System, method and computer program product for on-line travel and expense management
First Claim
1. A method in a computer system of arranging travel for large corporate and government organizations comprising:
- receiving a customer login at an Internet web site;
authenticating said customer;
receiving a selection of travel requirements from said customer;
making initial travel arrangements for said customer based on said selection of travel requirements;
automatically generating a travel authorization form for said customer with said initial travel arrangements;
electronically forwarding said travel authorization form to an approver;
notifying said customer electronically when said approver has approved said travel authorization form;
notifying a travel agency of approval of said travel authorization form whereupon said travel agency performs reservation fulfillment; and
automatically updating a financial system electronically for said customer.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An on-line travel and expense management system integrates and automates the process of arranging, changing and accounting for travel that is made for government or large corporate entities. A method in a computer system arranges travel for large corporate and government organizations. The method may include receiving a customer login at an Internet web site; authenticating the customer; receiving a selection of travel requirements from the customer; making initial travel arrangements for the customer based on the selection of travel requirements; automatically generating a travel authorization form for the customer with the initial travel arrangements; electronically forwarding the travel authorization form to an approver; notifying the customer electronically when the approver has approved the travel authorization form; notifying a travel agency of approval of the travel authorization form whereupon the travel agency confirms the initial travel arrangements; and automatically updating an accounting system electronically for the customer.
63 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method in a computer system of arranging travel for large corporate and government organizations comprising:
-
receiving a customer login at an Internet web site;
authenticating said customer;
receiving a selection of travel requirements from said customer;
making initial travel arrangements for said customer based on said selection of travel requirements;
automatically generating a travel authorization form for said customer with said initial travel arrangements;
electronically forwarding said travel authorization form to an approver;
notifying said customer electronically when said approver has approved said travel authorization form;
notifying a travel agency of approval of said travel authorization form whereupon said travel agency performs reservation fulfillment; and
automatically updating a financial system electronically for said customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A system for arranging travel for large corporate and government organizations, comprising:
-
a system server, comprising a computer connected to the Internet;
software operative to arrange travel running on said system server;
an online travel booking system connected to said system server via a first network;
a travel information database accessible from said system server via at least one of said first network and a second network;
at least one client computer connected to at least one of the Internet and a company network and capable of logging into said software operative to arrange travel; and
an electronic financial system connected to said company network.
-
-
6. A computer program product adapted to be stored on a computer-readable medium and being operable to arrange travel for large corporate and government organizations, the computer program product comprising:
-
a user interface for receiving a customer login and providing access to a system database;
a system administration module for providing administration personnel an ability to define at least one of organizations and organization business policies, add users and define roles of the users, and to monitor and maintain the system database;
a traveler profile management module for allowing the users to store at least one of general travel information of a traveler, secure payment information of a traveler, and travel preferences of a traveler on the system database;
a booking module for allowing the users to book reservations;
a travel authorization module for providing the user an ability to input specific travel requirements, through the user interface, resulting in a travel authorization, create individual bookings, and track a status of each order from initiation through approval; and
a travel order authorization approval module for providing an authorized user an ability to at least one of approve the travel authorization, revise the travel authorization, and cancel the travel authorization, wherein the travel order authorization approval module displays all pending travel authorizations including departure time, order number, traveler name, destination, and status of order. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification