Welp MagazineA Management Information System or MIS is a central data repository capable of not only gathering, organizing and storing data but also processing and analyzing it and generating various reports from it.
What is MIS Software?
A management information system (MIS) is a computer system consisting of hardware and software that serves as the backbone of an organization’s operations. An MIS gathers data from multiple online systems, analyzes the information, and reports data to aid in management decision-making.
Why does a College need a Management Information System (MIS)?
- Automatically processes and stores data.
A MIS automatically processes and stores data from a multitude of physical sources, such as computer system records and estimates, preparing it for future analysis. This provides an easy method for analyzing large sets of data without having to read and sort through hundreds of pages of print outs of raw records.
- Generates reports and statistics on data.
With the collected data automatically stored in a MIS, the institution can generate reports and statistics for future use.
- Maintains an audit trail.
A MIS maintains an automated audit trail of the files and computer functions used to generate an output document, allowing it to generate an electronic audit trail for every document generated by the MIS.
- Provides an integrated all-in-one software package.
MIS software is a single, integrated software package capable of storing, processing and analyzing data, generating reports, and maintaining an audit trail.
What does MIS Software do?
- Processes data from a variety of computer systems.
MIS software processes data from a variety of sources, such as computers, cash registers, credit card readers, digital imaging systems, and inventory management systems.
- Stores data in a secure manner.
Storing data in a secure manner allows the data to be retrieved quickly and easily for future use.
- Allows users to perform complex data manipulations.
Data manipulation allows users to perform complex data manipulations, such as filtering, calculating values, and arranging data in a variety of structures.
- Calculates summary values and performs calculations.
MIS software can calculate summary values and perform spreadsheet calculations, such as totaling row or column values and using conditional statements.
- Stores data in a variety of formats, including images.
MIS software can store data in a variety of formats, including images, creating graphical, report-quality records from computer system records.
- Provides access to data using a variety of reporting tools.
MIS software can provide access to data for a variety of reporting tools, such as spreadsheets, word processing documents, and graphics.
- Stores information in an online environment.
MIS software stores information in an online environment, allowing it to store data rather than printing out or storing paper copies.
- Generates reports and presentations instantly.
MIS software can generate reports and presentations instantly, allowing users to initiate production of a report, such as a monthly balance sheet, on the fly.
- Performs analysis and produces forecasts.
MIS software can perform analysis and build models of future trends, providing a basis for future forecasts.
Technology has made it easier than ever to manage information, but the solutions are complicated. The same goes for MIS software. Choosing the right software for the job is an important decision. A wrong choice can mean missed deadlines, lost productivity or an ugly lawsuit. A MIS is one example of a complicated solution.
What is MIS software?
Management information systems is a type of computer program that is built to provide the organization’s personnel with real time information relating to the company’s production. This allows an organization’s directors, managers, supervisors, or any other part of the organization to quickly access relevant information in the event that problems arise. If an organization restricts the user access to the software, it is defined as a database management system.
What is a MIS system in a College?
MIS system is a computer program that allows an organization’s personnel to quickly access relevant information relating to the company’s production. With today’s advances in technology, the MIS has become incredibly sophisticated. In fact, today’s MIS systems are capable of performing a number of complex tasks without any human assistance whatsoever.
Today’s MIS system processes can automatically collect information from a variety of sources. This information is then automatically organized and stored in a database (a storage area that allows for easy retrieval of data). The collected information is typically identified accordingly and is in a format that is instantly accessible for analysis. This analysis can then be further processed by the MIS, or an analysis report can be generated.
The MIS system also performs calculations on the data stored on it. These calculations are referred to as database queries. This is useful in making comparisons between data and realigning budgets and objectives with actual data.
Furthermore, a MIS system will help an organization to assess its productivity and to identify areas of cost savings.
How does MIS software work?
The task of a MIS system is centered on a large number of gathering points where data is gathered, stored, and held for use. It also adds new data that is gathered from all over an institution. For example, if available, it could come from digital imaging, point-of-sale (POS) systems, or accounting systems. A MIS system is also capable of managing and monitoring financial transactions and sales, and of performing budgeting, as well as other job functions.
A specific task of a MIS system involves taking information from multiple sources in an organization and consolidating it into one place. Because of this, MIS systems have become increasingly popular over the years within large organizations where a large amount of data is managed.
Normally, the data in a MIS system is separated into two sets of data. The first set consists of data that is gathered to be stored, manipulated and analyzed. Data in this set serves as a template for the second set of data. For example, customer sales data or age information is stored in a separate database, and a customer or employee’s age, for example, is gathered from the first database and then stored in a second set. This would enable a MIS system to pull a user’s age from the system’s database and then display it on a report, as presented in the following example:
- A user’s age is 53 years.
This would save a lot of time for an organization, and would also simplify the task of updating an organization’s database when individuals such as employees change their ages.
Adding and changing personal information to the database, such as an employee’s birthday, can be easily done from the MIS system by the employee. A MIS system can send out reminders to employees about their birthdays, which would help an organization to observe holidays, such as Christmas and Independence Day. The reminders may be sent days in advance to employees, and could also be sent to their home addresses.
Example of MIS system
A finance department can use the MIS system for budgeting. At a specific time, the finance department may open the MIS system to update all the budget changes and updates and then save all the changes. The process doesn’t need any specific employee, and it can be done by the MIS system throughout the day.
If the MIS system is properly designed it should have a power switch, which can be used by the organization’s personnel to turn off the system. This power switch will also work as a reset switch if the system crashes.
MIS System Compatibility
MIS systems are designed to be compatible with a number of different programs. This makes implementing a MIS system much easier for an organization. If a MIS system is compatible with a particular database program, it can also be used to store data for that program. This would reduce the amount of physical memory on the system that is being used. A compatible system also allows for the retention of the original database format.
The role of MIS systems in College systems
College MIS systems are prevalent in colleges today. At any large University, such as Stony Brook University, the College Library is among the first systems that comes to mind. It is used to store to virtually any content the library could possibly receive. The library also rents textbooks for their students. The librarian enters all the information obtained from a book agency and it is stored on the computer system.
Another example of a College MIS system is a College course system. Students register for a class, and the instructor enters all his/her course information (highly similar to the College Library) for each of his/her students on the computer system. At the end of the semester, a report can be created, and the teacher can view all of his/her students’ history. This is an example of a College MIS system.
There is yet another MIS system for a College that manages most of the financial aspects of the College. It handles College Bursars Office, the Registrar’s Office, and the Financial Aid Office. It is used to keep track of the other College MIS systems and all of their changes, and it can also distribute money between each department of the College at a minimal amount of time.
Yet another College MIS system is the library website. It is used by students to study for their exams, watch videos, reserve their books, and pay their library fines. It is also used by instructors to access library information (very similar to the library in the College MIS systems).
Although College MIS systems are different, they all serve in the same purpose. College MIS systems do not have to stand out as being completely different for them to be MISs. They should all be able to accomplish the same goals efficiently and they should all work and be compatible with each other.
Potential benefits of MIS
Large organizations with numerous customers and employees with a requirement to measure both production and financial data could benefit greatly from the use of MIS systems. A MIS system would help the organization while providing crucial information to the management, so they can explain to the bank why the organization was not able to repay a loan. A MIS system allows an organization to predict and plan for the future, as well as provides a more accurate presentation of financial data.
Potential Things to Consider for a MIS Implementation
When planning a MIS project, have a list of benefits in mind. Make a list of the organization’s needs, including how the benefit the organization. Most organizations doubt the benefits of implementing a MIS system, and they feel that it will be more trouble than it is worth. This may be true in small organizations, but a large organization with many employees can benefit greatly from a MIS system.
Setting goals and objectives is also very important for a MIS system. The organization needs to decide how they want to use the MIS system and how they are going to use it to maximize their benefits. All of the software that is needed can be the best, but if the organization does not use it for its specific purpose, that could be detrimental.
Employees also need to be on the same page when the MIS system is being implemented. The department heads need to have a good idea of how the new system will work, and they need to be honest with their people so they don’t become frustrated that the old system was not as beneficial as it was supposed to be. Also, the employees need to know what the system will do for them. This should open communication between the employees and the management. A lot of people do not like change, especially if it is a change that is used for day-to-day tasks.
These systems can be thought of as being built for someone else. If the employees feel that it is being used to make the company a more efficient organization, then the employees will feel more secure with the implementation of these systems.
Questions to ask before getting MIS software for a College:
- Who are the stakeholders at the college who need to be informed of MIS integration?
- What does the organization expect the system to do, including up-front costs and long-term benefits?
- Can the organization’s staff handle the MIS system? Can they use it at all?
- Can the organization’s staff use the system for their current tasks, or will they need to be trained to use the system?
A college system that is not properly implemented will not be useful for the organization. Most organizations will not take the time to design their agencies, and they will try to work with the MIS until it eventually collapses. It is better to plan and design the systems before trying to put the system into the organization so that the system can really benefit the organization as much as possible.
MIS is part of a project management approach to enterprise resource planning (ERP) with the involvement of project management software. The term enterprise system is used because such systems are used to manage business units with large numbers of employees at multiple locations. These systems can be particularly useful for companies with large numbers of employees spread over multiple buildings, as well as those with complex information requirements. The software is integrated and typically includes integrated financial, procurement, human resource, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and customer service.
ERP packages include a project management module which enables the management of a software rollout. The rollout team can develop a project plan, create a schedule and track progress. The team can create, assess and manage risks and issues. The project plan might be more complex than a typical business plan, but many of the same project management toolkits used by business can be also be used by a software rollout team.
