Application Software

Welcome to class!

In today’s class, we will be talking about application software. Enjoy the class!

Application software is any tool that functions and is operated by the means of a computer to support or improve the software user’s work. It is used for the implementation of the computer user’s work.

Types of application software

It is divided into two which are

(i) User application software: User-written software is tailored to meet the user’s specific needs. This includes spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, graphics, and animation scripts. Users create this software themselves and often overlook how important it is.

(ii) Application packages: This is when multiple applications are bundled together as one package. It is also known as an application suite. Examples are Microsoft office, Open office.org, and work which bundle together a word processor, a spreadsheet, and several other discrete applications. The separate applications in a suite usually have some capability to interact with each other in ways beneficial to the user.

Application package categories

General-purpose application software packages:

These are general tools that provide specific capabilities, but not in support of specific purpose. Examples are:

(i) Word Processing: This is the process of using a computer to create, edit and print text-based documents. Examples are MS – word, Word star, Word perfect, Window Word pad etc.

(ii) Spreadsheet: This is a table of values in rows and columns. Each value can have a predefined relationship to other values. Spreadsheet applications are a computer program that let you create and manipulate spreadsheets electronically.

(iii) PowerPoint Presentation: A presentation program is a computer software package used to display information, normally in the form of a slide show to present either a business proposal, seminar or class lessons.

(iv) Database management: This is a program which allows one or more computer users to create and access data from a database. On PCs, Microsoft Access is a popular example.

(v) Graphics package: This is used for drawing and painting. Examples are Corel draw, Microsoft paint, Paint shop. Paint.net, Adobe Photoshop, etc.

(vi) Games: This is an electronic game that involves interaction with users interface to generate visual feedback on a video device.

Special purpose application software packages:

These are software that is limited in what they can do.

(i) Accounting Management: This is the practical application of management techniques to control report on the financial health of an organisation. This involves the analysis, planning, implementation, and control programs designed to provide financial data reporting for managerial decision making.

(ii) Payroll System: This is a program designed for calculating the regular salary, wages or other compensation paid to every employee in a company.

(iii) Banking software: It enables the management, monitoring and control of transactions for financial institutions and banks. Private Banks and mutual fund administrators, as well as other wealth management firms, utilize Banking system applications to provide front office services as well as back-office functions such as customer account tracking, credit approval, and financial accounting and information system integration.

(iv) Hospital Management Software: It is also known as the Hospital Information System. It is a comprehensive, integrated information system designed to manage the administrative, financial and clinical aspect of a hospital. It benefits are easy access to patient data, helps in the decision support system for health care polities, efficient and accurate administration of finance, improved monitoring of drug usage, etc.

(v) Reservation System: A computer reservation system is a computerized system used to store, retrieve information and conduct transactions related to air travel. It is designed and operated by airlines.

(vi) Human Resources (HR) Management: Its functions include a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, dealing with performance issues, etc.

(vii) Attendance System: Three components make up a Time and Attendance system. First, Barcode readers are used to allowing an employee to make a quick and adequate time transaction. Second, data taken from devices need to be managed and stored by PCs. Third, management of the time transactions, payroll generation and detailed reports are done by the Time and Attendance software.

(viii) Billing system: This is a system that tracks customer usage of services, and calculates the impact on a customer’s account, based on the price of the service. Billing systems have come to include non-core functionality such as customer management, integration with payment gateways, and statistical analysis.

Evaluation

What do you understand as application software?
List and explain the types of application software?
What are the various application package categories?

In our next class, we will be talking about Word Processing. We hope you enjoyed the class.

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Application Software