Database for private tuition agency

What we do and what we have The agency provides private tutors in over 200 subjects for both companies and private individuals. We have an extensive website with forms reporting using ASP and Javascript and CDONTS to send completed forms. A brief overview of what we are looking to achieve. The database currently runs in ACCESS and we need to migrate it to MS SQL or mySQL to handle the load better. We are proposing to host the whole database on a server system with: Some fixed IP's permitted to access the whole database Some sections accessed only by secure password Some sections freely available for the public The two offices operate a network of about a dozen PC's in one and 4 in the other but will need to be able to accommodate more in both. The database needs to be able to: Take tutor applications from the website, allow them to be approved and assessed (we have 200 subjects at 8 different levels) and thence be written straight to the database. This to send out confirmatory emails issuing unique tutor numbers (currently the Access Primary Key). At the same time emailing referees a link to a form on the website (with a unique password for each referee). Completed referee forms to be entered into new fields cross-referenced to the tutor. We have various statuses which describe the performance and availability of the tutor. They are key filters in the searches we do. Bookings from clients come in via the telephone and via the website. The first are entered manually and the second need to be approved by management. There is need for an automatic checking system (postcode and name similarity) against clients who have previously misbehaved. ## Deliverables We need to be able to search through our tutor records for a particular subject. We search by town, region, Yellow Pages area with filters for subject (200), level (8) and tutor status (8). Currently we give out client's details by phone to tutors but we would like to change that to an email linking to a unique secure page on our website. Prices are given to clients on the website and over the phone. There are 4 different Fee Bands plus 'Miscellaneous' with 4 different group sizes for each with 4 different session lengths for each. There are also different fees for online tuition, block-bookings and corporate training. Altogether there are probably several hundred price options. Tutors collect our fees from clients and pass those on to us. They do that via cheque or via our website. We need to be able to accommodate both. Some fees include VAT, some don't depending upon where the lessons take place - the system must cope with both. Clients having online tuition pay in advance over the phone or via the website - we need a system which keeps log of how much credit they have. Tutors complete timesheets showing what work they have done for us and that is used to calculate what they owe. A statement is produced each month showing their old balance, lessons carried out, money owed, payments received and new balance (which becomes the old balance on the next statement). They also send us timesheets for corporate clients whom we invoice. Tutors use an online system to claim payments for online tuition they have completed. This needs integrating into the statements and to produce a self-billing system for us to pay them via. Credit control needs to be able to identify and quantify problems and have an semi-automated response. Management statistics need to be available to authorised personnel. Company accounts and VAT returns are currently done in Excel - this may also be included if the cost is not prohibitive. Current database statistics 70,000 plus clients, 13,000 tutors, tens of thousands of payments, lessons, lesson details. Migration Because our database is extremely sensitive (it contains not just financial information, it also holds details of many children), we are proposing that the actual migration be done locally by a separate organisation or, if the fees are not prohibitive, by a UK representative of the successful programming company we use to creatre the database. Other information The agency has the facility to produce its own forms in ASP or Javascript and would do this alongside the SQL programmer. * * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Monday Jan 10, 2005 7:17:00 PM: The work largely entails the conversion of our current ACCESS database into SQL or mySQL. As I tried to indicate from the description of our business, the database is highly complex - here are some statistics from it: 40 Tables - 1 with 40,000 records, 1 with 22,000 and 1 with 12,000. 300 Queries 220 Forms 40 Reports 150 Macros The majority of the work will be converting this for us. We also require it to connect (in places) to our website and will be looking for guidance as to what we can do to assist that end. Please note that we will do most (if not all) of the web work ourselves. We will also get a local company to migrate the actual data into the tables the successful bidder here will have created for us. I would like to know that you are familiar with this type of work and details of similar work you have done in the past. What is your price for build ing a white board as per [login to view URL] ? Our website is [login to view URL] Please quote combined cost of both the jobs. * * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Wednesday Jan 12, 2005 11:10:39 AM: I need to decide on this project within next 48 hours, so please try to send me the formal proposal with your ideas in no more than 30 hours, i want to start asap. thanks ## Platform sql