Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

Software Applications
PC hardware must work under the control of
the operating system (O/S) in order to
accomplish a task or work.

The job of H/W or S/W is limited, it is simply

focused on running the computer system it
self.

Application S/W shifts this focus from

computer to humans. If you are a
adventurous learner of computer and its
software applications, then you might enjoy
exploring software applications in the field
of entertainment, educational and business
applications.

Application software is design to help you

accomplish a specific task using the
computer.

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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

Application software produces documents,

perform calculations, manage financial
resources, create graphics, compose music,
play games, maintaining files of
information’s.

The engineering of user interfaces makes use

of computers more enjoyable.

Among the multiple user interfaces, the most

commonly used graphical and menu-driven
user interfaces, makes this sort of software
exploration possible, because these interfaces
includes an on-line help.

This approach can not be taken in hardware,

because hardware needs the proper
installation by following its installation
instructions stepwise.

Applications of software packages (or

training) may last from several hours to
months, but laboratory-base software
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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

package applications need an instructor to

lead through steps by steps.

The laboratory-based software application

training gives hands-on experience to learn
“how to be productive using software
applications”.

To maintain a good attitude about software

applications, it is important to view the
learning process itself.

A computer’s versatility is determined by its

application soft wares.

There are number of different ways for user

to obtain the application S/W for different
tasks to be accomplished on a PC.

Application software is categorized in four

types. The hierarchy of application software
are shown below:

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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

1. Productivity software
2. Word processing
3. Spread sheets
4. Data base management
5. Email
6. Graphics
7. Desktop publishing
8. Scheduling Software

9. Business software
10. Horizontal market software
11. Vertical market software

12. Entertainment software

13. Educational software.

1. Productive software: Productive software

works more effectively.

The most popular type of productive

software are: word processing, spread
sheets and data base management.

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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

The basic features and functions of these

productive software are.

2. Word processing software: Produce

documents such as reports, letters,
papers, and manuscripts. Used to
make page layout, borders, header
& footer, foot notes margins etc.

How to apply word processing

software:

You type in the text of the document,

during this process, you can edit
your work using insert and delete
keys.

3. Spread sheet software: Helps you

work with numbers.

The software displays a grid of rows

and columns on the screen. You
enter numbers and formulas in the
grid and the computer automatically
performs the calculations.
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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

How to use spread sheets:

You set up a work sheet model by

typing labels, numbers and formulas
into the cells.

The formula you enter are similar to

mathematical equations. They tell
the computer how to perform
calculations. The computer
automatically calculates the results
of the formulas and displays them
on the worksheet or as a graph.

4. Database management software:

Helps you works with facts and
figure. Such as the customer names
and addressees, you might store the
name, address records on files.
How database management software
works: A data base is composed of
many records, different records
from different files. Each record
contain field which identify data.
Query can be used to find one or
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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

more records or can be used for a

sorted record list and group reports.

Although word processing, spread

sheet and database management
software are the most popular
productivity software, but there are
other types of productivity software
such as: Electronic mail, Desktop
publishing, Graphics and
Scheduling software.

5. Electronic mail software: Provides

you with a computerized mailbox
that collects documents or ‘mail’ you
receive electronically from other
computer users.

Electronic mail is just like regular

mail, which can be saved or throw
away after you read it, or can be
compose electronic replies to the
mail sender.

6. Graphics software: Used to draw

pictures, 3-D images and animations.
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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

It can be used to retrieve pre-drawn

clip art images, which you can
modify.

7. Desktop publishing: Provides you

with computerized tools for page
layout and design.

In desktop publishing, the text and

graphics can be combined.
Advanced word processing also
provides desktop publishing to
produce professional-looking quality
outputs for newspaper, news letters
and brochures.

8. Scheduling software: Helps you keep

track of appointments, due dates
and special dates such as birthdays
and holidays. Scheduling software
can be used to print a daily, weekly
or monthly schedules.

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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

9. Business Software: Helps to organize

efficiently accomplished routine tasks. It
is divided into two category:

10. Horizontal market software

11. Vertical market software.

12. Horizontal market software: refers

to generic software packages that
can be used by many different kinds
of business.

Accounting and payroll

application are good example of
horizontal market software.

Every business needs to maintain a

set of books to track income and
expenses. Accounting software is
design to computerize these book
keeping tasks.

Almost every business has

employees and needs to maintain a
payroll records for them.
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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

Payroll software keep tracks of

employees hours and produces the
reports for income tax etc.

13. Vertical market software: It is

designed for specialized task for a
specific market or for specific
business.

For example: In construction

business, the specific task includes
the estimated cost of labour and
materials for a new building.

This type of estimated software is

designed specially for construction
business to estimate the total cost in
advance.

14. Entertainment software: It is designed

to entertain you. You can fly a simulated
jet. Play games or explore new worlds.

15. Education and reference software:

Designed to learn for a specific topic, for
example:
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Lecture Notes: Software Application in Business, SAB – BBA 2

CAI : Computer aided Instruction

Tutorial software
How to prepare for Exams, say
GMAT.

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