Outsourced Service Level Agreement Provisioning Management System and Method

• US 20080270313A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IQNavigator Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Volt Information Sciences Incorporated
• Inventors: Shaw, Steven A., Cullen, Andrew A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

An outsourced service level agreement (SLA) deliverable management method includes configuring SLA client and secondary SLA provider master data, procuring a secondary SLA provider provision services network, administering a secondary SLA provider human resource network, processing an SLA client provisioning requirement, processing an SLA provisioning service voucher, and processing payment of an SLA provisioning work order. This Abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an Abstract that allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain subject matter of the technical disclosure. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. An outsourced service-level-agreement (SLA) deliverable management method comprising:

configuring SLA client and secondary SLA provider master data;

procuring a secondary SLA provider provision services network;

administering a secondary SLA provider human resource network;

processing an SLA client provisioning requirement;

processing an SLA provisioning service voucher; and

processing payment of an SLA provisioning work order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring SLA client and secondary SLA provider master data comprises:

configuring an SLA provision logistics control library;

configuring SLA client master data records;

configuring SLA client purchase order records; and

onboarding a secondary SLA provider network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein procuring a secondary SLA provider provision services network comprises:

generating an RFx bid from at least one SLA client provisioning detail record;

posting the RFx bid to a pre-established list of secondary SLA providers;

enabling secondary SLA providers to generate an RFx bid response responsive to receiving the RFx bid;

processing at least one secondary SLA providers RFx bid response;

processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase requisition responsive to RFx bid response acceptance; and

processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase order responsive to receiving a completed purchase requisition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein administering a secondary SLA provider human resource network comprises:

selecting at least one human resource submittal affiliated with a secondary SLA provider purchase order;

onboarding the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

enabling non-default human resource provisioning availability calendar administration; and

processing non-default work availability calendar information settings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein processing an SLA client provisioning requirement comprises:

processing an SLA client service provision request;

processing a service provision dispatch request;

processing a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record; and

processing the received provisioning human resource dispatch notification record.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein processing an SLA provisioning work voucher comprises:

creating and storing an SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by a provisioning human resource;

processing the stored SLA provisioning service voucher by an applicable secondary SLA provider user;

processing the approved secondary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable primary SLA provider user; and

processing the approved primary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable SLA client user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing payment of an SLA provisioning work order comprises:

extracting SLA client approved provisioning work vouchers;

generating billing invoice files;

processing SLA client billing invoice files;

processing payment from a SLA client; and

issuing payment to a secondary SLA provider.

8. A method of configuring service level agreement (SLA) client and secondary SLA provider master data, the method comprising:

configuring an SLA provision logistics control library;

configuring SLA client master data records;

configuring SLA client purchase order records; and

onboarding a secondary SLA provider network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein configuring an SLA provision logistics control library comprises at least one of:

receiving at least one specified SLA provision skill profile applicable to provisioning services provided by a primary SLA provider;

receiving at least one specified SLA provision type applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider;

receiving at least one specified SLA provision labor type applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider;

receiving at least one specified SLA provision labor response time increment applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider; and

receiving as needed specified SLA provision material records applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein configuring the SLA client master data records comprises:

receiving specified general business information settings applicable to at least one SLA client;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client user;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client location;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning contract;

wherein the primary SLA provider is a party to the contract;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning detail record; and

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning purchase order.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client user comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying user location and contact details;

receiving settings specifying user transactional authorization details; and

receiving settings specifying user system access credentials.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client location comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying non-employee worker access and authorization details;

receiving settings specifying freight delivery details;

receiving settings specifying location description in terms of a structured relational database; and

wherein the at least one SLA client location is logically mapped to a geographical management schema employed by a primary SLA provider.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client contract comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying contract activation and duration details;

receiving settings specifying contract payment, incentive and penalty details; and

receiving settings specifying a contract provisioning services count.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning detail record comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying affiliation with at least one primary SLA provider user;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA client user;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA client contract;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision skill profile;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision type;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision labor type;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision labor response time Increment;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA client provision location;

receiving settings specifying details relative to required provision coverage time periods; and

receiving settings specifying details relative to affiliated provision materials.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein configuring SLA client purchase order records comprises:

receiving settings specifying SLA client purchase order header details;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with at least one SLA client provisioning detail record;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with SLA client provisioning material records responsive to receiving settings of the SLA client provisioning material records; and

storing SLA client purchase order and SLA client provisioning detail record affiliations.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

configuring settings for at least one SLA client purchase order responsive to storing SLA client purchase order and SLA client provisioning detail record affiliations; and

wherein configuring settings for at least one SLA client purchase order responsive to storing SLA client purchase order and SLA client provisioning detail record affiliations comprises;

receiving settings specifying SLA client purchase order pricing details;

receiving settings specifying applicable SLA client purchase order non-provisioning penalty costing details;

receiving settings specifying applicable SLA client purchase order dating details;

storing received SLA client purchase order specifications as a purchase order line item; and

approving a completed SLA client purchase order;

notifying applicable SLA client users of completed purchase order transaction; and

providing user access an SLA client purchase order and affiliated master data records as configured.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein onboarding a secondary SLA provider network comprises:

providing secondary SLA provider managed temporary system access;

receiving settings specifying secondary SLA provider business qualification information;

determining secondary SLA provider qualification status responsive to received specified business qualification information;

responsive to a satisfactory qualification review;

providing secondary SLA provider managed non-temporary system access responsive to a satisfactory qualification review; and

receiving settings specifying secondary SLA provider service provision capabilities and affiliated service provision geographical territories.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving settings specifying secondary SLA provider service provision capabilities comprises:

receiving selected SLA service provision capabilities;

wherein user skill profile selections are presented via a relational database resulting in a non-prose-based SLA provision skill family profile; and

receiving settings specifying skill family profile location coverage territory in terms of a structured relational database; and

wherein the territory is logically mapped to a geographical management schema employed by a primary SLA provider.

19. A method of procuring a secondary service-level-agreement (SLA) provider provision services network, the method comprising:

generating an RFx bid from at least one SLA client provisioning detail record;

posting the RFx bid to a pre-established list of secondary SLA providers;

enabling secondary SLA providers to generate an RFx bid response responsive to receiving the RFx bid;

processing at least one secondary SLA providers RFx bid response;

processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase requisition responsive to RFx bid response acceptance; and

processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase order responsive to receiving a completed purchase requisition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein generating an RFx bid comprises:

selecting at least one SLA client provisioning detail record unaffiliated with an active RFx bid or secondary SLA provider purchase order to be included on the RFx bid;

creating the RFx bid responsive to selection of the at least one unaffiliated SLA client provisioning detail record;

receiving default RFx bid information settings from at least one selected SLA client provisioning detail record set;

configuring non-default user desired information settings; and

storing RFx bid information settings.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving default RFx bid information settings comprises retrieving information pertinent to at least one of:

SLA client details;

SLA client provision service location details;

SLA provision skill profile;

SLA provision requirements;

anticipated SLA provision service frequency; and

applicable SLA provision material details

22. The method of claim 20, wherein configuring non-default user desired information settings comprises:

specifying at least one of;

maximum secondary SLA provider labor and applicable expense rates;

secondary SLA provider non-provision penalty terms; and

maximum and minimum human resource submittals and SLA provision labor type; and

specifying a pre-configured RFx bid template to store default and non-default information settings for subsequent RFx bid response data processing.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein posting the RFx bid comprises:

receiving a listing of secondary SLA providers logically mapped to the RFx bid premised upon a match of business family and geographic provision capabilities;

specifying at least one secondary SLA provider for RFx bid receipt responsive to generation of a secondary SLA providers RFx bid list; and

broadcasting the RFx bid to specified secondary SLA providers.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein enabling secondary SLA providers to generate a RFx bid quotation responsive to receiving the RFx bid comprises:

receiving notification that the RFx bid has been posted for processing;

generating an RFx bid response record;

permitting access details of an RFx bid response;

specifying information settings responsive to RFx bid interrogatories; and

storing information settings applicable to the RFx bid response.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein specifying information settings responsive to RFx bid interrogatories comprises:

acquiring information pertinent to multiple provisioning billing rates applicable to variable time attributes comprising at least one of weekdays, weekends, holidays, business hours, and non-business hours;

acquiring information pertinent to multiple provisioning expense rates applicable to variable expense type scenarios;

acquiring information pertinent to acceptance of SLA provisioning terms comprising at least one of provisioning response time and non-provisioning penalty; and

acquiring information pertinent to at least one secondary SLA provider provisioning human resource submittal.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising, responsive to storing information settings applicable to a RFx bid response, submitting an RFx bid response to a primary SLA provider for evaluation.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein processing at least one secondary SLA provider RFx bid response comprises:

receiving a submitted secondary SLA provider RFx bid response;

determining if the secondary SLA provider RFx bid response is accepted or rejected; and

storing an RFx bid response disposition.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising, responsive to storing the RFx bid response disposition:

notifying a secondary SLA provider regarding RFx bid response disposition; and

creating a secondary SLA provider purchase requisition responsive to RFx bid response being acceptance.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase requisition comprises:

integrating purchase requisition information settings from an accepted secondary SLA provider RFx bid response; and

creating a secondary SLA provider purchase order.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein processing a secondary SLA provider purchase requisition comprises:

approving purchase requisition information by a primary SLA provider;

submitting an approved purchase requisition to an applicable secondary SLA provider;

notifying a secondary SLA provider of a purchase requisition receipt;

acknowledging secondary SLA provider purchase requisition approval;

receiving the approved purchase requisition from the secondary SLA provider; and

notifying the primary SLA provider of completed purchase requisition receipt.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising, responsive to processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase order:

populating a secondary SLA provider purchase order with default information functions contained within a completed purchase requisition record;

specifying non-default purchase order information; and

approving the secondary SLA provider purchase order.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein approving a secondary SLA provider purchase order comprises:

notifying the secondary SLA provider of a purchase order approval transaction; and

enabling user access to the secondary SLA provider purchase order.

33. A method of administering a secondary service-level-agreement (SLA) provider human resource network, the method comprising:

selecting at least one human resource submittal affiliated with a secondary SLA provider purchase order;

onboarding the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

enabling non-default human resource provisioning availability calendar administration; and

processing non-default work availability calendar information settings.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein selecting at least one human resource submittal affiliated with a secondary SLA provider purchase order comprises:

accessing secondary SLA provider RFx bid response human resource provisioning submittals;

specifying assignment approval for at least one human resource provisioning submittal;

storing the assignment approval disposition for the at least one specified human resource provisioning submittal;

notifying a secondary SLA provider of the assignment approval disposition for the at least one specified human resource provisioning submittal; and

enabling a secondary SLA provider to confirm the assignment approval disposition for the at least one specified human resource provisioning submittal.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein onboarding the at least one human resource provisioning personnel comprises:

receiving execution of human resource temporary worker agreements;

receiving human resource temporary worker agreement information responsive to the step of receiving execution;

approving human resource temporary worker agreement information;

storing an approval disposition of a human resource temporary worker; and

notifying a secondary SLA provider of approved human resource onboarding.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel comprises:

receiving specification of standard schedule blackout and availability time settings of the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

storing the specified standard schedule blackout and availability time settings; and

submitting the stored standard schedule blackout and availability time settings for primary SLA provider review.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel comprises:

receiving submitted stored standard schedule blackout and availability time settings;

receiving approval of human resource provisioning personnel default calendar availability settings;

storing provisioning personnel default calendar availability approval;

activating an availability calendar of the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

notifying the secondary SLA provider of provisioning personnel default calendar availability approval and activation; and

accessing an active provisioning personnel availability calendar.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein enabling non-default human resource provisioning availability calendar administration comprises;

permitting access to human resource provisioning personnel calendar availability records;

receiving specification of non-default information settings applicable to human resource provisioning personnel calendar availability;

storing specified human resource provisioning personnel non-default calendar availability information settings; and

notifying applicable users of human resource provisioning personnel non-default calendar availability information settings modification.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein processing non-default work availability calendar information settings comprises:

determining if any required SLA client provision coverage time period is without human resource provisioning personnel coverage availability;

warning applicable primary SLA provider users of required provision coverage period complete blackout resource availability;

broadcasting a provision coverage modification request to applicable secondary SLA providers;

storing information settings associated with a received provision coverage modification request; and

notifying applicable primary SLA provider users that a provision resource unavailability scenario has been remedied responsive to stored secondary SLA provider information settings.

40. A method of processing a service-level-agreement (SLA) client provisioning requirement, the method comprising:

processing an SLA client service provision request;

processing a service provision dispatch request;

processing a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record; and

processing the received provisioning human resource dispatch notification record.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein processing an SLA client service provision request further comprises:

permitting access to an SLA client purchase order and affiliated provisioning master data records;

creating an SLA client provisioning request record;

receiving default SLA client provisioning request information;

specifying non-default SLA client provisioning request information; and

storing SLA client provisioning request information settings.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein receiving default SLA client provisioning request information comprises retrieving SLA provisioning record details responsive to user record selection.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein specifying non-default SLA client provisioning request information comprises inputting desired information applicable to provided SLA client provisioning request data fields.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising, responsive to storing SLA client provisioning request information settings:

notifying a user that an SLA client provisioning request has been completed and stored; and

submitting an SLA client provisioning request to a primary SLA provider for downstream processing.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein processing a service provision dispatch request comprises:

enabling record access to the SLA client service provision request;

receiving a listing of affiliated secondary SLA providers configured to provide services to the SLA client;

receiving a listing of affiliated secondary SLA provider available provisioning human resources configured to provide services to the SLA client;

specifying an available provisioning human resource to provide services to the SLA client; and

storing information settings.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein storing information settings comprises generating the service provision dispatch request.

47. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

wherein processing a service provision dispatch request comprises broadcasting the service provision dispatch request;

wherein broadcasting the service provision dispatch request comprises;

transmitting the service provision dispatch request to an affiliated secondary SLA provider;

notifying the affiliated secondary SLA provider of an incoming service provision dispatch request; and

providing access to the transmitted service provision dispatch request.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein processing a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record comprises:

validating provisioning human resource availability;

storing information settings relative to human resource availability.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein storing information settings comprises:

generating a provisioning human resource dispatch notification; and

transmitting to a primary SLA provider a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record.

50. The method of claim 40, wherein processing the provisioning human resource dispatch notification record comprises:

permitting access to the provisioning human resource dispatch notification record;

creating an SLA client provisioning dispatch notification;

storing the SLA client provisioning dispatch notification; and

transmitting the SLA client provisioning dispatch notification to applicable SLA client users affiliated with an originating SLA client service provision request.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein transmitting SLA client provisioning dispatch notification comprises:

notifying applicable SLA client users; and

permitting access to the transmitted SLA client provisioning dispatch notification.

52. A method of processing a service-level agreement (SLA) provisioning work voucher, the method comprising:

creating and storing an SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by a provisioning human resource;

processing the stored SLA provisioning service voucher by an applicable secondary SLA provider user;

processing the approved secondary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable primary SLA provider user; and

processing the approved primary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable SLA client user.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein creating an SLA provisioning service voucher comprises:

specifying an applicable human resource provision dispatch record;

receiving default information applicable to SLA provisioning information affiliated with the specified human resource provision dispatch record;

specifying non-default information relative to performed physical provisioning service details; and

storing SLA provisioning work voucher information settings.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising, responsive to storing SLA provisioning work voucher information settings:

notifying an applicable secondary SLA provider user that a stored SLA provisioning work voucher is available for review; and

permitting access to the stored SLA provisioning work voucher.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein processing the stored SLA provisioning service voucher by an applicable secondary SLA provider user comprises:

receiving default SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information inherited from an applicable secondary SLA provider purchase order;

specifying SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information non-default data values;

approving information settings; and

storing secondary SLA provider SLA provisioning work voucher information settings.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising, responsive to storing secondary SLA provider SLA provisioning work voucher information settings:

notifying an applicable primary SLA provider user that an approved secondary SLA provider provisioning work voucher has been submitted for review; and

permitting access to the approved secondary SLA provider provisioning work voucher.

57. The method of claim 52, wherein processing the approved secondary SLA provider provisioning service voucher comprises:

receiving default SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information inherited from an applicable SLA client purchase order;

specifying SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information non-default data values; and

storing primary SLA provider provisioning work voucher information settings.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising, responsive to storing primary SLA provider SLA provisioning work voucher information settings:

notifying an applicable SLA client user that an approved primary SLA provider provisioning work voucher is available for review; and

permitting access to the approved primary SLA provider provisioning work voucher.

59. The method of claim 52, wherein processing the approved primary SLA provider provisioning service voucher comprises:

receiving provisioning work voucher information settings by an SLA client user;

specifying approval or rejection disposition responsive to receiving the provisioning work voucher information settings; and

storing the specified provisioning work voucher approval disposition.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein storing the specified provisioning work voucher approval disposition comprises:

receiving default SLA provisioning service quality assurance assessment information;

specifying information applicable to the received quality assurance assessment interrogatories;

storing quality assessment information specifications within the system.

61. The method of claim 59, further comprising, responsive to storing the specified provisioning work voucher approval disposition:

notifying applicable primary SLA provider and secondary SLA provider users of SLA client provisioning work voucher disposition; and

permitting applicable primary SLA provider and secondary SLA provider users to access the SLA client provisioning work voucher disposition.

62. A method of processing payment of a service-level agreement (SLA) provisioning work order, the method comprising:

extracting SLA client approved provisioning work vouchers;

generating billing invoice files;

processing SLA client billing invoice files;

processing payment from a SLA client; and

issuing payment to a secondary SLA provider.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein extracting SLA client approved provisioning work vouchers comprises:

identifying a stored unprocessed SLA client approved provisioning work voucher record;

receiving default information inherited from the unprocessed SLA client approved provisioning work voucher record; and

storing approved provisioning work voucher record set information settings.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein generating billing invoice files comprises:

generating a primary SLA provider to SLA client billing file; and

generating a secondary SLA provider to primary SLA provider billing file.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the step of generating primary SLA provider to SLA client billing file comprises:

utilizing an SLA client specified billing file information template;

populating the SLA client specified billing file information template with stored approved provisioning work voucher record set information settings; and

storing an SLA client billing invoice file responsive to data population.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein generating a secondary SLA provider to primary SLA provider billing file comprises:

utilizing a primary SLA provider specified billing file information template;

populating a primary SLA provider specified billing file information template with stored approved provisioning work voucher record set information settings; and

storing a primary SLA provider billing invoice file responsive to data population.

67. The method of claim 65, further comprising, responsive to storing an SLA client billing invoice file responsive to data population:

notifying applicable SLA client users that a billing invoice file is available for data processing; and

providing applicable SLA client users adapted with access to the billing invoice file.

68. The method of claim 62, wherein processing SLA client billing invoice files comprises:

approving SLA client billing invoice data;

notifying applicable primary SLA provider users of billing file approval;

issuing payment to the primary SLA provider by the SLA client; and

generating and storing a cash payment file responsive to primary SLA provider payment.

69. The method of claim 62, wherein processing payment from an SLA client comprises:

receiving a cash payment;

permitting access to a stored cash payment file;

applying cash payment file data against an applicable SLA client billing invoice file; and

storing a record of billing invoice payments.

70. The method of claim 69, further comprising, responsive to storing a record of billing invoice payments:

generating a secondary SLA provider invoice payment file; and

storing the secondary SLA provider invoice payment file.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising, responsive to storing a secondary SLA provider invoice payment file:

notifying applicable primary SLA provider users that a secondary SLA provider billing invoice file is available for data processing; and

providing a user interface to applicable primary SLA provider users adapted to access a secondary SLA provider billing invoice file responsive to notification.

72. The method of claim 62, wherein issuing payment to a secondary SLA provider comprises:

approving secondary SLA provider billing invoice data;

paying to the secondary SLA provider; and

generating and storing a cash payment file responsive to secondary SLA provider payment.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising, responsive to generating and storing a cash payment file responsive to secondary SLA provider payment:

providing access to the stored secondary SLA provider cash payment file;

applying cash payment file data against an applicable secondary SLA provider billing invoice file; and

storing a record of secondary SLA provider billing invoice payments.