Method for receiving and reconciling physical inventory data against an asset management system from a remote location
First Claim
1. A method of reconciling physical inventory against an asset management database, the method comprising:
- placing identifying indicia on each location code in the asset management database;
taking a physical inventory;
creating raw inventory data;
transferring the raw inventory data to a web server;
converting the raw inventory data into an intermediate database;
creating a copy of the asset management database;
reconciling records in the intermediate database against corresponding records in the copy of the asset management database by way of a web browser; and
updating the asset management database with records accepted during the reconciling by writing location codes, associated with assets, to the asset management database without the identifying indicia; and
identifying assets not found during the physical inventory in the asset management database by identifying location codes having the identifying indicia.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The patent discloses a system and related method for taking, receiving and reconciling physical inventory data against an asset management system from a remote location. In the disclosed system, assets as well as their locations are scanned using a hand held bar code scanner. Scanner information is uploaded to a particular location on a web server. Once transferred, the scanner files are converted to an intermediate database. Individual records of the intermediate database are then compared against their corresponding records, if any, in a main asset database by way of a web user interface. Records are modified, rejected or accepted by way of the web user interface, and then accepted records are written to the main asset database. In this way, multiple steps of the reconciliation process may take place at the same time, and reconciliation may be done quickly and efficiently, even from a remote location.
19 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method of reconciling physical inventory against an asset management database, the method comprising:
-
placing identifying indicia on each location code in the asset management database; taking a physical inventory; creating raw inventory data; transferring the raw inventory data to a web server; converting the raw inventory data into an intermediate database; creating a copy of the asset management database; reconciling records in the intermediate database against corresponding records in the copy of the asset management database by way of a web browser; and updating the asset management database with records accepted during the reconciling by writing location codes, associated with assets, to the asset management database without the identifying indicia; and identifying assets not found during the physical inventory in the asset management database by identifying location codes having the identifying indicia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of taking a physical inventory and reconciling the physical inventory against an asset management database, the method comprising:
-
scanning with a hand held scanner bar codes identifying locations and bar codes identifying assets to create inventory data; transferring the inventory data from the hand held scanner to a web server; converting the inventory data into an intermediate database; placing an identifying indicia on a portion of each record in the asset management database; and
thenmaking a copy of the asset management database available on the web server; reconciling records in the intermediate database against corresponding records in the copy of the asset management database on the web server by way of a web browser; and updating the asset management database with records accepted during the reconciling by;
writing the updated records without the identifying indicia. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method of reconciling a physical inventory of assets against an asset management database and identifying assets not located in the physical inventory, the method comprising:
-
placing identifying indicia on each location code in the asset management database; taking the physical inventory using a portable bar code scanning device that saves physical inventory data in a data file within the portable bar code scanning device; transferring the data file to a web server; transforming the data file into an intermediate database; reconciling records of the intermediate database against corresponding records in the asset management database; writing location codes, associated with assets, to the asset management database without the identifying indicia; and identifying assets not found during the physical inventory in the asset management database by identifying location codes having the identifying indicia. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification