Method and system for facilitating parts procurement and production planning across an extended supply chain

• US 20020091536A1
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lambert, Eric, Steele, Benjamin J., White, Debra J., Seaman, E. Weston, Greene, James, Cohn, Laurie
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a computer-based system and method for automating supply chain functions in a network environment, and more particularly, for identifying and implementing cost-savings techniques within the parts procurement and production planning system of an extended enterprise. The system includes a manufacturing enterprise or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system comprising a host system operating a web server, an applications server, and a database manager; a data storage device in communication with the host system, and at least one terminal for accessing the host system. The OEM system runs on a network that is coupled to the Internet and is accessible to a supplier enterprise system and/or contract manufacturer system identified with proper permissions. The applications server executes a set of programs for managing the OEM system, including the A-source application of the present invention. The A-source application is assisted by bridging software capable of integrating a variety of data pertaining to parts or components collected from a plurality of sources, such as physical attributes for components stored in one database and corresponding business attributes stored in a second database, and organizing the data in a manner such that the organization implementing the software can then perform comprehensive analyses on the integrated data and ultimately make more effective purchasing decisions based upon the analyses. Bills of material, requests for quotes (RFQs), requests for price updates, and the physical and business attributes belonging to the bills of material are inputted into the manufacturing enterprise system via the A-source application where analysis and calculations are performed on the inputs and cost savings techniques can be identified and electronically implemented.

Claims

1. A method of managing a supply chain within a multi-enterprise environment via a computer network, said multi-enterprise environment including a manufacturing enterprise and at least one supply chain entity, comprising:

loading a bill of material file into said computer network;

processing said bill of material file;

generating a bid request from said bill of material file;

transmitting said bid request to a web site;

receiving at least one bid response by said at least one supply chain entity;

analyzing said bid response;

generating an award notice;

transmitting said award notice to said at least one supply chain entity, based upon results of said analyzing;

wherein costs of items provided by said at least one supply chain entity are compared to costs available to said manufacturing enterprise; and

tracking selected activities in a log.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes mapping items contained in said bill of material file from said manufacturing enterprise with items provided by external sources via said network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said items contained in said bill of material file include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said items provided by said external sources include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said external sources include:

a database of said manufacturing enterprise;

a data warehouse; and

a technical manual.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes automatically transmitting notifications to an administrative entity of said manufacturing enterprise via said network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said network is an extranet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing said bid response includes comparing data contained in said bill of material file with data contained in said bid response.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said supply chain entity is a contract manufacturer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said supply chain entity is a supplier.

11. A method of managing a supply chain within a multi-enterprise environment via a computer network, said multi-enterprise environment including a manufacturing enterprise and at least one supply chain entity, comprising:

loading a bill of material file into said computer network;

processing said bill of material file;

generating a bid request from said bill of material file;

transmitting said bid request to a web site;

receiving at least one bid response by said at least one supply chain entity;

analyzing said bid response;

generating an award notice;

transmitting said award notice to said at least one supply chain entity, based upon results of said analyzing;

wherein costs of items provided by said at least one supply chain entity are compared to costs available to said manufacturing enterprise; and

tracking selected activities in a log;

wherein said processing said bill of material file includes associating physical attributes of components listed on said bill of material file with corresponding business attributes of said components.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes mapping items contained in said bill of material file from said manufacturing enterprise with items provided by external sources via said network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said items contained in said bill of material file include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said items provided by said external sources include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said external sources include:

a database of said manufacturing enterprise;

a data warehouse; and

a technical manual.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes automatically transmitting notifications to an administrative entity of said manufacturing enterprise via said network.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said network is an extranet.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said analyzing said bid response includes comparing data contained in said bill of material file with data contained in said bid response.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said supply chain entity is a contract manufacturer.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said supply chain entity is a supplier.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein said business attributes include a price masked component.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein said business attributes include a consignment component.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein said business attributes include a buy off contract.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein said business attributes include a direct rebate plan.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said security device is a firewall.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said manufacturing enterprise and said supplier enterprise communicate via the Internet.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said manufacturing enterprise and said supplier enterprise communicate via an extranet.

30. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes mapping items contained in said bill of material file from said manufacturing enterprise with items provided by external sources via said network.

31. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein said items contained in said bill of material file include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

32. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein said items provided by said external sources include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

33. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein said external sources include:

a database of said manufacturing enterprise;

a data warehouse; and

a technical manual.

34. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes automatically transmitting notifications to an administrative entity of said manufacturing enterprise via said network.

35. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said network is an extranet.

36. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said analyzing said bid response includes comparing data contained in said bill of material file with data contained in said bid response.

37. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said supply chain entity is a contract manufacturer.

38. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said supply chain entity is a supplier.

40. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes mapping items contained in said bill of material file from said manufacturing enterprise with items provided by external sources via said network.

41. The storage medium of claim 40, wherein said items contained in said bill of material file include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

42. The storage medium of claim 40, wherein said items provided by said external sources include:

at least one component number;

at least one component name;

at least one component description;

at least one component price; and

at least one component availability.

43. The storage medium of claim 40, wherein said external sources include:

a database of said manufacturing enterprise;

a data warehouse; and

a technical manual.

44. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said processing said bill of material file includes automatically transmitting notifications to an administrative entity of said manufacturing enterprise via said network.

45. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said network is an extranet.

46. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said analyzing said bid response includes comparing data contained in said bill of material file with data contained in said bid response.

47. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said supply chain entity is a contract manufacturer.

48. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said supply chain entity is a supplier.

49. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said business attributes include a price masked component.

50. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said business attributes include a consignment component.

51. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said business attributes include a buy off contract.

52. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said business attributes include a direct rebate plan.

25. A system for managing supply chain functions within a multi-enterprise environment, the system comprising:

a manufacturing enterprise including;

a host system;

said host system including a web server, an applications server and a database manager;

wherein said web server, said applications server and said database manager are in communication with each other;

a security device for determining access to said host system;

an A-Source application executable by said applications server;

a bridging application in communication with said A-Source application;

at least one computer terminal in communication with said web server;

a network connecting the web server to said terminal;

a data storage device, said data storage device in communication with said host system;

a supplier enterprise including;

at least one terminal;

a network connecting said terminal with said security means, and

a local data storage device, said local data storage device in communication with said terminal; and

a contract manufacturer enterprise including;

at least one terminal;

a network connecting said terminal with said security means, and

a local data storage device, said local data storage device in communication with said terminal;

wherein said manufacturing enterprise system is in communication with said supplier enterprise system and said contract manufacturer system.

29. A storage medium with machine-readable computer program code for managing a supply chain within a multi-enterprise environment via a computer network, said multi-enterprise environment including a manufacturing enterprise and at least one supply chain entity, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

loading a bill of material file into said computer network;

processing said bill of material file;

generating a bid request from said bill of material file;

transmitting said bid request to a web site;

receiving at least one bid response by said at least one supply chain entity;

analyzing said bid response;

generating an award notice;

transmitting said award notice to said at least one supply chain entity, based upon results of said analyzing;

wherein costs of items provided by said at least one supply chain entity are compared to costs available to said manufacturing enterprise; and

tracking selected activities in a log.

39. A storage medium with machine-readable computer program code for managing a supply chain within a multi-enterprise environment via a computer network, said multi-enterprise environment including a manufacturing enterprise and at least one supply chain entity, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

loading a bill of material file into said computer network;

processing said bill of material file;

generating a bid request from said bill of material file;

transmitting said bid request to a web site;

receiving at least one bid response by said at least one supply chain entity;

analyzing said bid response;

generating an award notice;

transmitting said award notice to said at least one supply chain entity, based upon results of said analyzing;

wherein costs of items provided by said at least one supply chain entity are compared to costs available to said manufacturing enterprise; and

tracking selected activities in a log;

wherein said processing said bill of material file includes associating physical attributes of components listed on said bill of material file with corresponding business attributes of said components.