Sourcing under quantity pricing rules
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented sourcing system, comprising:
- one or more data storage locations on a computer-readable medium comprising sourcing criteria;
a sourcing engine stored on a computer-readable medium and coupled with the one or more data storage locations, the sourcing engine configured to implement the following instructions when executed by a processor;
receive one or more item sourcing requirements, the one or more item sourcing requirements identify an item and a quantity of the item to be sourced from one or more suppliers;
access the sourcing criteria in the one or more data storage locations, the sourcing criteria comprising one or more quantity pricing rules associated with the one or more suppliers, the price and quantity information of the item available at each of the one or more suppliers, and two or more sourcing rules associated with the sourcing of the item, one of the two or more sourcing rules including a minimum sourcing requirement associated with one or more of the one or more suppliers, the two or more sourcing rules further comprising at least one hard sourcing rule and at least one soft sourcing rule, wherein the hard sourcing rule cannot be violated and the soft sourcing rule can be violated;
determine one or more suppliers from which the item should be sourced and a quantity of the item to obtain from each of the one or more suppliers based on the sourcing criteria; and
a transaction execution module on a computer-readable medium and coupled with the sourcing engine, the transaction execution module configured to implement the following instructions when executed by a processor;
receive the determination of the one or more suppliers;
generate one or more transaction documents each identifying the item and the requested quantity of the item, and including a request that a supplier provide the requested quantity of the item; and
communicate the one or more transaction documents to the identified one or more suppliers.
17 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for sourcing an item requirement includes receiving an item requirement that identifies an item and a quantity of the item that needs to be sourced from one or more suppliers. The method also includes determining one or more sourcing criteria that affect the sourcing of the item. The sourcing criteria include one or more quantity pricing rules that are associated with each of a number of suppliers and the quantity of the item available at each of the suppliers. Furthermore, the method includes determining one or more suppliers from which the item should be sourced and a quantity of the item to obtain from each such supplier based on the sourcing criteria. In addition, the method includes automatically generating one or more transaction documents that each identify the item and the requested quantity of the item and that include a request that a supplier provide the requested quantity of the item. These transaction documents are communicated to the associated suppliers.
20 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented sourcing system, comprising:
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one or more data storage locations on a computer-readable medium comprising sourcing criteria; a sourcing engine stored on a computer-readable medium and coupled with the one or more data storage locations, the sourcing engine configured to implement the following instructions when executed by a processor; receive one or more item sourcing requirements, the one or more item sourcing requirements identify an item and a quantity of the item to be sourced from one or more suppliers; access the sourcing criteria in the one or more data storage locations, the sourcing criteria comprising one or more quantity pricing rules associated with the one or more suppliers, the price and quantity information of the item available at each of the one or more suppliers, and two or more sourcing rules associated with the sourcing of the item, one of the two or more sourcing rules including a minimum sourcing requirement associated with one or more of the one or more suppliers, the two or more sourcing rules further comprising at least one hard sourcing rule and at least one soft sourcing rule, wherein the hard sourcing rule cannot be violated and the soft sourcing rule can be violated; determine one or more suppliers from which the item should be sourced and a quantity of the item to obtain from each of the one or more suppliers based on the sourcing criteria; and a transaction execution module on a computer-readable medium and coupled with the sourcing engine, the transaction execution module configured to implement the following instructions when executed by a processor; receive the determination of the one or more suppliers; generate one or more transaction documents each identifying the item and the requested quantity of the item, and including a request that a supplier provide the requested quantity of the item; and communicate the one or more transaction documents to the identified one or more suppliers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method of sourcing one or more item sourcing requirements comprising:
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receiving, by a computer, one or more item sourcing requirements, the one or more item sourcing requirements identify an item and a quantity of the item that needs to be sourced from one or more suppliers; accessing, by the computer, one or more sourcing criteria that affect the sourcing of the item, the sourcing criteria comprising one or more quantity pricing rules associated with the one or more suppliers, the price and quantity information of the item available at each of the one or more suppliers, wherein the price and quantity information is provided by the one or more suppliers, and two or more sourcing rules associated with the sourcing of the item, one of the two or more sourcing rules including a minimum sourcing requirement associated with one or more of the one or more suppliers, the two or more sourcing rules further comprising at least one hard sourcing rule and at least one soft sourcing rule, wherein the hard sourcing rule cannot be violated and the soft sourcing rule can be violated; determining, by the computer, one or more suppliers from which the item should be sourced and a quantity of the item to obtain from each of the one or more suppliers based on the sourcing criteria; automatically generating, by the computer, one or more transaction documents each identifying the item and the requested quantity of the item, and including a request that a supplier provide the requested quantity of the item; and communicating, by the computer, the one or more transaction documents to the identified one or more suppliers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that sources one or more item sourcing requirements, which, when executed by a processor, causes one or more computers to:
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receive the one or more item sourcing requirements, the one or more item sourcing requirements identify an item and a quantity of the item to be sourced from one or more suppliers; access one or more sourcing criteria that affect the sourcing of the item, the sourcing criteria comprising one or more quantity pricing rules associated with the one or more suppliers, the price and quantity information of the item available at each of the one or more suppliers, wherein the price and quantity information is provided by the one or more suppliers, and two or more sourcing rules associated with the sourcing of the item, one of the two or more sourcing rules including a minimum sourcing requirement associated with one or more of the one or more suppliers, the two or more sourcing rules further comprising at least one hard sourcing rule and at least one soft sourcing rule, wherein the hard sourcing rule cannot be violated and the soft sourcing rule can be violated; determine one or more suppliers from which the item should be sourced and a quantity of the item to obtain from each of the one or more suppliers based on the sourcing criteria; generate one or more transaction documents each identifying the item and the requested quantity of the item, and including a request that a supplier provide the requested quantity of the item; and communicate the one or more transaction documents to the identified one or more suppliers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification