Software Engineering
Mini Project
Inventory Management System
Submitted By:-
A.Priyadharshini (235114142)
P. Sabari shree (235114166)
Inventory Management System
1. Introduction
The Inventory Management System is a lightweight web-based solution developed as
a mini project to manage and track products using fundamental CRUD operations—
Create, Read, Update, and Delete. It is built with HTML5, CSS3 for frontend
presentation, PHP for backend processing, and optionally MySQL for persistent
storage. The system enables users to perform inventory tasks such as adding new
items, editing details, viewing stock, and deleting obsolete entries through intuitive
forms and script-based processing modules. Each core functionality is linked to
individual backend scripts (add.php, view.php, update.php, delete.php) to maintain
modularity and clarity.
The project follows the Classical Waterfall Model of development, ensuring a
structured, phase-wise implementation starting from requirement analysis to design,
development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. It is tailored for academic
environments, small businesses, and quick prototyping purposes, with a user-friendly
interface compatible across browsers and local servers like XAMPP or WAMP.
Functional testing has validated all primary operations, and edge case testing
addressed input validation and database connectivity. Troubleshooting involved
restarting services to resolve phpMyAdmin issues, demonstrating the robustness of
local deployment practices. Although lightweight, the system anticipates future
enhancements such as secure login, product filtering, export features (CSV/PDF), and
dashboard analytics.
Security measures include input validation, sanitization against injection attacks, and
optional session control for protected access. The system’s flexibility allows for
scalability and adapts well to evolving user needs. Maintenance options are
categorized into corrective, adaptive, perfective, and preventive measures to future-
proof the project.
Overall, this project exemplifies a practical and scalable approach to inventory
management for entry-level applications and demonstrates sound principles in web
development, system architecture, and user-centric design.
Purpose:
To develop a simple, modular web-based system for managing inventory through
CRUD operations.
Scope:
Prototype-level functionality for adding, viewing, updating, and deleting product
records.
Intended Audience:
Students, educators, small business owners, and developers.
Definitions & Acronyms:
CRUD: Create, Read, Update, Delete
WAMP: Local server packages
UI: User Interface
2. Overall Description
a. Product Perspective:
Standalone mini project based on the Classical Waterfall Model.
b. Product Functions:
Add product details
Display inventory list
Edit and delete entries
c. User Characteristics:
Basic computer knowledge; non-technical and technical users alike.
d. Operating Environment:
Web browsers; local servers (XAMPP/WAMP)
e. Design Constraints:
No login in current version; limited scalability; modular PHP files
3. Specific Requirements
a. Functional Requirements:
Add new products via forms
View inventory in a table
Edit and delete product details securely
b. Non-Functional Requirements:
Responsive UI
Basic validation
Compatible with modern browsers
4. External Interface Requirements
User Interface:
HTML forms with CSS styling
Hardware Interface:
Local machine with browser and server installed
Software Interface:
HTML5, CSS3, PHP, MySQL
5. Appendices
Glossary:
Use Case Scenarios
TBD Features:
Login System
Product Filters
Analytics dashboard
6. System Design
Modules:
Input Module
Processing Module
Output Module
Displays & Tools:
Table display for products; Developed using HTML, CSS, PHP
7. Testing
Functional Testing:
Verifies proper execution of core operations
Edge Case Testing:
Handles input errors, empty fields, database connectivity
Sample Test Outcomes:
Manual testing successful; Restarted WAMPP services to resolve connection error
8. Deployment
Steps:
Install server software
Set up file and database
Run on localhost
Compatibility:
Works on Windows with modern browsers
No External Dependencies
Future Deployment:
Cloud or live hosting
9. Maintenance
Corrective:
Fix bugs
Adaptive:
Adjust to changes
Perfective:
Improve UI/UX
Preventive:
Regular optimization
Classical Waterfall Model
This Inventory Management System mini project adheres to the Classical Waterfall
Model, with each phase of development being accomplished sequentially. First, you
established explicit product management requirements (add, view, edit, delete), followed
by interface design and script connection planning. Next, you coded the system with
HTML, CSS, and PHP, manually tested every function, and deployed it locally for demo
purposes. Although maintenance is not essential for a mini project, you've accounted for
future upgrades, thus making this an ideal example of how the Waterfall approach is
applied to structured, entry-level software development.
Content Overview
The development of the Inventory Management System mini project aligns with
the Classical Waterfall Model, where each phase is completed sequentially and builds
upon the previous one. The following content illustrates how each step was executed
within the scope of your project:
1. Requirements Analysis
In this initial phase, the project’s goals were clearly defined. The system was
designed to manage product data through basic CRUD operations—add, view, update,
and delete. These requirements established the functional expectations and guided the
overall structure of the application.
2. System Design
Based on the requirements, the interface and backend were designed using a
modular approach. HTML and CSS were used to structure and style the frontend. Each
operation—adding, viewing, editing, and deleting—was linked to dedicated PHP scripts
(e.g., add.php, view.php, etc.), ensuring clean logical separation and user-friendly
navigation.
3. Implementation
The system was developed using HTML5, CSS3, and PHP. Form submissions
were handled via POST requests, and product data was stored using either MySQL for
reliability or text files for basic prototyping. This phase realized the visual and functional
blueprint defined earlier.
4. Integration and Testing
All modules were manually tested to ensure proper interaction and data flow.
Functional testing validated successful CRUD operations, while edge case testing
addressed issues like empty fields or database connectivity. A notable debugging task
involved restarting local services (Apache and MySQL) to fix a connection issue with
phpMyAdmin.
5. Deployment
After testing, the system was deployed on a local server using platforms WAMP. It
became ready for demonstration, academic submission, and evaluation. Plans for future
deployment on a live server were noted for broader accessibility.
6. Maintenance
While intensive maintenance is not required for academic mini projects,
subsequently, the system can be enhanced with functionalities such as user login, export
facilities (CSV or PDF), product searching and filtering functionalities, and visualization.
These changes will increase usability and scalability.
