Quotation system and method

• US 20040243473A1
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saphran, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kqb Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Bassey, Kenneth Q, Cerkic, Jasmin
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A quotation system and method are provided (see FIG. 1). A relational database (10) allows various departments (14, 16, 18, 20) to prepare a quotation. The relational database centralizes data to increase efficiency, and the data may be modified, as needed, for particular quotation solutions.

Claims

1. A system for use by various departments to prepare a quotation, the system comprising:

a computer-readable medium having a relational database recorded thereon, the relational database being accessible by the various departments and providing centralized data including a plurality of relations to relate manufacturing processes, cost parameters, calculations, and work flows, the relational database being configured to allow modification of the data to change the way calculations are performed; and

an interface connected to the relational database and configured to allow access to the relational database.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the relational database has additional relations to relate product set and product volume among the other relations.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of customizable interfaces corresponding to the various departments, each customized interface being connected to the relational database and configured to allow limited access to the relational database based on the corresponding department.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of customizable interfaces corresponding to the various departments, each customized interface being connected to the relational database and configured to allow limited access to the relational database based on the corresponding department and further based on a user status from a group including contributors and approvors.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an administration interface connected to the relational database and configured to allow limited access to the relational database to modify global cost parameters.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the data include calculations including an equation description that may be modified to change the way calculations are performed.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the data may be modified by adding new processes.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the data may be modified by adding new cost parameters.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the data may be modified by adding new calculations.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the data may be modified by adding data to the existing data.