System and method for ordering contract workers

• US 20020103687A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Manpower Incorporated (ManpowerGroup, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Manpower Incorporated (ManpowerGroup, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kipling, Debbie
• Application Number:
  US09/774,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

Systems and methods consistent with the present invention provide a network based service for ordering contract workers. The system receives an order from a client, including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker. The system then notifies a set of suppliers of the order and receives at least one submission from a supplier, including information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order. The system forwards information corresponding to the submission to the client for review. After receiving from the client an approval associated with the suggested worker, the system notifies the suggested worker of the approval.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for ordering workers for a client, comprising:

receiving an order request including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker;

notifying a supplier of the order request;

receiving at least one candidate submission from the notified supplier, including information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request;

forwarding information corresponding to the candidate submission to the client for review;

receiving from the client a candidate approval associated with the suggested worker; and

notifying the supplier of the candidate approval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an order request further comprises:

generating a display screen including a selectable template identifying predetermined qualification criteria of a worker;

prompting the client to complete the order request using the selectable template; and

including in the order request the predetermined qualification criteria included in the selectable template.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying a supplier further comprises:

selecting from a database, based on the qualification criteria included in the received order request, a particular supplier; and

notifying the particular supplier of the order request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding information on a candidate to the client further comprises:

notifying the client of the suggested worker by automatically generating and sending an electronic mail message to the client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the order request is processed in a number of stages, the method further comprising:

determining the current stage of the order request;

generating a first display screen including status display components associated with each stage of the order request; and

modifying each status display component to reflect the current stage of the order request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the status display components correspond to a series of bars equal to the number of stages, the method further comprising:

highlighting the number of bars corresponding to the current stage.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating a second display screen including a listing of order requests associated with a particular user; and

associating with each order request listed in the second display screen the corresponding status display component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the order request is processed in a number of stages, the method further comprising:

generating a display screen providing a summary of action taken on the order request during each processing stage, wherein the display screen displays, for each processing stage, text of an electronic mail sent to a user associated with the order request.

9. A computer-implemented method of ordering workers using a network, comprising:

providing an interface in the network for clients to obtain workers from a supplier of workers;

permitting clients to have access to the interface to specify order requests identifying an order for workers, the order request including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker;

permitting the supplier to have access to the order request based on the qualification criteria; and

receiving at least one candidate submission from the supplier, including information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request.

10. A computer-implemented method for ordering workers, comprising:

determining, from a set of suppliers, a select group of suppliers capable of satisfying an order request based on stored information associated with the set of suppliers, the stored information including at least an identification of types of workers associated with each supplier;

notifying each supplier in the select group of suppliers about the order request;

receiving at least one candidate submission from the notified select group of suppliers, including information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request; and

notifying a client associated with the order request of the candidate submission.

11. A computer for ordering workers, the computer comprising:

a memory having program instructions; and

a processor, responsive to the programming instructions, configured to;

receive an order request including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker;

determine from a set of suppliers a select group of suppliers capable of satisfying an order request based on stored information associated with the set of suppliers, the stored information including at least an identification of types of workers associated with each supplier;

notify each supplier terminal associated with the select group of suppliers about the order request;

receive at least one candidate submission from the notified select group of suppliers, including information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request; and

notify the client terminal of the candidate submission.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving an order request further comprises:

generating a display screen including a selectable template identifying predetermined qualification criteria of a worker;

prompting the client to complete the order request using the selectable template; and

including in the order request the predetermined qualification criteria included in the selectable template.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forwarding the candidate information to the client further comprises:

notifying the client of the suggested worker by automatically generating and sending an electronic mail message to the client.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the order request is processed in a number of stages, the method further comprising:

determining the current stage of the order request;

generating a display screen including display components associated with each stage of the order request; and

modifying each display component to reflect the current stage of the order request.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the display components correspond to a series of bars equal to the number of stages, the method further comprising:

highlighting the number of bars corresponding to the current stage.

19. The user interface of claim 18, further comprising:

a summary report display component displaying order identification information, the status display component, and information identifying an amount of time elapsed for each stage of the order request.

12. A computer-implemented method for ordering workers for a client, comprising:

receiving from the client an order request including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker;

selecting candidate information from a database based on the identified qualification criteria in the order request, wherein the selected candidate information includes information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request;

forwarding the candidate information to the client for review;

receiving from the client a candidate approval associated with the suggested worker; and

notifying the suggested worker of the approval.

17. A computer for ordering workers, the computer comprising:

a memory having program instructions; and

a processor, responsive to the programming instructions, configured to;

receive from the client an order request including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker;

select candidate information from a database based on the identified qualification criteria in the order request, wherein the selected candidate information includes information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request;

forward the candidate information to the client for review;

receive from the client a candidate approval associated with the suggested worker; and

notify the suggested worker of the approval.

18. A user interface, generated by a computer, for displaying status information of an order request, wherein the order request is processed in a number of stages, the interface comprising:

a status display component corresponding to a series of bars equal to the number of stages; and

wherein the user interface associates the status display component with the order request and highlights a subset of the series of bars of the status display component, wherein the number of highlighted bars corresponds to the current stage of the order request.

20. A computer-implemented method for ordering workers for a client, comprising:

receiving an order request including criteria identifying qualifications for a worker, wherein the order request is processed in a number of stages and wherein receiving an order request further comprises;

generating a display screen including a selectable template identifying predetermined qualification criteria of a worker, prompting the client to complete the order request using the selectable template, and including in the order request the predetermined qualification criteria included in the selectable template;

selecting from a database, based on the qualification criteria included in the received order request, a supplier;

notifying the supplier of the order request;

receiving at least one candidate submission from the notified supplier, including information identifying a suggested worker intended to satisfy the order request;

forwarding information corresponding to the candidate submission to the client for review, wherein forwarding information on a candidate to the client further comprises notifying the client of the suggested worker by automatically generating and sending an electronic mail message to the client;

receiving from the client a candidate approval associated with the suggested worker;

notifying the supplier of the candidate approval;

determining the current stage of the order request;

generating a first display screen including status display components associated with each stage of the order request, wherein the status display components correspond to a series of bars equal to the number of stages;

highlighting the number of bars corresponding to the current stage;

generating a second display screen including a listing of order requests associated with a particular user;

associating with each order request listed in the second display screen the corresponding status display component; and

generating a third display screen providing a summary of action taken on the order request during each processing stage, wherein the third display screen displays, for each processing stage, text of an electronic mail sent to a user associated with the order request.