Welcome to the final project of the COBOL Programming Course! This project is designed to consolidate your learning and give you hands-on experience in developing a complete COBOL application. Follow these guidelines to ensure you meet all the requirements and make the most of this learning opportunity.

Your final project will involve creating a comprehensive COBOL application that addresses a real-world problem. You can choose from one of the following domains or propose your own:

1. Banking System
2. Inventory Management
3. Payroll System
4. Library Management System

• Objective: Clearly define the problem your application will solve.
• Scope: Outline the features and functionalities of your application.
• Timeline: Provide a timeline for the development phases (design, coding, testing, etc.).

• Data Flow Diagram (DFD): Create a DFD to illustrate the flow of data within your application.
• Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD): Design an ERD to represent the data model.
• Program Structure: Outline the structure of your COBOL programs, including main programs and subprograms.

• Naming Conventions: Use meaningful names for variables, constants, and program sections.
• Comments: Include comments to explain the purpose of code blocks and logic.
• Modularity: Break down the application into smaller, reusable modules.

• Data Handling: Implement file handling (sequential, indexed, or relative) as required by your application.
• Control Structures: Use appropriate control structures (conditional statements, loops) to manage the flow of the program.
• Error Handling: Implement error handling mechanisms to manage exceptions and ensure robustness.

• Unit Testing: Test individual modules to ensure they work as expected.
• Integration Testing: Test the interaction between different modules.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Conduct UAT to ensure the application meets user requirements.

• User Manual: Provide a user manual that explains how to install, configure, and use the application.
• Technical Documentation: Include technical documentation that covers the design, code structure, and testing procedures.

• Demo: Prepare a demo to showcase the features and functionalities of your application.
• Report: Submit a final report summarizing the project, including challenges faced and how they were overcome.

Your project will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Code: Submit all source code files in a well-organized directory structure.
2. Documentation: Include all documentation (user manual, technical documentation) in a separate folder.
3. Demo Video: Record a demo video showcasing the application and explaining its features.
4. Final Report: Submit a final report summarizing the project.

• Plan Ahead: Start early and plan your work to avoid last-minute rush.
• Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from peers or mentors to improve your project.
• Test Thoroughly: Ensure your application is thoroughly tested to avoid any runtime issues.
• Stay Organized: Keep your code and documentation well-organized for easy reference.

Completing this final project will not only reinforce your COBOL programming skills but also give you practical experience in developing a real-world application. Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your innovative solutions!