Database Conceptual Diagram Using ERD and Data Dictionary Metadata for SME Construction Business

Abstract

The data of construction business such as customers, projects, payments, workers, materials, and suppliers are very essential to the contractors especially to the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) construction companies. The customers’ request and confirmation for constructions projects, which workers involves in which project and what are the materials selected for the project are important to handle but still been manage manual. Some of the information requested, discussed or ordered are missing, misplaced or overlooked, especially when there are many concurrent constructions projects which to be completed at the same time. Therefore, the project aims to design a database of construction business for accelerating the information flow and transaction between each construction phase. The conceptual diagram has been designed and constructed using Entity relationship modelling and continue referred to the Database Life Cycle (DBLC) as methodology approach. The SME Construction management of Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD), consist of the Customer, Project, Payment, Supplier and Material entities which constructed based on SME Construction Business rules and process validation. The findings can assist the researchers, students, system designers and developers to understand more on designing the database conceptual diagram and identify the data elements in the data dictionary which required for construction business database. Furthermore, the findings from this research project can be used to develop a SME construction management system database and SME information system in the future.