Design and Implementation of Automatic Payment Portal System (a Case Study of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kongo Campus)
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
Aim
The aim of the project is to develop an Automatic Portal Payment System (APPS) that allows students securely and comfortably pay their school fees and accommodation fees during registration.
Objectives
- Create a Web based system that will solve the problems of the existing system being used for school fees and accommodation payment and hostel allocation
- Develop a system that allows a student save his/her school fees in an account before the period of registration.
- Allow students to pay their school fees and hostel accommodation anywhere and anytime during registration.
- Ease and speed up registration of students every session.
- Test and validate the system prototype.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
As the number of users on the World Wide Web increases every day, its use in different areas is also growing. One of the most powerful uses of web based applications is that they are used to simplify work which is normally done manually. This chapter presents a literature review on; information systems, electronic payment systems, card payment processing, fees payment systems in Nigerian Universities and comparison of the existing online systems with the intended system.
Information Systems
From Wikipedia, Information system (IS) is the study of complementary networks of hardware and software that people and organizations use to collect, filters, and process, create, and distribute data. The study bridges business and computer science using the theoretical foundations of information and computation to study various business models and related algorithmic processes within a computer science discipline.
An Information system refers to information technology and people’s activities that support operations, management and decision-making. Alternatively, an information system is the interaction between people, processes, data and technology [13].
In this sense, the term is used to refer not only to the information and communication technology (ICT) that an organization uses, but also to the way in which people interact with this technology in support of business processes.
Information system is an integrated set of components for collecting, storing, and processing data and for delivering information, knowledge and digital products. Business firms and other organizations rely on information systems to carry out and manage their operations, interact with their customers and suppliers, and also compete in the labour market [4].
Electronic Payment Systems
Electronic payment system is a term to describe any exchange of funds initiated via an electronic communication channel [5]. An e-commerce electronic payment is a financial exchange that takes place in an online environment [6].
Electronic payment systems are summoned to facilitate the most important action after the customer’s decision to pay for a product or service [1].
Several initiatives have been undertaken to create and develop electronic payment systems and successful ones include various types of smart cards, electronic cash, and electronic cheque mechanisms [8]. Electronic payment systems can be categorized into four groups: online credit card payment system, online electronic cash system, electronic cheque system and smart cards-based electronic payment systems.
For the purpose of the present study, the researcher focuses on the Electronic Fund Transfer Method which can be categorized under online electronic cash system.
Card payment processing
There are six parties involved in a traditional credit card processing cycle; customer, card issuing bank, merchant, merchant’s bank, acquirer, and a credit card processor [9]. The card issuing bank issues credit cards to customers and maintains their accounts and the merchant opens an account with a bank to receive payments.
In order to accept credit cards, the merchant needs to register with an acquirer, a bank or financial institution that sets up an account for the merchant and provides a terminal to process credit cards. The processor is a large data center maintained by the credit card network, and it acts as a clearing house for all credit card transactions [9].
Credit Cards
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a method of payment for online or off-line transaction. The service provider or the commercial bank grants a line of credit to the card user, and the card user is required to pay at least a minimum amount for any transaction made every month [8]. With the credit approach, charges are posted against the customer’s account and the customer is billed for this amount later or subsequently pays the balance of the account to the payment service. Credit cards are the most commonly used method of electronic payment [10] and are widely accepted by consumers and merchants throughout the world, especially in retail markets.
Debit Cards
One of the most widely used systems for electronic payments is the debit card; Debit cards combine the service of Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) cards and cheques [10].
When customers pay with a debit card, the money is automatically deducted from their checking bank account [11]. In contrast with the credit cards, the spent money comes from the bank account directly. Many banks issue a combined ATM/debit card that looks like a credit card and can be used in places where credit cards are accepted.
In this case, when users pay with a debit card, the payment will still be processed as a debit transaction. Both debit and credit cards are associated with advantage of convenience, speed, flexibility, simplicity, ease of use, accessibility and availability.
Fees Payment Systems In Nigeria
Banks, ATM stands are usually filled up during registration with people who want to either withdraw or pay their school fees. In the Nigerian context, e-payment is the process of effecting payments from one end to another end through the medium of the computer without manual intervention beyond inputting the payment data, it is the ability to pay the suppliers, vendors and staff salaries electronically at the touch of a computer button [11].
The Federal Government of Nigeria through its treasury circular ref. No TRY/A8 & B8 of 22nd October, 2008 directed that payments from all funds of the Federal Government of Nigeria be made electronically as from 1st January, 2009 in order to eliminate the rather unacceptable delay in the payment of government contractors who have been certified to have either partly or totally completed contracts awarded to them and are due for payment; minimize interaction between contractors and government officials who have roles to play in the payment of contractors; check corruption because transaction of government can easily be traced from one source to another, introduce and institutionalize financial probity in the activities of government [12].
Existing System
Ahmadu Bello University has an efficient and effective Financial Information System (FINIS) that records, monitors, and reports about student fees payment transactions and other finances in the university. Fees payments by students are made through cash deposits, electronic funds transfer and bank drafts to the university’s accounts in specific bank branches and later reflected in FINIS which integrates with the Academic Records Information System (ARIS) that provides information on students. These methods of paying fees have not been efficient enough especially during periods of registration. The process of fees payment in such periods is characterized by long queues, too much waiting by students and congestion at banks where payments are made. This process has always resulted in students being stressed as they have to line up in unending queues at various banks. It has also resulted to too much costs and a lot of time used in transferring and withdrawing money whenever sponsors of students make money transfers to students to enable pay university fees at specific bank branches [2].
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM DESIGN
System Design
The APPS (Automatic Payment Portal System) system design defines the architecture, components/subsystems, modules, interfaces and data required of the system to satisfy specified requirements. In system design the following tools and techniques were used; process architectural design, data modeling and database design.
System Description
The APPS Web Application is a portal system that enables students of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kongo Campus deposit money into their accounts created with the system and enables them to automatically pay their school fees and hostel accommodation anywhere and anytime during registration. To achieve this functionality, HTML and CSS have being used to develop and beautify the interface, JavaScript is used to validate some of the inputs and also validate some of the functions of the system. PHP has also being used to communicate with the database on sharing and storing data.
Data Flow
A Data Flow Diagram is the sequence of path data takes at it is generated on the system. It shows how data is processed if such data is valid and also specifies what happens when such data is invalid.
A diagrammatic representation of the flow of data in this web application is shown
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Choice of Tools
This Chapter presents the various tools that have being used in making this project a success. It involves the use of current web technologies including:
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheet): It provides a way to style and present HTML. It provides a well formed, attractive, fine and simple style that enables the system become more presentable. Twitter Bootstrap is also used to improve the appearance of the interfaces of the application program.
- HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language): Hyper Text Markup Language is amarkup language that web browsers use to interpret and compose text, images and other material into visual or audible web pages. Default characteristics for every item of HTML markup are defined in the browser, and these characteristics can be altered or enhanced by the web page designer’s additional use of CSS.
- JavaScript and jQuery: JavaScript allowclient-side scripts to interact with the user, control the browser, communicate asynchronously, and alter the document content that is displayed. The most used JS library, jQuery is constructed to ease developers when creating scripts for a web page. Some features are selection and manipulation of elements, CSS manipulation and HTML event functions.
- PHP (PHP Hyper Text Preprocessor): It provides a medium through which a web-page can communicate with the database in retrieving, adding/modifying and deleting records. PHP which is the major web-based technology that was used, because of how flexible, dynamic, efficient and reliable it is, enables the manipulation of records from the database.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
Summary
The project work covered all the basic processes involved in designing and developing a web based portal payment system. The system is aimed to address the problems associated with the current issues involved in payment of school fees and accommodation fees at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kongo Campus.
The student record is created by the administrator and only after this step can the student be able to register to use the system. The student registers with his/her matric number and a password of his/her choice. The student can walk to any of the designated banks anytime during banking hours and make deposit into his/her account. Then during registration, a student simply logs into his/her portal and makes payment. Also the student can also pay for his/her accommodation. This process is possible as far as the student has enough funds in his/her account.
The function the administrator can perform is to create a student record, update school fees and session, show accommodation and record of student’s currently registered and using the application. There are forms on different pages of the application that makes the administrator achieve these functions.
Conclusion
Advancement in technology is making automation of mechanical activities become a very important aspect of our daily lives. Since the use of computers is now widespread, the adoption of this system will make life become easier for us all.
The project sought to develop an online fees payment system that provides relief of the long endured problems of the current modes of paying fees in Ahmadu Bello University. Problems that students and their sponsors faced regarding paying fees to the university were identified and a solution was designed. A web based system that enables students and their sponsors to pay university fees was developed. This system was welcomed by all its users who believed it would solve most of the problems and improve conditions regarding paying fees in Ahmadu Bello University. The project achieved all its objectives and as a result, APPS was designed, developed, tested and validated with real users. Hence, it was proved that this online system was fit to be implemented.
Recommendations
Having met the specified objective of the proposed project and after a profound evaluation of the developed system, I will like to suggest the following recommendations for further research work and improvement opportunities
- Ahmadu Bello University should embrace and implement the developed system as it will improve the conditions of fees payment.
- The Government of Nigeria should enact laws and implement policies that encourage and favor online payments by citizens in the country.
- The researchers acknowledge that security is a threat to every system and therefore encourage that maximum effort be dedicated to ensure security of the online transactions through establishment of sound security infrastructure.
- A mobile version of the system should be created to allow user access the system from any device other than a computer thus improving the mobility of the device.
REFERENCES
- Abrazhevich, D. (2004). Electronic payment systems: A user-centered perspective and interaction design. Eindhoven: Technische University, Eindhoven.
- Akampwera G., Ashaba J., Lwanga N., Sekibira R. (2013),Online fees payment system for Makerere University (muk-ofps); Undergraduate Project, Makerere University.
- Chou, Y., Lee, C. and Chung, J. (2004). Understanding M-commerce payment systems through the analytic hierarchy process. Journal of Business Research 57, 1423–1430.
- E-Commerce Payment Systems (2014). http://www.tutorialspoint.com [Online] Available http://www.tutorialspoint.com/e_commerce/e_commerce_payment_systems.htm(September 3, 2014).
- Fisser, P. (2001) “Using Information and Communication Technology”. Ph.D. thesis, Netherlands: University of Twente.
