COMMUNICATING PART NUMBER DETAIL DATA BETWEEN ENTERPRISE AND PART SUPPLIER
First Claim
1. A method of communicating part data between an enterprise and a particular supplier of a plurality of suppliers to the enterprise, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a part number library database, the part number library database including part number detail data regarding a plurality of parts to be procured from the plurality of suppliers;
generating, using the part number library database, a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the particular supplier;
generating a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents compared to a last generation of the part number detail document file for the particular supplier; and
communicating the part number detail document file and the part number detail document add/change file to the particular supplier.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system and program product for communicating part data between an enterprise and a particular supplier of a plurality of suppliers to the enterprise are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention provides a part number library database at the enterprise including part number detail data regarding a plurality of parts to be procured from the plurality of suppliers. The part number library database is used to generate a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the particular supplier, and a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents compared to a last generation of the part number detail document file for the particular supplier. The two files are then communicated to the particular supplier. Hence, the invention reduces duplicative work at the enterprise and ensures that the enterprise and the supplier are up-to-date on part information.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of communicating part data between an enterprise and a particular supplier of a plurality of suppliers to the enterprise, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a part number library database, the part number library database including part number detail data regarding a plurality of parts to be procured from the plurality of suppliers;
generating, using the part number library database, a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the particular supplier;
generating a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents compared to a last generation of the part number detail document file for the particular supplier; and
communicating the part number detail document file and the part number detail document add/change file to the particular supplier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for communicating part data between an enterprise and a particular supplier of a plurality of suppliers to the enterprise, the system comprising:
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a part number library database at the enterprise, the part number library database including part number detail data regarding a plurality of parts to be procured from the plurality of suppliers;
a file generator for generating, using the part number library database;
a) a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the particular supplier, and b) a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents compared to a last generation of the part number detail document file for the particular supplier; and
a communicator for communicating the part number detail document file and the part number detail document add/change file to the particular supplier. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A program product stored on a computer-readable medium, which when executed, communicates part data between an enterprise and a particular supplier of a plurality of suppliers to the enterprise, the enterprise including a part number library database, the part number library database including part number detail data regarding a plurality of parts to be procured from the plurality of suppliers, the program product comprising:
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program code for generating, using the part number library database, a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the particular supplier;
program code for generating a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents compared to a last generation of the part number detail document file for the particular supplier; and
program code for communicating the part number detail document file and the part number detail document add/change file to the particular supplier. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. The program product of claim 19, wherein, in the case that the comparing code determines that no part number detail data changes or additions are present, then the file generating code generates an empty part number detail document add/change file.
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20. A method of maintaining part data for a supplier to an enterprise, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at the supplier, a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the supplier and a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents from a last communication of the part number detail document file; and
updating the part data at the supplier based on the part number detail document file and the part number detail document add/change file.
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Specification