Methods and system for performing electronic invoice presentment and payment dispute handling with line item level granularity

• US 20020184123A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Netscape Communications Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.), Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Groves, Blake, Chmielewski, Michal, Sijacic, Michael Anthony
• Application Number:
  US09/867,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184123A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A system and method for performing Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment (EIPP) dispute resolution processing with line item granularity is disclosed. A server makes available to a purchasing entity one or more invoices that each contain one or more line items that have been provided by a providing entity. A designated approver associated with the purchasing entity approves or rejects the line items and submits these decisions to the server. In response to disputed line items, the server initiates a dispute resolution process that includes making an indication of the disputed line items available to the providing entity, facilitating a provider resolution process whereby resolvers associated with the provider may dispute or approve the disputed line items reflected in the indication, and making the results of the provider resolution process available to the purchasing entity.

Claims

1. A method for performing dispute handling, comprising:

receiving a request from a first approver associated with a purchasing entity to access invoice data for one or more invoices, each invoice including one or more line items;

making information reflecting the invoice data available to the first approver;

receiving a response reflecting the first approver'"'"'s decision to dispute one or more line items included within the one or more invoices; and

performing a dispute handling process associated with the purchasing entity and a providing entity that generated the one or more invoices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a response includes:

receiving an indication reflecting one or more line items that have been reviewed by one or more other approvers associated with the purchasing entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein making information reflecting the invoice data available to the first approver includes:

displaying a list reflecting the one or more invoices;

receiving an indication reflecting a selection of a first invoice included in the list of one or more invoices, wherein the first invoice has been reviewed by another approver associated with the purchasing entity; and

displaying one or more line items included in the first invoice that have been reviewed by the another approver, wherein each of the displayed one or more line items indicate whether the another approver has disputed or approved a respective displayed line item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a response includes:

receiving a response reflecting whether one or more of the displayed line items that have been accepted by the another approver is approved by the first approver.

5. A method for performing a dispute resolution process in response to an indication reflecting a dispute of one or more line items included in an invoice by a purchasing entity, comprising:

making information reflecting the one or more disputed line items available to a providing entity;

receiving a response from the providing entity reflecting whether the one or more disputed line items are approved;

sending a notification reflecting the response to the purchasing entity; and

facilitating a resolution process between the purchasing entity and the providing entity in response to the notification reflecting that the purchasing entity has disapproved at least one of the one or more disputed line items.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein facilitating a resolution process includes:

facilitating electronic communications between the purchasing and providing entities.

7. A method for performing a dispute resolution process, comprising:

receiving an indication of a line item that has been disputed by a first entity, wherein the line item is associated with an invoice comprising a plurality of line items;

making information associated with the disputed line item available to a second entity;

receiving a response from the second entity reflecting whether the second entity approved the dispute of the line item based on the information; and

sending a notification to the first entity reflecting the response.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a response includes:

assigning the disputed line item to a resolving entity; and

receiving an indication reflecting whether the resolving entity approved the dispute of the line item.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the response indicates that the second entity rejected the dispute of the line item.

10. A method for performing dispute resolution, comprising:

sending a notification to a first approver;

receiving a request, from the first approver in response to the notification, to access information reflecting invoices that have been reviewed by one or more second approvers;

generating an in-box reflecting a list of the reviewed invoices;

making the in-box available to the first approver;

receiving an indication by the first approver reflecting a selection of a first invoice included in the list, wherein the first invoice includes at least a first line item that has been reviewed by a second approver;

receiving an indication reflecting whether the first approver approved the second approver'"'"'s review of the first line item; and

performing a dispute resolution process in response to the indication, wherein the dispute resolution process excludes line items in the first invoice that have been approved by the first approver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first line item is disputed by the first approver, and wherein the dispute resolution process includes:

making an indication of the disputed first line item available to a providing entity that generated the first invoice;

receiving a response from the providing entity reflecting whether the providing entity approved the first approver'"'"'s dispute of the first line item; and

notifying a purchasing entity associated with the first approver of the response.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the dispute resolution process further includes:

facilitating a direct resolution process between the providing entity and the purchasing entity when the response indicates that the providing entity did not approve the first approver'"'"'s dispute of the first line item.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second response further reflects an indication of at least one approved line item.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the server includes one or more servers.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second entity includes a computer system containing a browser that facilitates a display of the second and third notifications.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the dispute resolution process involves providing a third indication to the first entity reflecting the disputed entry, and making a response available to the third entity reflecting whether the first entity approved the disputed entry.

13. A method of performing a dispute resolution process between a providing entity and a purchasing entity, the method performed by the purchasing entity comprising:

receiving a first notification reflecting a reviewed invoice including a plurality of entries;

sending a request to review the reviewed invoice in response to the first notification;

generating an indication reflecting the disapproval of an entry included in the reviewed invoice; and

receiving a second notification reflecting whether the disapproval of the entry has been approved by the providing entity.

14. A method of performing a dispute resolution process between a providing entity and a purchasing entity, the method performed by the providing entity comprising:

providing information reflecting an invoice including a plurality of entries;

receiving an indication reflecting an entry that has been disputed by the purchasing entity;

providing a response reflecting whether the purchasing entity approved the disputed entry; and

receiving a notification reflecting that the purchasing entity has maintained the dispute of the entry.

15. A system for performing dispute resolution, comprising:

a first entity for providing an invoice including a plurality of line items, receiving a first notification reflecting a dispute of at least one line item, and providing a first response reflecting whether the first entity approved the at least one disputed line item;

a second entity for receiving a second notification reflecting that an approver has reviewed one or more line items included in the invoice, sending a request to review the invoice in response to the second notification, providing a second response reflecting the dispute of the at least one line item included in the invoice, and receiving a third notification reflecting the first response; and

a server for receiving information associated with the invoice, generating and sending the second notification, receiving the request, receiving the second response, generating the first notification based on the second response, sending the first notification, generating the third notification based on the first response, and sending the third notification.

19. A system for performing a dispute resolution process, comprising:

a first entity for providing an invoice including a plurality of entries;

a second entity for making information available reflecting reviewed entries associated with the invoice; and

a third entity for providing a second indication reflecting whether each of the entries are approved by the third entity based on the information,

wherein the second entity facilitates a dispute resolution process between the first and third entities in response to the second indication reflecting a disputed entry included in the invoice.

21. A method for performing a dispute resolution process, comprising:

receiving an indication of a disputed line item included in an invoice;

assigning the invoice to a first entity;

receiving an indication reflecting whether the disputed line item is valid;

updating a status of the disputed line item based on the indication; and

making the status available to a second entity.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication reflects that the disputed line item is invalid, and wherein updating a status of the disputed line item based on the indication includes:

setting the status of the disputed line item as invalid.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second entities are associated with the same business entity.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second entities are associated with separate business entities.

22. The method of 21, wherein making the status available to a second entity includes:

generating an email message including information reflecting the status.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for making the information available to a second entity includes means for generating an in-box that includes information reflecting the at least one reviewed entry.

28. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

means for facilitating a resolution process between the first and second entities based on the second response indicating that the first entity did not approve the first response.

26. A system for performing dispute processing, comprising:

means for receiving information associated with an invoice from a first entity;

means for making the information available to a second entity, wherein the invoice includes at least one entry that has been reviewed by an approver associated with a second entity;

means for receiving a first response from the second entity reflecting whether the at least one reviewed entry is disputed;

means for making an indication of the first response available to the first entity;

means for receiving a second response from the first entity reflecting whether the first response is approved by the first entity; and

means for making a notification reflecting the second response available to the second entity.

29. A system for performing dispute resolution, comprising:

means for receiving a notification that one or more approvers have completed a review of one or more invoices, wherein the invoices include one or more line items;

means for requesting information associated with the reviewed one or more invoices;

means for presenting the information;

means for providing a selection of a first reviewed invoice included in the information;

means for presenting information associated with one or more reviewed line items included in the first reviewed invoice, wherein the first reviewed invoice further includes one or more line items that have not been reviewed;

means for providing a first response reflecting whether the one or more reviewed line items are disputed; and

means for receiving a second response reflecting whether disputed one or more line items have been approved by a providing entity that generated the one or more invoices.

30. A system for performing dispute resolution, comprising:

means for providing an invoice including a plurality of items;

means for receiving a first response reflecting whether the one or more line items have been disputed by a purchasing entity; and

means for generating a second response reflecting whether disputed one or more line items are approved.

31. A computer-implemented method for facilitating dispute handling for invoices reflecting purchases of goods and services, comprising:

storing data representing an invoice with a plurality of line items;

permitting access to at least a portion of the data by an individual authorized to review a set of line items selected from the plurality of line items;

receiving decision data reflecting a decision by the authorized individual to dispute one of the selected line items; and

initiating a line item dispute handling process based on the received decision data.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 31, wherein the line item dispute handling process includes:

notifying an entity associated with the invoice of the authorized individual'"'"'s decision based on the decision data;

receiving second decision data reflecting a decision by the entity to approve or reject the decision by the authorized individual; and

notifying the authorized individual of the entity'"'"'s decision based on the second decision data.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 31, wherein the line item dispute handling process includes:

receiving second decision data reflecting a second decision associated with the decision data; and

notifying the authorized individual of second decision based on the second decision data.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 33, wherein receiving second decision data includes:

receiving second decision data reflecting a second decision to approve or dispute the decision by the authorized individual.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein receiving second decision data includes:

receiving second decision data reflecting a second decision by an entity associated with the invoice to approve or dispute the decision by the authorized individual.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein receiving a response includes:

receiving an indication reflecting one or more line items that have been reviewed by one or more other approvers associated with the purchasing entity.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein making information reflecting the invoice data available to the first approver includes:

displaying a list reflecting the one or more invoices;

receiving an indication reflecting a selection of a first invoice included in the list of one or more invoices, wherein the first invoice has been reviewed by another approver associated with the purchasing entity, and

displaying one or more line items included in the first invoice that have been reviewed by the another approver, wherein each of the displayed one or more line items indicate whether the another approver has disputed or approved a respective displayed line item.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein receiving a response includes:

receiving a response reflecting whether one or more of the displayed line items that have been accepted by the another approver is approved by the first approver.

36. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for performing dispute handling, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a first approver associated with a purchasing entity to access invoice data for one or more invoices, each invoice including one or more line items;

making information reflecting the invoice data available to the first approver;

receiving a response reflecting the first approver'"'"'s decision to dispute one or more line items included within the one or more invoices; and

performing a dispute handling process associated with the purchasing entity and a providing entity that generated the one or more invoices.

40. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for performing a dispute resolution process in response to an indication reflecting a dispute of one or more line items included in an invoice by a purchasing entity, the method comprising:

making information reflecting the one or more disputed line items available to a providing entity;

receiving a response from the providing entity reflecting whether the one or more disputed line items are approved;

sending a notification reflecting the response to the purchasing entity; and

facilitating a resolution process between the purchasing entity and the providing entity in response to the notification reflecting that the purchasing entity has disapproved at least one of the one or more disputed line items.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein facilitating a resolution process includes:

facilitating electronic communications between the purchasing and providing entities.

42. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for performing a dispute resolution process, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a line item that has been disputed by a first entity, wherein the line item is associated with an invoice comprising a plurality of line items;

making information associated with the disputed line item available to a second entity;

receiving a response from the second entity reflecting whether the second entity approved the dispute of the line item based on the information; and

sending a notification to the first entity reflecting the response.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42, wherein receiving a response includes:

assigning the disputed line item to a resolving entity; and

receiving an indication reflecting whether the resolving entity approved the dispute of the line item.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the response indicates that the second entity rejected the dispute of the line item.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein the first line item is disputed by the first approver, and wherein the dispute resolution process includes:

making an indication of the disputed first line item available to a providing entity that generated the first invoice;

receiving a response from the providing entity reflecting whether the providing entity approved the first approver'"'"'s dispute of the first line item; and

notifying a purchasing entity associated with the first approver of the response.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 46, wherein the dispute resolution process further includes:

facilitating a direct resolution process between the providing entity and the purchasing entity when the response indicates that the providing entity did not approve the first approver'"'"'s dispute of the first line item.

45. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for performing dispute resolution, the method comprising:

sending a notification to a first approver;

receiving a request, from the first approver in response to the notification, to access information reflecting invoices that have been reviewed by one or more second approvers;

generating an in-box reflecting a list of the reviewed invoices;

making the in-box available to the first approver;

receiving an indication by the first approver reflecting a selection of a first invoice included in the list, wherein the first invoice includes at least a first line item that has been reviewed by a second approver;

receiving an indication reflecting whether the first approver approved the second approver'"'"'s review of the first line item; and

performing a dispute resolution process in response to the indication, wherein the dispute resolution process excludes line items in the first invoice that have been approved by the first approver.

48. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, of performing a dispute resolution process between a providing entity and a purchasing entity, the method performed by the purchasing entity comprising:

receiving a first notification reflecting a reviewed invoice including a plurality of entries;

sending a request to review the reviewed invoice in response to the first notification;

generating an indication reflecting the disapproval of an entry included in the reviewed invoice; and

receiving a second notification reflecting whether the disapproval of the entry has been approved by the providing entity.

49. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, of performing a dispute resolution process between a providing entity and a purchasing entity, the method performed by the providing entity comprising:

providing information reflecting an invoice including a plurality of entries;

receiving an indication reflecting an entry that has been disputed by the purchasing entity;

providing a response reflecting whether the purchasing entity approved the disputed entry; and

receiving a notification reflecting that the purchasing entity has maintained the dispute of the entry.

50. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for performing a dispute resolution process, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a disputed line item included in an invoice;

assigning the invoice to a first entity;

receiving an indication reflecting whether the disputed line item is valid;

updating a status of the disputed line item based on the indication; and

making the status available to a second entity.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the indication reflects that the disputed line item is invalid, and wherein updating a status of the disputed line item based on the indication includes:

setting the status of the disputed line item as invalid.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the first and second entities are associated with the same business entity.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the first and second entities are associated with separate business entities.

51. The computer-readable medium of 50, wherein making the status available to a second entity includes:

generating an email message including information reflecting the status.

55. A system for performing dispute handling, comprising:

means for receiving a request from a first approver associated with a purchasing entity to access invoice data for one or more invoices, each invoice including one or more line items;

means for making information reflecting the invoice data available to the first approver;

means for receiving a response reflecting the first approver'"'"'s decision to dispute one or more line items included within the one or more invoices; and

means for performing a dispute handling process associated with the purchasing entity and a providing entity that generated the one or more invoices.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the means for receiving a response includes:

means for receiving an indication reflecting one or more line items that have been reviewed by one or more other approvers associated with the purchasing entity.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the means for making information reflecting the invoice data available to the first approver includes:

means for displaying a list reflecting the one or more invoices;

means for receiving an indication reflecting a selection of a first invoice included in the list of one or more invoices, wherein the first invoice has been reviewed by another approver associated with the purchasing entity; and

means for displaying one or more line items included in the first invoice that have been reviewed by the another approver, wherein each of the displayed one or more line items indicate whether the another approver has disputed or approved a respective displayed line item.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the means for receiving a response includes:

means for receiving a response reflecting whether one or more of the displayed line items that have been accepted by the another approver is approved by the first approver.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the means for facilitating a resolution process includes:

means for facilitating electronic communications between the purchasing and providing entities.

59. A system for performing a dispute resolution process in response to an indication reflecting a dispute of one or more line items included in an invoice by a purchasing entity, comprising:

means for making information reflecting the one or more disputed line items available to a providing entity;

means for receiving a response from the providing entity reflecting whether the one or more disputed line items are approved;

means for sending a notification reflecting the response to the purchasing entity; and

means for facilitating a resolution process between the purchasing entity and the providing entity in response to the notification reflecting that the purchasing entity has disapproved at least one of the one or more disputed line items.

61. A system for performing a dispute resolution process, comprising:

means for receiving an indication of a line item that has been disputed by a first entity, wherein the line item is associated with an invoice comprising a plurality of line items;

means for making information associated with the disputed line item available to a second entity;

means for receiving a response from the second entity reflecting whether the second entity approved the dispute of the line item based on the information; and

means for sending a notification to the first entity reflecting the response.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the means for receiving a response includes:

means for assigning the disputed line item to a resolving entity; and

means for receiving an indication reflecting whether the resolving entity approved the dispute of the line item.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the response indicates that the second entity rejected the dispute of the line item.

64. A system for performing dispute resolution, comprising:

means for sending a notification to a first approver;

means for receiving a request, from the first approver in response to the notification, to access information reflecting invoices that have been reviewed by one or more second approvers;

means for generating an in-box reflecting a list of the reviewed invoices;

means for making the in-box available to the first approver;

means for receiving an indication by the first approver reflecting a selection of a first invoice included in the list, wherein the first invoice includes at least a first line item that has been reviewed by a second approver;

means for receiving an indication reflecting whether the first approver approved the second approver'"'"'s review of the first line item; and

means for performing a dispute resolution process in response to the indication that excludes line items in the first invoice that have been approved by the first approver.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the first line item is disputed by the first approver, and wherein the dispute resolution process includes making an indication of the disputed first line item available to a providing entity that generated the first invoice, receiving a response from the providing entity reflecting whether the providing entity approved the first approver'"'"'s dispute of the first line item, and notifying a purchasing entity associated with the first approver of the response.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the dispute resolution process further includes facilitating a direct resolution process between the providing entity and the purchasing entity when the response indicates that the providing entity did not approve the first approver'"'"'s dispute of the first line item.

67. A system of performing a dispute resolution process between a providing entity and a purchasing entity, the purchasing entity comprising:

means for receiving a first notification reflecting a reviewed invoice including a plurality of entries;

means for sending a request to review the reviewed invoice in response to the first notification;

means for generating an indication reflecting the disapproval of an entry included in the reviewed invoice; and

means for receiving a second notification reflecting whether the disapproval of the entry has been approved by the providing entity.

68. A system of performing a dispute resolution process between a providing entity and a purchasing entity, the providing entity comprising:

means for providing information reflecting an invoice including a plurality of entries;

means for receiving an indication reflecting an entry that has been disputed by the purchasing entity;

means for providing a response reflecting whether the purchasing entity approved the disputed entry; and

means for receiving a notification reflecting that the purchasing entity has maintained the dispute of the entry.