Computerized method and system for managing and communicating information regarding an order of goods

• US 20030074270A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shea, Betty, Stitt, Jeffrey L., Brown, Otis F., Howard, Timothy W.
• Application Number:
  US09/981,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074270A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Computerized method and system for managing and communicating information regarding an order of goods among respective various teams are provided. The teams are responsible for performing tasks through designated personnel that, when successfully performed, allow for fulfilling an order within a requested delivery date. The method allows for storing order data in a database. The order data includes at least one identifier associating a respective order to a respective customer. The order data further includes order parameters, such as a requested delivery date or a customer need date for the ordered goods. The method further allows for gathering in the database data indicative of progress or lack thereof for each order relative to the requested delivery date. Memory is provided for storing a rulebase including a set of rules configured to determine at least a potential cause impeding progress of any order relative to its respective requested delivery date. The set of rules is processable to assign an order and/or a corrective action to selected personnel in a respective team, based, at least in part, on the nature of the cause impeding order progress. A processing action allows processing the gathered data in the database relative to the rulebase for performing the assignment of the order and/or corrective action to the selected personnel in the event lack of order progress is determined. A message is triggered to notify the selected personnel of the assignment of the corrective action.

Claims

1. A computerized method for managing and communicating information regarding an order of goods among a plurality of teams responsible for performing tasks through designated personnel that, when successfully performed, allow for fulfilling an order within a requested delivery date, the method comprising:

storing order data in a database, the order data including at least one identifier associating a respective order to a respective customer, the order data further including a requested delivery date for the ordered goods;

gathering in the database data indicative of progress or lack thereof for each order relative to the requested delivery date;

providing memory for storing a rulebase including a set of rules configured to determine at least a potential cause impeding progress of any order relative to its respective requested delivery date, the set of rules being processable to assign an order and/or a corrective action to selected personnel in a respective team, based, at least in part, on the nature of the cause impeding order progress; and

processing the gathered data in the database relative to the rulebase for performing the assignment of the order and/or corrective action to the selected personnel in the event lack of order progress is determined; and

triggering a message notifying the selected personnel of the assignment of the order and/or corrective action.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the message includes a link for accessing the database through a respective interface medium including detailed information regarding the status of the order.

3. The computerized method of claim 2 wherein the interface medium comprises a Web page including a target date for performing the corrective action.

4. The computerized method of claim 3 wherein the Web page includes a data field for recording actions actually taken by the selected personnel to remove the lack of order progress.

5. The computerized method of claim 4 wherein the Web page further includes a data field for recording comment data regarding the status of the order and/or the actions taken to remove the lack of order progress.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the set of rules in the rule base is further configured to assign a lack of progress severity ratings based at least in part on continuing lack of progress beyond a fix completion date.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the rulebase further includes a set of escalation rules for progressively assigning corrective actions to higher levels of supervisory personnel based on a lack of progress severity ratings assigned to a respective order.

8. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of teams are selected from the group consisting of an order-entry team, a goods-availability team, and a goods delivery team.

9. A computerized system for managing and communicating information regarding an order of goods among a plurality of teams responsible for performing tasks through designated personnel that, when successfully performed, allow for fulfilling an order within a requested delivery date, the system comprising:

a database comprising order data including at least one identifier associating a respective order to a respective customer, the order data further including a requested delivery date for the ordered goods, the database gathering data indicative of progress or lack thereof for each order relative to the requested delivery date;

memory for storing a rulebase including a set of rules configured to determine at least a potential cause impeding progress of any order relative to its respective requested delivery date, the set of rules being processable to assign an order and/or a corrective action to selected personnel in a respective team, based, at least in part, on the nature of the cause impeding order progress; and

processor configured to process the gathered data in the database relative to the rulebase for performing the assignment of the order and/or corrective action to the selected personnel in the event lack of order progress is determined, the processor further configured to issue a message notifying the selected personnel of the assignment of the order and/or corrective action.

10. The computerized system of claim 9 wherein the message includes a link for accessing the database through a respective interface medium including detailed information regarding the status of the order.

11. The computerized system of claim 10 wherein the interface medium comprises a Web page including a target date for performing the corrective action.

12. The computerized system of claim 11 wherein the Web page includes a data field for recording actions actually taken by the selected personnel to remove the lack of order progress.

13. The computerized system of claim 12 wherein the Web page further includes a data field for recording comment data regarding the status of the order and/or the actions taken to remove the lack of order progress.

14. The computerized system of claim 9 wherein the set of rules in the rule base is further configured to assign a lack of progress severity ratings based at least in part on continuing lack of progress beyond a fix completion date.

15. The computerized system of claim 9 wherein the rulebase further includes a set of escalation rules for progressively assigning corrective actions to higher levels of supervisory personnel based on a lack of progress severity ratings assigned to a respective order.

16. The computerized system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of teams are selected from the group consisting of an order-entry team, a goods-availability team, and a goods delivery team.