Method for expense report storage and calculation

• US 4,852,000 A
• Filed: 09/24/1987
• Issued: 07/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Data Associates
• Original Assignee: Universal Data Associates
• Inventors: Webb, Wayne A., Scearce, Keith D.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US07/100,766
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/406, 364/408, 364/709, 364/710, 364/715, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/715.01, 364/709.04, 364/710.04
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A system for maintaining a business record includes a main menu having a plurality of modular expense routines and a plurality of modular operational assistance routines. All the modular routines are individually identified and selectively callable by entering an individual alpha-numeric identifier for the particular module selected.

Claims

1. A method of calculating and storing business expenses comprising the steps of:

storing a main menu of normal expense categories as separate modules in a data storage unit whereby additions to and deletions from said main menu are possible;

providing each of said expense categories with an individual alpha-numeric identifier whereby each of said expense categories is available for selective call up and whereby entries to individual categories can be made without affecting other categories,

providing a tag category in said main menu;

whereby all expenses for a particular data, or event, can be traced for all said expense categories;

providing a plurality of operational assistance routines in said main menu;

providing a name module as one of said operational assistance routines, whereby a range of dates, or events, can be entered for all of said expense modules;

said operational assistance routines including a modify routine; and

further including the step of storing a modify menu including each of said expense categories and providing each of said normal expense categories with modify alpha-numeric identifiers whereby said expense categories are individually available for selective call up and previously made entries can be modified, new entries can be made, and running category totals can be calculated.

2. The method of claim 1 further including a mileage category and wherein said mileage category can be entered by selecting between a mileage entry or an odometer entry.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said main menu includes a save category whereby all data relating to any selected category can be saved under the name shown for the selected category.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said main menu includes a print category whereby a print out of all internal data is provided upon selection of the print categroy.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said expense modules include the categories of mileage, meals, lodging, telephone, fuel, parking, tolls, miscellaneous, gratuity, transportation, business conference and entertainment.

6. A method of calculating and storing business expenses comprising the steps of:

storing a main menu of normal expense categores in a data storage unit;

providing each of said expense categories with an individual alpha-numeric identifier whereby each of said expense categories is available for selective call up,

providing a tag category in said main menu;

whereby all expenses for a particular date, or event, can be traced for all said expense categories;

providing a plurality of operational assistance routines in said main menu, said operational assistance routines including a modify routine; and

further including the step of storing a modify menu including each of said expense categories and providing each of said normal expense categories with modify alpha-numeric identifiers whereby sad expense categories are individually available for selective call up and previously made entries can be modified, new entries can be made, and running category totals can be calculated.

7. The method of claim 6 further including the step of providing a name module as one of said operational assistance routines, whereby a range of dates, or events, can be entered for all of said expense modules,

8. The method of claim 7 further including a mileage category and wherein said mileage category can be entered by selecting between a mileage entry or an odometer entry.

9. A method of calculating and storing business expenses comprising the steps of:

storing a main menu of normal expense categories as separate modules in a data storage unit whereby additions to and deletions from said main menu are possible;

providing each of said expense categories with an individual alpha-numeric identifier whereby each of said expense categories is available for selective call up and whereby entires to individual categories can be made without affecting other categories;

providing a tag category in said main menu;

whereby all expenses for a particular date, or event, can be traced for all said expense catgories and whereby entires to individual categories can be made without affecting other categories;

providing a plurality of operational assistance routines in said main menu, said operational assistance routines incuding a modify routine; and

further including the step of storing a modify menu including each of said expense categories and providing each of said normal expense categories with modify alpha-numeric identifiers whereby said expense categories are individually available for selective call up and previously made entires can be modified, new entires can be made, and running category totals can be calculated.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said mileage category can be entered by selecting between a mileage entry or an odometer entry.