Technology budget manager for mobile employees

• US 20060129412A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Jones, Andrew R., McConnell, Kevin C., Mitchell, Alan P.
• Application Number:
  US11/008,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

An automated system and method for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard, wherein the system comprises a database comprising a list of technologies used by the individual; a controller connected to the database, the controller being adapted to establish a monetary budget allotment for the individual corresponding to use of the technologies by the individual; at least one data component connected to the controller, the data component comprising specifications attributed to the individual, wherein the specifications comprise rules for defining the monetary budget allotment for the individual; and at least one monitor connected to the controller, the monitor being adapted to track dynamic parameters affecting the monetary budget allotment for the individual, wherein the individual comprises a mobile employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

Claims

1. An automated system for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard, said system comprising:

a database comprising a list of technologies used by said individual;

a controller connected to said database, said controller being adapted to establish a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to use of said technologies by said individual;

at least one data component connected to said controller, said data component comprising specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

at least one monitor connected to said controller, said monitor being adapted to track dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said individual comprises an employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said employee comprises a mobile employee.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said data component comprises a location component comprising a work location code identifier corresponding to a location where said employee performs a majority of said work-related duties.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said data component comprises an attributes identifier corresponding to employee-related attributes including any of employee skill level, years of service with said organization, and job classification.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an individual record component adapted to track expenses relating to said use of said technologies by said individual and to compare the tracked expenses with said monetary budget allotment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to fluctuate said monetary budget allotment of said individual based on said specifications and changes to said dynamic parameters.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitor comprises a travel monitor adapted to track a travel frequency of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitor comprises a usage monitor adapted to track a usage of telephonic and data transfer devices by said employee during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitor comprises a rate changes monitor adapted to track changes in service provider fees for using said technologies.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein said monitor comprises a travel monitor adapted to track a frequency of said employee using a personal vehicle of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising an expense reporting component connected to said monitor, wherein said expense reporting component being adapted to facilitate a transaction between said employee and said organization for a reimbursement of expenses corresponding to said employee using personal resources of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

13. A method for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard using a computer system, said method comprising:

creating a list of technologies used by said individual;

establishing a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to use of said technologies by said individual;

formulating specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

monitoring dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said individual comprises an employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said employee comprises a mobile employee.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying a work location code corresponding to a location where said employee performs a majority of said work-related duties.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying attributes corresponding to employee-related attributes including any of employee skill level, years of service with said organization, and job classification.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

tracking expenses relating to said use of said technologies by said individual; and

comparing the tracked expenses with said monetary budget allotment.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising fluctuating said monetary budget allotment of said individual based on said specifications and changes to said dynamic parameters.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking a travel frequency of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking a usage of telephonic and data transfer devices by said employee during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking changes in service provider fees for using said technologies.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking a frequency of said employee using a personal vehicle of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising facilitating a transaction between said employee and said organization for a reimbursement of expenses corresponding to said employee using personal resources of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

25. A program storage device readable by computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform a method of budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard using a computer system, said method comprising:

creating a list of technologies used by said individual;

establishing a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to use of said technologies by said individual;

formulating specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

monitoring dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual.

26. The program storage device of claim 25, wherein said individual comprises an employee performing work-related duties for an organization.

27. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said employee comprises a mobile employee.

28. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises identifying a work location code corresponding to a location where said employee performs a majority of said work-related duties.

29. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises identifying attributes corresponding to employee-related attributes including any of employee skill level, years of service with said organization, and job classification.

30. The program storage device of claim 25, wherein said method further comprises:

tracking expenses relating to said use of said technologies by said individual; and

comparing the tracked expenses with said monetary budget allotment.

31. The program storage device of claim 25, wherein said method further comprises fluctuating said monetary budget allotment of said individual based on said specifications and changes to said dynamic parameters.

32. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises tracking a travel frequency of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

33. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises tracking a usage of telephonic and data transfer devices by said employee during times of performance of said work-related duties by said employee.

34. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises tracking changes in service provider fees for using said technologies.

35. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises tracking a frequency of said employee using a personal vehicle of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

36. The program storage device of claim 26, wherein said method further comprises facilitating a transaction between said employee and said organization for a reimbursement of expenses corresponding to said employee using personal resources of said employee for performance of said work-related duties.

37. A service for budgeting technology expenses for an individual based on an objective standard using a computer system, said service:

creating a list of technologies used by said individual;

establishing a monetary budget allotment for said individual corresponding to use of said technologies by said individual;

formulating specifications attributed to said individual, wherein said specifications comprise rules for defining said monetary budget allotment for said individual; and

monitoring dynamic parameters affecting said monetary budget allotment for said individual.