IT APPLICATION TOOLS IN BUSINESS

INTRODUCTION

1. What are the Innovations and Effects of Technology in

Business and Accountancy?
2. What is the Role of Information Technology in the field of
Business and Accountancy?
3. What is the Impact of social media on Business and
Accountancy?

IT Tools in Business
a. Components of a Computer System

1. Hardware devices are the physical components of the

computer. Items such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse,
and printer are also known as peripherals because they
attach to the computer. The computer itself is known as
the system unit, and it contains many of the critical
hardware and electrical components.
2. Application software is an end-user program typically
divided into two classes; applications software and
systems software. Systems software provides an
operating system and utilities that enable applications
software such as database programs, spreadsheets,
web browsers, and more to run.
3. A storage device is any computing hardware that is used
for storing, porting, and extracting data files and objects.
It can hold and store information temporarily and
permanently and can be internal or external to a
computer, server, or similar computing device.

b. Application Programs

1. A word processor is software or a device that allows

users to create, edit, and print documents. It enables you
to write text, store it electronically, display it on a screen,
modify it by entering commands and characters from the
 keyboard, and print it. Of all computer applications, word
processing is the most common.
2. A spreadsheet is a file that exists of cells in rows and
columns and can help arrange, calculate, and sort data.
Data in a spreadsheet can be numeric values, as well as
text, formulas, references, and functions.
3. Presentation - It can share important information such as
a business plan or educational lesson or be useful for
entertainment purposes.

Computer Security

a. Identify cyber-attacks and malware Cyberattacks

Knowing what’s happened can help limit damage and restore
your systems quickly if your firm is attacked. This guide
explains how to recognize and prevent the different threats.
The most common cybercrimes are phishing and vishing
scams. They rely on people being tricked into sharing secure
information. Law firms are a common target for a type of
phishing attack known as “Friday afternoon fraud”.

Data breaches must be reported to the Information

Commissioner's Office within 72 hours of being discovered.
Everyone in your firm should know how to do this.

Supply chain attacks target less secure parts of your supply

network. You should know how to monitor your suppliers
and manage the risk.

Malware - ‘Malicious software’, known as malware, is

designed to cause damage to computer systems.
Ransomware, spyware, and viruses are examples of
malware.

b. Distinguish differences between cyber intruders:

Trolls - It is someone who deliberately starts a fight and insults

others in online forums. They disrupt discussions in an effort to
cause drama. They are practically omnipresent on social media.
 Spies - Cyber espionage is a form of cyber attack that steals
classified, sensitive data or intellectual property to gain an
advantage over a competitive company or government entity.
Hackers - The hacker is someone who is a mastermind in the
art of programming to the point that he or she simply sit down
and hack into a program that works. But the intruders are
basically who violate networks and information systems.
Thieves - Thieves are creating other types of Trojans that
steal account information and key files of various program
products and resources from infected computers, for the benefit
of the thief.

c. Discuss security issues and threats to computers and

communication
There are many threats to computers and the
communication system which are errors, accidents, and
natural hazards.
1. Human Errors
Humans often are not good at assessing their own
information
Humans’ emotions affect their performance
Humans’ perceptions are slower compared to the equipment
Information overload humans can sometimes be a problem

2. Procedural Errors
When people fail to follow the steps and instructions
prepared, the error tends to occur.

3. Software Errors
Software malware or bug: causes a program or software to
not run properly

4. Dirty Data problems

Incomplete, outdated, or inaccurate source of data
 5. Electromechanical problems
 Mechanical systems can wear out or become damaged
after a period of usage.
 They can sometimes be badly designed or constructed
 Power surges and failures can damage the equipment
connected
6. Natural hazards
Unpredictable and often lead to disaster when occurs

7. Computer Crimes
 Computer crimes can be categorized into two which
is an illegal act perpetrated against computers.
 or telecommunications and use of computer and
telecommunications to accomplish illegal acts by
using the computer as a tool
 Other examples of computer crimes are theft of
hardware, theft of software, theft of intellectual
properties, theft of time and services, theft of
information, and many more
d. Distinguish security safeguards protecting computers and
communications.
Security is a system or software safeguard for protecting
information technology against facing disaster, system
failures, and also unauthorized access that can result in
damage and loss.

Computer security can be divided into five components:

1. Deterrents to computer crime

 Enforcing the law
 CERT to provide round-the-clock information on
international computer security threats
 Tools used to fight fraudulent and unauthorized
online uses
 Rule base detection software
 Predictive statistical model software
 Employee internet management
 Internet browsing filtering software
 Electronic surveillance
 2. Identification and access
 Verify legitimate right of access by what you have,
what you know, and who you are
 What do you have like keys, cards, signatures,
badges
 What you know like pin numbers and passwords
 Who are you like biometrics such as face scans and
fingerprint scans
3. Encryption
 The process of altering and changing data into
unreadable form to prevent unauthorized access
 Advantage is data is available over the internet
 Disadvantage is law officers may not be able to read
the data.
4. Protection of software and data
 Restrict access to online files; use transaction logs
 Use audit controls to track who used what programs
and servers, which files were opened, and so on
 Use people controls—screen applicants; do
background checks; monitor Internet, email, and
computer usage; use shredders for discarded
documents and materials
5. Disaster Recovery Plan
 Method of retrieving important data and information
after a disaster has happened
 Data storage system must be kept separately and
data have to be backed up
 Back up all data and keep in mainframes in different
positions

e. Explain privacy surveillance

data collectors - Data Modelers and Data Governance
experts need to work with the company’s security experts to
create policies and procedures designed to handle
confidential data within the organization and to decide which
data can be safely exposed to vendors and others outside
the firm.
 spies - Spying combines monitoring and surveillance with
active intelligence gathering and data analysis to discover
what is occurring relative to government or corporate
interests. Spying can be used in the interest of national
security, by unscrupulous corporations to discover trade
secrets, or has the media discovered, to sway individual’s
opinions about political candidates, high-profile individuals,
or national interests.

f. What are the computer crimes and cybercrime law

Computer crime describes a very broad category of offenses.
Some of them are the same as non-computer offenses, such
as larceny or fraud, except that a computer or the Internet is
used in the commission of the crime. Others, like hacking,
are uniquely related to computers. Read on to find out what
kinds of activities are considered computer crimes and how
to protect yourself from them.

Cybercrime law
 Computer Crime
 Cyberbullying
 Sexting
 Identity Theft

g. The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

 Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
 Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer
work.
 Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer
files.
 Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
 Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
 Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for
which you have not paid (without permission).
 Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources
without authorization or proper compensation.
  Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual
output.
 Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the
program you are writing or the system you are
designing.
 Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure
consideration and respect for other humans

Introduction to Database Management

1. Describe the enrollment process of UPHSD based on your

experiences during enrollment. Identify the advantages/
disadvantages and benefits of having a computerized
enrollment system.
What I’ve experienced during enrollment is that it is easier for
them to encode but it still depends on the WIFI connection. And
it still needs staff in the finance and registrar because even it is
the computerized system still needs enough staff to work on
the computer. There are lots of students in UPHSD, but the flow
in enrollment is so slow because lack of staff.

Advantage

Computerized systems allow for greater efficiency in

performing specific tasks both more accurately and more
rapidly than doing the same task using, for example, a pencil
and paper or a pencil and ledger book. Computerized systems
also offer storage capacity efficiency. For example, a
computerized system's hard drive taking up a relatively small
amount of space can store a large collection of business or
personal documents. A paper-based system, in contrast, would
take up at least one, and usually more, file cabinets for storage
of the same document collection.

Disadvantages: Miscellaneous

Rapid changes in technology can cause a computer to become

outdated relatively quickly, requiring upgrades or replacements
on a regular basis for computerized systems deployed for
 business use. Computerized systems can also give some users
a sense of false security that can result in catastrophic losses
of massive amounts of present or past work unless the user
learns to use proper backup procedures. Computer work also
has been implicated in a variety of health-related issues, such
as skeletal problems, eyestrain, and a complex of conditions
known as repetitive stress injury with carpal tunnel syndrome
illustrating the best-known repetitive-stress condition.

2. Describe the computerized process used in the Library.

It is way better for example attendance to the students who enter
the library, you don’t need to write your name on the paper
instead swipe your ID and it is detected. With the help of the
library system, we can maintain the stocks such as books,
newspapers, and magazines more efficiently. With the help of this
feature our manual works have reduced to a great extent. This
feature also helps in editing or deleting the data, if require.

3.What is a Database?
A database is a collection of information that is organized so
that it can be easily accessed, managed, and updated.
Computer databases typically contain aggregations of data
records or files, containing information about sales
transactions or interactions with specific customers.

Database Management System?- It is a software package

designed to define, manipulate, retrieve, and manage data in
a database. A DBMS generally manipulates the data itself, the
data format, field names, record structure and file structure. It
also defines rules to validate and manipulate this data.

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of

a database? Advantages of Database
1. Data Abstraction
 Data abstraction means, to hide the complexity of data
from the basic users.
 DBMS abstracts the data to the users, which is not
useful for the users. It shows only those data which are
useful to the users.
2. Controlling Data Redundancy
 Data redundancy means having multiple copies of the
same data.
 DBMS controls the data redundancy and integrates all
data into a single database file.
3. Minimized Data inconsistency
 Data inconsistency means that different files may
contain different information about a particular
object or person, If DBMS has reduced the data
redundancy then the database system leads the
better data consistency
4. Data Manipulation Easily
 In DBMS, Data can be manipulated easily, because
data is centralized so once the data structure is
defined, we can easily change in the data like-
insertion, modification or deletion.
5. Data can be shared
 Data can be shared easily by multiple applications in
centralized DBMS. The applications can be developed
without having to create any new stored files.
 6. Data Security
 Database provides data security means protecting
your precious data from unauthorized access. Data can
be access only by authorized users of the organization.
 A database can be accessed only by proper
authentication usually by verifying login and password.
7. Support Multi-users Views
Multi-users can view the data at the same time.
8. Concurrent Access
Several users can access the database concurrently.

Disadvantages of Database

1. Cost of Hardware and Software:

 To run the DBMS software, we need a high-speed
processor, and a large memory size is required which
causes expensive hardware is needed.
2. Cost of Data Conversion:
 When a computer file-based system is replaced with a
database system, then the data stored in data files must
be converted into database files.
 It is a difficult and time-consuming method to convert the
data of data files into a database.
3. Cost of Staff Training:
 DBMS are often complex system, so the training is
required for the users to use the DBMS.
 The organization has to be paid plenty of amount for the
training of workers to run the database management
system.

4. Give examples of database management applications.

 MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Access, SQL Server,
FileMaker, Oracle, RDBMS, dBASE, Clipper, and FoxPro.
 Since there are so many database management
systems available, it is important for there to be a way
for them to communicate with each other.
 General REFLECTION
Information technology drives innovation and
innovation is the path to business success. Innovation in
business has the same impact that steam had on the industrial
revolution.
Nowadays the formula for business success is simple:
drive innovation with information technology. So, the first thing
startups in any industry try to figure out is how to make smart
IT recruiting choices. Without a backbone of information
technology, a business is not going to go far.
It actually relies on creativity and problem-solving.
This field provides you with the unique opportunity to use your
tech skills to come up with innovative solutions to problems
faced by your clients, company and the population as a whole.
You have the opportunity to use your skills to make major
contributions.
Using application tools in business helps me
become more engaged, it teaches to the students not only me
to enjoy and embrace the learning process, even if they don’t
realize it. As a student seeks out new information and answers
to questions, they develop a habit of exploratory learning. This
is the foundation of career learning. It continually seek new
information and ways to better themselves, ultimately leading
to skills they can put to use in their personal and professional
lives.

Additional Assignment:
1. What have I learned that helped me do all aspects of this
better?
2. What have I done that has made me better at doing all
aspects of this?
How can I improve at doing all aspects of this?

JOURNAL 2
 A database management system makes it possible for
multiple authorized users to access the same database from
different places, in different ways, to fulfill different intents.
Databases give you lots of different ways to look at your
data. A request for a specific answer or list from your database
called a "query" can take just a minute or two to write, as
opposed to hand-collating data records or sorting and resorting a
spreadsheet. Plus, you can write standing queries to answer the
questions you ask frequently, so an up-to-the-minute answer is
just seconds away.

The major advantages of a database system approach to

managing data include improving data sharing for users,
improving data security, improving data access and improving
data integration while minimizing data inconsistencies. This will
lead to improved decision making and productivity.
Microsoft access is a Database Management System
offered by Microsoft. It uses the Microsoft Jet Database Engine
and comes as a part of the Microsoft Office suite of application.
Microsoft Access offers the functionality of a database and the
programming capabilities to create easy to navigate screens
(forms). It helps you analyze large amounts of information, and
manage data efficiently.
I believe this is an area where we may see some change in
the not-so-distant future. IT started by creating systems so that
people could store data in disks rather than on paper. Those
applications were program-heavy while the data was in electronic
files. Systems now can store data in much more complex and
efficient ways. Relationships between data entities can exist, we
can access data that is not contained within our systems and
businesses are demanding more intelligence out of their data.
Also, for some industries, current data entry methods which may
currently include a person entering data will be replaced by
machines. This may diminish the need for programming, and the
sheer volume and variety of data being collected may stimulate
some IT professionals to pursue a career in data management.