System and method for managing and monitoring supply costs
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- defining, by a computer system, a hierarchy for a product, the hierarchy including at least;
a first node corresponding to a first component of the product, the first node specifying a first supplier for the first component; and
a second node corresponding to a second component of the product, the second node specifying a second supplier and a third supplier for the second component, the second and third suppliers being distinct from the first supplier;
storing, by the computer system in the first node, a price quote from the first supplier for the first component;
storing, by the computer system in the second node, a price quote from the second supplier and a price quote from the third supplier for the second component;
automatically traversing, by the computer system, the hierarchy to determine cost information for the first and second components, the cost information for the first component being based in part on the price quote from the first supplier, the cost information for the second component being based in part on the price quotes from the second and third suppliers; and
generating, by the computer system, a cost estimate for the product by rolling up through the hierarchy the cost information for the first and second components,wherein a supplier split defined for the second node in the hierarchy corresponding to the second component is inherited by a third component below the second component in the hierarchy;
wherein generating the cost estimate comprises rolling up cost information for the first component and ignoring cost information for components below the first component in the hierarchy in response to setting a quote level for the first node in the hierarchy corresponding to the first component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for managing and estimating supply costs, by drilling down through detailed component lists of tree structured component specifications and rolling up pricing estimates based on predetermined, projected and available criteria and automatically accounting for costs in an organized manner. The costs may be analyzed from a historical perspective, accounting for future costs based on historical cost data within a given past or future date range. The costs may also be analyzed based on average costs of available costed items. Quotes can be received from suppliers for use in estimating supply costs. In addition, scenarios such as partnership splits, where multiple suppliers manufacture and supply common components to buyers at same or different prices, can be taken into account.
59 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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defining, by a computer system, a hierarchy for a product, the hierarchy including at least; a first node corresponding to a first component of the product, the first node specifying a first supplier for the first component; and a second node corresponding to a second component of the product, the second node specifying a second supplier and a third supplier for the second component, the second and third suppliers being distinct from the first supplier; storing, by the computer system in the first node, a price quote from the first supplier for the first component; storing, by the computer system in the second node, a price quote from the second supplier and a price quote from the third supplier for the second component; automatically traversing, by the computer system, the hierarchy to determine cost information for the first and second components, the cost information for the first component being based in part on the price quote from the first supplier, the cost information for the second component being based in part on the price quotes from the second and third suppliers; and generating, by the computer system, a cost estimate for the product by rolling up through the hierarchy the cost information for the first and second components, wherein a supplier split defined for the second node in the hierarchy corresponding to the second component is inherited by a third component below the second component in the hierarchy; wherein generating the cost estimate comprises rolling up cost information for the first component and ignoring cost information for components below the first component in the hierarchy in response to setting a quote level for the first node in the hierarchy corresponding to the first component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program code executable by a computer system, the program code comprising:
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code that causes the computer system to define, a hierarchy for a product, the hierarchy including at least; a first node corresponding to a first component of the product, the first node specifying a first supplier for the first component; and a second node corresponding to a second component of the product, the second node specifying a second supplier and a third supplier for the second component, the second and third suppliers being distinct from the first supplier; code that causes the computer system to store, in the first node, a price quote from the first supplier for the first component; code that causes the computer system to store, in the second node, a price quote from the second supplier and a price quote from the third supplier for the second component; code that causes the computer system to automatically traverse the hierarchy to determine cost information for the first and second components, the cost information for the first component being based in part on the price quote from the first supplier, the cost information for the second component being based in part on the price quotes from the second and third suppliers; and code that causes the computer system to generate a cost estimate for the product by rolling up through the hierarchy the cost information for the first and second components wherein a supplier split defined for the second node in the hierarchy corresponding to the second component is inherited by a third component below the second component in the hierarchy; wherein the code that causes the computer system to generate the cost estimate comprises code that causes the computer system to roll up cost information for the first component and ignore cost information for components below the first component in the hierarchy in response to setting a quote level for the first node in the hierarchy corresponding to the first component.
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14. A system comprising:
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a processor configured to; define a hierarchy for a product, the hierarchy including at least; a first node corresponding to a first component of the product, the first node specifying a first supplier for the first component; and a second node corresponding to a second component of the product, the second node specifying a second supplier and a third supplier for the second component, the second and third suppliers being distinct from the first supplier; store, in the first node, a price quote from the first supplier for the first component; store, in the second node, a price quote from the second supplier and a price quote from the third supplier for the second component; automatically traverse the hierarchy to determine cost information for the first and second components, the cost information for the first component being based in part on the price quote from the first supplier, the cost information for the second component being based in part on the price quotes from the second and third suppliers; and generate a cost estimate for the product by rolling up through the hierarchy the cost information for the first and second components, wherein a supplier split defined for the second node in the hierarchy corresponding to the second component is inherited by a third component below the second component in the hierarchy; wherein to generate the cost estimate the processor is further configured to roll up cost information for the first component and ignore cost information for components below the first component in the hierarchy in response to setting a quote level for the first node in the hierarchy corresponding to the first component.
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Specification