Separate Admin Website?

Question

Is it best to have separate websites for the Data Entry Team and Customer Service Team?

Data Entry Team are responsible for inputting the data (adding records).

Customer Service Team are responsible for sending out invoices, checking orders, payment, dealing with the customers, etc.

To have separate websites connected to the same database, e.g. data.mycompany.com (login for data entry - different layout/features) and admin.mycompany.com (login for admin and customer service team - different layout/features), or to have both in one? eg: staff.mycompany.com.

Answer 1

From an architectural perspective I think a single site would be easier to manage in changing circumstances:

• if the activities are ever switched between roles (if what was a data entry responsibility becomes an admin responsibility)
• if a user ever changes role
• if a user ever holds both roles at once

From a UI perspective, you should be able to avoid clutter in a single site by hiding options (menu items, buttons etc) that do not apply to the user's role.

Answer 2

When you say "separate Website", do you really mean one Website with different UI/Permissions and different entry pages? That would make sense. There is no reason to build anything different.