Buyer/supplier network that aids supplier enablement through collaboration between buyers and suppliers

• US 8,612,300 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ariba Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Ariba Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Tung, Yuan, Subbanna, Manju Prasad, Mondkar, Sanish
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US13/249,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 28
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, systems and apparatus for a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier are disclosed. One method includes receiving, by the buyer/supplier network, a collaboration request for information about a good or service being purchased by a buyer. At least one supplier is identified from an approved supplier list that has the requested information. An account is created for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network, and an invitation is sent to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network. Each of the invited suppliers is allowed to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

Claims

1. A computer-method of a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

receiving, by the buyer/supplier network, a collaboration request for information about a good or service being purchased by a buyer;

identifying, by a buyer/supplier network procurement engine, that the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service based on tracking the buyer'"'"'s behavior;

pushing by the buyer/supplier network, descriptive information of the complex product or service to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

identifying by the buyer/supplier network, at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has the requested information, and pushing a filtered list of approved suppliers to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

creating an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

sending an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

allowing each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

2. The computer-method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating the buyer sending a purchase order to the supplier.

3. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration request is received from the buyer while the buyer is operating within the buyer/supplier network procurement engine.

4. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the buyer desires to purchase a complex product or service, and the collaboration request is submitted by the buyer to aid the buyer in purchasing the complex good or service.

5. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the buyer desires to purchase a complex product or service, and the collaboration request is submitted by the buyer to aid the buyer in completing an order for the complex good or service.

6. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration request of information comprises an information request pushed by the buyer to aid the buyer in a purchase of a product or service.

7. The computer-method of claim 6, further comprising providing the information request to the identified at least one supplier.

8. The computer-method of claim 1, wherein the approved supplier list is received by the buyer/supplier network within the collaboration request.

9. The computer-method of claim 8, wherein the buyer has an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and the approved supplier list comprises approved vendors from the ERP system of the buyer.

10. The computer-method of claim 8, wherein further comprising the buyer/supplier network activating the at least one supplier, establishing a connection on the buyer/supplier network between the buyer and the at least one supplier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein once the at least one supplier has been activated, the at least one supplier can push information to the buyer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the identified suppliers is new to the buyer/supplier network, and the buyer creates an account for the at least one identified supplier by submitting the at least one identified supplier through the collaboration request, and further comprising the buyer/supplier network creating an account for the at least one identified supplier in response to the collaboration request.

13. A buyer/supplier network that aids in creation of at least one of a requisition or contract between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

a buyer/seller server operative to receive a collaboration request for information about a good or service from a buyer;

a procurement sever operative to identify that the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service based on tracking the buyer'"'"'s behavior;

at least one of a procurement server or the buyer/seller server operative to push descriptive information of the complex product or service to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

at least one of a procurement server or the buyer/seller server operative to identify at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has the requested information, and push a filtered list of approved suppliers to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

the buyer/seller server operative create an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

the buyer/seller server operative send an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

the buyer/seller server operative allow each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

14. The buyer/supplier network of claim 13, wherein the approved supplier list is received by the buyer/supplier network within the collaboration request.

15. The buyer/supplier network of claim 14, wherein the buyer has an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and the approved supplier list comprises approved vendors from the ERP system of the buyer.

16. The buyer/supplier network of claim 14, wherein further comprising the buyer/supplier network activating the at least one supplier, establishing a connection on the buyer/supplier network between the buyer and the at least one supplier.

17. The buyer/supplier network of claim 16, wherein once the at least one supplier has been activated, the at least one supplier can push information to the buyer.

18. The buyer/supplier network of claim 14, wherein at least one of the identified suppliers is new to the buyer/supplier network, and the buyer creates an account for the at least one identified supplier by submitting the at least one identified supplier through the collaboration request, and further comprising the buyer/supplier network creating an account for the at least one identified supplier in response to the collaboration request.

19. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a computer-method of a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

receiving a collaboration request for information about a good or service being purchased by a buyer;

identifying that the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service based on tracking the buyer'"'"'s behavior;

pushing descriptive information of the complex product or service to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

identifying at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has the requested information, and pushing a filtered list of approved suppliers to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

creating an account for each of the identified suppliers on the buyer/supplier network;

sending an invitation to each of the suppliers to join the buyer/supplier network; and

allowing each of the invited suppliers to log into the buyer/supplier network through the invitation, and address the request for information.

20. A computer-method of a buyer/supplier network aiding supplier enablement through creation of a requisition between a buyer and a supplier, comprising:

Identifying, by a processor, that the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service based on tracking the buyer'"'"'s behavior;

pushing descriptive information of the complex product or service to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

receiving, by the buyer/supplier network, a filtered list of approved suppliers, and pushing a filtered list of approved suppliers to the buyer based on identifying the buyer is attempting to purchase a complex product or service;

identifying at least one supplier from an approved supplier list that has information of the complex product or service;

receiving a commercial transaction associated with a business process between the at least one identified supplier and the buyer, wherein the commercial transaction includes a purchase order for the at least one supplier;

determining, using a processor, that the at least one supplier is not a member of a supplier network; and

in response to the determination, initiating a supplier enablement action, wherein the supplier enablement action is associated with enabling the at least one supplier to join the supplier network.