is made up of the database or data storage. It
also consists of a program necessary for controlling access to the database i.e. read or write.
A couple of such systems are Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL and Mongo DB.

3.8 Procedural or Modular Approach.

3.8.1 Shop Products Module.
This module starts when a user visits the shop page and searches for a product by entering a
search term or filters through products by selecting available options for Manufacturers,
categories and Product categories. This part of the application includes displaying all the
products available or the products that matches the selected option.

35
The user browse through the products and each product would be displayed with an image
and its details like composition, directions of use and warnings or side effects if any. A user
can add a product to the cart by clicking add to cart button. The user would be able to see the
summary of customer cart.

3.8.2 Products Description module.

This module starts when a user visits the product details page. A user view various
dimensions of the product image. The user can view the price of product, quantity to be
purchased as well as general information about product including side effects if any.

3.8.3 Shopping Cart Module.

This module starts when the user views the shopping cart. All the products that have been
added to the shopping cart by user as listed along with their price and quantity. The total price
of all the products added to cart is displayed. A customer can remove the product from the
cart by selecting delete box and clicking update button. The total prices changes accordingly
when a product is removed or added.

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 CHAPTER FOUR.

SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING.

4.1 Testing Techniques.

Testing of a system is basically conducted with the goal of discovering errors in a system.
System testing gives assurance to the quality of the system and represents the ultimate review
of the specification, design and coding.

4.2 Testing Objectives.

1. Testing is a procedure of executing a program with the point of revealing a flaw.
2. A great testing case is one that has a likelihood of finding a yet unfamiliar errors.
3. A fruitful test demonstrates flaws that is yet to be found.

These stated objectives describes a dramatic change in the viewport. Testing cannot show that
there are no defects, it can only produce results of system errors present.

4.3 Implementation.
System implementation is the stage where we deploy the actual system. Since we developed
this system ourselves, we know how it looks like. The implementation of our proposed
system involved constructing the following:

 User Interface.
 A Database.
 A Local Sever.

For a user to be able to perform various activities on the system, we created an easy to use
interface to allow users on the platform to interact well with the system. These major
activities include, registration, Login, add item to cart, view products etc. We created these
various interfaces using tools such as PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and bootstrap. The
database that stores customer information was created using the Xxamp application. All the
tables in the database are linked to each other.

The database consists of tables namely; Admin, cart, categories, customers, product
categories, customer orders, manufacturers, payments, products, sliders, terms, pending
orders and boxes section.

37
4.4 System Testing.
System testing can be conducted at two different stages which are
4.4.1 Unit Testing.
Unit testing stresses its verification effort on the smallest unit of the system design i.e. the
software module. This is a dynamic method for verification, where the program is compiled
and executed. Unit testing is done side by side with the coding phase. It basically tests the
various modules not the whole software before integration happens.

I have done the testing for each module of the system individually. As the modules were built
up, testing was carried out simultaneously, there was the tracking of every input made and
making sure the corresponding output is working well. The functionality of the various
modules was tested as well on separate units. All the three modules was tested as separate
units.

In the Shop Products Module anytime a product is added to the cart there is always a message
displayed to make a user know the item already exits and it could be modified, else the
product is created in the shopping cart. Also, we ensured that all the product images in the
shop are of the same size and of good quality.

The product details module has also been tested that all the various dimensions of product
images are displayed properly. Users could also read about product uses as well as its
composition and side effects if any. We also tested to see that recommended products are
randomly generated anytime the details page is refreshed.

In the cart module, it has been tested that anytime a user modifies products in the cart be it
that the quantity is edited or product is deleted, the total price is updated accordingly. It has
also been tested if there is a partial page or whole page refresh when the cart is edited.

4.4.2 System Testing.

System testing is done throughout the development of the system. This is usually done to
look out for malfunctions or problems that may be liable to the system. Importantly, testing is
not done to show the perfection of the system. To be able to come up with a system that
meets all the provided requirements, testing must be done to be certain the right thing is done.
In the development of the system, a couple of criterions used as the testing standard of the
system are Graphical User Interface, Usability testing, Database and Exception Handling.

38
Graphical User Interface testing.

Testing the Graphical User Interface (GUI) is basically testing the graphic aspects of the
system to be make sure it covers the whole GUI area. Thus the system functionality based on
the different types of modules. An example is the testing for both users and administrator
modules were tested to be sure both had links and tables that connects directly to their
requirements based on the use cases. Following is the phase of GUI testing which is the
sequencing testing. This is to make sure users don’t get confused or find difficulties in
navigating the system to search different ways to perform certain operations.

Figure 7: Homepage

39
The homepage of this platform was designed by PHP, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap and
JavaScript. This is what users will see when they log onto our system.

Figure 7.1: Homepage 2

Once a user logs onto our homepage this is what to be expected. The homepage displays just
6 different products. To get access to more products, a user has to go to the shop section.

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Usability Testing.
Usability testing pay much attention on how user-friendly as system is. It entails testing the
web page out exactly how users communicate with the system. The cases in which we
developed this test was completely realistic.

A couple of family and friends came to the site to perform certain actions which like
registration and signing in as well as changing passwords and user information. This was a
complete success as users found it much easier to perform all these tasks.

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Figure 8: Registration page

Registration Page.
This page is where a user enters a couple of personal details in order to be able to place an
order. If you do not register you can definitely navigate the website and view products and
details and add products to cart as well as a couple of other things. To able to place an order,
a user has to have an account.

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The Login Page.
This is the page where a user enters his/her login information i.e. Email and password in
order to gain access into the system.

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Figure 9: Login Page.
Once a user enters their details and gains access to the system, the “Welcome: Guest” Green
button on the top left corner displays “Welcome: Users Email”. That’s when you can be sure
you’re logged in.

The Cart Page.

Users can view the various products they wish to purchase on this page. Not only can they
view the products but also the total prices of all products as well.

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Figure 10: Cart Page.
The Shop Page.
This is the page where a user can view all available products on the platform. Users have the
opportunity to search for products based on provided options which are Manufacturers,
Categories and Product categories. This textboxes provided is watermarked with the words of

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the category to let the user know that this is the place to enter the search term. A user can also
filter products by checking the boxes provided.

Figure 11: Shop Page.

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Figure 11.1: Shop Page 2

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The Product Details Page.
A user can click on the image of a product in order to find out more information about said
product. This information includes a couple of product images and directions of use of
product. Users can select the quantity of products they wish to purchase as well.

Figure 12: Details Page.

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Figure 12 1: Details Page 2.

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User Profile or Account.
This is the page where users can manage their account. On this page, users can see their
profile picture and products they placed an order for. They have the option of altering their
account information including all the details that was taken when they were signing up. Users
can also delete their account on this page if they wish to stop using this platform as well as
logout here.

Figure 13: User Profile Page.

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Exception handling testing.

This type of testing was done on the system to be assured the system remains intact even in a
case when an error occurs due to the trigger of some exceptional events. A couple of
exceptions were uncovered and made right within the use of the base PHP and JavaScript.
Statements like if and else, try and catch in the above scripts supplied some approaches to be
used to regulate user actions and maintain order in the system by handling unexpected flaws.

Admin Login Page.

This is the page where an admin logs in to get access to the system. Admins have all the
privileges stated in the admin use case.

Figure 14: Admin Login.

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Admin Dashboard.
This is the first page admins will see once they are logged in.

Figure 15: Admin Dashboard.

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Admin View All Products Page.
The admin can view all products in the database as well as edit, insert and delete.

Figure 16: Admin View Products Page.

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Admin View Customers Page.
Admin can view information about customers who have registered as well as delete them
from the system. Only customers can alter their information.

Figure 17: Admin View Customers Page.

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Admin View Products Categories Page.
An administrator can view the Products categories pages. They can also edit and Delete
entries on this page.

Figure 18: Admin View Products Categories Page.

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Admin View Slides Page.
Admin is able to view, edit and delete the slides on the Homepage on this page.

Figure 19: Admin View Slides Page.

Admin View Manufacturers Page.

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Admins can view, edit and delete various manufacturers on this page.

Figure 20: Admin View Manufacturers.

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Database Testing.
The Xxamp System provided us with the local server on which our database is stored. The
database used on our system is made up of a data dictionary of different varieties of data
types. These data types show the form of data which the system database can take. For the
database to be implemented, the data dictionary must be tested to conform its proper use
through the Database Management System. Also it is important to test database to ensure
conformity to Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability all from the ACID properties
of Database management systems.

Figure 21: System Database Tables.

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Figure 22: Admins Table.

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Figure 23: Boxes Table.

Figure 24: Cart Table.

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Figure 25: Categories Table.

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Figure 26: Customers Table.

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Figure 27: Customer Orders Table.

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Figure 28: Manufacturers Table.

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Figure 29: Payments Table.

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Figure 30: Pending Orders Table.

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Figure 31: Products Table.

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Figure 32: Product Categories Table.

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Figure 33: Slides Table.

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Figure 34: Terms Table.

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Pharmacy Point of Sale.
This point of sale is to record transactions as well as print receipt for customers. The
pharmacy can add all their products to sheet 2. Once the product item is entered at the “Scan
item” section, the product appears. Once a product is sold, all the information is saved on the
other page.

Figure 35: POS System Interface.

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Customer Receipt.
Once the Cashier clicks on print, a receipt is printed for the customer.

Figure 36: Customer Receipt.

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 CHAPTER FIVE.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION.

Summary.
This online pharmacy platform is to deliver a web based platform that would allow users
place orders for various products. Users also have the option of easy conducting of searches
and viewing products. The sidebar provided on the shop page shows the various categories in
which users can search for products. Users can alter available products based on using
keywords to search or by selecting the provided options on the side bar.

The implementation of our system by any pharmacy will improve the quality of service they
may or have been providing to their customers. We can therefore conclude that this online
platform will be used for ordering medications whether prescription or non-prescription. This
can be made possible for prescription based orders because for a user to be able to place an
order, they need to register, once they are registered their account information is available to
the pharmacy. The pharmacy can therefore contact the individual who want to order a
prescription medication to provide their valid prescription on the pharmacies preferred
channel before their orders are processed. Online pharmacies provides loads of benefits to
customers in healthcare in diverse ways. Most importantly, they provide convenience to
customers or users. Convenience is key in customer-business relationship. For people to keep
patronizing products from a particular company or business, they must be gaining something
great from that business like convenience. Online pharmacies also provides great services
like easy ordering processes, early delivery, products and affordable prices, quick services
and many more.

Even though online pharmacy platforms provide greater benefits than some community
pharmacies, it should be geared towards establishing regulations like not selling prescription
medication without valid prescription. Customers should be made aware of medications that
need prescriptions before they could be acquired

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Recommendations.
Based on the various challenges linked to internet based Pharmaceutical systems, we would
agree with a few researchers in making the recommendations below:

1. Every stakeholder should be a computer literate and have a smartphones or a

computer as the system is based online.
2. People should be educated or made aware on the importance of online Pharmaceutical
platforms.
3. Various institutions responsible for regulating the Pharmaceutical industry should add
the utilization of these systems to their regulations.
4. Researchers should carry out studies on how effective this systems perform.

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