Systems and methods for generating custom reports based on point-of-sale data

• US 8,662,385 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B-50com LLC (B-50.com)
• Original Assignee: B-50com LLC (B-50.com)
• Inventors: Engler, Jeffery T., Engler, Lee J., Newman, Leonard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US11/747,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 79, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of generating custom reports based on point-of-sale data transferred between multiple remote computing devices and a central computing device includes generating point-of-sale data at multiple remote locations, transferring the point-of-sale data to a central computing device from multiple computing devices at the respective multiple remote locations, defining a custom report format, the custom report format specifying at least two of the multiple remote locations and specifying a date range, the date range and the at least two multiple remote locations being freely selectable by a user, generating a custom report using the custom report format, the custom report being based on point-of-sale data related to the specified remote locations and the specified date range, and communicating the custom report to a human being. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for generating custom reports is also disclosed, as are subscription services, computer systems, graphical user interfaces and other features.

Claims

1. a. A method for providing point-of-sale data using access rights, comprising:

a. receiving, at a computer system, a request from a user via an Internet browser to access the point-of-sale data, wherein the request includes a report type selected from a plurality of report types, and wherein the point-of-sale data is associated with a plurality of retail stores, and wherein the request is communicated to the computer system from a client;

b. determining, at the computer system, point-of-sale data that the user is permitted to access based on access rights associated with the user, wherein at least a portion of the access rights is based on the user'"'"'s position within a retail organization;

c. presenting, via the computer system, to the user via the Internet browser a report customization interface to customize the report type requested by the user, to provide a customized report, wherein the customized report filters the point-of-sale data accessible by the user by at least one of a time period or an organizational unit within the retail organization;

d. receiving, at the computer system, from the user a report data format selected via the report customization interface;

e. receiving, at the computer system, from the user an indication to prepare a plurality of reports as a subscription having a recurring basis, the indication further indicating to transmit the reports to the user based on the subscription;

f. receiving, at the computer system, from the user an importance ranking of the subscription;

g. recurrently generating report data by the computer system based on the report data format, the generating performed in an order based on the importance raking of a plurality of subscriptions;

h. and recurrently delivering the report data from the computer system to the user via the Internet browser according to the subscription.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the point-of-sale data from a plurality of remote computers associated with the plurality of retail stores.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is permitted to access more of the point-of-sale data as the user'"'"'s position is higher in the retail organization.

4. A system for providing point-of-sale data using access rights, comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit coupled to the processor to store instructions which, when executed by the processor perform a process including;

receiving from a user via an Internet browser a request to access the point-of-sale data, wherein the request includes a report type selected from a plurality of report types, and wherein the point-of-sale data is associated with a plurality of retail stores;

determining point-of-sale data that the user is permitted to access based on access rights associated with the user, wherein at least a portion of the access rights is based on the user'"'"'s position within a retail organization;

presenting to the user via the Internet browser a report customization interface to customize the report type requested by the user, to provide a customized report, wherein the customized report filters the point-of-sale data accessible by the user by at least one of a time period or an organizational unit within the retail organization;

receiving from the user a report data format selected via the report customization interface;

receiving from the user an indication to prepare a plurality of reports as a subscription having a recurring basis, the indication further indicating to transmit the reports to the user based on the subscription;

receiving from the user an importance ranking of the subscription;

recurrently generating report data based on the report data format, the generating performed in an order based on the importance raking of a plurality of subscriptions; and

recurrently delivering the report data to the user via the Internet browser according to the subscription.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the process performed by the processor further comprise:

receiving the point-of-sale data from a plurality of remote computers associated with the plurality of retail stores.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the user is permitted to access more of the point-of-sale data as the user'"'"'s position is higher in the retail organization.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions for providing point-of-sale data using access rights that, when performed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive from a user via an Internet browser a request to access the point-of-sale data, wherein the request includes a report type selected from a plurality of report types, and wherein the point-of-sale data is associated with a plurality of retail stores;

determine point-of-sale data that the user is permitted to access based on access rights associated with the user, wherein at least a portion of the access rights is based on the user'"'"'s position within a retail organization;

present to the user via the Internet browser a report customization interface to customize the report type requested by the user, to provide a customized report, wherein the customized report filters the point-of-sale data accessible by the user by at least one of a time period or an organizational unit within the retail organization;

receive from the user a report data format selected via the report customization interface;

receive from the user an indication to prepare a plurality of reports as a subscription having a recurring basis, the indication further indicating to transmit the reports to the user based on the subscription;

receive from the user an importance ranking of the subscription;

recurrently generate report data based on the report data format, the generating performed in an order based on the importance raking of a plurality of subscriptions; and

recurrently deliver the report data to the user via the Internet browser according to the subscription.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:

receive the point-of-sale data from a plurality of remote computers associated with the plurality of retail stores.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the user is permitted to access more of the point-of-sale data as the user'"'"'s position is higher in the retail organization.