Method and system for scheduling purchase orders

• US 7,831,487 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Abo-Hasna, Ziad, Ullrich, Chantal
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F. Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider; Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US11/072,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,076 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Systems, methods and program products for monitoring a purchase order are disclosed. The method includes developing one or more timelines for a purchase order. Each timeline includes events in delivery of one or more items in the purchase order from a supplier to a store. The method also includes determining if an event in a timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule, and generating an activity based on the determination.

Claims

1. Machine-readable non-transitory media for monitoring purchase orders using an automated process, the machine-readable media comprising program code stored therein for monitoring purchase orders, the automated process comprising:

generating a purchasing plan, the purchasing plan comprising a plurality of items, the plurality of items comprising at least a first product, a second product, and a third product, the purchasing plan further comprising a first product cost, and a second product cost, the first product cost is a cost of the first product times a first product quantity, the second product cost is a cost of the second product times a second product quantity;

generating a first purchase order based on a first product budget exceeding the first product cost;

generating a second purchase order based on a second product budget exceeding the second product cost;

developing one or more timelines for the first purchase order and the second purchase order, each timeline including events in delivery of one or more items in the purchase order from a supplier to a store;

generating a first product timeline, the first product timeline comprising a first plurality of events, the first plurality of events comprising at least a first event, a second event, and a third event;

generating a second product timeline, the second product timeline comprising a second plurality of events, the second plurality of events comprising at least a fourth event, a fifth event, and a sixth event;

determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule by comparing at least one of a first event date to an actual date, a second event date to the actual date, a third event date to the actual date, a fourth event date to the actual date, a fifth event date to the actual date, and a sixth event date to the actual date;

transmitting a status request to a vendor based on determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule;

generating at least one of a first exception based on the actual date exceeding the first event date, a second exception based on the actual date exceeding the second event date, a third exception based on the actual date exceeding the third event date, a fourth exception based on the actual date exceeding the fourth event date, a fifth exception based on the actual date exceeding the fifth event date, and a sixth exception based on the actual date exceeding the sixth event date;

generating an activity to be executed based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

transmitting at least the first purchase order to a first vendor and the second purchase order to a second vendor and receiving at least a first confirmation from the first vendor and a second confirmation from the second vendor; and

storing at least one of the purchasing plan, the first product budget, the second product budget, the first purchase order, the second purchase order, the first product cost, the second product cost, the first product timeline, the second product timeline, the first event, the second event, the third event, the fourth event, the fifth event, the sixth event, the first event date, the second event date, the third event date, the fourth event date, the fifth event date, the sixth event date, the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception.

2. The machine-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a status request signal to at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

receiving at least one of a first product status and a second product status from at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor;

modified at least one of the first product timeline and the second product timeline based on at least one of the first product status and the second product status; and

storing at least one of the first product status, the second product status, a modified first product timeline, and a second modified product timeline.

3. The machine-readable media of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a cancellation request to at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception, wherein the cancellation request cancels at least one of a portion of the first purchase order and a portion of the second purchase order.

4. The machine-readable media of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a revised store presentation plan based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception.

5. The machine-readable media of claim 2, further comprising updating a schedule and delivery events database based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception.

6. The machine-readable media of claim 2, further comprising generating and transmitting an exception report based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception.

7. The machine-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a status request signal to at least one of a distribution center and a store based on an exception;

receiving at least one of a first product status and a second product status from at least one of the distribution center and the store;

modified at least one of the first product timeline and the second product timeline based on at least one of the first product status and the second product status; and

storing at least one of the first product status, the second product status, a modified first product timeline, and a second modified product timeline.

8. The machine-readable media of claim 1, wherein the purchasing plan is based at least in part on an industry report.

9. The machine-readable media of claim 1, further comprising generating a handover status based on a risk of at least one of the first product and the second product being transferred from at least one of a first vendor and a second vendor to a purchaser.

10. The machine-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least the first purchase order to a first vendor and the second purchase order to a second vendor and receiving at least a first confirmation from the first vendor and a second confirmation from the second vendor;

transmitting a status request signal to at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

receiving at least one of a first product status and a second product status from at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor;

modified at least one of the first product timeline and the second product timeline based on at least one of the first product status and the second product status;

transmitting a cancellation request to at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception, wherein the cancellation request cancels at least one of a portion of the first purchase order and a portion of the second purchase order;

transmitting a revised store presentation plan based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

updating a schedule and delivery events database based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

generating and transmitting an exception report based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

generating a handover status based on a risk of at least one of the first product and the second product being transferred from at least one of the first vendor and the second vendor to a purchaser; and

storing at least one of the first product status, the second product status, a modified first product timeline, and a second modified product timeline.

11. The machine-readable media of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule includes transmitting a status request to a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

12. The machine-readable media of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule includes receiving a status from a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

13. The machine-readable media of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule includes determining an event did not or will not occur on schedule upon not receiving an expected status from a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

14. The machine-readable media of claim 1, wherein the step of developing one or more timelines includes using a database of historic data to estimate dates of events.

15. The machine-readable media of claim 14, further comprising updating the database of historic data when at least one event did not or will not occur on schedule.

16. The machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein the updating the database includes determining an updated date for the occurrence of the event.

17. The machine-readable media of claim 1, further comprising contacting a supplier entity when at least one event did not or will not occur on schedule.

18. The machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the contacting the supplier entity includes sending an electronic mail message.

19. The machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the contacting the supplier entity includes canceling at least a portion of the purchase order.

20. The machine-readable media of claim 1, further comprising contacting the store when at least one event did not or will not occur on schedule.

21. The machine-readable media of claim 20, wherein the contacting the store includes updating a store presentation plan.

22. A program product for monitoring a purchase order, comprising a machine-readable non-transitory media having machine-readable program code for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the following method steps:

generating a purchasing plan, the purchasing plan comprising a plurality of items, the plurality of items comprising at least a first product, a second product, and a third product, the purchasing plan further comprising a first product cost, and a second product cost, the first product cost is a cost of the first product times a first product quantity, the second product cost is a cost of the second product times a second product quantity;

generating a first purchase order based on a first product budget exceeding the first product cost;

generating a second purchase order based on a second product budget exceeding the second product cost;

developing one or more timelines for the first purchase order and the second purchase order, each timeline including events in delivery of one or more items in the purchase order from a supplier to a store;

generating a first product timeline, the first product timeline comprising a first plurality of events, the first plurality of events comprising at least a first event, a second event, and a third event;

generating a second product timeline, the second product timeline comprising a second plurality of events, the second plurality of events comprising at least a fourth event, a fifth event, and a sixth event;

determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule by comparing at least one of a first event date to an actual date, a second event date to the actual date, a third event date to the actual date, a fourth event date to the actual date, a fifth event date to the actual date, and a sixth event date to the actual date;

transmitting a status request to a vendor based on determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule;

generating at least one of a first exception based on the actual date exceeding the first event date, a second exception based on the actual date exceeding the second event date, a third exception based on the actual date exceeding the third event date, a fourth exception based on the actual date exceeding the fourth event date, a fifth exception based on the actual date exceeding the fifth event date, and a sixth exception based on the actual date exceeding the sixth event date;

generating an activity to be executed based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

transmitting at least the first purchase order to a first vendor and the second purchase order to a second vendor and receiving at least a first confirmation from the first vendor and a second confirmation from the second vendor; and

storing at least one of the purchasing plan, the first product budget, the second product budget, the first purchase order, the second purchase order, the first product cost, the second product cost, the first product timeline, the second product timeline, the first event, the second event, the third event, the fourth event, the fifth event, the sixth event, the first event date, the second event date, the third event date, the fourth event date, the fifth event date, the sixth event date, the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception.

23. The program product of claim 22, wherein the step of determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule includes transmitting a status request to a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

24. The program product of claim 22, wherein the step of determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule includes receiving a status from a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

25. The program product of claim 22, wherein the step of determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule includes determining an event did not or will not occur on schedule upon not receiving an expected status from a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

26. The program product of claim 22, wherein the step of developing one or more timelines includes using a database of historic data to estimate dates of events.

27. The program product of claim 26, further comprising updating the database of historic data when at least one event did not or will not occur on schedule.

28. The program product of claim 27, wherein the updating the database includes determining an updated date for the occurrence of the event.

29. The program product of claim 22, further comprising contacting a supplier entity when at least one event did not or will not occur on schedule.

30. The program product of claim 29, wherein the contacting the supplier entity includes sending an electronic mail message.

31. The program product of claim 29, wherein the contacting the supplier entity includes canceling at least a portion of the purchase order.

32. The program product of claim 22, further comprising contacting the store when at least one event did not or will not occur on schedule.

33. The program product of claim 32, wherein the contacting the store includes updating a store presentation plan.

34. A system of monitoring purchase orders, comprising:

means for generating a purchasing plan, the purchasing plan comprising a plurality of items, the plurality of items comprising at least a first product, a second product, and a third product, the purchasing plan further comprising a first product cost, and a second product cost, the first product cost is a cost of the first product times a first product quantity, the second product cost is a cost of the second product times a second product quantity;

means for generating a first purchase order based on a first product budget exceeding the first product cost;

means for generating a second purchase order based on a second product budget exceeding the second product cost;

means for developing one or more timelines for the first purchase order and the second purchase order, each timeline including events in delivery of one or more items in the purchase order from a supplier to a store;

means for generating a first product timeline, the first product timeline comprising a first plurality of events, the first plurality of events comprising at least a first event, a second event, and a third event;

means for generating a second product timeline, the second product timeline comprising a second plurality of events, the second plurality of events comprising at least a fourth event, a fifth event, and a sixth event;

means for determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule by comparing at least one of a first event date to an actual date, a second event date to the actual date, a third event date to the actual date, a fourth event date to the actual date, a fifth event date to the actual date, and a sixth event date to the actual date;

means for transmitting a status request to a vendor based on determining if an event in the first product timeline and the second product timeline has occurred or will occur on schedule;

means for generating at least one of a first exception based on the actual date exceeding the first event date, a second exception based on the actual date exceeding the second event date, a third exception based on the actual date exceeding the third event date, a fourth exception based on the actual date exceeding the fourth event date, a fifth exception based on the actual date exceeding the fifth event date, and a sixth exception based on the actual date exceeding the sixth event date;

means for generating an activity to be executed based on at least one of the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception;

means for transmitting at least the first purchase order to a first vendor and the second purchase order to a second vendor and receiving at least a first confirmation from the first vendor and a second confirmation from the second vendor; and

means for storing at least one of the purchasing plan, the first product budget, the second product budget, the first purchase order, the second purchase order, the first product cost, the second product cost, the first product timeline, the second product timeline, the first event, the second event, the third event, the fourth event, the fifth event, the sixth event, the first event date, the second event date, the third event date, the fourth event date, the fifth event date, the sixth event date, the first exception, the second exception, the third exception, the fourth exception, the fifth exception, and the sixth exception.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for determining is adapted to transmit a status request to a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for determining is adapted to receive a status from a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for determining is adapted to determine an event did not or will not occur on schedule upon not receiving an expected status from a supplier entity associated with the supplier.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for developing one or more timelines is adapted to use a database of historic data to estimate dates of events.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the means for generating an activity is adapted to update the database of historic data when the means for determining determines an event did not or will not occur on schedule.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the updating the database includes determining an updated date for the occurrence of the event.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for generating an activity is adapted to contact a supplier entity when the means for determining determines an event did not or will not occur on schedule.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the contacting the supplier entity includes sending an electronic mail message.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the contacting the supplier entity includes canceling at least a portion of the purchase order.

44. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for generating an activity is adapted to contact the store when the means for determining determines an event did not or will not occur on schedule.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein contacting the store includes updating a store presentation plan.