System and method for planning, allocation, and purchasing

• US 7,813,961 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Simon, Berthold, Gabelmann, Thomas, Freitag, Andreas, Wittmer, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US11/028,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,108 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/26.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals

Abstract

A method of integrating planning, purchasing, and allocation of goods in a computerized system is disclosed. The method includes providing a purchase order workbench for generating a purchase order list based on received purchasing data. The purchase order list includes a plurality of items and associated purchasing data for each item. The method further includes providing a planning workbench for applying one or more budget rules to the plurality of items in the purchase order list to determine whether the purchase of the items in the purchase order list should be approved based on the application of the one or more budget rules, providing an allocation workbench for generating an allocation table. The allocation table includes at least one of the plurality of items from the purchase order list that has been approved for purchase and a designation of a sales location for each item. The method yet further includes providing a system interface configured to access the purchase order, planning, and allocation workbenches.

Claims

1. A method of integrating planning, purchasing, and allocation of goods, the method comprising:

providing a purchase order workbench configured to generate a purchase order list based on purchasing data, regional marketing data, and competition data, the purchase order list including a plurality of items and associated purchasing data for each item;

providing a planning workbench configured to compare a cost of the purchase order list to a budget to generate a first result and a second result, the first result is the cost of the purchase order list being less than or equal to the budget, the second result is the cost of the purchase order list exceeding the budget;

generating by a processor a first purchase order when the first result occurs, the first purchase order being approved for purchase;

transmitting by the processor when the second result occurs, a request for an approval signal;

receiving by the processor the approval signal based on the request for an approval signal;

generating the first purchase order based on the second result occurring and receiving the approval signal, the first purchase order being approved for purchase;

providing an allocation workbench configured to generate an allocation table, the allocation table including at least one of the plurality of items from the purchase order list that has been approved for purchase, the allocation table including a designation of a sales location for each item; and

storing at least one of the first result, the second result and the first purchase order;

wherein the approval signal comprises instructions for approving the first purchase order where the cost of the purchase order list exceeds the budget.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying at least one of the purchase order list, the budget, and a budget rule to generate a second purchase order based on the second result, the second purchase order being approved for purchase.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the budget rule is automatically applied to the purchase order list to generate the second purchase order and wherein the allocation table is automatically populated with approved items in the second purchase order.

4. The method of claim 1, further including providing a graphical user interface configured to receive one or more modifications to at least one of the first purchase order, the second purchase order and the allocation table.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the allocation workbench is configured to add an item to at least one of the first purchase order and the second purchase order based on a modification to the allocation table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items include at least one of a retail sales article and a service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchasing data includes data received from a purchasing list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the purchasing list is a list of retail sales articles and corresponding planned purchasing quantities for selected planning levels.

9. A computerized system for integrating planning, purchasing, and allocation of goods, the system comprising:

purchase order workbench means for providing a purchase order workbench for generating a purchase order list based on purchasing data, regional marketing data, and competition data, the purchase order list including a plurality of items and associated purchasing data for each item;

planning workbench means for providing a planning workbench for comparing a cost of the purchase order list to a budget to generate a first result and a second result, the first result is based on the cost of the purchase order list being less than or equal to the budget, the second result is based on the cost of the purchase order list exceeding the budget, the planning workbench means configured to generate a first purchase order when the first result occurs, the first purchase order being approved for purchase, the planning workbench means configured to transmit when the second result occurs, a request for an approval signal, the planning workbench means further configured to receive the approval signal based on the request for an approval signal, and the planning workbench means configured to generate the first purchase order based on the second result occurring and receiving the approval signal, the first purchase order being approved for purchase;

allocation workbench means for providing an allocation workbench for generating an allocation table, the allocation table including at least one of the plurality of items from the purchase order list that has been approved for purchase, the allocation table including a designation of a sales location for each item;

system interface means for providing a system interface configured to access the purchase order, planning, and allocation workbenches; and

storage means for storing at least one of the first result, the second result, and the first purchase order;

wherein the approval signal comprises instructions for approving the first purchase order where the cost of the purchase order list exceeds the budget.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the planning workbench means is further configured to modify at least one of the purchase order list, the budget, and a budget rule to generate a second purchase order based on the second result, the second purchase order being approved for purchase.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the budget rule is automatically applied to the purchase order list to generate the second purchase order and wherein the allocation table is automatically populated with approved items in the second purchase order.

12. The system of claim 9, further including providing a graphical user interface configured to receive one or more modifications to at least one of the first purchase order, the second purchase order and the allocation table.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the allocation workbench is configured to add an item to at least one of the first purchase order and the second purchase order based on a modification to the allocation table.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of items include at least one of a retail sales article and a service.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the purchasing data includes data received from a purchasing list.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the purchasing list is a list of retail sales articles and corresponding planned purchasing quantities for selected planning levels.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer-readable program code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium for causing, when executed by one or more processors an implementation of a method for integrating planning, purchasing, and allocation of goods, the method comprising:

generating via one or more processors a purchase order list based on purchasing data, regional marketing data, and competition data, the purchase order list including a plurality of items and associated purchasing data for each item;

comparing via one or more processors a cost of the purchase order list to a budget to generate a first result and a second result, the first result is based on the cost of the purchase order list being less than or equal to the budget, the second result is based on the cost of the purchase order list exceeding the budget;

generating via one or more processors a first purchase order when the first result occurs, the first purchase order being approved for purchase;

transmitting when the second result occurs, a request for an approval signal;

receiving the approval signal based on the request for an approval signal;

generating via one or more processors the first purchase order based on the second result occurring and receiving the approval signal, the first purchase order being approved for purchase;

providing via one or more processors an allocation table including at least one of the plurality of items from the purchase order list that has been approved for purchase, the allocation table including a designation of a sales location for each item; and

storing at least one of the first result, the second result and the first purchase order;

wherein the approval signal comprises instructions for approving the first purchase order where the cost of the purchase order list exceeds the budget.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising modifying at least one of the purchase order list, the budget, and a budget rule to generate a second purchase order based on the second result, the second purchase order being approved for purchase.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the budget rule is automatically applied to the purchase order list to generate the second purchase order and wherein the allocation table is automatically populated with approved items in the second purchase order.

20. The method of claim 17, further including providing a graphical user interface configured to receive one or more modifications to at least one of the first purchase order, the second purchase order and the allocation table.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the allocation workbench is configured to add an item to at least one of the first purchase order and the second purchase order based on a modification to the allocation table.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of items include at least one of a retail sales article and a service.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the purchasing data includes data received from a purchasing list.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the purchasing list is a list of retail sales articles and corresponding planned purchasing quantities for selected planning levels.