System for and method of purchase order processing

• US 20050197914A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Welter, Markus, Grendel, Alexander, Biwer, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals

Abstract

A method of electronic purchase order processing includes receiving an electronic purchase order, applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected, and providing the acceptance or rejection of the electronic purchase order.

Claims

1. A method of electronic purchase order processing, comprising:

receiving an electronic purchase order;

applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected; and

providing the acceptance or rejection of the electronic purchase order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule is a budget rule.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase includes generating the rule for the electronic purchase order.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order includes examining a relevant contract for the electronic purchase order to calculate the at least one budget rule.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order includes comparing a cost of the electronic purchase order to a remaining amount under the relevant contract to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the budget rule is created based on a formula calculation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the budget rule is an amount of money available under a budget defined by a contract.

8. The method of claim 1, further including providing an option to change at least one parameter of the electronic purchase order after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable.

9. The method of claim 1, further including providing an option to change at least one parameter of the relevant budget after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the acceptance or rejection of the electronic purchase order includes providing a visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is accepted or rejected.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is accepted or rejected further includes a reason for the acceptance or rejection.

12. A system for processing electronic purchase orders, comprising:

a user computing system configured to receive and process an electronic purchase order by applying one or more rules to the electronic purchase order to approve or reject the electronic purchase order; and

a data processing system configured to generate the one or more budget rules.

13. The system of claim 12, the data processing system is configured to generate the one or more rules based upon receipt of the electronic purchase order for the electronic purchase order.

14. The system of claim 12, the data processing system is configured to examine a relevant contract for the electronic purchase order to generate the one or more rules.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more rules is a budget rules.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user computing system is configured to compare a cost of the electronic purchase order to a remaining amount under the relevant contract to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the budget rule is created based on a formula calculation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the budget rule is an amount of money available under a budget defined by a contract.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the user computing system is configured to provide an option to change at least one parameter of the electronic purchase order after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the user computing system is configured to provide an option to change at least one parameter of the relevant budget after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the user computing system is configured to provide a visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is accepted or rejected.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is accepted or rejected further includes a reason for the acceptance or rejection.

23. A program product for purchase order processing, comprising machine-readable program code for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the following method steps:

determining whether entry of a requested order is allowable under one or more rules;

accepting the requested purchase order if entry is allowable; and

rejecting entry of the requested purchase order if entry is not allowable.

24. The program product of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more rules is a budget rule.

25. The program product of claim 24, wherein the determining step further comprises determining the relevant budget for the requested order.

26. The program product of claim 25, wherein the determining step further comprises examining a relevant contract to determine the relevant budget.

27. The program product of claim 26, wherein the determining step further comprises comparing a cost of the requested order to a remaining amount of the relevant budget to determine whether the requested order is allowable.

28. The program product of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises providing one or more options to change at least one parameter of the requested purchase order if entry is not allowable in order to make the requested order allowable.

29. The program product of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises providing one or more options to change at least one parameter of the relevant budget if entry is not allowable in order to make the requested order allowable.

30. The program product of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises providing a visual indication of whether the requested order is allowable.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is allowable further includes a reason for the acceptance or rejection.