System for managing orders and method of implementation
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for processing customer orders for goods in a computer-based data processing system having a plurality of connected databases, comprising:
- an input component for entry of customer orders;
a processor for validating customer orders and controlling user interaction with the plurality of databases through a plurality of components operating on the processor, including;
a component for automatically checking inventory for availability of ordered goods;
a component for enabling retrieval and tracking of goods stored in inventory to create shipping loads;
a component for building shipping loads from the retrieved goods; and
a component for scheduling delivery of shipping loads to a plurality of customers;
a component for monitoring a plurality of carriers to determine an on time delivery rate for each carrier, a rate of claims for damaged or missing goods made against each carrier and a frequency at which a carrier rejects picking up a load for delivery.
2 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The system of this invention manages customer orders using vendor supplied software systems interfaced on a real-time basis to touch the data in each system on a real-time basis. In effect, there is horizontal communication between the various components of the system such as inventory, purchasing, order management and receipt, logistics and inventory to have continual data flow without using a vertical software interface. As a result, customer orders are received on a real-time basis using screens that are user friendly to promptly take orders, to verify customer data and to verify the ability to meet those orders. Transmission of documents within the system is minimized thereby making it more efficient, timely and cost efficient.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A system for processing customer orders for goods in a computer-based data processing system having a plurality of connected databases, comprising:
-
an input component for entry of customer orders; a processor for validating customer orders and controlling user interaction with the plurality of databases through a plurality of components operating on the processor, including; a component for automatically checking inventory for availability of ordered goods; a component for enabling retrieval and tracking of goods stored in inventory to create shipping loads; a component for building shipping loads from the retrieved goods; and a component for scheduling delivery of shipping loads to a plurality of customers; a component for monitoring a plurality of carriers to determine an on time delivery rate for each carrier, a rate of claims for damaged or missing goods made against each carrier and a frequency at which a carrier rejects picking up a load for delivery.
-
-
2. A method for processing customer orders in a computer-based data processing system comprising the steps of:
-
receiving the customer orders for goods from an input source; processing the customer orders based on information stored in a plurality of connected databases; checking an inventory availability of the ordered goods in response to the customer orders; retrieving the ordered goods that are available from inventory; building a shipping load for the ordered goods available from inventory; and scheduling the shipping load with a selected carrier for delivery to a customer monitoring a plurality of carriers to determine an on time delivery rate for each carrier, a rate of claims for damaged or missing goods made against each carrier and a frequency at which a carrier rejects picking up a load for delivery. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for processing customer orders comprising:
-
an input component for accepting orders for goods received from customers; a plurality of databases that are accessed by the input component; a component for processing customers orders based on information stored in the plurality of databases; a component for checking inventory availability for ordered goods; a component for facilitating the retrieval of the ordered goods that are available from inventory, including a module for determining a location of each of the ordered goods in an inventory storage facility; and
a module for recording a plurality of goods pulled by location;a component for building a shipping load for the ordered good available from inventory; and a component for scheduling the shipping load with a selected carrier for customer delivery. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A method for providing logistic support for customer order management over a computer communications network comprising the steps of:
-
receiving customer orders for goods over the communications network to generate load criteria; performing customer order consolidation based on the load criteria; assembling loads from inventory based on customer order consolidation; and selecting a carrier for delivery of the assembled loads based on a plurality of carrier selection criteria; wherein the step of assembling loads from inventory comprises determining a location for each of the customer-ordered goods in an inventory storage facility, recording a plurality of goods pulled by location, moving the pulled goods to a staging area and picking the customers'"'"' orders from the pulled goods. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
-
35. A system for providing logistics support for customer order management over a computer communications network, comprising:
-
an input component for receiving customer orders for goods over the communications network in order to generate load criteria; a component for performing customer order consolidation based on the load criteria; a component for assembling loads from inventory based on customer order consolidation; and a component for selecting a carrier for delivery of the assembled loads based on a plurality of carrier selection criteria comprising a module that determines a service rating for each of a plurality of carriers and considers both the service rating and cost of shipping in evaluating each carrier. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification