Associating Assets with Agreements

• US 20090106072A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Gutlapalli, Hari K., Awatramani, Ajay A., Espos, Arnold C., Lakshminarayanan, Kishore, Tadepalli, Sridhar, Bhat, Gajanan D., Challaveera, Satheesh
• Application Number:
  US12/254,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106072A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

Method and apparatus for associating assets with an agreement, where the assets are typically equipment or machinery and the agreement is typically a service contract. When assets are sold or leased, service is often an important part of the transaction. A user is presented with a sequence of operations in order to streamline the process of creating service agreements to cover assets. The user enters data and proceeds through a flow to associate selected assets with service agreements. The method optionally includes obtaining approval and signatures authorizing the agreement.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

associating an asset with a service agreement, wherein

the associating comprises a plurality of actions, and the actions of the plurality of actions are organized into a sequence;

automatically presenting an action of the plurality of actions;

receiving entered data;

automatically selecting a next action of the plurality of actions, in response to the entered data; and

automatically presenting the next action.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein

the plurality of actions is customizable by a customer.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing entered data in a local storage unit; and

storing the entered data in a database, in response to detecting an asset is associated with the service agreement.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 further comprising:

modifying the entered data after the entered data is stored in local storage.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of actions comprises:

selecting a service agreement;

selecting a service package;

selecting the asset;

obtaining authorization; and

displaying the service agreement.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the selecting a service agreement further comprises:

creating a new service agreement.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the selecting a service package comprises:

selecting a level of service and selecting a charge plan.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the displaying further comprises:

capturing a signature of a client.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a plurality of sequences to a customer, wherein

each sequence comprises a plurality of actions, and

each sequence comprises associating an asset with a service agreement.

10. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein a method is implemented when the instructions are executed, the method comprising:

associating an asset with a service agreement, wherein

the associating comprises a plurality of actions, and

the actions of the plurality of actions are organized into a sequence;

automatically presenting an action of the plurality of actions;

receiving entered data;

automatically selecting a next action of the plurality of actions, in response to the entered data; and

automatically presenting the next action.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of actions is customizable by a customer.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

storing entered data in a local storage unit; and

storing the entered data in a database, in response to detecting an asset is associated with the service agreement.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

modifying the entered data after the entered data is stored in local storage.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the plurality of actions comprises:

selecting a service agreement;

selecting a service package;

selecting the asset;

obtaining authorization; and

displaying the service agreement.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the selecting a service agreement further comprises:

creating a new service agreement.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the selecting a service package comprises selecting a level of service and selecting a charge plan.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the displaying further comprises:

capturing a signature of a client.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

providing a plurality of sequences to a customer, wherein

each sequence comprises a plurality of actions, and each sequence comprises associating an asset with a service agreement.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a memory system storing a database;

a computer system comprising a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions, wherein the computer system implements a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising;

associating an asset with a service agreement, wherein

the associating comprises a plurality of actions, and the actions of the plurality of actions are organized into a sequence;

automatically presenting an action of the plurality of actions;

receiving entered data;

automatically selecting a next action of the plurality of actions, in response to the entered data; and

automatically presenting the next action.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for associating an asset with a service agreement, wherein

the means for associating is configured to present a plurality of actions, and the actions of the plurality of actions are organized into a sequence;

means for automatically presenting an action of the plurality of actions;

means for receiving entered data;

means for automatically selecting a next action of the plurality of actions, in response to the entered data.