Category analysis in a market management

• US 7,389,214 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC), B2eMarkets Inc. (Jaggaer LLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC), B2eMarkets Inc. (Jaggaer LLC)
• Inventors: Cunningham, John E., Pareek, Shirish, Waugh, Richard, Yelich, David A., Bailey, Orville, Stoddard, Holly H., Thomas, Glenn J., Cohen, Amy Cutlip, Blaine, David
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US09/562,668
• Time in Patent Office: 2,969 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/30, 705/1, 705/400, 703/1, 703/2, 703/6, 703/7, 700/97
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for analyzing expenditures by category. A file including expenditure data relating to spent monies is identified. The expenditure data from the file is extracted. An independent and a dependent variable relating to the expenditure data are determined. The expenditure data is graphed based on the determined variables. Conclusions are displayed based on the expenditure data.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for analyzing expenditures by category in an electronic commerce environment, comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying an electronic file including expenditure data relating to spent monies, wherein the expenditure data is derived with the computer system from a purchasing module including data relating to internal spending of the spent monies, and from a performance service offered by subscription and accessible by the computer system to identify with the performance service an industry analysis related to the spent monies selected by the computer system from a plurality of unique industry analyses, and wherein the expenditure data includes a total cost of ownership;

(b) extracting with the computer system the expenditure data from the file;

(c) determining an independent variable and a dependent variable relating to the expenditure data;

(d) graphing the expenditure data based on the independent variable and the dependent variable with the computer system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to create the file including expenditure data relating to spent monies.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the file is based on an electronic materials worksheet.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the file is based on an electronic service worksheet.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the independent variable and the dependent variable determined in the step of determining include price distribution and total expenditure by suppliers.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conclusions displayed in the step of displaying include recommended issues to consider.

7. A method for as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to input conclusions into the computer system about the expenditure data graphed in the step of graphing.

8. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for analyzing expenditures by category, comprising:

(a) an identifying code segment for identifying a file including expenditure data relating to spent monies, wherein the expenditure data is derived from a purchasing module including data relating to internal spending of the spent monies, and from a performance service offered by subscription and accessible by the computer system to identify with the performance service an industry analysis related to the spent monies selected by the computer system from a plurality of unique industry analyses, and wherein the expenditure data includes a total cost of ownership;

(b) an extracting code segment for extracting the expenditure data from the file;

(c) a determining code segment for determining an independent variable and a dependent variable relating to the expenditure data;

(d) a graphing code segment for graphing the expenditure data based on the independent variable and the dependent variable determined by the determining code segment.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 8, further comprising a creating code segment for allowing a user to create the file including expenditure data relating to spent monies.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 8, wherein the file is based on a materials worksheet.

11. A computer program as recited in claim 8, wherein the file is based on a services worksheet.

12. A computer program as recited in claim 8, wherein the independent variable and the dependent variable determined by the determining code segment include price distribution and total expenditure by suppliers.

13. A computer program as recited in claim 8, wherein the conclusions displayed by the displaying code segment include recommended issues to consider.

14. A computer program as recited in claim 8, further comprising an inputting code segment for allowing a user to input conclusions about the expenditure data graphed by the graphing code segment.

15. A computer system for analyzing expenditures by category, comprising:

(a) identifying logic for identifying a file including expenditure data relating to spent monies, wherein the expenditure data is derived from a purchasing module including data relating to internal spending of the spent monies, and from a performance service offered by subscription and accessible by the computer system to identify with the performance service an industry analysis related to the spent monies selected by the computer system from a plurality of unique industry analyses, and wherein the expenditure data includes a total cost of ownership;

(b) extracting logic for extracting the expenditure data from the file;

(c) determining logic for determining an independent variable and a dependent variable relating to the expenditure data;

(d) graphing logic for graphing the expenditure data based on the independent variable and the dependent variable determined by the determining logic.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, further comprising creating logic for allowing a user to create the file including expenditure data relating to spent monies.

17. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the file is based on a materials worksheet.

18. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the file is based on a services worksheet.

19. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the independent variable and the dependent variable determined by the determining logic include price distribution and total expenditure by suppliers.

20. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the conclusions displayed by the displaying logic include recommended issues to consider.