Method and process for providing relevant data, comparing proposal alternatives, and reconciling proposals, invoices, and purchase orders with actual costs in a workflow process

US 20080065445A1
Filed: 10/31/2007
Published: 03/13/2008
Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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41. A process in a workflow system for presenting the reconciliation of actual data compiled by a seller with estimated data projected for a project, the actual data received at the workflow system from a seller via a communication network, the process comprising:

comparing the actual data to the estimated data to determine any discrepancy between the actual data and the estimated data; and

presenting an interface comprising the any discrepancy, the interface accessible by the buyer via the communication network connecting the workflow system to a buyer system.

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Abstract

The present invention provides a process and system for matching buyers and sellers of either goods or services, or goods and services for a project. The invention enables a buyer to specify a project in terms of physical, functional, temporal, financial, and transactional parameters that can be automatically converted, by the present invention, into at least one request for either goods or services, or goods and services to perform work related to the project. The requests are suitably provided to at least one seller. Upon receiving a request, the seller may submit a response to the request, as desired. The invention provides a forum for the negotiation of any agreements and the formation of contracts to provide the requested, or alternative goods or services, or goods and services, as well as reconciliation of purchase orders, actual field costs, and invoices.

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119 Claims

41. A process in a workflow system for presenting the reconciliation of actual data compiled by a seller with estimated data projected for a project, the actual data received at the workflow system from a seller via a communication network, the process comprising:
- comparing the actual data to the estimated data to determine any discrepancy between the actual data and the estimated data; and
  
  presenting an interface comprising the any discrepancy, the interface accessible by the buyer via the communication network connecting the workflow system to a buyer system.
- View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
- - 42. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, wherein the interface further comprises a presentation of the actual data compiled by the seller.
  - 43. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, wherein the interface further comprises a presentation of the estimated data.
  - 44. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, wherein the actual data comprises an actual cost of either goods or services, or goods and services provided by the seller in performance of the project.
  - 45. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, wherein the actual data comprises an actual quantity of either goods or services, or goods and services provided by the seller in performance the project.
  - 46. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, wherein the actual data comprises at least one measurement of at least one technical specification defining the project.
  - 47. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, wherein the interface further comprises a presentation of an annotation entry interface, the annotation entry interface allowing the buyer to enter annotations to the actual data.
  - 48. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 41, further comprising comparing a final project statement received from a seller to the actual data to determine any discrepancy between the actual data and the final project statement, and wherein the interface further comprises a presentation of the any discrepancy between the actual data and the final project statement.
  - 49. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 48, wherein the interface further comprises a display of the final project statement.
  - 50. A process in a workflow system for presenting as described in claim 48, wherein the final project statement comprises an invoice for actual costs of either goods or services, or goods and services provided by the seller in performance of the project.

103. An enhanced workflow system that provides supportive information for a project, wherein a buyer provides at least one request for at least one of either goods or services, or goods and services for the project, and a seller provides at least one response to the at least one request, the workflow system comprising:
- a buyer interface with at least one buyer system;
  
  a seller interface with at least one seller system;
  
  a memory for storing the at least one request input by the buyer through the first interface; and
  
  a processor connected to the buyer interface, the seller interface, and the memory, wherein the processor inserts an information source link into the request;
  
  notifies the seller that the request is available for access and review in the second interface; and
  
  responds to a selection of the information source link by the seller by presenting the supportive information in the second interface.
- View Dependent Claims (105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116)
- - 105. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 103 or 104, wherein the processor further accesses the supportive information from a data repository in the workflow system.
  - 106. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 103, wherein the processor further accesses the supportive information from a remote data repository via the communication network.
  - 107. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 103, wherein the processor further accesses the supportive information from a data repository in the buyer system via the communication network.
  - 109. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 106, wherein the processor further accesses a pointer in a reference library upon the selection of the information source link, wherein the pointer points to the supportive information in the remote data repository.
  - 110. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 109, wherein the reference library is located within a system selected from the group consisting of:
    - the workflow system, the seller system, and the buyer system.
  - 111. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 103 or 104, wherein the workflow system comprises a system for implementing a process to generate at least one request for the at least one of either goods or services, or goods and services to be provided by the seller to the buyer for the project, wherein the project is defined in terms of at least one parameter, and wherein the system converts the at least one parameter into the at least one request, and wherein the system communicates the at least one request to the seller.
  - 112. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 111, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
    - physical, functional, temporal, financial, transactional, and geographical parameters.
  - 113. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 111, wherein the project further comprises one of a type selected from the group consisting of:
    - oil and gas exploration, construction, manufacturing complex products, and providing specialized services.
  - 114. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 111, wherein the supportive information further defines the at least one parameter.
  - 115. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 103 or 104, wherein the supportive information is selected from the group consisting of:
    - industry information, buyer standards, seller standards, industry standards, buyer historical data, seller historical data, industry historical data, technical information, product information, and service information.
  - 116. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 103, wherein the buyer selects the information source link to insert into the request.

104. An enhanced workflow system that provides supportive information for a project, wherein a buyer provides at least one request for at least one of either goods or services, or goods and services for the project, and a seller provides at least one response to the at least one request, the workflow system comprising:
- a buyer interface with at least one buyer system;
  
  a seller interface with at least one seller system;
  
  a memory for storing the at least one response input by the seller through the second interface; and
  
  a processor connected to the buyer interface, the seller interface, and the memory, wherein the processor inserts an information source link into the response;
  
  notifies the buyer that the response is available for access and review in the first interface; and
  
  responds to a selection of the information source link by the seller by presenting the supportive information in the second interface.
- View Dependent Claims (108, 117)
- - 108. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 104, wherein the processor further accesses the supportive information from a data repository in the seller system via a communication network.
  - 117. An enhanced workflow system as described in claim 104, wherein the seller selects the information source link to insertion into the response.

118. A process in a workflow system for displaying information supportive of a request by a buyer to a seller for at least one of either goods or services, or goods and services, the process comprising:
- displaying a seller interface accessible to the seller, wherein the seller interface connects the workflow system and a seller system, the interface comprising an information source link; and
  
  in response to selection of the information source link, displaying the supportive information in the seller interface.

119. A process in a workflow system for displaying information supportive of a response by a seller to a request by a buyer for at least one of either goods or services, or goods and services, the process comprising:
- displaying a buyer interface accessible to the buyer, wherein the buyer interface connects the workflow system and a buyer system, the interface comprising an information source link; and
  
  in response to selection of the information source link, displaying the supportive information in the buyer interface.

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Current Assignee
Jeffrey Livesay, Robert Bodnar, Thomas Lopus
Original Assignee
Jeffrey Livesay, Robert Bodnar, Thomas Lopus
Inventors
Livesay, Jeffrey, Lopus, Thomas, Bodnar, Robert

Granted Patent

US 8,321,313 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

705/7
CPC Class Codes

G06Q 10/06   Resources, workflows, human...

G06Q 10/0633   Workflow analysis

G06Q 10/10   Office automation; Time man...

G06Q 20/102   Bill distribution or payments

G06Q 30/02   Marketing; Price estimation...

G06Q 30/06   Buying, selling or leasing ...

G06Q 30/0637   Approvals

G06Q 30/08   Auctions

G06Q 40/00   Finance; Insurance; Tax str...

G06Q 40/04   Trading; Exchange, e.g. sto...

G06Q 50/188   Electronic negotiation

Method and process for providing relevant data, comparing proposal alternatives, and reconciling proposals, invoices, and purchase orders with actual costs in a workflow process

First Claim

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Abstract

70 Citations

119 Claims

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Method and process for providing relevant data, comparing proposal alternatives, and reconciling proposals, invoices, and purchase orders with actual costs in a workflow process

First Claim

0 Assignments

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0 Petitions

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Accused Products

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Abstract

70 Citations

119 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

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