Systems and methods for analyzing telecommunications invoices for payment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for electronically processing a telecommunications invoice from one or more vendors, comprising:
- (a) importing the telecommunications invoices into a computing device;
(b) within the computing device extracting elements from the imported telecommunications invoices;
(c) within the computing device performing a reasonability test on the imported telecommunications invoices;
wherein performing the reasonability test includes evaluating the telecommunication invoice on an element basis to determine whether an element billing exception exists, wherein a reasonability test comprises an automated comparison against established criteria; and
wherein the reasonability test includes determining whether a cost center associated with an element among the extracted elements is active; and
(d) generating by the computing device a report that makes apparent element billing exceptions.
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Abstract
A system and method for management and processing a plurality of types of telecommunication invoices at a user'"'"'s site involving importing the plurality of types of telecommunication invoices to provide comparable telecommunication invoices and auditing the comparable telecommunication invoices by performing an automated reasonability test on the comparable telecommunication invoices. The system and method also provide a means for approving, processing and reporting on the comparable telecommunication invoices.
188 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A method for electronically processing a telecommunications invoice from one or more vendors, comprising:
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(a) importing the telecommunications invoices into a computing device; (b) within the computing device extracting elements from the imported telecommunications invoices; (c) within the computing device performing a reasonability test on the imported telecommunications invoices;
wherein performing the reasonability test includes evaluating the telecommunication invoice on an element basis to determine whether an element billing exception exists, wherein a reasonability test comprises an automated comparison against established criteria; and
wherein the reasonability test includes determining whether a cost center associated with an element among the extracted elements is active; and(d) generating by the computing device a report that makes apparent element billing exceptions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 64)
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27. A system for electronically processing wireless telecommunications invoices from one or more vendors, comprising:
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a user database configured to store vendor mapping rules, wireless telecommunications invoices and data extracted from wireless telecommunications invoices; and a computer system storing a user application module coupled to the user database, wherein the user application module includes; (b) means for extracting elements from the imported wireless telecommunications invoices; (c) means for performing a reasonability test on the imported wireless telecommunications invoices, wherein performing the reasonability test includes evaluating wireless telecommunication invoices on an element basis to determine whether an element billing exception exists, wherein performing the reasonability test includes determining whether the number of wireless telecommunications minutes billed is correct and determining whether a cost center associated with the element is active; (d) means for generating a report that makes apparent element billing exceptions; (e) means for receiving instructions for treatment of element billing exceptions; and (f) means for transmitting approved invoice information to either or both of an accounts processing system or a general ledger system. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A computer program product comprising a computer usable non-transitory medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to process telecommunications invoices received from one or more vendors, said control logic comprising:
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computer readable program code means for causing the computer to extract elements from telecommunications invoices; computer readable program code means for causing the computer to perform a reasonability test on the imported telecommunication invoices, wherein performing the reasonability test includes evaluating the telecommunication invoices on an element basis to determine whether an element billing exception exists and determine whether a cost center associated with the element is active; computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive instructions for treatment of element billing exceptions; and computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit approved invoice information. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification