COMPUTER PACKAGES

In the wake of recent information revolution, technology

emerged as the major resource, especially in the context of
changing job mix, completely overshadowing the traditional
resources. The spectacular development in Information
Technology have contributed much to the modern SOCiety, by
providing a competitive. weapon to exploit the potential of
various resources, in an optimal manner. With the help of
various application packages, It facilitates office automation
,and easy handling of. day to day work. Traditionally, people
used to perform huge volumes of paper work in offices for
producing reports, maintaining accounts, preparing invoices,
receipts,. etc. Today information technology has paved the
way for significant changes in office methods leading to
Electronic offices (E-offices). Among the software uses that
have profound impact on office and business applications are
trio-word proceSSing, Spreadsheet and Database. In India,
the prominent word processor is WordStar, dominant
Spreadsheet is Lotus 1-2-3, and the prominent Database is
dBase.
Word Processing
Word Processing is a program package that uses the
power and flexibility of computers to generate various
documents from texts recorded on a magnetic media. It refers
to tlie computer system, which helps us to type, edit, store
and print documents. It is in fact, highly sophisticated
Computer Packages 169

electronic typing. The typed data is stored in the computer

memory and is displayed on the computer screen, which can
be transferred to a printer at any time. In simple words,
word processing is a programmed package which permits
.the user to enter the data kept in various data files into the
computer through input devices, displayed it on the screen,
save it in storage devices, recall it, edit, format and print it
on a paper. The important features of word processing are:
Formatting, rext editing, Merging, Spell check, Storage and
Retrieval, and Output. The popular word processing packages
are.
1. Word Perfect
2. WordStar
3. MS Word
4. Ventura
5. PageMaker
A document can be entered into the word processor
through the keyboard; an existing document can be extended,
modified or curtailed with the help of edit, insert, delete and
replace functions. The formatting facility permits the user to
enter the text and prepare it for printing, with appropriate
left, right, top and bottom margins and with page headings,
page numbers, etc. The text-editing feature helps the user
to detect the errors and correct them. Merging involves the
storing of a list of addresses and the creation and sending of
letters to these addresses. With the help of spell check facility,
the user can check the spelling mistakes prior to printing. In
the last stage, the word processor prints and saves the
document on a magnetic storage media for spooling, which
allows the functions of, editing and formatting, concurrently
while printing is going on.
1. WordStar
It is a commonly used word-processing package, which
runs on the Disk Operating System (DOS). WordStar is a
screen-oriented, menu-driven application software providing
alternative actions on the screen. The minimum requirements
of a personal computer to use this package are: an IS PC /XT
/ AT with one or two floppy disk drives or hard disk, at least
256 KS RAM, a printer, a color monitor, and MS-DOS version
2.0; the files required are [Link], [Link],
[Link], [Link] [Link], and
170 Management Information System

[Link]. The word start commands are executed in

seven menus, such as No File Menu, Main Menu, Help Menu,
Block Menu, Quick Menu, Print Menu, and Onscreen Menu.
While booting the computer, it display the system
prompt, which further displays the 'No File Menu' when
pressing 'ws' or 'return'.

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The options in the 'No File Menu' consists of preliminary
commands like change logged drive, file directory on/off, set
help level, etc., to open a file., file commands like print rename,
copy and delete., system commands to run a program or
exist WordStar, and commands to run mail merge and spell
star.
Main menu: It helps to edit the current file. It consists
of four classes of commands, such as: curser and scrolling
commands, delete commands, miscellaneous and other menu
commands.
computer Packages 171

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Edit Menu: It provides commands, which enable the
user to move the curser and to change the typed document.
The options in the Edit Menu are selected with the help of
control key. The menu consists of five classes of commands,
such as: curser, scroll, erase, other, and Menus.
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Quick Menu: It is a temporary menu that stays on the
screen only till a command is selected from this menu. It is
quick in the sense that it offers quicker and more powerful
commands than those offered in the main menu. It offers
four classes of commands, such as: curser, Find, Other, and
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172 Management Information System

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Onscreen Format Menu: It introduces the use of
function keys to represent certain common commands .. This
menu is very useful for publishing documents and allows us
to set margins and paragraphs. Moreover the user can set
typing and display controls from this menu. The ONSCREEN
FORMAT menu commands and DOT menu commands in EDIT
MENU perform the same functions.
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Block and Save Menu: Block and save :groups me,nL(
data int,q blocks ancj manipulation is maoe onthes~ j' bI6cks~
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computer Packages 173

copied to other document files . This also is a temporary menu

which exists only till a command is selected from this menu.
It helps to reform a block of text and can create, move copy
or delete these blocks. It consists of three classes of
commands, such as: Save, Block and File.

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The Print Control Menu: Actually, this menu is not
meant for printing of file but for providing and setting the
printing instructions. It helps to print things in bold, to
underline, use italics, and also to choose paragraph styles. It
is also used to select the type of printer.

Fig. 11 . 7: Print Control Menu

1.74 Management Information System

Mail Merge: It is a program in Word Star, which helps

to print letters, so as to produce the required form at the
print out stage. A list of people and their addresses is given
in the data file, which is used by the mail merge to send the
letters. The main file called 'master document' contains the
complete text of the letter, except the name and address.
The data file contains the name and address of persons to
whom the letters are to be sent. Mail merge uses the master
file and first address from the data file to print and send the
first letter; then it picks up the next address from the data
file and prints the second letter, and so on. WordStar provides
four built in variables that can be used in master documents
without defining them or giving value to them. The variables
are current data, current time I current page number, and
current line number.
2. Microsoft Word
This package is an improvement on word processing
concept, consisting of a collection of objects designed to
present a central theme, and ensuring automatic performance
of certain functions. The features of MS Word, above the
word processing concept, include HTML formats for World
Wide Web publishing, collection of templates, mail merge
function interlinks with other office automation packages,
macros to automate repetitive actions, facility to insert
hyperlinks, wizards like letter wizard, envelop wizard, mailing
label wizard, memo wizard, newsletter wizard, pleading wizard
and resume wizard. MS Word allows the user to type, cut,
format, print and to make spell and grammar check. It includes
embedded graphics, several fonts, etc., facilitates e-mail, and
merges it with data from exec, access and power point
documents, provision of automatic grammar checking and
correction facilities, and has a natural grammar checker.
MS Word can be started from office short cut bar, or by
double clicking the 'file' in explorer or by choosing it from the
start menu. A document can be opened in MS Word on the
computer hard disk or on a network drive. A new document
can be created by clicking 'New' on the file menu. If the auto
recover facility of MS Word is turned on, the changes made
to the document are automatically saved. Scrolling through
the document is possible with the help of a mouse or short
cut keys. The mouse or short cut keys will also facilitate
selection of the text and graphics. Blocking, Block Copy,
Computer Packages 175

Format, etc., can be done in MS Word, by selecting the text

to be copied and clicking the format printer button and then
by selecting the text where it wants to apply. Before printing
the typed and formatted document, it displays each page, as
it will look when printed, with the help of print preview facility.
The tool bases in MS Word help us to organize the commands
init in such a way that the user can find and use them
immediately. The tool bars can hide, display, move or create,
a new tool bar. The menu bar appearing at the top of the
screen, containing menus like File Edit, View, etc., displays
various commands and can easily be customized. The other
commonly used word processing packages are Word Perfect,
Ventura and PageMaker.
To close the MS Word package first of all close the open
documents and click 'Close All' on the file menu or 'Click' on
the file menu.
ELECTRONIC SPREADSHEET
This is the graphical representation and processing of
data, and is the most brilliant application software. It provides
a table of horizontal rows and vertical columns, as the working
area. Data is entered at the intersection of these rows and
columns. In electronic spreadsheet or work sheet, data can
be entered, processed, viewed and printed in tabular, textual
as well as graphical formats. Some of the major applications
of electronic spread-sheets are: budget preparation,
development of alternate business plans, design calculations,
sales analysis, business accounting, preparation of Balance
Sheet, computation of equated monthly installments for loan
repayment and analysis of data from business, industrial and
agricultural systems (trend analysis). The various electronic
spreadsheet software's are visicle. Super Cale, Quattro Pro,
Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel, of which the MS Excel 2000 is the
earliest and most powerful worksheet package.
1. Lotus 1-2-3
It was developed in 1982 by Mitch Kapor with the
intention of reducing the job of accounting, analyzing and
studying the relation between data, using tables and graphics.
It is a highly integrated and sophisticated three-in-one
software package. The 1-2-3 suffixed to lotus stands for.
1. Spread sheet or electronic worksheet
2. Graphics
176 Management Information System

3. Data Base Management

Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet is divided into 8192 horizontal
rows and 256 vertical columns., at any point of time, 20 rows
and 8 columns are visible on the screen and it is possible to
scroll the screen in order to enter data into the remaining
columns and rows. The intersection of a row and column is
called a CELL, used to enter all kinds of data, numbers, words,
titles and even formulae. Two or more adjacent cells are
together called a block, by marking a RANGE. A range can be
created by specifying the first and last cells in a row, column,
or even a rectangular space separated by two dots (Eg;B7.
818 .87 .. B7, C 8 .. Gl0 )
The popular applications of Lotus are: forecasting
budgets, balance sheets, banking, annual reports of business
firms, income tax statements, payrolls, accounts receivable
or payable, invoices, financial analyses and sales analyses.
Once a table is created in Lotus 1-2-3 the computer can
perform various arithmetic operations on the data and the
results can be stored in the cells. All recalculations are done
automatically by the computer if we change any specific data.
Worksheet is an electronic spreadsheet replacing paper,
ledgers and pencil, to hold data, so that the user can
manipulate and convert it into useful information. The major
tasks performed by Lotus 1-2-3 are: creation and saving of
file, searching and sorting of fields and records, arithmetic
manipulations, duplication of files provision of data security,
automatic conversion of data into graphics, development of
business application systems like payroll, invoice inventory
budgets, etc., and the development of query-based systems
to enable the non programmers to use data base.
Lotus 1-2-3 is a menu driven package having the
structure of a tree and more than a hundred commands and
four popular modes faCilitating data entry such as Real mode,
Menu mode, Label modes and Value mode. The important
commands in Lotus are: data formatting commands (fixed,
scientific, currency, general per cent data, text and label prefix
commands) work sheet modifying commands (insert / delete,
column / row, change width of columns / rows,) arithmetic
commands (recalculation, @count, @sum, @average, @ min
@max, @ if, @ lOOk up, @now, @time etc.) database
functional command (@Dcount,@Dsum, @Dmin, @Daverage,
@Dmax, etc) File manipulation commands (move, copy,
computer Packages 177

combine, retrieve, save, name, erase, etc.) status

management commands (printer default, worksheet, default,
etc.), database management commands ( data fill, data sort,
data table, data query, data distribution etc.) file printing
commands (range, line, page, go, etc.) graph commands
(T,X,A,B .... F, view, option, etc.) and file security commands
(Protect, Unprotect, Enable, disable etc.) The minimum
software requirements to run a Lotus 1-2-3 package are:
[Link], [Link] [Link], [Link], [Link], 123, HLP,
[Link], [Link], [Link]. The minimum hardware
requirements are: IBM PC; PC/XT, PC/AT with minimum 640
KB primary memory, disk drive and MS DOS version 3.0.
The main menu of Lotus 1-2-3 is a list of choices
displayed across the top of the screen. They are called the
working option and will lead to sub-menus where in the
selection option commands are displayed. The user can select
the desired command either by pressing the first character
of the command or by moving the curser to the desired
command selecting it. In order to perform quick functions,
certain keys or groups of keys are used in Lotus 1-2-3 and
are called the function keys in the key board (e.g., Fl to call
the Lotus 1-2-3 help information window, F2 - to edit, F3 to
obtain the menu displaying the list of cell ranger, FS to move
the curser, F9 to calculate formulae, and FlO to create a
graph). The navigation keys used to move over the working
area in Lotus are Pg Dn, Pg Up, Ctrl + right arrow. Ctrl + left
arrow Home, and End. The main menu offers various options,
Viz., Work Sheet Option, Range Option and Copy Option, Move,
File graph, Print, Data system, Add-in, and Quit option.
The commonly used worksheet options are:
1. Global: To carry out any task through out the
worksheet. The important commands in Global option are
format, label, column width, recalculation, protection, default,
and zeros.
2. Insert: It is the second option in worksheet and
allows the user to insert data of another worksheet into the
current one.
3. Delete: This is used to delete the entire worksheet
4. Column: Helps the user to hide certain columns from
view, display them, change their width, etc.
S. Erase: It is used to erase the data that has been
entered in the worksheet.
178 Management Information System

6. Titles: It is an option meant for freezing the titles

set in the first row or column so that they are always displayed
on the screen while the remaining rows and columns scroll
naturally.
7. Window: Let the user create a window wherein he
can view another part of the worksheet while working in one
part.
The other options are: Status Page and Learn.
The range option of the main menu helps the user to
carry out data manipulation for a defined range of cells. It
consists of various commands: Format (setting decimal
parameters, exponential format, displaying the comma used
after every third in a number, etc.), Erase (erase the data
entered in a specified range), Name (assigning a name to
every range), Create (enter a name for a specified range),
Delete (delet the name assigned to a range), Reset (removes
the names of all ranges), and Table (call a list of range names
created so far).
The copy option permits the user to copy the data from
one single cell or from a range of cells to a corresponding
range of cells. The move option performs a similar function,
except that the data is shifted from ane address to another
address, keeping the first address vacant. The file option
provides various commands like retrieve, save,combine,xtract,
erase, list, import, directory and admin. The sub-options
available in the graph option in the main menu are: Type,
X,A,B,C,D,E,F, Reset, View, Save, Options,Name, Group and
Quit. The print option facilitates the printing of worksheet,
either as a whole or in part. The data option allows the user
to create and manipulate a set of data automatically. The
various sub-options are: Fill, Table, Sort, Query, Distribution,
Matrix, Regression, and Parse. The simple option in the main
menu is the system option, which helps the user to quit the
program temporarily and revert to the DOS and return to the
worksheet. The add-in option facilitates extraction of text
data, and adaptation of it into the worksheet. The last option
in the main menu is the quit option, which permits the user
to quit Lotus 1-2-3 permanently and return to the DOS
prompt.
The function in Lotus 1-2-3 are represented by an @
symbol at the beginning. The functions are used for performing
Computer Packages 179

a variety of mathematical, statistical and accounting - related

tasks. The important and commonly used functions are:
1. The Count Function [@ count ( assrl.... addr2)]
It will count the number of cells with in a specified range
of cells, specified as a parameter. The standard format
for a range is starting cell address and an ending cell
address, with two dots between them. The value
returned is the actual number of cells lying between
the two cells
e.g.: @ COUNT (Al .. AS)
2. The SUM function [@SUM ( addr1 .. Addr2)]
It calculates the total of all values of cells specified in
the range parameter.
e.g.: @ SUM (Al .. AS)
3. The AVG function [@AVG ( addr1 .. addr2)]
Computes the average of a range of cells
e.g.: @ AVG (AL. AS)
4. The STO function [@ STO ( addr1 .. Addr2)]
Finds the standard deviation of values with a range.
e.g.: @ STD (Al .. AS)
5. The VAR function [@ VAR ( addr1 .. addr2)]
It computes the variance of the values with a specified
range.
e.g.: @ VAR (Al.. AS)
6. The INT function [@ INT (n)]
It calculates the integer component of a menu value,
and requires only one parameter.
e.g.: @ INT (45-938)
7. The SQRT function [@ SQRT (n)]
It calculates the square root of values, and requires a
single parameter.
e.g.: @ SQRT (34.6)
8. The LOG function [@ LOG (n)]
It permits to calculate the logarithm value to the base
10 for a numeric value.
e.g.: @ LOG (345.22)
180 Management Information System

9. The RATE function [@RATE (Fv, Pv, Pr)]

It computes the rate of interest at which any future
value has been obtained from the given value, and
requires three parameters, such as: future value,
present value and compounding period.
e.g.: @ RATE (1000, 500,5)
10. The FV function [@ FV (Pv, rate, PrY]
It calculates the future value of a particular investment
and requires three parameters: Present value
(investment value), rate of interest, and the number of
investments.
e.g.: FV (1500,10%/10,5)
11. The NPV function [@NPV (rate, range, type)]
This finds out the net present value of a set of
installments at a specified rate of interest, and requires
three parameters like rate of interest, block or range of
cells, and the type of calculation.
e.g.: @ NPV ( 10%/15,A1 .. A5)
12. The IRR function [@IRR (nl addrl .. addr2)]
It calculates the internal rate of return for any range of
values, and requires two parameters, i.e., the expected
value of IRR and range of cells.
e.g.: @ IRR (5,A1 .. AS)
13. Nested functions [@Functionl (@ function 2)
Lotus 1-2-3 can nest functions with in each other.
e.g.: @ INT (@ AVG (A1 .. AS)
2. Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel was developed in 1992, with the
objectives of downsizing application and off - loading
responsibilities to user departments. TI"1e new version of Excel
is called Excel 97 and Excel 2000 ( MS Office 97 and 2000) .
The important characteristics of this package are its
compatibility with Lotus 1-2-3, ease to operate, worksheet
publishing capabilities, analytical tools, graphical features,
linking and consolidating features, charting capabilities,
database capabilities, worksheet outlines, and macro and
programming language.
Excel runs in its own window, having multiple document
facility. The entry of the text and other data is facilitated with
computer Packages ~81

the help of the keyboard, and program control can be

excercised with the help of the mouse. An active document
window in Excel can be closed by double clicking on the
document 'Control' menu icon on the document's title bar,
and the user can quit Excel by double clicking on 'Control'
menu icon on the Excel title bar. The important functions
that are to be performed in Excel are: entering text, correcting
mistakes, and formatting cells. Formatting of cells may be in
any of the following ways.
1. Centring the text: The text in selected cells can be
aligned to the center by clicking on the 'center Alignment
tool' in the standard tool bar, or by clicking on format by
preSSing Alt, T, and by clicking the alignment command or A,
then the alignment dialog box appears, and the center button
is pressed to align the text to the center. Right and left
alignment of text is also possible.
2. Changing the font: The font and style of letters
can be changed with the help of a mouse to click B.
3. Adjusting column width: Column width of specified
cells can be altered to suit the circumstance by moving the
cell pOinter over the column ..
4. Save the worksheet: By clicking the 'File Save
Command', it is possible to save the worksheet or by pressing
Alt, F and A.
5. Entering simple data: To enter a number in Excel,
first of all select a cell, type the number, and then press
'enter' or Tab. The user can also make a numeric pad
automatically enter a decimal pOint.
6. Entering and copying formulae: Cells in Excel
worksheet contain formulae that refer to the value stored in
another cell (simple formulae) or complex formulae including
text manipulation functions and array mathematics. They
begin with an equals sign (=). In order to enter the formula,
the user must select a cell, enter the formula, and then press
'Enter' or click the 'Enter' box in the formula Bar.
7. Copying and pasting of formulas: The formulae
in one cell can be copied to another cell by selecting CS, the
cell containing the formula to be copied. Pasting is possible
by choosing the 'Edit paste' command.
S. Formatting the formula results: The formula
results in one cell can be formatted with a currency format
with no decimal place.
182 Management Information System

9. Saving the worksheet is possible by selecting 'File

Save' command.
10. Exiting Excel: 'File Exit' command facilitates the
exit of Excel and the return to the window's desktop.

ACCOUNTING PACKAGES
The books of accounts to be prepared and maintained
by an organization consist of 7 ledgers and various registers.
The ledgers include sales ledger, purchase ledger, general
ledger, cash-bank book, stock creditors ledger and debtor's
ledger. The registers are those relating to sales, 'purchase,
credit notes, debit notes, receipts, payments, journals, order
register, stock inward or outward register, etc. Accounting
packages help organizations to produce these books and
registers instantaneously. The important and popular
accounting packages in use are: DAC EASY, TALLY, EX, Wings,
Audit etc.
1. DAC Easy
Developed by DAC Easy, the Canadian version of the
accounting package is a single user, offline software, popularly
used in America, Canada and Arabic countries. The application
package enables the user to create and maintain books along
with inventory control of various companies and is suitable
for small and medium-sized companies. It is a menu-driven
system having an in-built inventory module. Standardized
options and reports are available in this package, which can't
be changed. In this software package first of all vouchers
(sales, purchase, receipts, payments, sales return, purchase
return, etc.) are prepared, and then journals are created,
then posting to the ledger is effected, and finally the profit
and loss account and balance sheet are prepared. Moreover,
the package facilitates the preparation of purchase orders,
order registering, inventory control, and generation of graphics
(Bar chart etc.). The DAC Easy menus consist of File, Edit,
Journal, Transaction, Journal Posting Reports, DAC Access,
Periodic and Modules menu. Each of these menus containing
various commands and submenus to enable the user to
prepare the various books of accounts of business
organizations.
computer Packages J83

2. Tally
Developed by peutronics Private Limited, Bangalore,
Tally is a latest accounting and financial package facilitating
efficient accomplishment of tasks - simple or demanding. It
makes use of the philosophy of DSS in its working. It is an
on-line, fast, flexible and simple software package. It performs
the whole bookkeeping activities and helps to prepare almost
all books and statements of accounts without using any codes
for representing data. The important areas where tally can
contribute are: quality-related information, flexible voucher
numbering, outstanding management and remainders, etc.
the user gets account heads classified, graphical analysis
performed, daily balance of any account, memo vouchers,
etc., and the system facilitates automatic reversal of journals,
cash flows, sales tax forms, percentage-based reporting, and
comparison of data.
Tally user language interface for queries cost and profit
center concepts, budgeting and payment control,
management reports receivables, turnover analysis,
consolidation of final balance, and balance sheet. It also
provides for rigid internal control system. The modern facilities
of intelligent calculator, internal backups, removal and
rejoining of historical data, export or import of data, country-
specific service support, etc., make the outputs of Tally, more
reliable; secrecy can also be maintained by the software.
The main screen of Tally is called the 'Gateway of Tally', which
consists of a number of options like Accounts info, Voucher
entry, Balance Sheet, Ratio analysis displays, Printing, Export,
Quit and the functional keys like Fl (company info) F2 ( date
change). F3 (control), F4 (advanced usage), and FS ( direct
commands ). It has the power to answer enquiries free from
data. Data integrity and report of an error message is also
possible in Tally. It is a generalized accounting package that
can be used by accountants, proprietary organizations,
partnership firms, and private and public limited companies.
3. Audit
Audit is the latest accounting package offering a full-
featured accounting and inventory solutions, from entry level
to high end performance. It is an outstanding combination of
high performance, breadth of application and Simplicity. Audit
is a window specific application for every buSiness, with more
184 Management Information System

than 46 modules. The entry module of audit package includes:

package and purchase return (cash and credit, taxable and
non taxable/VAT), sales and sales return (cash and credit,
taxable and non taxable or VAT), cash (payment and receipt),
bank (payment and receipt), journal voucher, debit or credit
note, post cheque (issue and receipt), provision for quotation,
purchase order, sales order, stock adjustment etc.
The master module of audit accounting package consists
of debtor or creditor master, account group, ledger account
master, item master, tax or other charge, opening balance,
price list etc. Audit is a high performance cost effective client
server solution that provides additional platform flexibility
and scalability. The general features of this accounting package
are:
1. Infinite company creation
2. Transfer record from one company to another
3. Infinite user creation and password right assign to
each user.
4. High security for database and hide company
5. Item attribute setting allows to keep stock our own
style.
6. Negative cash and stock permisSion
7. Provision to fix line per page in all report.
8. Backup to any backup device
9. Easy year ending procedure
10. Set accounts for proprietor, partnership, limited and
non-trading firms, and
11. Provision to keep account under fixed or fluctuating
capital method.
Audit Vs Tally: The supremacy of audit accounting
package over Tally, can be traced from its distinguishing
features as described below:
Computer Packages 185

[Link]. Audit Tally

1. Differentiating a No differentiation.
company with sole
proprietorship,
partnership etc.
2. User friendly, data entry Need training and good
is very fast and easy. knowledge in
accounting.
3. Infinite company creation Infinite company
creation.
4. Records can be Not possible.
transferred from one
company to another.
5. Facilities for providing No such facility.
overdraft from bank.
6. Facility for giving Need to create separate
percentage description ledger account and
for each fixed asset and manual calculation
automatic calculation of
depreciation.
7. Provision for giving share Not possible.
percentage of capital
accounts for each partner.
8. Provision for giving Not possible.
partners current account
and loss or profit will
transfer automatically.
9. View, Edit and Print Need to select each
opening balance ledger.
of all accounts at a time.
10. Provision for giving Not possible.
purchase Tax for each
item as per purchase
voucher so that the cost
of the item include
purchase tax.
11. Day book closing at Not possible.
each day.
186 Management Information System

[Link]. Audit Tally

12. Stock value is actual Stock value is average.
13. Provision for giving one Item can be kept only in
base unit And three two different units.
alternate units for each
item.
14. Provision for giving price Not possible
list and three different
prices whole sale, retail
and MRP.
15. Profit calculated on item Profit calculated only bill
and bill wise. wise.
16. Provision for giving Only purchase date.
purchase date and
material received date.
17. Serial number is given in Not possible.
purchase or sales bills.
18. Automatic differentiation Not possible.
of same items with
different rate or
purchased from different
company.
19. Automatic guidline of Not possible.
items with different
purchase rate and
purchased from different
company while doing
sales.
20. Automatic selection of Not possible.
sales rate.
21. Any ledger account can Not possible.
be selected from
adjustment option and
provision for passing the
amount to particular
ledger or reflect only in
purchase or sales invoice.
computer Packages 187

[Link]. Audit Tally

22. Differentiation of debtor Not possible.
creditor and general
accounts in voucher
entry.
23. Variety of sales invoice Limited selection.
selection to suit any type
of business.
24. Printer setting reverse, Not possible.
forward, etc. for preprint
sales bills.
25. Selection of all pricing Limited selection.
stationary available for Not possible.
sales invoice printing
26. Selection of font size for Not possible
any report printing.
27. Profit a nd Loss Profit and Loss
statement will statement will
be accurate. be average because of
considering stock
average method.
28. Bank to bank transation Bank to bank transation
allows multiple entry in through contra entry
same voucher. only.
29. Can print all books, Not possible.
invoice vouchers etc.

Developed by Techno Spectra, Int,1 Kozhikode, audit is

a completely automated package that provides a final solution
to accounting and inventory management. It allows us to
choose any platform that suits our needs such as windows,
unix, solarois, AIX and Linux.
188 Management Information System

Conclusion
In the modern world of sophisticated and complex
technology, business organizations are required to keep
systematic and up-to-date records of business transactions.
Standard financial accounting and application packages help
these organizations to produce timely reports. The basic
application packages like worksheet, word processing and
accounting packages help to attain the major objective of
preparing these instantaneous and reliable reports, on the
basis of which various business decisions are to be taken and
implemented. The packages help to streamline data entry,
storage, retrieval, modification and printing of reports, and
contribute to crucial business decisions.
Exercise
Short Answer Questions
1. What are computer packages?
2. Briefly explain the important computer packages used in
business.
3. What is word processing?
4. Explain WordStar package.
5. Describe MS Word.
6. Explain the mail merge function in WordStar.
7. What do you mean by electronic spreadsheet?
8. Describe Lotus 1-2-3 spread sheet and brings out its significance
in accounting.
9. What are the applications of Lotus 1-2-3?
10. What is mean by a worksheet?
11. Explain the important commands in Lotus 1-2-3.
12. What are the popularly used worksheet options?
13. Describe MicroSoft Excel.
14. What are accounting packages?
15. Explain DAC Easy.
16. Describe Tally.
17. Explain Audit accounting package.
18. Distinguish between Tally and Audit.
19. What are the applications of MS Word?
20. Explain the advantages of MS Word over WordStar.
computer Packages 189

Essay Questions
1. Explain various computer packages?
2. Explain the important word processing packages?
3. Describe spreadsheet and explain various spreadsheets.
4. What are the popularly used accounting packages? Explain its
working.
5. Explain Lotus 1-2-3 and it's functioning.
6. Describe Tally and portray its significance.
7. Explain Audit accounting package. What are its advantages?
8. Explain the functioning of MS Word.
9. How the WordStar application software works?
10. Compare and contrast Tally and Audit accounting packages.