Invoice processing system

• US 6,928,411 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Reynolds, Scotty J., Garris, Joy T., Fox, Vincent P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Borissov, Igor N.
• Application Number:
  US09/409,831
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 705/40, 705/29, 705/75, 705/28, 705/22, 700/236, 700/107, 700/99, 235/385
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Invoices for goods purchased under a pricing strategy of goods receipt base invoice verification are processed. A matching tool performs a logical three-way match between invoices, and a database tool having goods received receipts and purchase orders. A transfer tool sends the invoices and results of the three-way match to the database when a match is found.

Claims

1. A method of processing invoices, the method comprising the steps of:

providing one or more unmatched invoices;

periodically inquiring to determine if a new goods received receipt (GRR) is present in a computerized database tool;

performing a logical three-way match between the GRR and each of the unmatched invoices with a processor, wherein the logical three-way match includes;

comparing a GRR number on the unmatched invoice with a GRR number on the GRR;

comparing a unit price on the unmatched invoice with a unit price on the GRR;

comparing a quantity on the unmatched invoice with a quantity on the GRR;

finding a match if one of the following is true;

(1) the GRR numbers match, the unit prices match, and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice;

(2) no match was found for (1), and the GRR numbers match and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice;

(3) no match was found for (1) and (2), and the unit prices match and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice; and

(4) no match was found for (1), (2) and (3), and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice and the unmatched invoice is the oldest unmatched invoice;

generating a logical result of each logical three-way match; and

transferring a matched invoice and a corresponding logical three-way match to the database tool.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing an unmatched invoice after a predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing one or more unmatched invoices in a computer memory; and

storing each GRR in a database.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing purchase orders in the database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering an unmatched invoice into a computer memory using an invoice processing tool.

6. A computer program product for processing invoices, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising computer program code for performing the following steps;

entering and storing one or more unmatched invoices in an invoice processing tool;

providing a database tool having one or more goods received receipts stored in a database;

periodically inquiring to determine if a new goods received receipt (GRR) is present;

performing a logical three-way match between the GRR and each of the one or more unmatched invoices, wherein the logical three-way match includes;

comparing a GRR number on the unmatched invoice with a GRR number on the GRR;

comparing a unit price on the unmatched invoice with a unit price on the GRR;

comparing a quantity on the unmatched invoice with a quantity on the GRR; and

finding a match if one of the following is true;

(1) the GRR numbers match, the unit prices match, and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice;

(2) no match was found for (1), and the GRR numbers match and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice;

(3) no match was found for (1) and (2), and the unit prices match and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice; and

(4) no match was found for (1), (2) and (3), and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice and the unmatched invoice is the oldest unmatched invoice;

generating a logical result of each logical three-way match; and

transferring a matched invoice and a corresponding logical result to the database tool.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises computer program code for performing the following step:

storing purchase orders in the database.

8. Computer executable process steps each step performed by a computer, for processing invoices, comprising;

a step to periodically inquire to determine if a new goods received receipt (GRR) is present;

a step to perform a logical three-way match between the GRR and an unmatched invoice, wherein the logical three-way match includes;

a step to compare a GRR number on the unmatched invoice with a GRR number on the GRR;

a step to compare a unit price on the unmatched invoice with a unit price on the GRR;

a step to compare a quantity on the unmatched invoice with a quantity on the GRR;

a step to obtain a logical match result if one of the following is true;

(1) the GRR numbers match, the unit prices match, and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice;

(2) no match was found for (1), and the GRR numbers match and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice;

(3) no match was found for (1) and (2), and the unit prices match and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice; and

(4) no match was found for (1), (2) and (3), and the quantity on the GRR is greater than or equal to the quantity on the unmatched invoice and the unmatched invoice is the oldest unmatched invoice;

a step to generate a logical result of each logical three-way match; and

a step to transfer a matched invoice and a corresponding logical result to the database tool.

9. The computer executable process steps of claim 8, further comprising a step to store purchase orders in the database.