Computer integration network for channeling customer orders through a centralized computer to various suppliers
First Claim
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1. A requisition tracking system comprising:
- a central computer system having a memory containing data files and a data communication unit for communicating with other computer systems, said central computer system(i) maintaining said data files containing data on customers, customer initiated requisitions, invoicing and product items,(ii) electronically receiving requisition orders identifying products requisitioned by individual customers, where the requisition orders are received from a plurality of customer computer systems, and wherein a first requisition order from a first customer requisitions quantities of various products selected by the first customer, and a second requisition order from a second customer requisitions quantities of various products selected by the second customer,(iii) generating purchase orders for the products from information in the requisition orders, wherein the purchase orders each include at least one or more identifier codes that identify one or more of the individual customers, and wherein a first group of purchase orders identifies the first and second customers and the quantities of at least a first product of the various products selected by the first and second customers, and a second group of purchase orders identifies the first and second customers and the quantities of at least a second product of the various products selected by the first and second customers,(iv) individually addressing each purchase order to a selected vendor, including addressing the first group of purchase orders to a first vendor of the first product and the second group of purchase orders to a second vendor of the second product,(v) transmitting each purchase order to a vendor computer system for the selected vendor;
(vii) receiving vendor invoices from a plurality of vendor computer systems, wherein said invoices identify the purchase orders that each vendor has accepted for delivery, and(viii) extracting customer billing information from the vendor invoices to centrally generate customer invoices to be sent to each customer for the products selected by the customer and that the vendors have agreed to deliver to the customer;
each of said customer computer systems having a communication unit for electronically communicating with said central computer system to transmit customer data and said requisition orders for requisitional product items, and having a memory with data files containing data on requisitions and product items, andeach of said vendor computer systems having a communication unit for electronically communicating with said central computer system for receiving said purchase orders, for identifying the individual customers to receive products requisitioned in the purchase orders, and for transmitting said invoices having data including an acceptance of a requisition order.
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Abstract
An electronic requisitioning system for channeling customer requisition orders to internal suppliers and outside vendors, and processing invoices using a centralized computer system. A customer accesses an electronic item catalog and requisition form to place an order transmitted to the central computer system. Requisitions are segregated by supplier and sent as purchase orders to appropriate internal suppliers and outside vendors that ship the items directly to the customer. Invoices are centrally processed and the customer receives a combined invoice for all items requisitions and may transmit payment back through to the central computer system.
665 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A requisition tracking system comprising:
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a central computer system having a memory containing data files and a data communication unit for communicating with other computer systems, said central computer system (i) maintaining said data files containing data on customers, customer initiated requisitions, invoicing and product items, (ii) electronically receiving requisition orders identifying products requisitioned by individual customers, where the requisition orders are received from a plurality of customer computer systems, and wherein a first requisition order from a first customer requisitions quantities of various products selected by the first customer, and a second requisition order from a second customer requisitions quantities of various products selected by the second customer, (iii) generating purchase orders for the products from information in the requisition orders, wherein the purchase orders each include at least one or more identifier codes that identify one or more of the individual customers, and wherein a first group of purchase orders identifies the first and second customers and the quantities of at least a first product of the various products selected by the first and second customers, and a second group of purchase orders identifies the first and second customers and the quantities of at least a second product of the various products selected by the first and second customers, (iv) individually addressing each purchase order to a selected vendor, including addressing the first group of purchase orders to a first vendor of the first product and the second group of purchase orders to a second vendor of the second product, (v) transmitting each purchase order to a vendor computer system for the selected vendor; (vii) receiving vendor invoices from a plurality of vendor computer systems, wherein said invoices identify the purchase orders that each vendor has accepted for delivery, and (viii) extracting customer billing information from the vendor invoices to centrally generate customer invoices to be sent to each customer for the products selected by the customer and that the vendors have agreed to deliver to the customer; each of said customer computer systems having a communication unit for electronically communicating with said central computer system to transmit customer data and said requisition orders for requisitional product items, and having a memory with data files containing data on requisitions and product items, and each of said vendor computer systems having a communication unit for electronically communicating with said central computer system for receiving said purchase orders, for identifying the individual customers to receive products requisitioned in the purchase orders, and for transmitting said invoices having data including an acceptance of a requisition order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A requisition system comprising:
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a central computer system at a first location having data files containing information on customers, product catalogs, suppliers of products, customer requisitions of products wherein the requisitions include a first requisition for at least first and second products from a first customer, and second requisition for at least the first and second products from a second customer, purchase orders, and invoices, a communication unit for receiving the customer requisitions from a plurality of customer computer systems and invoices from a plurality of vendor computer systems, and for transmitting the purchase orders to the vendor computer systems; a processing unit for selecting vendors to supply customer requisitioned products and services, for extracting information from the first and second requisitions information regarding the first and second products and first and second customers, and for generating the purchase orders for each selected vendor that identifies a requisitioned product and identifies two or more customers to receive the requisitioned product, and identifies the selected vendor to deliver the requisitioned product directly to each of the identified customers, and wherein the purchase orders include a first group of purchase orders for a first vendor supplying the first product identifying the quantities of the first product requisitioned by each of the first and second customers, and a second group of purchase orders for a second vendor supplying the second product identifying the quantities of the second product requisitioned by each of the first and second customers, and generates customer invoices from vendor invoices which identify the products to be delivered to the respective customers and a charge for the products to be paid by the customers wherein; the plurality of customer computer systems are at locations remote from said central computing system and receive data from the data files in the central computer system including catalogs, and transmit requisition orders for one or more products selected from the catalogs; and the plurality of vendor computer systems receive, accept and process the purchase orders received from the central computer system, generate the vendor invoices containing product shipping information, and product cost information and transmit the invoices to the central computer.
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Specification