Program product for purchase order processing

• US 8,027,886 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Biwer, Michael, Welter, Markus, Grendel, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US10/915,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,604 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/26.8
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals

Abstract

A method of electronic purchase order processing includes receiving an electronic purchase order, applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected, and providing the acceptance or rejection of the electronic purchase order.

Claims

1. A program product including computer-readable storage media for electronic purchase order processing, the computer-readable storage media comprising machine-readable program code stored therein for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the following method steps:

receiving purchase order information;

generating an electronic purchase order based on the purchase order information;

generating a buyer planning budget based on predetermined planning data;

generating one or more buyer rules specific to the electronic purchase order based on the buyer planning budget;

applying the one or more buyer generated rules to the electronic purchase order to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected for submission to a supplier;

providing one or more reasons for rejection to a buyer based upon rejection of submission of the electronic purchase order to the supplier, wherein the reasons for rejection relate to at least one buyer generated rule based upon which submission of the electronic purchase order to the supplier was rejected;

providing one or more options to the buyer to remedy the reasons for rejection and place the electronic purchase order in condition for submission to the supplier, wherein the one or more options are provided based upon rejection of submission of the electronic purchase order to the supplier, wherein providing one or more options to the buyer to remedy the reasons for rejection includes providing one or more suggestions for amendments to the electronic purchase order based on the reasons for rejection;

determining whether a sufficient amount of budgeted funds is available for the generation of the electronic purchase order;

obtaining an approval for the electronic purchase order based on a determination that the sufficient amount of budgeted funds is not available;

determining the supplier from a plurality of potential suppliers using an automated auction system based on the obtained approval;

transmitting the electronic purchase order to the supplier;

receiving a confirmation notification from the supplier; and

storing in a business warehouse data related to a product production.

2. The program product of claim 1, wherein when the electronic purchase order is rejected, the method further comprising:

wherein the one or more suggestions for amendments to the electronic purchase order include at least one of a limitation on a number of an item to be ordered under the electronic purchase order, a limitation on a total cost of the electronic purchase order, an amendment to a time frame for the electronic purchase order, and an amendment to one or more other pending orders.

3. The program product of claim 1, wherein a buyer includes a first and a second class of user wherein the first class of user is allowed to modify the buyer generated rules to receive an acceptance of the electronic purchase order.

4. The program product of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the electronic purchase order is based on an industry report.

5. The program product of claim 1, wherein the purchase order information includes at least one of a quantity and a delivery date associated with an item to be purchased.

6. The program product of claim 1, wherein the rule is a budget rule.

7. The program product of claim 1, wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order includes examining a relevant contract for the electronic purchase order to calculate a value for the at least one budget rule.

8. The program product of claim 7, wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order includes comparing a cost of the electronic purchase order to a remaining amount under the relevant contract to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected.

9. The program product of claim 1, wherein the budget rule is created based on a formula calculation.

10. The program product of claim 1, wherein providing one or more options to the buyer to remedy the reasons for rejection comprises providing an option to change at least one parameter of the electronic purchase order after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable.

11. The program product of claim 1, wherein providing one or more options to the buyer to remedy the reasons for rejection comprises providing an option to change at least one parameter of a budget after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable.

12. The program product of claim 1, wherein providing an acceptance or a rejection of the electronic purchase order includes providing a visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is accepted or rejected.

13. The program product of claim 12, wherein the visual indication of whether the electronic purchase order is accepted or rejected further includes a reason for the acceptance or rejection.

14. The program product of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing a cost of the electronic purchase order to a budget; and

comparing a time related to a payment of the cost to a first time period associated with the budget.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the electronic purchase order is canceled based on at least one of the cost exceeding the budgeted amount and the first time period exceeding a time criteria.

16. The program product of claim 1, wherein providing one or more options to the buyer to remedy the reasons for rejection comprises providing an option to change at least one of a parameter of the electronic purchase order and a parameter of a budget after providing a rejection of the electronic purchase order in order to make the electronic purchase order allowable;

wherein the purchase order information comprises at least one of a quantity and a delivery date associated with an item to be purchased;

wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order comprises examining a relevant contract for the electronic purchase order to calculate a value for the at least one budget rule;

wherein applying at least one rule to the electronic purchase order comprises comparing a cost of the electronic purchase order to a remaining amount under the relevant contract to determine whether the electronic purchase order should be accepted or rejected.