Information_Systems_and_Software_Solutions

Information Systems and Software Solutions September 11, 2010 Information Systems and Software Solutions In today’s age the use of computers and software applications is the pinnacle of the world’s make up. Most people today wouldn’t know what to do without the Internet or their computers. Businesses today are the same way. Companies today managing appointments in a software application whether stored on their local networks or done online are in need of people that are proficient in different software applications. For the many different departments in each company there is a software application and information system that allows each person in the department do their job in an efficient and effective manner. “An application program is a computer program designed to support a specific task or business process” (Rainer & Turban, pp. 33). To name a few departments that use different application programs to do their daily jobs there is human resources (HR), sales, and accounting. The HR department uses software to manage the employees of the organization. Software can help with everything from hiring, training, and record maintenance to career development. There are many programs in the marketplace like Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) or Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS). Each program is marketed with differentiating features. Some are more robust than others and are targeted to the different sizes of companies. The sales department uses software to manage the clients of the organization. Software programs like Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems help the sales team to document the events of meetings with the client and the outcomes of those meetings. A lot of these programs today are available and used as a hosted solution, meaning that they are web-based. Web-based programs are only accessible via an internet connection and are leased as a subscription. An example of this type of software is salesforce.com. The accounting department also uses software to manage the day-to-day business of the company. Some different accounting software systems businesses can use are Quickbooks, Peach Tree, Quicken, or Great Plains to name a few. Each of these systems has something different to offer its clients. Unlike other types of programs such as those for HR and sales, accounting programs need to be installed on computers for use. In most cases, they also have to be installed on the server as a host so that all information is shared from one user to another. As society and businesses become more and more reliant on computers and software to do day-to-day jobs, it is more and more important for each person to become not only proficient in using a computer but also in learning different types of software for their career specialties. Most careers as those noted above need people who not only specialize in software specific to their jobs but also in other software such as Microsoft Office products. These products will help them with their writing, spreadsheet, and presentation projects. References Rainer, R. K., & Turban, E. (2008). Introduction to information systems (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.