Buyer/Supplier Network that Aids Supplier Enablement Through Collaboration between Buyers and Suppliers

• US 20120022963A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ariba Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Ariba Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Tung, Yuan, Subbanna, Manju Prasad
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, systems and apparatus for a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier are disclosed. One method includes receiving, by the buyer/supplier network, a collaboration request for information about a good or service being purchased by a buyer. At least one supplier is identified from an approved supplier list that has the requested information. An account is created for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network, and an invitation is sent to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network. Each of the invited suppliers is allowed to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

Claims

1. A computer-method of a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

receiving, by the buyer/supplier network, a collaboration request for information about a good or service being purchased by a buyer;

identifying at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has the requested information;

creating an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

sending an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

allowing each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

2. The computer-method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating the buyer sending a purchase order to the supplier.

3. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration request is received from the buyer while the buyer is operating within a buyer/supplier network procurement engine.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the buyer/supplier network procurement engine identifying that the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service, and pushing descriptive information of the complex product or service to the buyer/supplier network, and pushing a filtered list of approved suppliers to the buyer/supplier network.

5. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the buyer desires to purchase a complex product or service, and the collaboration request is submitted by the buyer to aid the buyer in purchasing the complex good or service.

6. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the buyer desires to purchase a complex product or service, and the collaboration request is submitted by the buyer to aid the buyer in completing an order for the complex good or service.

7. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration request of information comprises an information request pushed by the buyer to aid the buyer in a purchase of a product or service.

8. The computer-method of claim 7, further comprising providing the information request to the identified at least one supplier.

9. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the approved supplier list is received by the buyer/supplier network within the collaboration request.

10. The computer-method of claim 9, wherein the buyer has an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and the approved supplier list comprises approved vendors from the ERP system of the buyer.

11. The computer-method of claim 9, wherein further comprising the buyer/supplier network activating the at least one supplier, establishing a connection on the buyer/supplier network between the buyer and the at least one supplier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein once the at least one supplier has been activated, the at least one supplier can push information to the buyer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the identified suppliers is new to the buyer/supplier network, and the buyer creates an account for the at least one identified supplier by submitting the at least one identified supplier through the collaboration request, and further comprising the buyer/supplier network creating an account for the at least one identified supplier in response to the collaboration request.

14. A buyer/supplier network that aids in creation of at least one of a requisition or contract between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

a buyer/seller server operative to receive a collaboration request for information about a good or service from a buyer;

at least one of a procurement server or the buyer/seller server operative identify at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has the requested information;

the buyer/seller server operative create an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

the buyer/seller server operative send an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

the buyer/seller server operative allow each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

15. The buyer/supplier network of claim 14, wherein the approved supplier list is received by the buyer/supplier network within the collaboration request.

16. The buyer/supplier network of claim 15, wherein the buyer has an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and the approved supplier list comprises approved vendors from the ERP system of the buyer.

17. The buyer/supplier network of claim 15, wherein further comprising the buyer/supplier network activating the at least one supplier, establishing a connection on the buyer/supplier network between the buyer and the at least one supplier.

18. The buyer/supplier network of claim 17, wherein once the at least one supplier has been activated, the at least one supplier can push information to the buyer.

19. The buyer/supplier network of claim 15, wherein at least one of the identified suppliers is new to the buyer/supplier network, and the buyer creates an account for the at least one identified supplier by submitting the at least one identified supplier through the collaboration request, and further comprising the buyer/supplier network creating an account for the at least one identified supplier in response to the collaboration request.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a computer-method of a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

receiving a collaboration request for information about a good or service being purchased by a buyer;

identifying at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has the requested information;

creating an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

sending an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

allowing each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

21. A computer-method of a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

identifying that the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

receiving, by the buyer/supplier network, a filtered list of approved suppliers;

identifying at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has information of the complex product or service;

creating an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

sending an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

allowing each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation.