Increased visibility during order management in a network-based supply chain environment

• US 20040064351A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Mikurak, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• 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 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for a first business entity to provide a network-based supply chain framework for collaborative order management between at least a second and a third independent business entity, such as a service provider, vendor, reseller, manufacturer and the like. A request for an order is received over a network with an automated system, from at least a second business entity. The order is transmited over a network, with an automated system, to at least the third business entity. Information is received from the third business entity relating to a status of completion of the order by the third business entity using a network. The progress in completing the order is tracked based on the information received from the third business entity. Progress reports from the tracking are generated periodicly; and transmitted to the second business entity using the network.

Claims

1. A method for a first business entity to provide a network-based supply chain framework for collaborative order management between at least a second and a third independent business entity, such as a service provider, vendor, reseller, manufacturer and the like, comprising:

(a) receiving over a network, with an automated system, a request for an order from at least the second business entity;

(b) transmitting over a network, with an automated system, an order to at least the third business entity;

(c) using a network to receive information from the third business entity relating to a status of completion of the order by the third business entity;

(d) tracking the progress in completing the order based on the information received from the third business entity;

(e) generating periodic progress reports from the tracking; and

(f) transmitting the periodic progress reports to the second business entity using the network.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the order transmission occurs after the first business entity determines that cumulative costs of previous orders are within a budget of said at least one service provider.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the progress reports are transmitted with the automated system.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first business entity provides an order tracking tool for tracking a completion of the order.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

using the network to receive information from at least one supplier of the third business entity relating to the status of delivering supplies to the third business entity; and

tracking the progress in supplying the third business entity based on the information received from the at least one supplier, wherein the periodic progress reports further include information relating to the tracking of the at least one supplier.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a network operations link is provided for linking the at least second business entity and the at least third business entity.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 for interacting with a client user in the network-based environment during installation management in order to enhance visibility, further comprising:

(a) identifying a client user;

(b) collecting information about the client user, wherein the information relates to the installation of a service;

(c) building a profile of the client user based on the collected information;

(d) managing a plurality of different contents;

(e) analyzing the profile and the contents in order to match attributes of the profile of the user and attributes of the contents;

(f) selecting the contents which have attributes that match the attributes of the profile of the client user; and

(g) delivering the selected contents to the client user.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising analyzing the profile in real time.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying a time when the user last viewed the contents, and indicating portions of the contents that have been modified or added since the time when the user last viewed the contents.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, further including the user by using a cookie, receiving user input, and digital certificates.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

allowing the user to rate the contents.

38. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the first business entity provides an order tracking tool for tracking a completion of the order.

7. A method for order management in a network-based supply chain framework, comprising:

(a) displaying information of a first offering, wherein the information of the offering includes at least one of offering specifications, images of the offering and availability of the offering in inventory;

(b) using the network to provide a search mechanism for searching for additional offerings similar to the first offering;

(c) using the network to suggest the additional offerings similar to the first offering; and

(d) using the network to allow selection for purchase of at least one offering from the group of the first offering and the additional offerings.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

providing a downloadable sample of the offering.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

allowing user-created customization of the first offering.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

evaluating at least one of compatibility and equivalence of the first offering with the additional offerings similar to the first offering.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

generating a price of the first offering or the additional offerings similar to the first offering based on at least one of a user profile, a user type, and a geographic location.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

generating one or more of a special offering and a sale of the first offering or the additional offerings similar to the first offering for a user based on at least one of a user profile, a user type, and a geographic location.

18. A system for a first business entity to provide a network-based supply chain framework for collaborative order management between at least a second and a third independent business entity, such as a service provider, vendor, reseller, manufacturer and the like, comprising:

(a) circuit logic for receiving over a network, with an automated system, a request for an order from at least the second business entity;

(b) circuit logic for transmitting over a network, with an automated system, an order to at least the third business entity;

(c) circuit logic for using a network to receive information from the third business entity relating to a status of completion of the order by the third business entity;

(d) circuit logic for tracking the progress in completing the order based on the information received from the third business entity;

(e) circuit logic for generating periodic progress reports from the tracking; and

(f) circuit logic for transmitting the periodic progress reports to the second business entity using the network.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the order transmission occurs after the first business entity determines that cumulative costs of previous orders are within a budget of said at least one service provider.

20. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the progress reports are transmitted with the automated system.

21. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the first business entity provides an order tracking tool for tracking a completion of the order.

22. A system as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

circuit logic for using the network to receive information from at least one supplier of the third business entity relating to the status of delivering supplies to the third business entity; and

circuit logic for tracking the progress in supplying the third business entity based on the information received from the at least one supplier, wherein the periodic progress reports further include information relating to the tracking of the at least one supplier.

23. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein a network operations link is provided for linking the at least second business entity and the at least third business entity.

30. A system as recited in claim 18 for interacting with a client user in the network-based environment during installation management in order to enhance visibility, further comprising:

(a) circuit logic for identifying a client user;

(b) circuit logic for collecting information about the client user, wherein the information relates to the installation of a service;

(c) circuit logic for building a profile of the client user based on the collected information;

(d) circuit logic for managing a plurality of different contents;

(e) circuit logic for analyzing the profile and the contents in order to match attributes of the profile of the user and attributes of the contents;

(f) circuit logic for selecting the contents which have attributes that match the attributes of the profile of the client user; and

(g) circuit logic for delivering the selected contents to the client user.

31. A system as recited in claim 30, further comprising analyzing the profile in real time.

32. A system as recited in claim 30, further comprising:

circuit logic for identifying a time when the user last viewed the contents, and indicating portions of the contents that have been modified or added since the time when the user last viewed the contents.

33. A system as recited in claim 30, further including

circuit logic for the user by using a cookie, to receive user input, and digital certificates.

34. A system as recited in claim 30, further comprising:

allowing the user to rate the contents.

24. A system for order management in a network-based supply chain framework, comprising:

(a) circuit logic for displaying information of a first offering, wherein the information of the offering includes at least one of offering specifications, images of the offering and availability of the offering in inventory;

(b) circuit logic for using the network to provide a search mechanism for searching for additional offerings similar to the first offering;

(c) circuit logic for using the network to suggest the additional offerings similar to the first offering; and

(d) circuit logic for using the network to allow selection for purchase of at least one offering from the group of the first offering and the additional offerings.

25. A system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

circuit logic for providing a downloadable sample of the offering.

26. A system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

circuit logic for allowing user-created customization of the first offering.

27. A system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

circuit logic for evaluating at least one of compatibility and equivalence of the first offering with the additional offerings similar to the first offering.

28. A system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

circuit logic for generating a price of the first offering or the additional offerings similar to the first offering based on at least one of a user profile, a user type, and a geographic location.

29. A system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

circuit logic for generating one or more of a special offering and a sale of the first offering or the additional offerings similar to the first offering for a user based on at least one of a user profile, a user type, and a geographic location.

35. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for a first business entity to provide a network-based supply chain framework for collaborative order management between at least a second and a third independent business entity, such as a service provider, vendor, reseller, manufacturer and the like, comprising:

(a) code segment for receiving over a network, with an automated system, a request for an order from at least the second business entity;

(b) code segment for transmitting over a network, with an automated system, an order to at least the third business entity;

(c) code segment for using a network to receive information from the third business entity relating to a status of completion of the order by the third business entity;

(d) code segment for tracking the progress in completing the order based on the information received from the third business entity;

(e) code segment for generating periodic progress reports from the tracking; and

(f) code segment for transmitting the periodic progress reports to the second business entity using the network.

36. The computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 35 wherein the order transmission occurs after the first business entity determines that cumulative costs of previous orders are within a budget of said at least one service provider.

37. The computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 35 wherein the progress reports are transmitted with the automated system.

39. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

code segment for using the network to receive information from at least one supplier of the third business entity relating to the status of delivering supplies to the third business entity; and

code segment for tracking the progress in supplying the third business entity based on the information received from the at least one supplier, wherein the periodic progress reports further include information relating to the tracking of the at least one supplier.

40. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 35, wherein a network operations link is provided for linking the at least second business entity and the at least third business entity.

47. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 35 for interacting with a client user in the network-based environment during installation management in order to enhance visibility, further comprising:

(a) code segment for identifying a client user;

(b) code segment for collecting information about the client user, wherein the information relates to the installation of a service;

(c) code segment for building a profile of the client user based on the collected information;

(d) code segment for managing a plurality of different contents;

(e) code segment for analyzing the profile and the contents in order to match attributes of the profile of the user and attributes of the contents;

(f) code segment for selecting the contents which have attributes that match the attributes of the profile of the client user; and

(g) code segment for delivering the selected contents to the client user.

48. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further comprising:

code segment for analyzing the profile in real time.

49. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further comprising:

code segment for identifying a time when the user last viewed the contents, and indicating portions of the contents that have been modified or added since the time when the user last viewed the contents.

50. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further including:

code segment for the user by using a cookie, receiving user input, and digital certificates.

51. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further comprising:

code segment for allowing the user to rate the contents.

41. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for order management in a network-based supply chain framework, comprising:

(a) code segment for displaying information of a first offering, wherein the information of the offering includes at least one of offering specifications, images of the offering and availability of the offering in inventory;

(b) code segment for using the network to provide a search mechanism for searching for additional offerings similar to the first offering;

(c) code segment for using the network to suggest the additional offerings similar to the first offering; and

(d) code segment for using the network to allow selection for purchase of at least one offering from the group of the first offering and the additional offerings.

42. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

code segment for providing a downloadable sample of the offering.

43. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

code segment for allowing user-created customization of the first offering.

44. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

code segment for evaluating at least one of compatibility and equivalence of the first offering with the additional offerings similar to the first offering.

45. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

code segment for generating a price of the first offering or the additional offerings similar to the first offering based on at least one of a user profile, a user type, and a geographic location.

46. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

code segment for generating one or more of a special offering and a sale of the first offering or the additional offerings similar to the first offering for a user based on at least one of a user profile, a user type, and a geographic location.