Method and system for web-based inventory control and automatic order calculator

• US 9,870,584 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hemasource Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hemasource Inc.
• Inventors: Sielatycki, James J., Riter, James B., Riter, Martha M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US13/414,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20120166313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 707 268, 707 28, 707 22, 707 8, 707 10, 707 261, 235385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A method and system for providing order placement and inventory control, integrating customers and suppliers and using both real-time and historical data to provide an automated process for the management of inventory. Various embodiments of this invention can include such features as automatic order placement, usage factor analysis, waste factor analysis, inventory analysis and reconciling of inventory data.

Claims

1. A method for improving a web-based inventory control system to automatically and more accurately predict a next order of a customer for replenishing supplies, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by a server via a network interface and configured to execute a web-based inventory control system comprising an inventory control module, identification of a number of procedures of a customer forecasted for a predetermined time period until a next order date, each of the number of procedures using one or more items to perform the procedures;

(b) establishing, by the web-based inventory control system, a usage factor and a waste factor for the procedure, the usage factor established using a quantity of the one or more items purchased over a previous predetermined time period, the waste factor and the number of procedures performed over the previous predetermined time period, wherein the waste factor is established using a beginning inventory quantity over the previous predetermined time period, an ending inventory quantity over the previous predetermined time period, the number of procedures performed over the previous predetermined time period and number of one or more items used to perform the number of procedures over the previous predetermined time period;

(c) identifying, via an inventory control module of the web-based inventory control system, one or more items for the procedure;

(d) receiving, by the inventory control module of the web-based inventory control system via the network interface, a current inventory level of the customer for each of the one or more items;

(e) determining, automatically by an automatic order calculator of the web-based inventory control system, a customer order identifying an estimated amount of the one or more items to order for the predetermined time period based on the identification of the number of procedures of the customer forecasted for the predetermined time period, the current inventory level, the usage factor for the previous predetermined time period and the waste factor for the previous predetermined time period;

(f) presenting, by the automatic order calculator via a web based interface of the web-based inventory control system and responsive to the determination, an automatic order placement screen with an order form automatically populated with the customer order based on the determination; and

(g) placing, by the automatic order calculator, the customer order responsive to receiving a submission of the order form via the automatic order placement screen, the server responsive to placing the customer order, revises and stores values for the current inventory level of the customer for use in processing a next order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving identification of an estimated number of procedures of the customer to be performed for the predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving identification of the number of procedures of the customer since a last order of the one or more items was placed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises determining the waste factor as (((beginning inventory+(receipts*items))) ending inventory) (number of procedures*number needed per procedure))/(Number of procedures×

number needed per procedures))×

100.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises establishing a calculated number for the usage factor based on a quantity of the one or more items required per procedure multiplied by ((the waste factor/100)+1).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises establishing a calculated number for the usage factor based on a starting inventory of the one or more items plus a shipped number of the one or more items subtracted from an ending inventory of the one or more items divided by the number of procedures performed to determine the one or more items actually used per procedure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises adjusting, by the customer, a quantity of the one or more items used per procedure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises determining by the server whether to use an estimated quantity for the current inventory level or an actual quantity for the current inventory level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises receiving, by the server from the customer, one of an estimated quantity of a current inventory level or a calculated on-hand quantity of the current inventory level.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises determining the required number of the one or more items by multiplying a number of estimated future procedures by a result of multiplying the waste factor by the usage factor and subtracting a number of the one or more items in a previously captured inventory of the one or more items.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises establishing a calculation for the number of items needed for a future period by taking the forecasted number of procedures plus the number of additional procedures expected times a number of days'"'"' worth of safety stock times the waste factor times the usage factor minus the quantity of calculated inventory on hand.

12. A system providing an improved web-based inventory control system to automatically and more accurately predict a next order of a customer for replenishing supplies, the system comprising:

a server comprising computer hardware and configured to execute a web-based inventory control system comprising an inventory control module, the server receiving via a network interface identification of a number of procedures of a customer forecasted for a predetermined time period until a next order date, and one or more items for the procedure, the server receiving via a network interface a current inventory level of the customer for each of the one or more items

an inventory control component of the web-based inventory control system establishing a usage factor and a waste factor for the procedure, the usage factor established using a quantity of the one or more items purchased over a previous predetermined time period, the waste factor and the number of procedures performed over the previous predetermined time period, wherein the waste factor is established using a beginning inventory quantity over the previous predetermined time period, an ending inventory quantity over the previous predetermined time period, the number of procedures performed over the previous predetermined time period and number of one or more items used to perform the number of procedures over the previous predetermined time period;

an automatic order calculator of the web-based inventory control system automatically determines a customer order identifying an estimated amount of the one or more items to order for the predetermined time period based on the identification of the number of procedures of the customer forecasted for the predetermined time period, the current inventory level, the usage factor for the previous predetermined time period and the waste factor for the previous predetermined time period; and

wherein the automatic order calculator presents via a web based interface, responsive to the determination, an automatic order placement screen with an order form automatically populated with the customer order based on the determination and places the customer order responsive to receiving submission of the order form via the automatic order placement screen; and

wherein the web-based inventory control system responsive to placing the customer order, revises and stores values for the current inventory level for use in processing a next order.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the web-based inventory control system receives identification of an estimated number of procedures of the customer to be performed for the predetermined time period.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the web-based inventory control system receives identification of the number of procedures of the customer since a last order of the one or more items was placed.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the web-based inventory control system generates for a specified period an analysis of the current usage and waste factors loaded in the inventory control module as compared to the actual usage and waster factors and recommends a modification to the current usage and waster factors, wherein upon an acceptance of the recommended modifications, the recommended modifications to the current usage and waste factors are updated in the inventory control module.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory component establishes a calculated number for an actual usage factor based on a quantity of the one or more items required per procedure multiplied by the waste factor/100)+1), wherein the waste factor is calculated as (((beginning inventory+(receipts*items))) ending inventory) (number of procedures*number needed per procedure))/(number of procedures×

number needed per procedures))×

100.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory component establishes a calculated number for the usage factor based on a starting inventory of the one or more items plus a shipped number of the one or more items subtracted from an ending inventory of the one or more items divided by the number of procedures performed to determine the one or more items actually used per procedure.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory component determines whether to use an estimated quantity for the current inventory level or an actual quantity for the current inventory level.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the web-based inventory control system receives from the customer one of an estimated quantity of a current inventory level or a calculated on-hand quantity of the current inventory level.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the inventory component determines a required number of the one or more items by multiplying a number of estimated future procedures by a result of multiplying the waste factor by the usage factor and subtracting a number of the one or more items from a previously captured inventory of the one or more items.