Construction payment management system and method with document exchange features
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of effectuating a payment related to a construction project using a construction payment management system including a computer readable memory storing a plurality of modules executed by an application server, wherein the plurality of modules can be selectively activated for the construction project, the method comprising:
- creating, by the application server, a project record associated with the construction project on a computer readable medium;
creating, by the application server, a payee user record for a payee on the computer readable medium and associating the payee user record with the project record, the payee user record having a status;
creating, by the application server, a list of required documents on the computer readable medium in response to input from a payer through a first device communicating with the application server over at least one network and associating the list of required document with at least one of the project record and the payee user record, the list of required documents including one or more documents that must be provided by the payee for the construction project;
providing, by the application server, a user interface including a selection mechanism;
receiving, by the application server, a compliance module setting through the selection mechanism;
assigning, by the application server, the compliance module setting to at least one of the project record and the payee user record, the compliance module setting indicatingwhether a compliance module is activated for the construction project andwhether a hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project;
storing, by the application server, at least one electronic document submitted by the payee on the computer readable medium, wherein the at least one electronic document is included in the list of required documents and wherein the payee submits the at least one electronic document through a second device communicating with the application server over at least one communication network;
allowing, by the application server, the payer to access the stored at least one electronic document through the first device;
automatically monitoring, by the application server, the stored at least one electronic document and comparing the stored at least one electric document to the list of required documents;
automatically assigning, by the application server, the status of the payee user record to noncompliant when the stored at least one electronic document does not include each document included in the list of required documents;
automatically assigning, by the application server, the status of the payee user record to compliant when the stored at least one electronic document includes each document included in the list of required documents;
receiving, by the application server, a request for the payment to the payee;
in response to receiving the request for the payment, automatically generating, by the application server, an unsigned lien waiver document and automatically transmitting, by the application server, the unsigned lien waiver document to the payee through the second device;
receiving, by the application server, an electronic signature for the unsigned lien waiver from the payee through the second device, automatically creating an electronically-signed version of the unsigned lien waiver document, and automatically storing the electronically-signed version of the unsigned lien waiver document to an electronic holding bin;
after receiving the electronic signature, automatically determining, by the application server, the stored compliance module setting and the status of the payee user record;
upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is not activated for the construction project, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment to the payee;
upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project and that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is not activated for the construction project, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment to the payee;
upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project, that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project, and that the status of the payee user record is compliant, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment to the payee;
upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project, that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project, and that the status of the payee user record is noncompliant, automatically holding, by the application server, the payment to the payee; and
after holding the payment, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment afterautomatically monitoring, by the application server, the stored at least one electronic document and comparing the stored at least one electric document to the list of required documents, andautomatically assigning, by the application server, the status of the payee user record to compliant when the stored at least one electronic document includes each document included in the list of required documents.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing a construction payment process. One construction of the system includes a computer readable memory and a software enabled user interface. A process is configured to display to a payee via the user interface an electronic notification of a pending payment and a request for an electronically signed document such as a lien waiver. The processor of this construction is further configured to receive the electronically signed document, store it to a computer readable memory, and initiate payment. In some constructions, the processor is further configured to display the electronically signed document to the payer only after payment has been initiated. In some constructions, the processor is further configured to verify that requirements are fulfilled before initiating payment.
129 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of effectuating a payment related to a construction project using a construction payment management system including a computer readable memory storing a plurality of modules executed by an application server, wherein the plurality of modules can be selectively activated for the construction project, the method comprising:
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creating, by the application server, a project record associated with the construction project on a computer readable medium; creating, by the application server, a payee user record for a payee on the computer readable medium and associating the payee user record with the project record, the payee user record having a status; creating, by the application server, a list of required documents on the computer readable medium in response to input from a payer through a first device communicating with the application server over at least one network and associating the list of required document with at least one of the project record and the payee user record, the list of required documents including one or more documents that must be provided by the payee for the construction project; providing, by the application server, a user interface including a selection mechanism; receiving, by the application server, a compliance module setting through the selection mechanism; assigning, by the application server, the compliance module setting to at least one of the project record and the payee user record, the compliance module setting indicating whether a compliance module is activated for the construction project and whether a hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project; storing, by the application server, at least one electronic document submitted by the payee on the computer readable medium, wherein the at least one electronic document is included in the list of required documents and wherein the payee submits the at least one electronic document through a second device communicating with the application server over at least one communication network; allowing, by the application server, the payer to access the stored at least one electronic document through the first device; automatically monitoring, by the application server, the stored at least one electronic document and comparing the stored at least one electric document to the list of required documents; automatically assigning, by the application server, the status of the payee user record to noncompliant when the stored at least one electronic document does not include each document included in the list of required documents; automatically assigning, by the application server, the status of the payee user record to compliant when the stored at least one electronic document includes each document included in the list of required documents; receiving, by the application server, a request for the payment to the payee; in response to receiving the request for the payment, automatically generating, by the application server, an unsigned lien waiver document and automatically transmitting, by the application server, the unsigned lien waiver document to the payee through the second device; receiving, by the application server, an electronic signature for the unsigned lien waiver from the payee through the second device, automatically creating an electronically-signed version of the unsigned lien waiver document, and automatically storing the electronically-signed version of the unsigned lien waiver document to an electronic holding bin; after receiving the electronic signature, automatically determining, by the application server, the stored compliance module setting and the status of the payee user record; upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is not activated for the construction project, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment to the payee; upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project and that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is not activated for the construction project, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment to the payee; upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project, that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project, and that the status of the payee user record is compliant, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment to the payee; upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project, that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project, and that the status of the payee user record is noncompliant, automatically holding, by the application server, the payment to the payee; and after holding the payment, automatically initiating, by the application server, the payment after automatically monitoring, by the application server, the stored at least one electronic document and comparing the stored at least one electric document to the list of required documents, and automatically assigning, by the application server, the status of the payee user record to compliant when the stored at least one electronic document includes each document included in the list of required documents. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A construction payment management system comprising:
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a software enabled user interface; a processor; and at least one computer readable memory storing instructions including instructions for a plurality of modules that can be selectively activated for a construction project managed by the construction payment management system, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the construction payment management system to create a project record for the construction project on the at least one computer readable memory, create a payee user record for a payee on the at least one computer readable memory and associating the payee user record with the project record, the payee user record having a status, create a list of required documents from the payee for the construction project on the at least one computer readable memory in response to input from a payer and associating the list of required documents with at least one of the project record and the payee user record, the list of required documents including one or more documents that must be provided by the payee for the construction project, receive a compliance module setting via a selection mechanism included in the software enabled user interface, assign the compliance module setting to at least one of the project record and the payee user record, the compliance module setting indicating whether a compliance module is activated for the construction project and whether a hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project, store at least one electronic document submitted by the payee on the at least one computer readable memory, wherein the at least one electronic document is included in the list of required documents, allow the payer to access the stored at least one electronic document, automatically monitor the stored at least one electronic document and automatically compare the stored at least one electric document to the list of required documents, automatically assign the status of the payee user record to noncompliant when the at least one stored electronic document does not include each document included in the list of required documents, automatically assign the status of the payee user record to compliant when the at least one stored electronic document includes each document included in the list of required documents, receive a request for a payment to the payee, in response to receiving the request for the payment, automatically generate an unsigned lien waiver document and automatically transmit the unsigned lien waiver document to the payee, receive an electronic signature for the unsigned lien waiver from the payee, automatically create an electronically-signed version of the unsigned lien waiver document, and automatically store the electronically-signed version of the unsigned lien waiver document to an electronic holding bin, after receiving the electronic signature, automatically determine the compliance module setting and the status of the payee user record, upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is not activated for the construction project, automatically combine the payment to the payee with other payments associated with the construction project after receiving the electronic signature, upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance module is activated and that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is not activated for the construction project, automatically combine the payment to the payee with other payments associated with the construction project after receiving the electronic signature, upon determining that the compliance module setting indicates that the compliance setting indicates that the compliance module is activated for the construction project, that the hold payment mode of the compliance module is activated for the construction project, and that the status of the payee user record is noncompliant, automatically hold the payment to the payee, and after holding the payment to the payee, automatically initiate the payment to the payee after automatically monitoring the stored at least one electronic document and comparing the stored at least one electronic document to the list of required documents, and automatically assigning the status of the payee user record to compliant when the stored at least one electronic document includes each document included in the list of required documents. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A construction payment management system comprising:
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a software enabled user interface; a processor; and at least one computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the construction payment management system to display to a payee via the user interface an electronic notification of a pending payment and a request for a signed lien waiver document, electronically receive the signed lien waiver document from the payee via the user interface, wherein the signed lien waiver includes an electronic signature, store an unsigned lien waiver based on the signed lien waiver in a first memory location of the at least one computer readable memory; store the signed lien waiver document in a second memory location of the at least one computer readable memory, automatically provide a payer access to the unsigned lien waiver document stored in the first memory location of the at least one computer readable memory before the pending payment corresponding to the signed lien waiver document has been initiated, automatically prevent access to the signed lien waiver document stored in the second memory location of the at least one computer readable memory until after the pending payment corresponding to the signed lien waiver document has been initiated, receive confirmation via the user interface that the pending payment corresponding to the signed lien waiver document has been initiated, and automatically provide the payer access to the signed lien waiver document stored in the second memory location of the at least one computer readable memory after receiving the confirmation. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A computer implemented method of effectuating a payment in a construction project comprising:
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electronically, with an application server, transmitting an electronic notification to a first device communicating with the application server over at least one communication network, the electronic notification informing a payee of a pending payment and requesting a signed lien waiver document from the payee; receiving, with the application server, the signed lien waiver document from the payee through the first device, wherein the signed lien waiver includes an electronic signature; storing, with the application server, an unsigned lien waiver based on the signed lien waiver in a first memory location of a computer readable memory; storing, with the application server, the signed lien waiver document in a second memory location of the computer readable memory; automatically providing, with the application server, a payer access to the unsigned lien waiver document stored in the first memory location of the computer readable memory through a second device communicating with the application server over at least one communication network before the pending payment corresponding to the signed lien waiver document has been initiated; automatically preventing, with the application server, the payer from accessing the signed lien waiver document stored in the second memory location of the computer readable memory through the second device until after the pending payment corresponding to the signed lien waiver document has been initiated; receiving, with the application server, confirmation that the pending payment corresponding to the signed lien waiver document has been initiated, and automatically providing, with the application server, the payer access to the signed lien waiver document stored in the second memory location of the computer readable memory through the second device after receiving the confirmation that the pending payment has been initiated. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51)
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Specification