End users are the people whose jobs require access to the database for querying, updating, and generating reports; the database primarily exists for their use. There are several categories of end users:
Casual end users occasionally access the database, but they may need different information each time. They use a sophisticated database query interface to specify their requests and are typically middle- or high-level managers or other occasional browsers.
Naive or parametric end users make up a sizable portion of database
end users. Their main job function revolves around constantly querying
and updating the database, using standard types of queries and updates—
called canned transactions—that have been carefully programmed and
tested. Many of these tasks are now available as mobile apps for use with
mobile devices. The tasks that such users perform are varied. A few
examples are:
- Bank customers and tellers check account balances and post withdrawals and deposits
- Reservation agents or customers for airlines, hotels, and car rental companies check availability for a given request and make reservations
- Employees at receiving stations for shipping companies enter package identifications via bar codes and descriptive information through buttons to update a central database of received and in-transit packages
- Social media users post and read items on social media Web sites.
- Sophisticated end users include engineers, scientists, business analysts, and others who thoroughly familiarize themselves with the facilities of the DBMS in order to implement their own applications to meet their complex requirements.
- Standalone users maintain personal databases by using ready-made program packages that provide easy-to-use menu-based or graphics-based interfaces. An example is the user of a financial software package that stores a variety of personal financial data