Implementation of the Laravel Framework in the Administration of Letter Submission and Issuance Information System

Administrative management of the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business (FEBI) at State Islamic University of Sjech M. Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi is still ineffective, where mail management is still done manually or semi-automatically. However, the number of letters published is still limited. The situation in this faculty often results in long queues when students need to collect their letters. Students have to come directly to the faculty to check whether the letters they have submitted have been issued or not. However, there is currently no specific information system in place to manage administrative difficulties linked to letter submission and issuance at FEBI. As a result, improvements in this area are required to boost the efficiency and convenience of administrative procedures at the faculty. The purpose of this research is to create an Administration System for Letter Submission and Issuance at the Faculty of Economics and Islamic Business, UIN Bukittinggi, utilizing the Laravel framework and the MySQL database. This technology enables users to manage correspondence online, making it more productive and efficient. This study uses the Research and Development (RnD) version of the Pressman waterfall model. The system was built using Visual Studio Code software and using the Laravel framework as the back end and CSS bootstrap


Introduction
A Higher Education Institution is the most prestigious formal institution where members of the community can get an education.This institution implements educational programs that include a variety of components.Students are one of the most significant aspects of a higher education institution.The amount and quality of students, who are the backbone of every higher education institution, might indicate its success or failure [1].Student academic activities cannot be separated from administration, one of which is submission and publishing services [2].The current development of technology also has a significant impact on various aspects of life, including the field of education.In this context, the application of technology in higher education administration becomes increasingly important.One area where technology can play a role is in the process of document submission and issuance, which can optimize efficiency and the quality of services provided to students.
The importance of administration is also regulated in Government Regulation Number 4 of 2017 concerning the Organization and Management of Higher Education.In this regulation, it is explained that higher education institutions are regulators, planners, supervisors, monitors, evaluators, and providers of guidance and coordination for the implementation of various levels and types of higher education by the minister to achieve the goals of higher education [3].The explanation of the verse can be interpreted that universities play a role as both education providers and administrators.In a university, student activities cannot be separated from administration, starting from the registration of new students to the process of academic activities, handling application submissions, and issuing letters.These are all part of academic administration that should be managed by staff in each faculty.One of the administrative services is student letters.A letter is a type of written communication media that is used to deliver information, assertions, or messages to other parties who have unique demands or activities with other individuals.It is a written communication tool sent from one party to another to convey news or a comparable document used as a medium of written communication between the first and second parties on a specific-sized piece of paper [4].Correspondence is classified into numerous sorts based on its side and purpose, as well as its shape and character [5].A letter is a type of communication used to deliver written information from one person to another.
The Administration Information System for letter requests and issuance is one system that can help with this procedure.An information system is an organization that combines the needs and processing of everyday transactions, supports administrative operations, and generates the required reports [6].This system is a web-based application that employs the PHP programming language, which is an open-source language noted for its simplicity and built-in features beneficial for managing common online application development requirements [7], and MySQL database, using a Database Management System (DBMS) for its management which will assist in database management [8].and online-based internet so it can be accessed anywhere.With the usage of a system, students who will manage the letter merely need to access it via the internet, whether on a PC or a smartphone.

Type of Research
This research falls under the category of Research and Development (R&D).In simple terms, the research and development method is a research approach used to create a specific product and test the effectiveness of that product [9].In system development, this research uses the waterfall model.

Research Procedure
The Waterfall model, often referred to as the sequential linear model or the classic life cycle model, provides a sequential or ordered approach to software development, starting from analysis, design, coding, testing, and support phases.According to Pressman in the journal by Permadi Setiawan, the Waterfall model implies a systematic and sequential approach to system development.System development begins with determining requirements specifications and proceeds through stages of planning, modeling, construction, and delivering the system to customers or users (deployment), concluding with ongoing support for the resulting system [2].The stages of this research can be described as in Figure 1.The SDLC waterfall model is often also referred to as the linear sequential model or the classical life flow which is systematic, sequential in building software [10].This model provides a sequential or organized approach to software development, beginning with analysis, design, coding, testing, and support.According to Pressman in Permadi Setiawan's publication, the Waterfall model indicates a methodical and sequential approach to system development.System development begins with identifying requirements specifications and progresses through stages of planning, modeling, construction, and providing the system to customers or users (deployment), culminating with continuing maintenance for the resulting system [11].The following is an explanation of the stages carried out in the Waterfall Model according to Pressman [12] : Communication.This first stage is an important stage, because at this stage data will be collected regarding user needs and defines system specifications in detail.
Planning.Following the completion of the communication process, the next stage is to plan the system work, which comprises the technical tasks that will be completed, the risks that may occur, the resources and data required, the work schedule, and the results that will be produced.
Modeling.During this stage, the plans that were established earlier are translated into a system design before the actual development process begins.This phase focuses on designing the data structure, the architecture of the system to be built, the user interfaces, and the detailed procedures within the system.
Construction.The coding process takes place throughout the construction phase.This level depicts the actual construction of a system.This indicates that during this time, computer utilization is maximized.Following the completion of the coding process, testing will be performed to find any flaws (bugs) in the system, which may then be corrected.This step is critical for assuring the system's functioning and reliability.
Deployment.The final stage of the system development process is deployment.The system is deployed and used by users when the creation and analysis phases are done.The designed system will be subjected to periodic maintenance as needed to ensure its sustained functioning and effectiveness.This upkeep may include updates, bug fixes, and enhancements to satisfy changing requirements or handle any difficulties that develop throughout the operational phase.

Results and Discussion
The result of the research on the administration information system for letter requests and issuance in the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business has produced a system that is useful for simplifying administrative processes related to letter requests and issuance for students.This system allows students to handle their letter requests through a specialized system that deals with the issues of requesting and issuing letters without the need to physically visit the campus.For administrators, it also facilitates document archiving and generates reports for tracking incoming and outgoing student letter data within the faculty.With the existence of an administrative information system for submitting and issuing letters at the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business for both students and administrative staff who are on campus, this system can help in the process of administering letters to be more effective and efficient.System development refers to the following waterfall stages :

Project initiation
Before developing the system, the author conducted interviews at the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business, identifying various concerns, such as letter handling, which is still done manually or semiautomatically.The number of letters issued is still limited.When students want to pick up letters from the faculty, there is a big line.

Requirement gathering
This stage consists of two requirements, namely functional requirements and non-functional requirements.Functional requirements for super admin, some of the things needed by the super admin in the system are as follows: First, the need for Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) features to manage users at the admin and student levels.Second, the need for features to download and upload a large amount of data that will be entered into the database.Third, the need for features to export and import data in Excel format for data summary and report generation.
Functional requirements for admin, some of the things needed by the Admin in the system are as follows: First, the need for a feature to display the status of a letter's process (in progress, rejected, and completed).Second, the need for Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) buttons for letter management.Third, the need for features to download and upload completed processed letters.Fourth, the need for a feature to display reports of letters that have been processed, with options for monthly and yearly reports for data summary.
Functional requirements for student, some of the things needed by student users in the system are as follows: First, the need for a feature that can automatically generate a letter of request for letter submission.Second, the need for a feature that provides forms/textareas/fields for filling in data other than student data (NIM, Name, Faculty).Third, the need for features to download processed letters and upload additional files/documents if the submitted letter requires supplementary documents other than the request letter.Fourth, the need for a feature to monitor the progress of submitted letters.
Non-functional requirements, these requirements consist of properties stored by the system.For the successful implementation of the generated system, two components of information technology are required: hardware and software.

Estimating
The initial step is to collect the data required to develop this system.This data includes information on letter types, processes for submitting student letters, and requirements for submitting letters for each letter type until the letter is issued.Second, the author creates the system's logic, such as input and output logic, as well as submission and letter logic.Third, use the Laravel framework to incorporate the logic design that has been created into the PHP programming language.Fourth, create the display that appears when the user accesses the system.Fifth, put the system through its paces to evaluate if it lives up to expectations.Sixth, do maintenance or fixes on various errors that were not noticed during the system's construction.

Schedulling
The system development process took approximately two months, starting from September to October 2022.It began with data collection from September 1, 2022, to September 7, 2022.The logic design phase followed, starting from September 8 to September 14, 2022.Afterward, the logic was translated into a programming language, which was done from September 15, 2022, to September 31, 2022.The next phase involved building the user interface, which started on October 1 and continued until October 10, 2022.Following that, a rough test of the system was conducted from October 11 to October 20, 2022.Lastly, the author worked on fixing any errors or issues, which was done from October 21 to October 25, 2023.

Tracking
The author conducted research by referring to several journal articles with titles similar to the author's research topic, such as "administration system for letter submission and issuance", "designing an administration system for incoming and outgoing letters", and others.Additionally, references were also drawn from existing applications.However, these applications had some shortcomings, such as differences in the letter submission process compared to the author's case study.As a result, improvements were needed in these applications.The development of this information system involved several stages.The author created the application using the Laravel programming language and the Bootstrap 4 CSS front-end framework.

Data structure
On a system using a database, use the .envfile which contains the syntax for connecting to the database.The Laravel framework already has the MVC (Model, View, Controller) mechanism for data preparation.Model contains coding for database activities, View contains coding for the display of the system being constructed, and Controller contains coding to connect the View and Model [9].

Design in general
Use case diagram.Use case diagrams describe the expected functionality of a system.Use cases are used to represent an interaction between actors and the system [13].Figure 2     Copyright © e-letter -2023        Product delivery to users is accomplished by sending links from the system to students via social media, and for the web admin, it can be viewed by professors via the network by entering the url provided.

Support
The system offers benefits to the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business, as it operates effectively, is user-friendly, attractive, efficient, and innovative.The system can be used anytime and anywhere.

Feedback
In this phase, updates are made to the system and corrections are applied to address various shortcomings that were identified during the system testing phase.

Conclusion
Based on the discussion presented in the previous explanation and the results of the conducted research on the e-letter system using the Laravel and Bootstrap frameworks, it can be concluded that this administrative information system can facilitate the process of letter submission and issuance for students.It also allows for monitoring the status or progress of a submitted letter.Likewise, it benefits administrators/staff at the faculty by enabling them to monitor letters, generate summary reports using predefined schemes, and ultimately simplifies their work. 51

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Research Stage 53 is a use case diagram for this research.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Design Use Case Diagram

Figure 3 ,
Figure 4, and Figure 5 are a activity diagram for this research.

Figure 6 .
Figure 6.Super Admin Output Design