SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STANDARDIZING ACCOUNTING OF CONSUMABLES

• US 20090157535A1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Car Parts Incorporated Color Systems
• Original Assignee: Car Parts Incorporated Color Systems
• Inventors: Choiniere, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

According to one aspect, the system for standardizing accounting of consumables provides material lists of consumables used in particular repairs. The development of the material lists takes place through tracking of consumables used during the repair of various parts of different types of automotive vehicles. The size, shape, time, and material for repair may vary by make and model of vehicle, as well as the characteristics associated with each make and model. Once a materials list for a reasonable repair is assembled, the process is repeated for each vehicle make, model, and part to be repaired. The end result is a material list template for each part that a body shop repairs. In one embodiment, a wholesaler maintains and provides access to a system for standardizing accounting to body shops. The interface is customized for each body shop, so that specific materials will be provided on the material list for a repair. In another embodiment, user selectable options provide brand selection for the materials used in a particular repair. Providing brand selections and/or restricting selection of brand may provide an incentive for material purchases into specific brands. According to another aspect, maintaining material lists for each any every part of each model and make of vehicle represents significant overhead for any service provider. Creating standardized automobile objects for use in conjunction with a system for standardizing accounting of consumables provides for easier maintenance and greater flexibility to updates.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for standardizing accounting of consumables, the method comprising the acts of:

providing at least one consumable material template for a project, wherein the act of providing at least one consumable material template for the project includes an act of providing at least one predefined quantity for a consumable item used in the project;

providing an interface adapted to generate an invoice associated with the project;

providing for a user to input information associated with the project;

selecting the at least one consumable material template in response to user input; and

restricting access to the at least one consumable material template.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of generating the at least one consumable material template from direct measurements.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising an act of deriving at least one additional consumable material template from recorded measurements.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising acts of:

comparing characteristics of project targets;

deriving a modification factor; and

generating at least one additional consumable material template using the modification factor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting access to the at least one consumable material template further comprises limiting variation of the at least one consumable material template by a predefined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting access to the at least one consumable material template further comprises preventing alteration of the at least one consumable material template.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of limiting consumable material selection by a user to at least one predetermined brand.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of providing a plurality of automobile objects.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising an act of generating consumable material templates using the plurality of automobile objects.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the project comprises work associated with an automobile.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

providing for submission of at least one variation to the consumable material templates; and

determining the requested at least one variation meets a predetermined threshold.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of generating an invoice for the project based on the selected at least one consumable material template.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the act of generating an invoice for the project based on the selected at least one consumable material template occurs in response to the act of determining the requested variations meets a predetermined threshold.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the act of limiting consumable material selection by a user to at least one predetermined brand, further includes an act of providing a subset of available brands.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for standardizing accounting of consumables, the method comprising acts of:

providing at least one consumable material template for a project, wherein the act of providing at least one consumable material template for the project includes an act of providing at least one predefined quantity for a consumable item used in the project;

providing an interface adapted to generate an invoice associated with the project;

providing for a user to input information associated with the project;

selecting the at least one consumable material template in response to user input; and

restricting access to the at least one consumable material template.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises an act of generating an invoice for the project based on the selected at least one consumable material template.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein restricting access to the at least one consumable material template further comprises limiting variation of the at least one consumable material template by a predefined threshold.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein restricting access to the at least one consumable material template further comprises preventing alteration of the at least one consumable material template.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

providing for submission of variations to the consumable material templates; and

determining the requested variations meet a predetermined threshold.

20. A system for standardizing accounting of consumables, the system comprising:

a user interface for accepting user input associated with a project;

a storage component for storage and retrieval of at least one consumable material template associated with a project, wherein storage and retrieval of at least one consumable material template associated with a project further comprises storage and retrieval of at least one predefined quantity for a consumable item used in the project;

an analysis engine for selecting the at least one consumable material template in response to user input; and

an administration component for defining user roles, wherein the administration component is adapted to restrict access to the at least one consumable material template.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the storage component stores at least one consumable material template generated from direct measurements.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the analysis engine is further adapted to derive at least one additional consumable material template from recorded measurements.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the analysis engine is further adapted to compare characteristics of project targets, derive a modification factor;

apply the modification factor to at least one predefined quantity for a consumable item, and generate at least one additional consumable material template using the modification factor.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the administration component is adapted to limit variation of the at least one consumable material template by a predefined threshold.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the administration component is further adapted to prevent alteration of the at least one consumable material template.

26. The system of claim 20, further comprising a brand selection component for limiting consumable material selection by a user to at least one predetermined brand.

27. The system of claim 20, further comprising an automobile object.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the analysis engine is further adapted to generating at least one additional consumable material template using the automobile object.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the project comprises work associated with an automobile.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the user interface is further adapted to accept submission of variations to the at least one consumable material template;

and the analysis engine determines whether the requested variations meet a predetermined threshold.