Event management method and system

• US 20050203817A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Welter, Markus, Abo-Hasna, Ziad, Ullrich, Chantal
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An event management method, program product and system for monitoring the status of a purchase order involves receiving purchase order information from a user, obtaining timeline information corresponding to the purchase order, receiving information from one or more sources on the status of the purchase order, using the received information to monitor progress of the purchase order against the timeline information, and providing a notification to the user upon identification of a missed date in the timeline information. Remedial measures are suggested or taken by the event management system.

Claims

1. An event management method for monitoring the status of a purchase order, said method, comprising:

receiving purchase order information from a user;

obtaining timeline information corresponding to said purchase order;

receiving information from one or more sources on the status of said purchase order;

using said received information to monitor progress of said purchase order against said timeline information; and

providing a notification to said user upon identification of a missed date in said timeline information.

2. An event management method according to claim 1, wherein said step of receiving information further comprises connecting with computers at said one or more sources using a standard communication protocol and interface.

3. An event management method according to claim 1, wherein said notification further comprises one or more suggested remedial measures to be taken by the user.

4. An event management method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically taking one or more remedial measures upon identification

5. An event management method according to claim 3, further comprising using an activity profile of a vendor responsible for said missed date to determine said one or more suggested remedial measures.

6. An event management method according to claim 4, further comprising using an activity profile of a vendor responsible for said missed date to determine said one or more suggested remedial measures.

7. An event management method according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining timeline information further comprises extracting said timeline information from said purchase order information received from said user.

8. An event management method according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining timeline information further comprises accessing a database and retrieving said timeline information.

9. A program product for monitoring the status of a purchase order, said program product comprising machine-readable program code for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the following method steps:

receiving purchase order information from a user;

obtaining timeline information corresponding to said purchase order;

receiving information from one or more sources on the status of said purchase order;

using said received information to monitor progress of said purchase order against said timeline information; and

providing a notification to said user upon identification of a missed date in said timeline information.

10. A program product according to claim 9, wherein said step of receiving information further comprises connecting with computers at said one or more sources using a standard communication protocol and interface.

11. A program product according to claim 9, wherein said notification further comprises one or more suggested remedial measures to be taken by the user.

12. A program product according to claim 9, further programmed to perform the step of automatically taking one or more remedial measures upon identification of a missed date.

13. A program product according to claim 11, further programmed to perform the step of using an activity profile of a vendor responsible for said missed date to determine said one or more suggested remedial measures.

14. A program product according to claim 12, further programmed to perform the step of using an activity profile of a vendor responsible for said missed date to determine said one or more suggested remedial measures.

15. A program product according to claim 9, wherein said step of obtaining timeline information further comprises extracting said timeline information from said purchase order information received from said user.

16. A program product according to claim 9, wherein said step of obtaining timeline information further comprises accessing a database and retrieving said timeline information.

17. An event management system for monitoring the status of a purchase order, said system comprising:

a server computer configured to perform the steps of;

receiving purchase order information from a user computer;

obtaining timeline information corresponding to said purchase order;

receiving information from one or more sources on the status of said purchase order;

using said received information to monitor progress of said purchase order against said timeline information; and

providing a notification to said user computer upon identification of a missed date in said timeline information.

18. An event management system for monitoring the status of a purchase order, said system comprising:

means for receiving purchase order information from a user computer;

means for obtaining timeline information corresponding to said purchase order;

means for receiving information from one or more sources on the status of said purchase order;

means for using said received information to monitor progress of said purchase order against said timeline information; and

means for providing a notification to said user computer upon identification of a missed date in said timeline information.