Engagement of non-employee workers

• US 6,408,337 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Reteneller, Daniel P., Mayo, R. Kelly, Dietz, Janice Gold
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/312,120
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/3, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 707/1, 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/223, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Assisting an organization in managing the engagement of non-employee workers supplied by a vendor. The organization maintains a computer system that is linked to a vendor'"'"'s computer system. Electronic communication allows for sharing of information between the organization'"'"'s computer system and the vendor'"'"'s computer system. A database management system is provided for accessing a database to create, modify, store and access non-employee worker profiles, requests for non-employee workers, work assignments, time reports, and possibly electronic versions of employment agreements. Electronic settlement means may transfer payments to the vendor in exchange for services rendered by the non-employee worker. An engaging manager may send an e-mail request to the vendor for a non-employee worker. The vendor may provide the engaging manager with an e-mail response listing all eligible non-employees workers. The engaging manager may then request a non-employee worker from the list and, via e-mail, seek approval from a supervisor for engaging the non-employee worker. An engaging manager may also search the non-employee worker profiles in the database in order to find a non-employee worker without sending an e-mail request to the vendor. Work assignments for non-employee workers are entered into the database. Work assignments may include a job description, an hourly billing rate, and identification information. A non-employee worker stores in the database a time report recording time worked against the work assignment. Time reports may be accessed by a time approver. Approved time is submitted to an accounts payable department, which handles payment of the vendor.

Claims

1. A method for use by an organization for managing an engagement of a non-employee worker supplied by a vendor, the method comprising the steps of:

requesting the non-employee worker from a database of non-employee workers;

storing a work assignment for the non-employee worker in a database;

electronically communicating with the vendor to verify the engagement of the non-employee worker;

upon verification of the engagement, providing the non-employee worker with access to the database so that the non-employee worker may enter therein a time report associated with the work assignment;

accessing the database to approve the time report; and

upon approval of the time report, compensating the vendor for services rendered by the non-employee worker.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises a non-employee worker profile for each of a plurality of non-employee workers supplied by at least the vendor;

and

wherein the non-employee worker profile comprises a name and a unique identification number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-employee worker profile further comprises a detailed list of skills.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the profile further comprises a billing rate that is related to the detailed list of skills.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein requesting the non-employee worker from the database is performed based on the billing rate and the detailed list of skills.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-employee worker profile further comprises a resume.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-employee worker profile further comprises at least one prior evaluation relating to past engagements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization and the vendor have a previously executed master agreement on file;

and

wherein the method further comprises the step of transmitting a supplemental agreement to the vendor to memorialize one or more terms of the engagement of the non-employee worker.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of electronically transmitting the supplemental agreement is accomplished via facsimile.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of electronically transmitting the supplemental agreement is accomplished via e-mail.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving an executed copy of the supplemental agreement from the vendor prior to providing the non-employee worker with access to the database.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the supplemental agreement is an intellectual property assignment or non-disclosure agreement.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving an indication that the engagement has been completed;

and

in response to receiving the indication, closing the work assignment such that the time report is unable to be modified by the non-employee worker.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the indication that the engagement has been completed is provided by the non-employee worker in the time report.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the indication that the engagement has been completed is provided by a manager of the organization.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of electronically communicating with the vendor is accomplished via e-mail.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of prior to storing the work assignment in the database, electronically communicating with a manager of the organization to obtain approval for the work assignment.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of compensating the vendor comprises electronically transferring funds to an account maintained by the vendor.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of accessing the database to approve the time report is performed at a time interval agreed to by the organization and the vendor.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing an evaluation of the engagement of the non-employee worker in the database.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the time report lists both time billed and expenses incurred by the non-employee worker during the engagement;

and

wherein the method further comprises the step of upon approval of the time report, reimbursing the vendor for the expenses incurred by the non-employee worker.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the vendor is provided with at least partial access to the database;

and

wherein the vendor stores in the database a profile for each non-employee worker supplied by the vendor.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the work assignment comprises a start date for the engagement, an end date for the engagement, a task description, and a billing rate.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting the non-employee worker from the database of non-employee workers comprises:

submitting a query to a database management system, the query comprising a list of attributes for the non-employee worker;

in response to the query, receiving from the database management system a list of eligible non-employee workers; and

requesting the non-employee worker from the list of eligible non-employee workers.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting a non-employee worker from the database of non-employee workers comprises:

submitting a request to the vendor, the request comprising a list of attributes for the non-employee worker;

in response to the request, receiving from the vendor a list of eligible non-employee workers; and

requesting the non-employee worker from the list of eligible non-employee workers.

26. A system for assisting an organization in managing an engagement of a non-employee worker supplied by a vendor, the system comprising:

an organization computer system comprising a database and at least one workstation;

a vendor computer system linked to the organization computer system via a network;

electronic communication means for transmitting information across the network between the organization computer system and the vendor computer system; and

a database management system running on the at least one workstation, the database management system comprising computer executable instructions for;

allowing an engaging manager to store a work assignment for the non-employee worker in the database,

allowing a work assignment approver to access and approve the work assignment,

allowing the engaging manager to request a suitable non-employee worker from the database, the database storing data for a plurality of non-employee workers supplied by the vendor,

allowing the non-employee worker to store a time report in the database, and

allowing a time approver to access and approve the time report.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein a previously executed master agreement between the organization and the vendor is stored in the database;

and

wherein the electronic communication means may be used to transmit a supplemental agreement to the vendor to memorialize one or more terms of the work assignment.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the electronic communication means comprise a sending facsimile machine functionally linked to a receiving facsimile machine.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the electronic communication means comprise an e-mail system.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the database management system further comprises computer executable instructions for ensuring that an executed copy of the supplemental agreement is received from the vendor prior to allowing the non-employee worker to store a time report in the database.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the supplemental agreement comprises an intellectual property assignment or non-disclosure agreement.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the electronic communication means comprise and e-mail system.

33. The system of claim 26, further comprising an internal e-mail system for allowing the engaging manager, the work assignment approver, and the time approver to communicate with each other regarding the engagement of the non-employee worker.

34. The system of claim 26, further comprising electronic funds transfer means for transferring funds to an account maintained by the vendor in response to approving the time report.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the database management system comprises further computer executable instructions for allowing the engaging manager to store an evaluation of the engagement of the non-employee worker in the database.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein the time report lists both time billed and expenses incurred by the non-employee worker;

and

wherein the system further comprises electronic funds transfer means for transferring funds to an account maintained by the vendor, in response to approval of the time report, as reimbursement for the expenses incurred by the non-employee worker.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein the database management system further comprises computer executable instructions for closing the work assignment in response to approval of the work assignment, such that the time report is unable to be modified by the non-employee worker.

38. A method for use by an organization for managing an engagement of a non-employee worker supplied by a vendor, the method comprising the steps of:

requesting the non-employee worker from a database of non-employee workers;

electronically communicating with the vendor to verify the requisition of the non-employee worker;

upon verification of the requisition, providing the non-employee worker with access to the database so that the non-employee worker may enter therein a time report;

accessing the database to approve the time report; and

upon approval of the time report, compensating the vendor for services rendered by the non-employee worker.