Glossary I-R

Implementation - The process of installing and integrating a software application that is tested, complete and ready to use. It includes all necessary hardware, software, data and documentation.

Information Technology (IT) - computer and communications equipment and software used to automate processes in organisations.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRP) - standards, also known as International Accounting Standards (IAS), adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) to regulate accounting reporting.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) - a comparative metric or benchmark to measure the success of an employee, cost centre, department or section of an organisation.

Long-Range Planning (LRP) - organisational forecasting that extends from the medium to the long-term future, allowing organisations to map out the effects of emerging trends, test alternative strategies and forecast corporate performance over multiple years.

Marketing Expense Tracking System (METS) - a Mondelio software application that tracks costs and expenditure of an organisation's Marketing department that allows senior management to monitor expenditure.

Off-the-shelf Product - a standardised software system that is not developed, customised or tested for suitability to an individual organisation. It may be a commercial system that is held in stock.

Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) - Online retrieval and analysis of data to provide summarised views of business trends and statistics for analysis, reporting, modelling and planning to optimise business performance.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) - a standard application programming interface for using database management systems.

Overhead Costs - general expenses of operating a business that are not directly related to the goods produced; can include such costs as utilities, telephone, advertising, etc.

Patient Management System (PMS) - computer software system that records patient movements and operations.

Product Release - an updated or new version of a computer software system that is distributed to users of the application.

Profit & Loss Statement - also known as the Income Statement, is an organisation's financial statement that illustrates the total profit or loss of the company by subtracting the cost of goods / services sold, other expenses and tax from the total income.

Profit Margin - an indicator of profitability that can be:

  1. the price received by an enterprise for goods or services minus the cost of producing them
  2. the ratio of sales less all operating expenses divided by the number of sales
  3. the figure determined by dividing net income by revenue for a 12 month period of time.

Quality Improvement (QI) - a method to improve production or performance and increase efficiency while reducing variability in goods or services.

Real-time - as a general concept refers to a system that responds to events or signals as fast as possible, or as they happen.

Research & Development (R&D) - in regard to software, the investigation and creation of new features and enhancements to an existing application.

Return on Investment (ROI) - a ratio measures that measures the revenue from an investment divided by the financial expenditure of the investment