Analysis of Computer Skills and Business Productivity Report

This report examines the role of computer skills and technological advancements in enhancing business productivity, using Mark & Spencer as a case study. It begins with an overview of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and their applications in business operations. The report then analyzes the financial position of Mark & Spencer, highlighting the impact of VAT on revenue. The core of the report delves into the implementation of advanced technologies such as TIBCO Spotfire for data analysis, a new forecasting management system, and digital signage to improve customer experience and streamline operations. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of these technologies in driving productivity gains and providing Mark & Spencer with a competitive edge. The analysis includes data visualization, inventory management, and the deployment of digital platforms to improve efficiency. The report underscores the significance of technology in modern business strategies.

Running Head: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
Introduction to Computer Skills
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
Table of Contents
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................2
Normal view...........................................................................................................................2
Formula view.........................................................................................................................3
Pie chart..................................................................................................................................4
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................5
1.0Introduction.......................................................................................................................5
2.0 Presentation & Explanation of Business Data.................................................................6
2.1 Normal view of financial position................................................................................6
2.2 Formula view of the financial position........................................................................7
3.0 Benefits of Microsoft Office in Business Productivity....................................................8
3.1 Word Processing..........................................................................................................8
3.2 Presentation Graphics...................................................................................................8
3.3 Microsoft Excel............................................................................................................8
3.4 Customization and communication..............................................................................9
3.5 Application of Microsoft office in Mark & Spencer....................................................9
4.0 Technological Advancement for Business.....................................................................10
4.1 TIBCO Software........................................................................................................10
4.2 Forecasting Management System..............................................................................10
5.0 Conclusion......................................................................................................................11
6.0 Reference List................................................................................................................13

2INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
Task 1
Normal view

3INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
Formula view

4INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
Pie chart
January; £129,480.00 February;
£230,740.00
March; £232,400.00
April; £258,960.00
May; £194,220.00
June; £164,340.00July; £185,090.00
August;
£156,870.00
September;
£162,680.00
October;
£147,740.00
November;
£219,950.00
December; £240,700.00

5INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
Task 2
1.0Introduction
The report aims at analysing how implementation of different technology can help to
achieve productivity gains and a better management of the store in Mark and Spencer. Now a
day business implement technology for their different operations. Technologies help to solve
problems in different business areas. In this report, application of Microsoft office to
increases productivity of business is analysed. Microsoft office provides application like
word processor, spreadsheets, presentation through graphics and others. All these have
different application for business. The financial position of the company is viewed from its
revenue trend particularly that is left after paying specific tax. In order to overcome
challenges the company employs some advanced technology and use software that make
business operation easier. These technological advancements intend to provide a better
quality service to the customer and gives Mark & Spencer an additional edge over its
competitor.

6INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
2.0 Presentation & Explanation of Business Data
2.1 Normal view of financial position

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2.2 Formula view of the financial position
The table above represent monthly revenues of Mark and Spencer in 2016. Both
normal view and formula view are given. The objective is to evaluate the financial position of
the company. A rising trend in revenues implies strong financial position while declining
revenues mean weak financial position. The value added tax (VAT) of 17% is imposed on the
revenue of the company. Therefore, the final status of the revenue depends on the amount
left. In April, the company earned maximum revenue with revenue being £312,000. From
February to April. After that, revenue starts falling. If the after VAT revenue is greater than
£200000, then it is noted as profit and otherwise it is considered as loss. The data shows there
are five months in which the company earns a profit while the number of months having loss
is seven. The month January is the least profitable month for Mark & Spencer.

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3.0 Benefits of Microsoft Office in Business Productivity
Microsoft office is known as a software package compatible with different operating
system. It is complete package having application like word processing, graphics
presentation, communication of emails, spreadsheets and other that are suitably used in
running business office and for personal usage (Copeland et al. 2015). The upgraded versions
of Microsoft office come with some added features and makes doing any task easier than
before.
3.1 Word Processing
Microsoft word provides functionality of word processing. Word provides a menu
interface to the users. Any business reports can be made perfectly word features and
templates. There are specific templates design in forms of sales letter, invoices, mailing label
format and such others (Jansen and Cusumano 2013). Report can be made incorporating
graphics, video and sound for preparing multimedia reports.
3.2 Presentation Graphics
Microsoft Power Point offers presentation graphics and helps to prepare attractive
presentations that include text, sound, graphics and video. The presentations are prepared
with slides and presented in slide show with the help of projection screen and computer.
Presentations are used by business to present their business plan a more convenient way.
3.3 Microsoft Excel
Microsoft excel provides spreadsheet solution in home and business use. The
spreadsheets contain rows and columns to input data, formally organize it and make
calculation as per requirements. Entering formula in cells calculations can be done easily.
Different functions available in excels makes mathematical operation easy. The industrial and
business data are usually large and needs to be arranged properly. Excel provide features of

9INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SKILLS
linking different spreadsheets having consolidated data categorized according to time,
location or function (Selene Xia and Gong 2014). The program featured with default
templates of balance sheet, expense report and income statement. Microsoft excel allows the
business to handle large amount of industries data quickly and making and making report.
3.4 Customization and communication
The office application allows sharing information between programs. The spread
documents prepared in excel can be easily embedded with word documents or can be emailed
to others with the use of outlook. There are web services and severs platforms in Microsoft
office enabling collaboration between users (Chong, Wong and Wang 2014). By using
programming language and applications like Visual basic custom application can be
developed.
3.5 Application of Microsoft office in Mark & Spencer
Mark & Spencer has employed office 365 for enabling customers a better service and
make their employees forward thinking. M&S has gone for digital transformation and uses
office 2016. Office 365 enable one drive for storing, accessing and sharing information
among workers spread globally. The company intends to eliminate geographic and time
barriers to yield global productivity. The retail company uses Skype for video conferencing
and conduct meeting and business planning online. The use of office 365 is successful in
making significant difference in productivity of Mark & Spencer. The employees can make
changes to any document with a less time and collaborate making business process more
responsive and fast. The ability to process information quickly make the work environment
smarter giving benefits to the business (Shaffer et al. 2016). Office 365 enables the company
tools that help employees at all the level of hierarchy to success in their work and make them
more efficient.

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4.0 Technological Advancement for Business
4.1 TIBCO Software
Mark & Spencer facing are facing challenges for handling their self-service data and
want their employees to use the data confidently and provide solution to key business
requirements. TIBCO Spotfire is installed to find a way out for this problem. The Company
needed to make their analysts handling data from data warehouse, spreadsheets and other
database without assistance from IT. The company need to understand the present situation
and share information to their analysts quickly. Here, data visualization plays an important
role as before interpreting the data it is required to have a clear understanding of the data. The
Spotfire software enable this facility to the analyst (www.tibco.com 2017). The software
enables access to self-service data and better explain the relationship between IT and
business. The main goal of Mark & Spencer is to make business data at the central of any
decision making. The employees now attain any business with more knowledge about the
business and hence take right decision. It provides greater productivity with improved
experience of customers. The Spotfire gives customers confidence of spotting the product
that customers willing to buy as they come to stores. The installed software improves
performance of the suppliers with a greater collaboration and information sharing.
4.2 Forecasting Management System
An inventory management system is recently used for forecast and manage demand at
the individual stores. The food division of Mark and Spencer will use software designed
Quantum Retail Technologies. This division will manage the end-to-end forecasting of
inventory and helps to design future business plan accordingly. The new system called Q is
planned to be used in place of previously used software called Nest, which is an in house
technology, developed in 1998 and used to manage stocks in different stores
(www.computerweekly.com 2017). With the new software, the mangers are allowed to

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modify stocks in line with local customers’ demand need. The software will be used for
analysing volume of sales and behaviour of local customers to design sales strategy. The
record of last few years indicate that the company should give more focus on increasing
profitability from sales rather than expanding sales only. Q magnifies the aspect of
profitability and indicates how profit can be increased.
4.3 Digital signage
The Digital Signage facility provides all outlets of Mark & Spencer globally with HD
screens, interactive displays that face both staff and customers. The technology is featured
with a CMS modular, diagnostic modules and management of hardware. The protocol is
scheduled to make deployment of content efficient and manageable. The high level of
integration enable Mark and Spencer to monitor the entire system using least amount of
resources. A customized data centre hosts the system. There is a cloud hosting option as well
that users can use as per their requirement. The ‘In store media’ technology does not depend
largely on hardware (insm.co.uk 2017). This feature of flexibility gives Mark & Spencer
option of choosing hardware separated from software.
5.0 Conclusion
One of the top retailers of UK Mark & Spencer business operation is discussed in the
report. The financial data reveals data Mark & Spencer earns a lower revenue in most of the
months in 2016. To increase profitability the company focuses on the technological
advancement. Microsoft office is a software package that helps in business in different ways.
Use of Microsoft word, excel, power point are used in business for preparing business report,
presentation and other purposes. Mark & Spencer uses office 365 to help their employees in
various operation. The paper discussed three technological developments adapted by the
company. These include use of TIBSO Spotfire, forecasting management technology and

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digital signage. The TIBCO Spotfire helps the customer for spot identification of the any
desired product. Forecasting management is done using Q technology that replaces earlier
technology called Nest. Finally, the digital signage uses a digital platform for promoting
products. The stores are equipped with HD screen and interactive displays between customers
and staff.

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6.0 Reference List
Copeland, M., Soh, J., Puca, A., Manning, M. and Gollob, D., 2015. Microsoft azure and
cloud computing. In Microsoft Azure (pp. 3-26). Apress.
Jansen, S. and Cusumano, M.A., 2013. Defining software ecosystems: a survey of software
platforms and business network governance. Software ecosystems: analyzing and managing
business networks in the software industry, 13.
Selene Xia, B. and Gong, P., 2014. Review of business intelligence through data
analysis. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 21(2), pp.300-311.
Chong, H.Y., Wong, J.S. and Wang, X., 2014. An explanatory case study on cloud
computing applications in the built environment. Automation in construction, 44, pp.152-162.
Shaffer, A., Carey, P., Parsons, J.J., Oja, D. and Finnegan, K.T., 2016. Bundle: New
Perspectives Microsoft Office 365 & Access 2016: Comprehensive, Loose-leaf Version+
SAM 365 & 2016 Assessments, Trainings, and Projects... MindTap Reader Multi-Term
Printed Access Card.
ComputerWeekly.com. (2017). M&S rolls out smart forecasting system. [online] Available
at: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280091780/MS-rolls-out-smart-forecasting-
system [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].
INSM. (2017). Instoremedia supplies Digital Signage to Marks & Spencer globally. [online]
Available at: https://insm.co.uk/instoremedia-portfolio/marks-and-spencer-digital-signage/
[Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].
Tibco.com. (2017). Marks and Spencer | TIBCO Software. [online] Available at:
https://www.tibco.com/customers/marks-and-spencer [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].

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