Method and process for providing relevant data, comparing proposal alternatives, and reconciling proposals, invoices, and purchase orders with actual costs in a workflow process
First Claim
15-1. A process for reconciling as described in claim 1 wherein the actual data comprises at least one measurement of the at least one parameter actually recorded by the seller in performance of the project.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a process and a system for matching buyers and sellers of goods and/or services for a project. The invention enables a buyer to specify a project in terms of physical, functional, temporal, financial, and/or transactional parameters that are then automatically converted, by the present invention, into at least one request for goods/services perform work related to the project. The requests are suitably provided to at least one seller, who may be pre-identified by the buyer as a preferred seller. The requests may be accompanied by supporting information or reference links to sources of such supporting information. Upon receiving a request, the seller may submit a response to the request, as desired. The seller'"'"'s response may likewise include attachments with information supporting the proposal, or reference links to such information in other sources. The inventive process itself provides a library of industry specific information for the benefit of users accessible from a repository in the system or via reference links to other sources. The invention provides an environment for the manipulation of proposal data to compare proposals between multiple sellers and to identify economies of scale across similar projects. The invention provides a forum for the negotiation of any agreements and the formation of contracts to provide the requested, or alternative goods/services, as well as reconciliation of purchase orders, actual field costs, and invoices.
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Citations
129 Claims
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15-1. A process for reconciling as described in claim 1 wherein the actual data comprises at least one measurement of the at least one parameter actually recorded by the seller in performance of the project.
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21. A workflow system for reconciling actual data compiled for a project by a seller with estimated data for the project, the project ordered by a buyer and performed by the seller, the workflow system comprising:
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a first interface for interacting with at least one buyer;
a second interface for interacting with at least one seller;
a memory for storing the estimated data and the actual data, wherein the actual data is received from the seller field device via the second interface; and
a processor controlling the memory, the first interface and the second interface, wherein the processor compares the actual data to the estimated data to determine any discrepancy between the actual data and the estimated data, and wherein the processor notifies the buyer via the first interface of the any discrepancy. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A process in a workflow system for presenting the reconciliation of actual data compiled by a seller with estimated data projected for a project, the actual data received at the workflow system from a seller via a communication network, the process comprising:
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comparing the actual data to the estimated data to determine any discrepancy between the actual data and the estimated data; and
presenting an interface comprising the any discrepancy, the interface accessible by the buyer via the communication network connecting the workflow system to a buyer system. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A process in a workflow system for comparing a first response to at least one second response, the first and at least one second responses responsive to at least one request by a buyer for at least one good/service for a project, the process comprising:
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receiving the first response at the workflow system via a communication network;
receiving the at least one second response at the workflow system via the communication network;
comparing the first response to the at least one second response; and
presenting the comparison to the buyer through an interface with a buyer system via the communication network. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A workflow system for comparing a first response to at least one second response, the first and at least one second responses responsive to at least one request by a buyer for at least one good/service for a project, the workflow system comprising:
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a buyer interface;
at least one seller interface for receiving the first response and the at least one second response from at least one seller;
a memory for storing the first response and the at least one second response; and
a processor connected to the buyer interface, the at least one seller interface, and the memory, wherein the processor compares the first response to the at least one second response, and wherein the processor presents the comparison to the buyer via the buyer interface. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 79)
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74. A process in a workflow system for presenting a comparison of a first response to at least one second response, the first and at least one second responses responsive to at least one request by a buyer for at least one good/service for a project, the process comprising:
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receiving the first response;
receiving the at least one second response;
comparing the first response to the at least one second response; and
presenting the comparison to the buyer via a buyer interface with the workflow system. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. A process for enhancing a workflow system by providing supportive information for a project, wherein a buyer provides at least one request for at least one good/service for the project, and a seller provides at least one response to the at least one request, the process comprising:
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providing a request template in a buyer interface, wherein the buyer develops the at least one request;
inserting an information source link into the request template;
notifying the seller that the request template is available for access and review in a seller interface;
responding to a selection of the information source link by the seller by displaying the supportive information in the seller interface. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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88. A process for enhancing a workflow system by providing supportive information for a project, wherein a buyer provides at least one request for at least one good/service for the project, and a seller provides at least one response to the at least one request, the process comprising:
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providing a response template in a seller interface, wherein the seller develops the at least one response to the at least one request;
inserting an information source link into the response template;
notifying the buyer that the response template is available for access and review in a buyer interface;
responding to a selection of the information source link by the buyer by displaying the supportive information in the buyer interface. - View Dependent Claims (92, 101)
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102. An enhanced workflow system that provides supportive information for a project, wherein a buyer provides at least one request for at least one good/service for the project, and a seller provides at least one response to the at least one request, the workflow system comprising:
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a buyer interface with at least one buyer system;
a seller interface with at least one seller system;
a memory for storing the at least one request input by the buyer through the first interface; and
a processor connected to the buyer interface, the seller interface, and the memory, wherein the processor inserts an information source link into the request;
notifies the seller that the request is available for access and review in the second interface; and
responds to a selection of the information source link by the seller by presenting the supportive information in the second interface. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129)
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103. An enhanced workflow system that provides supportive information for a project, wherein a buyer provides at least one request for at least one good/service for the project, and a seller provides at least one response to the at least one request, the workflow system comprising:
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a buyer interface with at least one buyer system;
a seller interface with at least one seller system;
a memory for storing the at least one response input by the seller through the second interface; and
a processor connected to the buyer interface, the seller interface, and the memory, wherein the processor inserts an information source link into the response;
notifies the buyer that the response is available for access and review in the first interface; and
responds to a selection of the information source link by the seller by presenting the supportive information in the second interface. - View Dependent Claims (107, 116)
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117. A process in a workflow system for displaying information supportive of a request by a buyer to a seller for at least one good/service, the process comprising:
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displaying a seller interface accessible to the seller, wherein the seller interface connects the workflow system and a seller system, the interface comprising an information source link; and
in response to selection of the information source link, displaying the supportive information in the seller interface.
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118. A process in a workflow system for displaying information supportive of a response by a seller to a request by a buyer for at least one good/service, the process comprising:
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displaying a buyer interface accessible to the buyer, wherein the buyer interface connects the workflow system and a buyer system, the interface comprising an information source link; and
in response to selection of the information source link, displaying the supportive information in the buyer interface.
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Specification