System and method for allocating operating expenses
First Claim
1. A method for allocating operating expenses to deal activity using a network-based system including a server system coupled to a centralized database and at least one client system, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving business information;
allocating operating expenses to a business unit'"'"'s processes;
computing an average deal cost;
calculating deal costs per product by adjusting the average deal cost to reflect complexity differences between products since each product tends to have a different level of complexity that drives different processes and costs; and
providing various management reports to track operating expenses by different categories to facilitate strategic decision making processes and improve operational productivity.
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Abstract
A system utilizing a web-based interactive database to automate the allocation of the operating expenses is disclosed. The system is configured to receive business information, allocate operating expenses, compute an average deal cost, calculate deal cost per product by adjusting the average deal cost to reflect complexity differences, and provide various management reports to track operating expenses by different categories to facilitate strategic decision making process. In another embodiment, the invention is a method and a computer program for allocating operating expenses that utilizes a web-based system including a server system, a centralized database and a client system.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method for allocating operating expenses to deal activity using a network-based system including a server system coupled to a centralized database and at least one client system, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving business information;
allocating operating expenses to a business unit'"'"'s processes;
computing an average deal cost;
calculating deal costs per product by adjusting the average deal cost to reflect complexity differences between products since each product tends to have a different level of complexity that drives different processes and costs; and
providing various management reports to track operating expenses by different categories to facilitate strategic decision making processes and improve operational productivity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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17. A method for allocating operating expenses to deal activity based on various data inputs to determine operations productivity, product pricing, and strategic decision making, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving business information which includes at least one of at least one of a Number of Deals for a Specific Financial Reporting Period, Time spent per process as a percentage of Total Year, Deal Activity Segmentation Factors, Operating Expenses by a Business Unit, and an Average Cycle Time from Qualified Lead to Close in Days by Business Unit by Product Name;
allocating operating expenses to a business unit'"'"'s processes;
computing an average deal cost;
calculating deal costs per product by adjusting the average deal cost to reflect complexity differences between products since each product tends to have a different level of complexity that drives different processes and costs; and
providing various management reports to track operating expenses by different categories to facilitate strategic decision making processes.
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19. A web-based system for allocating operating expenses utilizing a cost allocation model, said system comprising:
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a client system comprising a browser;
a data storage device for storing information;
a server system configured to be coupled to said client system and said database, said server system further configured to;
receive business information;
allocate operating expenses to a business unit'"'"'s processes;
compute an average deal cost;
calculate deal cost per product by adjusting the average deal cost to reflect complexity differences between products; and
provide various management reports to track operating expenses by different categories.
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46. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for allocating operating expenses to facilitate strategic decision making process, comprising:
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a code segment that receives business information;
a code segment that allocates operating expenses to a business unit'"'"'s processes;
a code segment that computes an average deal cost;
a code segment that calculates deal cost per product by adjusting the average deal cost to reflect complexity differences between products since each product tends to have a different level of complexity that drives different processes and costs; and
a code segment that provides various management reports to track operating expenses by different categories to facilitate strategic decision making process and improve operational productivity.
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Specification