Process and system for automated collection of business information from a business entity's accounting system

• US 20080249902A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp., DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp.
• Inventors: Lehman, Guy P., Chauhan, Neel, Ziff, Perry, Benvenuto, Andres
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

There is provided a method, performed by a processor. The method includes obtaining accounting data from a first database, and sending the accounting data to a second database, wherein the second database is located remotely from the first database.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a processor, comprising:

obtaining accounting data from a first database; and

sending said accounting data to a second database, wherein said second database is located remotely from said first database.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said processor maintains said accounting data by executing instructions that are embodied in an accounting program, and

wherein said obtaining comprises invoking an application program interface of said accounting program to access said first data base.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said accounting data comprises account receivable data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said obtaining comprises:

locating said account receivable data in said accounting data; and

extracting said account receivable data from said accounting data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said account receivable data comprises account receivable aging data.

6. The method of claim 3,

wherein said first database is maintained by a first business entity;

and

wherein said second database is maintained by a second business entity.

7. The method of claim 2,

wherein said accounting program resides in a computer memory, and

wherein said processor performs said obtaining and said sending pursuant to instructions embodied in a plug-in module that is installed into said computer memory and that interfaces with said accounting program.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said sending is contingent upon permission for said sending being granted by a user of said accounting program.

9. A system comprising a processor that performs a method that includes:

obtaining accounting data from a first database; and

sending said accounting data to a second database, wherein said second database is located remotely from said first database.

10. The system of claim 9,

wherein said processor maintains said accounting data by executing instructions that are embodied in an accounting program, and

wherein said obtaining comprises invoking an application program interface of said accounting program to access said first data base.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said accounting data comprises account receivable data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said obtaining comprises:

locating said account receivable data in said accounting data; and

extracting said account receivable data from said accounting data.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said account receivable data comprises account receivable aging data.

14. The system of claim 10,

wherein said first database is maintained by a first business entity;

and

wherein said second database is maintained by a second business entity.

15. The system of claim 10,

wherein said accounting program resides in a computer memory, and

wherein said processor performs said obtaining and said sending pursuant to instructions embodied in a plug-in module that is installed into said computer memory and that interfaces with said accounting program.

16. A storage medium having a program encoded thereon that is executable in a processor to perform a method that includes:

obtaining accounting data from a first database; and

sending said accounting data to a second database, wherein said second database is located remotely from said first database.

17. The storage medium of claim 16,

wherein said processor maintains said accounting data by executing instructions that are embodied in an accounting program, and

wherein said obtaining comprises invoking an application program interface of said accounting program to access said first data base.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein said accounting data comprises account receivable data.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein said obtaining comprises:

locating said account receivable data in said accounting data; and

extracting said account receivable data from said accounting data.

20. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein said account receivable data comprises account receivable aging data.

21. The storage medium of claim 17,

wherein said first database is maintained by a first business entity;

and

wherein said second database is maintained by a second business entity.

22. The storage medium of claim 17,

wherein said accounting program resides in a computer memory, and

wherein said processor performs said obtaining and said sending pursuant to instructions embodied in a plug-in module that is installed into said computer memory and that interfaces with said accounting program.