System, method and computer program product for contract consistency in a supply chain management framework
First Claim
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1. A method for handling contracts in a supply chain management framework, comprising:
- a) an independent supply chain manager pre-negotiating master contract parameters for orders between a plurality of independent suppliers and independent distributors and including assigning independent distributor—
independent supplier relationships;
b) the independent supply chain manager assigning one of the independent distributors for each of a plurality of stores;
c) electronically receiving sales information from the plurality of stores of a supply chain utilizing a network, the sales information comprising amounts of goods sold by the stores;
d) generating an electronic order form for one of the independent distributors based on the sales information for placing an order with the distributor;
e) selecting one of a plurality of contract templates for a supplier—
distributor order;
f) electronically populating a plurality of fields in the selected contract template with the pre-negotiated master contract parameters to obtain a draft contract;
g) transmitting the draft contract to one of the independent suppliers and one of the independent distributors;
h) receiving data from the independent supplier and independent distributor utilizing a network where the data was generated independently of the network, the data relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor in accordance with a contract resulting from the draft contract;
i) selecting at least one contract term from the contract and comparing that contract term to the received data;
j) generating a contract communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and
k) maintaining an electronic database of details of the sales information, substantially all electronic orders to distributors, master contract parameters for orders between suppliers and distributors, and the data from the independent supplier and independent distributor relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor.
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Abstract
A system, method and computer program product are disclosed for handling contracts in a supply chain management framework. One of a plurality of contracts is selected. The selected contract template is transmitted to a supply chain participant. Data is received from supply chain participants utilizing a network. This data relates to the sale of products by the supply chain participants. The contract templates are then enforced in accordance with the data.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for handling contracts in a supply chain management framework, comprising:
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a) an independent supply chain manager pre-negotiating master contract parameters for orders between a plurality of independent suppliers and independent distributors and including assigning independent distributor—
independent supplier relationships;
b) the independent supply chain manager assigning one of the independent distributors for each of a plurality of stores;
c) electronically receiving sales information from the plurality of stores of a supply chain utilizing a network, the sales information comprising amounts of goods sold by the stores;
d) generating an electronic order form for one of the independent distributors based on the sales information for placing an order with the distributor;
e) selecting one of a plurality of contract templates for a supplier—
distributor order;
f) electronically populating a plurality of fields in the selected contract template with the pre-negotiated master contract parameters to obtain a draft contract;
g) transmitting the draft contract to one of the independent suppliers and one of the independent distributors;
h) receiving data from the independent supplier and independent distributor utilizing a network where the data was generated independently of the network, the data relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor in accordance with a contract resulting from the draft contract;
i) selecting at least one contract term from the contract and comparing that contract term to the received data;
j) generating a contract communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and
k) maintaining an electronic database of details of the sales information, substantially all electronic orders to distributors, master contract parameters for orders between suppliers and distributors, and the data from the independent supplier and independent distributor relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31)
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7. A system for handling contracts in a supply chain management framework, wherein an independent supply chain manager pre-negotiates master contract parameters for orders between a plurality of independent suppliers and independent distributors, including assigning independent distributor—
- independent supplier relationships, comprising;
an electronic storage; and
a set of processors that use the electronic storage and include among them the following logic elements a) logic for the independent supply chain manager assigning one of the independent distributors for each of a plurality of stores;
b) logic for electronically receiving sales information from the plurality of stores of a supply chain utilizing a network, the sales information comprising amounts of goods sold by the stores;
c) logic for generating an electronic order form to one of the independent distributors based on the sales information for placing an order with the distributor;
d) logic for selecting one of a plurality of contract templates for a supplier—
distributor order;
e) logic for electronically populating a plurality of fields in the selected contract template with the pre-negotiated master contract parameters to obtain a draft contract;
f) logic for transmitting the draft contract to one of the independent suppliers and one of the independent distributors;
g) logic for receiving data from the independent supplier and independent distributor utilizing a network where the data was generated independently of the network, the data relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor in accordance with a contract resulting from the draft contract;
h) logic for selecting at least one contract term from the contract and comparing that contract term to the received data;
i) logic for generating a contract communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and
j) logic for maintaining an electronic database of details of the sales information, substantially all electronic orders to distributors, master contract parameters for orders between suppliers and distributors, and the data from the independent supplier and independent distributor relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32)
- independent supplier relationships, comprising;
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13. A computer program product for handling contracts in a supply chain management framework, wherein an independent supply chain manager pre-negotiates master contract parameters for orders between a plurality of independent suppliers and independent distributors, including assigning independent distributor—
- independent supplier relationships, comprising;
a set of computer usable media having computer readable program code embodied among them to be executed by a computer, the computer readable program code comprising;
a) computer code for the independent supply chain manager assigning one of the independent distributors for each of a plurality of stores;
b) computer code for electronically receiving sales information from the plurality of stores of a supply chain utilizing a network, the sales information comprising amounts of goods sold by the stores;
c) computer code for generating an electronic order form to one of the independent distributors based on the sales information for placing an order with the distributor;
d) computer code for selecting one of a plurality of contract templates for a supplier—
distributor order;
e) computer code for electronically populating a plurality of fields in the selected contract template with the pre-negotiated master contract parameters to obtain a draft contract;
f) computer code for transmitting the draft contract to one of the independent suppliers and one of the independent distributors;
g) computer code for receiving data from the independent supplier and independent distributor utilizing a network where the data was generated independently of the network, the data relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor in accordance with a contract resulting from the draft contract;
h) computer code for selecting at least one contract term from the contract and comparing that contract term to the received data;
i) computer code for generating a contract communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and
j) computer code for maintaining an electronic database of details of the sales information, substantially all electronic orders to distributors, master contract parameters for orders between suppliers and distributors, and the data from the independent supplier and independent distributor relating to the sale of products between the supplier and distributor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33)
- independent supplier relationships, comprising;
Specification