Method and system for instantiating entitlements into contracts

• US 20070225986A1
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Purohit, Atul, Bowe, Thomas, Tadepalli, Sridhar
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services

Abstract

Techniques to facilitate the creation of contracts and to automatically instantiate entitlements into contracts. A number of entitlement templates may be created for various entitlements. Each entitlement template is typically defined to include certain specifically defined entitlements. The entitlement templates may further be associated with products. A contract may thereafter be formed having any number of line items for one or more products and/or assets. Upon execution of the contract, an agreement is formed and the entitlements (if any) for each product/asset included in the contract may be instantiated (e.g., via a button on a screen). Upon instantiation of the entitlements into the contract, the covered products/assets become entitled and can thereafter receive the entitlements defined in the templates associated with the products/assets.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having embodied therein computer-readable program codes, wherein the computer-readable program codes are configured to automatically instantiate entitlements into a contract by virtue of being configured to

cause an applet to present a user interface to allow for the definition of a plurality of entitlement templates, each comprising a particular set of entitlements, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include a set of metrics;

associate one or more entitlement templates with one or more products;

form a contract having comprising at least one line item for at least one product; and

instantiate entitlements from at least one entitlement template associated with the at least one product into the contract.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable program codes are configured to instantiate, in part, by virtue of being configured to provide a button on a user interface screen.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the contract comprises a line item having a product comprised of a set of one or more entitlement templates.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instantiated entitlements from the at least one entitlement template cover a set of one or more products defined in the at least one entitlement template.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instantiated entitlements from the at least one entitlement template cover the at least one product in the contract.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instantiated entitlements from the at least one entitlement template cover a set of one or more assets included in the at least one line item of the contract, and each asset is a specific instance of a particular product.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the set of metrics is indicative of a particular level of service.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the set of metrics is indicative of a maximum response time for a service activity.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the set of metrics is indicative of coverage hours for service activities.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include one or more preventive maintenance plans.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include one or more services.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include parameters for determining charges for time spent in connection with a service activity.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include parameters for determining charges for expenses incurred connection with a service activity.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include parameters for determining charges for parts required for a service activity.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include special pricing for a set of defined products.

16. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein limited access is granted for defining the plurality of entitlement templates.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:

automatically instantiating entitlements into a contract, comprising

allowing the definition of a plurality of entitlement templates using a user interface presented using an applet, wherein

each one of the entitlement templates comprising comprises a particular set of entitlements, and wherein

the entitlements for each template are definable to include one or more services, and

the entitlements for each template are definable to include a set of metrics indicative of a particular level of service;

associating one or more entitlement templates with one or more products;

forming the contract having included therein at least one line item for at least one product; and

instantiating entitlements from at least one entitlement template associated with the at least one product into the contract.

18. A computer system comprising:

a user interface configured to facilitate automatic instantiation of an entitlement into a contract by virtue of comprising

a first applet configured to display a plurality of entitlement templates, wherein each entitlement template is configured to be selected, and

each entitlement template is configured to be edited upon the each entitlement template being selected; and

a second applet configured to display one of a plurality of views for defining a selected entitlement template, wherein

each one of the plurality of views is associated with a respective set of fields, and

each one of the respective set of fields is configured to be used to define a particular component of an entitlement, and

the entitlements for each entitlement template are, using the respective set of fields presented by said second applet, definable to include a set of metrics.

19. The user interface screen of claim 18, wherein the plurality of views comprises a first view for defining the set of metrics, and the set of metrics is indicative of a particular level of service to be provided under the selected entitlement template.

20. The user interface screen of claim 18, wherein the plurality of views comprises a second view for defining one or more preventive maintenance plans to be covered by the selected entitlement template.

21. The user interface screen of claim 18, wherein the plurality of views comprises a third view for defining details of services to be covered by the selected entitlement template.

22. The user interface screen of claim 18, wherein the plurality of views comprises a fourth view for defining special pricing for a set of defined products.

23. A computer system comprising:

a user interface configured to facilitate automatic instantiation of an entitlement into a contract by virtue of comprising

a first applet configured to display information for the contract; and

a second applet, wherein

the second applet configured to display a plurality of views for defining an entitlement template for the entitlement by virtue of the second applet being configured to display

an icon configured to instantiate entitlements from one or more entitlement templates associated with the one or more products into the contract, and

one or more line items for one or more products for the contract, each one of the plurality of views is associated with a respective set of fields,

each one of the respective set of fields is configured to be used to define a particular component of the entitlement, and

the entitlement is definable to include a set of metrics using the respective set of fields.

24. A contract management system comprising:

a contract manager configured to

form a plurality of entitlement templates using a first applet, each one of said entitlement templates comprising a set of entitlements, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include a set of metrics,

associate one or more entitlement templates with one or more products,

form a contract having included therein at least one line item for at least one product using a second applet, and

automatically instantiate entitlements from at least one entitlement template associated with the at least one product into the contract; and

a local storage, wherein

the local storage is operatively coupled to the contract manager, and

the local storage is configured to store a plurality of contracts and the plurality of entitlement templates.

25. The contract management system of claim 24, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include one or more services and the set of metrics is indicative of a particular level of service.

26. A computer program product comprising:

code configured to automatically generate an invoice associated with a contract by virtue of comprising

code for a first applet, comprising

code configured to form a plurality of entitlement templates, each comprising one of the plurality of entitlement templates comprising a set of entitlements, wherein each entitlement template is definable to include a set of metrics;

code configured to associate one or more entitlement templates with one or more products;

code for a second applet, comprising

code configured to form a contract comprising at least one line item for at least one product;

code configured to instantiate entitlements from at least one entitlement template associated with the at least one product into the contract; and

a data storage medium configured to store the codes.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the entitlements for each template are configured to be defined to include one or more services and the set of metrics is indicative of a particular level of service.