U.S. patent application number 10/141801 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-13 for system and method for enabling and maintaining vendor qualification.
Invention is credited to Cullen, Andrew A. III.
Application Number | 20030212604 10/141801 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29399745 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030212604 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cullen, Andrew A. III |
November 13, 2003 |
System and method for enabling and maintaining vendor
qualification
Abstract
A computer system and method is disclosed for pre-qualifying
vendors for buyers and/or industries using vendor criteria
information associated with buyers and/or industries and vendor
qualification information associated with vendors. Vendors and
buyers enter the vendor qualification information and vendor
criteria information, respectively, into a database in a
hierarchical and relational manner. The computer system compares
entered vendor qualification information to stored vendor criteria
information to pre-qualify vendors for buyers and/or industries.
The computer system further monitors the stored vendor
qualification information and requests updated vendor qualification
information from the vendors to maintain vendor qualification on a
per industry and/or per buyer basis.
Inventors: |
Cullen, Andrew A. III;
(Succasunna, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JENKENS & GILCHRIST, P.C.
Suite 3200
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas
TX
75202-2799
US
|
Family ID: |
29399745 |
Appl. No.: |
10/141801 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/26.35 ;
705/27.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20130101;
G06Q 30/0601 20130101; G06Q 30/0641 20130101; G06Q 30/0609
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/26 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A computer system for qualifying a vendor for a qualifier,
comprising: a web server configured to receive vendor qualification
information associated with the vendor via a data network; a
database configured to store said vendor qualification information
and vendor criteria information associated with the qualifier; and
a qualification tool configured to compare said vendor
qualification information to said vendor criteria information to
qualify the vendor for the qualifier.
2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said database is further
capable of storing additional vendor qualification information
associated with an additional vendor and additional vendor criteria
information associated with an additional qualifier.
3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said qualifier is a
buyer and said web server is associated with the buyer, said vendor
criteria information being buyer-defined vendor criteria
information established by the buyer.
4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising: a vendor
browser associated with the vendor, said vendor browser having a
data connection with said web server to enable the vendor to enter
said vendor qualification information into said database.
5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein said web server is
further capable of selectively providing an e-mail notification
message to said vendor browser indicating whether the vendor is
qualified for the qualifier.
6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein said web server is
further capable of pushing one or more web pages at a time to said
vendor browser, said one or more web pages including vendor
selection data for use by the vendor in entering said vendor
qualification information.
7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said web server uses
said vendor qualification information entered in response to said
one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web pages
to be pushed to said vendor browser.
8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said database is further
configured to store vendor fields containing said vendor selection
data.
9. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising: a vendor
module configured to populate said one or more web pages with said
vendor selection data from said vendor fields and store said vendor
qualification information entered by the vendor within said
database.
10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said database is
further configured to store said vendor qualification information
entered by the vendor in a vendor record.
11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said vendor fields are
arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure and said vendor
qualification information stored in said database is arranged in a
hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said
vendor fields.
12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said vendor fields are
in a table-driven format that is configurable and scalable based
upon the vendor and the computer system.
13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said vendor
qualification information includes vendor profiling information to
categorize the types of goods and services the vendor provides,
said vendor fields including vendor profiling fields to solicit
said vendor profiling information from the vendor.
14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said vendor profiling
fields are organized into hierarchical tables, each of said
hierarchical tables including vendor selection data having one or
more vendor profiling selections, said one or more web pages pushed
to said vendor browser including said one or more vendor profiling
selections of a first one of said hierarchical tables and said one
or more additional web pages pushed to said vendor browser
including said one or more vendor profiling selections of a second
one of said hierarchical tables.
15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein said vendor profiling
information entered by the vendor in response to said one or more
web pages includes a select one of said vendor profiling
selections, said second hierarchical table being selected by said
vendor module based upon said select vendor profiling selection
entered by the vendor.
16. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the qualifier is a
buyer, and further comprising: a buyer browser associated with the
buyer, said buyer browser having a data connection with said web
server to enter said vendor criteria information associated with
the buyer into said database.
17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said web server is
further capable of pushing one or more web pages at a time to said
buyer browser, said one or more web pages including buyer selection
data for use by the buyer in entering said vendor criteria
information.
18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein said web server uses
said vendor criteria information entered in response to said one or
more web pages to determine one or more additional web pages to be
pushed to said buyer browser.
19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein said database is
further configured to store buyer fields containing said buyer
selection data.
20. The computer system of claim 19, further comprising: a buyer
module configured to populate said one or more web pages with said
buyer selection data from said buyer fields and store said vendor
criteria information entered by the buyer within said database.
21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein said database is
further configured to store said vendor criteria information
entered by the buyer in a buyer record.
22. The computer system of claim 20, wherein said buyer fields are
arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure and said vendor
criteria information stored in said database is arranged in a
hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of said
buyer fields, said vendor qualification information being further
arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure to enable
comparison of said vendor qualification information and said vendor
criteria information by said qualification tool.
23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said buyer fields are
in a table-driven format that is configurable and scalable based on
the buyer and the computer system.
24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein said vendor criteria
information includes vendor profiling information to categorize the
types of goods and services the buyer has a need for, said buyer
fields including vendor profiling fields to solicit said vendor
profiling information from the buyer.
25. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the qualifier is an
industry and said vendor criteria information is industry-related
vendor criteria information associated with the industry, said
industry-related vendor criteria information indicating
industry-defined requirements for the vendor to do business in the
industry.
26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said industry-related
vendor criteria information is arranged in a hierarchical and
relational structure and said vendor qualification information is
arranged in a hierarchical and relational structure to enable
comparison of said vendor qualification information and said
industry-related vendor criteria information by said qualification
tool.
27. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said database is
further configured to store said industry-related vendor criteria
information in an industry record.
28. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising: an input
device configured to enable a user of the computer system to enter
verification information associated with said vendor qualification
information into said database; and a user interface configured to
provide the user with verification request information requesting
the user verify said vendor qualification information and enter
said verification information into said database.
29. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said database is
further configured to store a vendor list capable of including one
or more qualified qualifiers, said qualification tool populating
said vendor list with the qualifier when said vendor qualification
information matches said vendor criteria information associated
with the qualifier.
30. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the qualifier is a
buyer and said database is further configured to store a buyer list
associated with the buyer capable of including one or more
qualified vendors, said qualification tool populating said buyer
list with the vendor when said vendor qualification information
matches said vendor criteria information associated with the
buyer.
31. The computer system of claim 30, wherein said buyer list
further includes at least a portion of said vendor qualification
information associated with the vendor.
32. The computer system of claim 30, further comprising: a buyer
database associated with the buyer, said buyer list being
downloaded to said buyer database from said database storing said
vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria
information.
33. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the qualifier is an
industry and said database is further configured to store an
industry list capable of including one or more qualified vendors,
said qualification tool populating said industry list with the
vendor when said vendor qualification information matches said
vendor criteria information associated with the industry.
34. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising: a
maintenance tool configured to interface with said database to
monitor said vendor qualification information, request updated
vendor qualification information from the vendor and store said
updated vendor qualification information in the database to
maintain qualification of the vendor for the qualifier.
35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein said vendor
qualification information includes a data renewal date, said
maintenance tool being configured to request said updated vendor
qualification information prior to or on said data renewal
date.
36. The computer system of claim 35, wherein said vendor
qualification information further includes a data expiration date
associated with a particular data entry within said vendor
qualification information, said maintenance tool being configured
to request said updated vendor qualification information prior to
or on said data expiration date.
37. The computer system of claim 36, wherein said maintenance tool
is further configured to remove the vendor from a qualifier list
containing one or more qualified vendors associated with the
qualifier when said updated vendor qualification information is not
received by the maintenance tool by a pre-configured date
associated with said data renewal date or said data expiration
date.
38. The computer system of claim 37, wherein said maintenance tool
is further configured to interface with said web server to send an
e-mail notification message to a vendor browser associated with the
vendor indicating the vendor is no longer qualified for the
qualifier.
39. The computer system of claim 34, wherein said maintenance tool
is further configured to interface with said web server to send an
e-mail update request message to a vendor browser associated with
the vendor to request said updated vendor qualification information
from the vendor.
40. A method for qualifying a vendor for a qualifier, comprising
the steps of: receiving vendor qualification information associated
with the vendor; storing said vendor qualification information
within a database; storing vendor criteria information associated
with the qualifier within said database; comparing said vendor
qualification information with said vendor criteria information to
generate compliance information; and qualifying the vendor for the
qualifier based on said compliance information.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of storing further
comprises: storing additional vendor qualification information
associated with an additional vendor and additional vendor criteria
information associated with an additional qualifier within said
database.
42. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of:
selectively providing a notification message to the vendor
indicating whether the vendor is qualified for the qualifier.
43. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of receiving further
comprises: pushing one or more web pages at a time from said web
server to a vendor browser associated with the vendor, said one or
more web pages including vendor selection data for use by the
vendor in entering said vendor qualification information.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein said step of pushing said one
or more web pages further comprises the step of: using said vendor
qualification information entered in response to said one or more
web pages to determine one or more additional web pages to be
pushed to said vendor browser.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein said step of pushing further
comprises the steps of: storing vendor fields containing said
vendor selection data within said database; and populating said one
or more web pages with said vendor selection data from said vendor
fields.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein said step of storing said
vendor fields further comprises the step of: storing said vendor
fields within said database in a hierarchical and relational
structure.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein said step of storing said
vendor qualification information further comprises the step of:
storing said vendor qualification information within said database
in a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of
said vendor fields.
48. The method of claim 46, wherein said vendor qualification
information includes vendor profiling information to categorize the
types of goods and services the vendor provides, said step of
storing said vendor fields further comprising the step of: storing
vendor profiling fields within said vendor fields into hierarchical
tables, each of said hierarchical tables including vendor selection
data having one or more vendor profiling selections, said vendor
profiling selections being used to solicit said vendor profiling
information from the vendor.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein said step of pushing said one
or more web pages further comprises the steps of: including said
one or more vendor profiling selections of a first one of said
hierarchical tables within said one or more web pages pushed to
said vendor browser; and including said one or more vendor
profiling selections of a second one of said hierarchical tables
within said one or more additional web pages pushed to said vendor
browser.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein said step of including said one
or more vendor profiling selections of said second one of said
hierarchical tables within said one or more additional web pages
pushed to said vendor browser further comprises the steps of:
receiving said vendor profiling information entered by the vendor
in response to said one or more web pages, said vendor profiling
information including a select one of said vendor profiling
selections; and selecting said second hierarchical table based upon
said select vendor profiling selection entered by the vendor.
51. The method of claim 40, wherein the qualifier is a buyer and
said step of receiving further comprises the step of: pushing one
or more web pages at a time from said web server to a buyer browser
associated with the buyer, said one or more web pages including
buyer selection data for use by the buyer in entering said vendor
criteria information.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein said step of pushing said one
or more web pages to said buyer browser further comprises the step
of: using said vendor criteria information entered in response to
said one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web
pages to be pushed to said buyer browser.
53. The method of claim 52, wherein said step of pushing further
comprises the steps of: storing buyer fields containing said buyer
selection data within said database; and populating said one or
more web pages with said buyer selection data from said buyer
fields.
54. The method of claim 53, wherein said step of storing said buyer
fields further comprises the step of: storing said buyer fields
within said database in a hierarchical and relational
structure.
55. The method of claim 54, wherein said step of storing said
vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria
information further comprises the steps of: storing said vendor
criteria information in a hierarchical and relational structure
mirroring select ones of said buyer fields; and storing said vendor
qualification information in a hierarchical and relational
structure to enable comparison of said vendor qualification
information and said vendor criteria information during said step
of comparing.
56. The method of claim 55, wherein said vendor criteria
information includes vendor profiling information to categorize the
types of goods and services that the buyer has a need for, said
step of storing said buyer fields further comprising the step of:
storing vendor profiling fields within said buyer fields, said
vendor profiling selections being used to solicit said vendor
profiling information from the buyer.
57. The method of claim 40, wherein the qualifier is an industry
and said vendor criteria information is industry-related vendor
criteria information associated with the industry, said
industry-related vendor criteria information indicating
industry-defined requirements for the vendor to do business in the
industry, and wherein said step of storing said vendor
qualification information and said industry-related vendor criteria
information further comprises the steps of: storing said
industry-related vendor criteria information in a hierarchical and
relational structure; and storing said vendor qualification
information in a hierarchical and relational structure to enable
comparison of said vendor qualification information and said
industry-related vendor criteria information.
58. The method of claim 40, further comprising the steps of:
verifying said vendor qualification information entered by the
vendor; and storing verification information associated with said
vendor qualification information in said database.
59. The method of claim 40, further comprising the steps of:
storing a vendor list capable of including one or more qualified
qualifiers within said database; and populating said vendor list
with the qualifier when said vendor qualification information
matches said vendor criteria information associated with the
qualifier.
60. The method of claim 40, wherein the qualifier is a buyer, and
further comprising the steps of: storing a buyer list associated
with the buyer capable of including one or more qualified vendors
within said database; and populating said buyer list with the
vendor when said vendor qualification information matches said
vendor criteria information associated with the buyer.
61. The method of claim 60, wherein said step of populating further
comprises the step of: storing at least a portion of said vendor
qualification information associated with the vendor within said
buyer list.
62. The method of claim 61, further comprising the step of:
downloading said buyer list from said database to a buyer database
associated with the buyer.
63. The method of claim 40, wherein the qualifier is an industry
and further comprising the steps of: storing an industry list
capable of including one or more qualified vendors within said
database; and populating said industry list with the vendor when
said vendor qualification information matches said vendor criteria
information associated with the industry.
64. The method of claim 40, further comprising the steps of:
monitoring said vendor qualification information; requesting
updated vendor qualification information from the vendor; and
storing said updated vendor qualification information in the
database to maintain qualification of the vendor for the
qualifier.
65. The method of claim 64, wherein said vendor qualification
information includes a data renewal date, said step of requesting
further comprising the step of: requesting said updated vendor
qualification information prior to or on said data renewal
date.
66. The method of claim 65, wherein said vendor qualification
information further includes a data expiration date associated with
a particular data entry within said vendor qualification
information, said step of requesting further comprising the step
of: requesting said updated vendor qualification information prior
to or on said data expiration date.
67. The method of claim 66, further comprising the step of:
removing the vendor from a qualifier list containing one or more
qualified vendors associated with the qualifier when said updated
vendor qualification information is not received from the vendor by
a pre-configured date associated with said data renewal date or
said data expiration date.
68. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of: sending
a notification message to a vendor browser associated with the
vendor indicating the vendor is no longer qualified for the
qualifier.
69. A computer system for maintaining qualification of a vendor for
a qualifier, comprising: a web server configured to receive vendor
qualification information associated with the vendor via a data
network; a database configured to store said vendor qualification
information and vendor criteria information associated with the
qualifier; means for qualifying the vendor for the qualifier based
on said vendor qualification information to said vendor criteria
information; and means for monitoring said vendor qualification
information to request updated vendor qualification information
from the vendor to maintain qualification of the vendor for the
qualifier.
70. A computer system for creating and maintaining a buyer list of
qualified vendors that are qualified to do business with a buyer,
comprising: a web server configured to receive vendor qualification
information associated with the vendor via a data network; a
database configured to store said vendor qualification information
and vendor criteria information associated with the buyer; means
for comparing said vendor qualification information to said vendor
criteria information to qualify the vendor for the buyer; and means
for adding the vendor to said buyer list when said vendor
qualification information matches said vendor criteria
information.
71. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said buyer list
further includes at least a portion of said vendor qualification
information associated with the vendor.
72. The computer system of claim 71, further comprising: a buyer
database associated with the buyer, said buyer list being
downloaded to said buyer database from said database storing said
vendor qualification information and said vendor criteria
information.
73. The computer system of claim 70, further comprising: means for
monitoring said vendor qualification information to request updated
vendor qualification information from the vendor to maintain
qualification of the vendor for the buyer; and means for
selectively removing the vendor from said buyer list when said
updated vendor qualification information is not provided by the
vendor.
74. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said buyer list is
used by the buyer in selecting given ones of the qualified vendors
to receive requests for purchase and requests for quote for all
future requests for purchase and requests for quote.
75. A computer system for verifying the qualifications of a vendor
for a qualifier, comprising: a web server configured to receive
vendor qualification information associated with the vendor via a
data network; a database configured to store said vendor
qualification information and vendor criteria information
associated with the qualifier; means for verifying said vendor
qualification information provided by the vendor; and means for
comparing said verified vendor qualification information to said
vendor criteria information to qualify the vendor for the
qualifier.
76. The computer system of claim 75, wherein said means for
verifying comprises: an input device configured to enable a user of
the computer system to enter verification information associated
with said vendor qualification information into said database; and
a user interface configured to provide the user with verification
request information requesting the user verify said vendor
qualification information and enter said verification information
into said database.
77. A method for calculating statistical data associated with
vendor qualifications, comprising: collecting a plurality of
qualification data identifying vendor qualification requirements
within an industry, each said qualification data including an
industry profile and industry-related data; comparing selected
criteria associated with the vendor qualification requirements for
said industry with each said industry profile within each said
qualification data to determine matching qualification data; and
calculating statistical data related to said industry-related data
included within said matching qualification data.
78. The method of claim 77, wherein said qualification data
comprises vendor qualification information associated with a
particular vendor, and wherein said step of collecting further
comprises: entering said vendor qualification information into a
vendor record within a database.
79. The method of claim 77, wherein said qualification data
comprises vendor criteria information associated with a particular
buyer for each vendor doing business with the buyer, and wherein
said step of collecting further comprises: entering said vendor
criteria information into a buyer record within a database.
80. The method of claim 77, further comprising: storing said
statistical data within an industry record within a database.
81. The method of claim 77, wherein said step of calculating is
performed periodically.
82. The method of claim 81, wherein said selected criteria is
pre-configured, said step of calculating being performed
automatically.
83. The method of claim 77, further comprising: receiving said
selected criteria at a web server from a user via a user
browser.
84. The method of claim 83, wherein said step of receiving further
comprises: pushing one or more web pages at a time from the web
server to the user browser, said one or more web pages including
criteria selection data for use by the user in entering said
selected criteria.
85. The method of claim 84, wherein said step of pushing said one
or more web pages further comprises the step of: using said
selected criteria entered in response to said one or more web pages
to determine one or more additional web pages to be pushed to the
user browser.
86. The method of claim 85, wherein said step of pushing further
comprises the steps of: storing criteria fields containing said
criteria selection data within a database; and populating said one
or more web pages with said criteria selection data from said
criteria fields.
87. The method of claim 86, wherein said step of storing said
criteria fields further comprises the step of: storing said
criteria fields within said database in a hierarchical and
relational structure.
88. The method of claim 87, wherein said step of collecting further
comprises: storing said qualification data within said database in
a hierarchical and relational structure mirroring select ones of
said criteria fields.
89. A method for providing statistical data associated with vendor
qualifications, comprising: storing a plurality of industry records
within a database, each of said industry records including
industry-related vendor criteria information for an industry, each
said industry-related vendor criteria information including at
least an industry profile identifying the respective industry and
industry qualification data identifying vendor qualification
requirements within the respective industry; receiving selected
criteria including at least a requested industry profile from a
user; comparing said requested industry profile with each said
industry profile within each said industry record to determine a
matching one of said industry records; and providing at least part
of said industry qualification data included within said matching
industry record to the user.
90. The method of claim 89, wherein said step of storing said
industry records further comprises: collecting a plurality of
vendor qualification data identifying vendor qualification
requirements within a particular industry; calculating statistical
data related to said vendor qualification data; and storing said
statistical data as at least part of said industry qualification
data within a select one of said industry records associated with
the particular industry.
91. The method of claim 90, wherein said vendor qualification data
comprises vendor qualification information associated with a
particular vendor, and wherein said step of collecting further
comprises: entering said vendor qualification information into a
vendor record within a database.
92. The method of claim 90, wherein said vendor qualification data
comprises buyer-defined vendor criteria information associated with
a particular buyer for each vendor doing business with the buyer,
and wherein said step of collecting further comprises: entering
said buyer-defined vendor criteria information into a buyer record
within a database.
93. The method of claim 89, wherein said step of receiving said
selected criteria further comprises: pushing one or more web pages
at a time from a web server to a user browser associated with the
user, said one or more web pages including criteria selection data
for use by the user in entering said selected criteria.
94. The method of claim 93, wherein said step of pushing said one
or more web pages further comprises the step of: using said
selected criteria entered in response to said one or more web pages
to determine one or more additional web pages to be pushed to the
user browser.
95. The method of claim 94, wherein said step of pushing further
comprises the steps of: storing criteria fields containing said
criteria selection data within a database; and populating said one
or more web pages with said criteria selection data from said
criteria fields.
96. The method of claim 95, wherein said step of storing said
criteria fields further comprises the step of: storing said
criteria fields within said database in a hierarchical and
relational structure.
97. The method of claim 96, wherein said step of storing said
industry records further comprises: storing said industry-related
vendor criteria information within said database in a hierarchical
and relational structure mirroring select ones of said criteria
fields.
98. The method of claim 89, wherein said step of storing said
industry records further comprises: receiving said industry-related
vendor criteria information at a web server from an administrative
user via an administrative user browser.
99. The method of claim 98, wherein said step of receiving said
industry-related vendor criteria information further comprises:
pushing one or more web pages at a time from the web server to the
administrative user browser, said one or more web pages including
industry selection data for use by the user in entering said
industry-related vendor criteria information.
100. The method of claim 99, wherein said step of pushing said one
or more web pages further comprises the step of: using said
industry-related vendor criteria information entered in response to
said one or more web pages to determine one or more additional web
pages to be pushed to the administrative user browser.
101. The method of claim 100, wherein said step of pushing further
comprises the steps of: storing industry fields containing said
industry selection data within said database; and populating said
one or more web pages with said industry selection data from said
industry fields.
102. The method of claim 101, wherein said step of storing said
industry fields further comprises the step of: storing said
industry fields within said database in a hierarchical and
relational structure.
103. The method of claim 102, wherein said step of storing said
industry records further comprises: storing said industry-related
vendor criteria information within said database in a hierarchical
and relational structure mirroring select ones of said industry
fields.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a computer system
and method for qualifying vendors, and specifically to a computer
system and method for collecting and maintaining vendor
qualification information to qualify vendors on a per industry
basis and a per buyer basis.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Each industry has different requirements for the goods and
services used in the industry. In addition, each buyer within the
industry may have additional requirements for the goods and
services used by the buyer. These goods and services can range from
manufacturing components to labor resources (e.g., contractors,
temporary employees and permanent employees). Although the amount
and type varies, buyers typically perform some sort of due
diligence prior to purchasing these goods and services in order to
justify their purchasing decisions. For example, a buyer may
require capabilities (qualification) information of the vendor
providing the good and/or service before making their purchasing
decision. In many cases, the qualification information is solicited
from the vendor in the form of a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a
Request for Quotation (RFQ).
[0005] In the past, the vendor qualification process has been labor
intensive and restricted to a limited number of known vendors.
However, with the advent of the digital age, buyers now have access
to a various mediums to obtain vendor qualification information
faster, cheaper and more efficiently. In addition, the pool of
vendors to select from has increased due to new digital sources of
vendor information. For example, buyers and vendors now have access
to Internet computer networks that provide a forum for buyers to
send RFQ's to qualified vendors registered with the computer
network. Vendor information for each registered vendor can be
centrally stored and compared to filter parameters in a submitted
RFQ to select the appropriate vendors to receive the RFQ.
[0006] Although such a network provides a potentially larger pool
of vendors to receive the RFQ, the buyer must enter the filter
parameters for each RFQ submitted. The process of entering the
filter parameters places an additional burden on the buyer,
resulting in a more time-consuming and expensive RFQ submittal. In
addition, if the filter parameters are not tailored appropriately,
the buyer may receive RFQ responses from vendors that are not
qualified, thereby requiring the buyer to review unwanted
responses, and possibly re-submit a new RFQ with different filter
parameters. Likewise, the network must compare the filter
parameters to stored vendor information for each RFQ received. The
extensive processing required to perform comparisons for each RFQ
may degrade network performance and increase the associated costs
of providing a vendor information service. Therefore, what is
needed is a vendor qualification system that provides access to a
large pool of vendors with minimal network processing and reduced
buyer requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] To overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, embodiments
of the present invention provide a computer system and method for
pre-qualifying vendors using vendor criteria information associated
with buyers and/or industries and vendor qualification information
associated with vendors. A database maintains the vendor criteria
information and vendor qualification information. In one
embodiment, vendors and buyers enter the vendor qualification
information and vendor criteria information, respectively, into
vendor records and buyer records, respectively, in the database in
a hierarchical and relational manner. A web-based interface to the
computer system provides web pages to the vendors and buyers to
solicit particular vendor qualification/criteria information.
Subsequent web pages are selected based upon the vendor and buyer
responses entered in previous web pages. A vendor qualification
tool compares entered vendor qualification information to stored
vendor criteria information to pre-qualify vendors for buyers.
[0008] According to further embodiments of the present invention,
vendors can be pre-qualified or compared on a per industry basis
using industry-related vendor criteria information. In one
embodiment, the industry-related vendor criteria information is
pre-configured based on industry standards and requirements and
vendors are pre-qualified based upon the industry requirements. In
another embodiment, the industry-related vendor criteria
information includes statistical data collected from vendor records
and/or buyer records within the database, and vendors can be
compared to the statistical data. This statistical data can further
serve as a benchmarking tool for buyers and vendors when entering
the vendor criteria information and vendor qualification
information, respectively. The database can further maintain the
industry-related vendor criteria information within industry
records.
[0009] In still further embodiments of the present invention, the
computer system monitors the stored vendor qualification
information and requests updated vendor qualification information
from the vendors to maintain vendor qualification on a per industry
and per buyer basis. A vendor maintenance tool periodically reviews
the stored vendor qualification information in the database to
ascertain whether updated vendor qualification information is
required and requests updated vendor qualification information from
the vendors. The vendor maintenance tool is further capable of
selectively removing vendors from one or more lists of
pre-qualified vendors on a per industry or per buyer basis when
updated vendor qualification information is not received.
[0010] Embodiments of the present invention provide buyers with one
or more lists of pre-qualified vendors to select from. Buyers can
submit RFP/RFQ's to all pre-qualified vendors on the list or to
only a select number of the pre-qualified vendors, depending upon
the buyer's preference. The list of pre-qualified vendors is
created from a large pool of vendors to allow buyers access to a
wide variety of vendors. However, the RFP/RFQ's are sent to only
those vendors on the pre-qualified list, which reduces system
processing complexity by performing the qualification one-time only
per industry or per buyer prior to creation and submission of the
RFP/RFQ's. In addition, buyer time and cost for creating and
submitting the RFP/RFQ is reduced by qualifying vendors prior to
creation of the RFP/RFQ.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The disclosed invention will be described with reference to
the accompanying drawings, which show important sample embodiments
of the invention and which are incorporated in the specification
hereof by reference, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a high-level functional view of the vendor
qualification process involved in the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a network diagram of the computer system of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an alternate network diagram of the computer
system of the present invention implemented at the buyer
network;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an exemplary functional view illustrating the
vendor and buyer record creation process, in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention;
[0016] FIGS. 5A and 5B are database table views illustrating the
interrelation between the different types of vendor qualification
information entered and stored in the vendor records;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering and confirming vendor qualification information, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a screen shot of an exemplary web page
illustrating sample approved vendor qualification information;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a database table view illustrating the storage of
vendor criteria information in the buyer records;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering and configuring general buyer-defined vendor criteria
information, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention;
[0021] FIGS. 10A and 10B are screen shots of exemplary web pages
illustrating a sample user interface for configuring general vendor
criteria information;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering and configuring industry-specific buyer-defined vendor
criteria information, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention;
[0023] FIGS. 12A and 12B are screen shots of exemplary web pages
illustrating a sample user interface for configuring
industry-specific vendor criteria information;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering industry-related vendor criteria information into an
industry record, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
calculating statistical data and storing the statistical data as
industry-related vendor criteria information into an industry
record, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 15A is a data view illustrating the types of data
stored in an industry record;
[0027] FIG. 15B is a screen shot of an exemplary web page
displaying industry-related vendor criteria information;
[0028] FIG. 16 is a data flow diagram illustrating a vendor
qualification tool for comparing vendor qualification information
with vendor criteria information, in accordance with embodiments of
the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 17 is a table illustrating the comparison of vendor
qualification information and vendor criteria information to
qualify a vendor per industry or per buyer;
[0030] FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
qualifying vendors on a per industry or per client basis, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 19 is a data flow diagram illustrating a statistical
tool for calculating and providing industry statistical data
related to one or more vendor records and/or buyer records, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
[0032] FIGS. 20A and 20B are screen shots illustrating exemplary
web pages displaying statistical industry data related to vendors
and buyers;
[0033] FIG. 21 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for
calculating and providing statistical data related to one or more
vendor records and/or buyer records, in accordance with embodiments
of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 22 is a data flow diagram illustrating a vendor
maintenance tool for maintaining vendor qualification, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
maintaining vendor qualification, in accordance with embodiments of
the present invention; and
[0036] FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
maintaining current vendor qualification information, in accordance
with embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0037] The numerous innovative teachings of the present application
will be described with particular reference to exemplary
embodiments. However, it should be understood that these
embodiments provide only a few examples of the many advantageous
uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements
made in the specification do not necessarily delimit any of the
various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to
some inventive features, but not to others.
[0038] In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a
vendor is any provider of goods and/or services, and a buyer is any
purchaser of goods and/or services. Each buyer has specific
requirements for the goods and services used by the buyer. These
goods and services can range from manufacturing components to labor
resources (e.g., contractors, temporary employees and permanent
employees). Likewise, each industry has specific requirements for
the goods and services used in the industry. Qualifying a vendor to
do business in a particular industry or with a particular buyer is
accomplished using embodiments of the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a high-level functional view of the vendor
qualification process involved in the present invention. Vendor
qualification information 235 is collected by a data warehouse
repository 30 from multiple vendors 10a . . . 10n. For example, the
vendor qualification information can be collected from an
individual 10a, business entity 10b or any other vendor 10n that
provide goods and/or services. In addition, buyer-defined vendor
criteria information 255 is collected by the data warehouse
repository 30 from one or more buyers 50a . . . 50n. For example,
the buyer 50 can be an individual 50a, business entity 50b or any
other buyer 50n that has a need to qualify vendors.
[0040] Furthermore, industry-related vendor criteria information
265 is collected by the data warehouse repository 30 from one or
more industry sources 80a . . . 80n. For example, the
industry-related vendor criteria information 265 can be collected
from an individual 80a having expertise in a particular industry,
periodicals 80b (e.g., newspapers, magazines, etc.) related to the
industry, Internet web sites 80c having industry-related
information, industry seminars 80d, business entities in the
industry 80e and any other source 80n of industry-related vendor
criteria information 265. In one embodiment, business entity
industry sources 80e can include multiple buyers 50 and/or vendors
10, and the industry-related vendor criteria information 265 can
include statistical data pertaining to the vendor criteria
information 255 provided by buyers 50 and/or statistical data
pertaining to the vendor qualification information 235 provided by
vendors 10.
[0041] The vendor qualification information 235, buyer-defined
vendor criteria information 255 and industry-related vendor
criteria information 265 collected by the data warehouse repository
30 are all organized in mirroring hierarchical and relational
structures to facilitate efficient and effective comparison of the
vendor qualification information 235 to the vendor criteria
information 255 and/or 265. For example, the vendor qualification
information 235 and vendor criteria information 255 and 265 can be
categorized based upon industry criteria (e.g., certification and
insurance requirements), location and business type.
[0042] To qualify vendors for particular industries and/or
particular buyers, the data warehouse repository 30 can further
compare the collected vendor qualification information 235 to the
collected vendor criteria information 255/265. All of the qualified
vendors for a particular buyer can be output to the particular
buyer in the form of a buyer list 258. In addition, all of the
buyers and/or industries that a particular vendor is qualified for
can be output to the particular vendor in the form of a vendor list
238.
[0043] In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the
data warehouse repository 30 can be implemented within a computer
system 100, as is shown FIG. 2. A user 5 can enter the computer
system 100 through a data network 40 via a web browser 20. A user 5
includes any person associated with a vendor 10 any person
associated with a buyer 50 or any administrative person associated
with the computer system 100 and providing information from an
industry source 80. By way of example, but not limitation, the data
network 40 can be the Internet or an Intranet, and the web browser
20 can be any available web browser or any type of Internet Service
Provider (ISP) connection that provides access to the data network
40. Vendor users 5 access the computer system through a vendor
browser 20a, buyer users 5 access the computer system via a buyer
browser 20b and administrative users 5 access the computer system
through an administrative browser 20c. The users 5 access the
computer system 100 through a web server 120 capable of pushing web
pages to the vendor browser 20a and buyer browser 20b,
respectively. The web server 120 can be, for example, a Microsoft
Internet Information Services (IIS) server.
[0044] The web server 120 enables vendors 10 and buyers 50 to
interface to a database 150 maintaining vendor qualification
information 235 within vendor records 220, buyer-defined vendor
criteria information 255 within buyer records 250 and
industry-related vendor criteria information 265 within industry
records 260. The database 150 can be, for example, a SQL server.
The database 150 further stores vendor fields 220 including vendor
selection data 222 used for soliciting the vendor qualification
information 235 from the vendors 10, buyer fields 240 including
buyer selection data 242 used for soliciting the buyer-defined
vendor criteria information 255 from the buyers 50 and industry
fields 270 used for soliciting industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 from industry sources 80.
[0045] The database 150 interface to the vendor users 5 is provided
by the web server 120 through a vendor module 180. For example, the
vendor module 180 can populate web pages pushed to the vendor
browser 20a using the vendor selection data 222 within the vendor
fields 220 stored in the database 150. In addition, the vendor
module 180 can store the vendor qualification information 235
entered by the vendor user 5 at the vendor browser 20a into the
vendor records 230 stored in the database 150.
[0046] The database 150 interface to the buyer users 5 is provided
by the web server 120 through a buyer module 190. For example, the
buyer module 190 can populate web pages pushed to the buyer browser
20b using the buyer selection data 242 within the buyer fields 240
stored in the database 150. In addition, the buyer module 190 can
store the buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 entered by
the buyer user 5 at the buyer browser 20b into the buyer records
250 stored in the database 150.
[0047] The database 150 interface to the industry source users 5 is
provided by the web server 120 through an administrative module
195. For example, the administrative module 195 can populate web
pages pushed to the administrative browser 20c using the industry
selection data 272 within the industry fields 270 stored in the
database 150. In addition, the administrative module 195 can store
the industry-related vendor criteria information 265 entered by the
industry source user 5 at the administrative browser 20c into the
industry records 260 stored in the database 150. In one embodiment,
the industry-related vendor criteria information 265 indicates
industry-defined requirements for a vendor 10 to do business in a
particular industry. In another embodiment, the industry-related
vendor criteria information 265 can include, in addition to the
industry-defined requirements or in place of the industry-defined
requirements, statistical data collected from buyer records 250
and/or vendor records 230 related to a particular industry.
[0048] The vendor module 180, buyer module 190 and administrative
module 195 all serve as user interfaces to the computer system 100.
The modules 180, 190 and 195 each present similar hierarchical and
table-driven user interfaces to users 5 in order to enable a user
to enter information 235, 255 or 265 into the database 150. It
should be noted that the vendor module 180, buyer module 190 and
administrative module 195 can each include any hardware, software
and/or firmware required to perform the functions of the vendor
module 180, buyer module 190 and administrative module 195, and can
be implemented as part of the web server 120, or within an
additional server (not shown).
[0049] The computer system 100 uses the vendor qualification
information 235 stored in the vendor records 230 and the
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 stored in the buyer
records 250 to qualify each of the vendors 10 to do business with
each of the buyers 50. In addition, the computer system 100 can
further use the industry-related vendor criteria information 265
stored in the industry records 260 to qualify each of the vendors
10 to do business in specific industries in addition to or in place
of qualifying each of the vendors 10 for each of the buyers 50.
Industries and buyers are hereinafter referred to collectively as
qualifiers. In other embodiments, the industry-related vendor
criteria information 265 can be used to compare vendors 10 to
industry standards (static or dynamic) or as a benchmarking tool
for buyers when entering buyer-defined vendor criteria information
255 or for vendors when entering vendor qualification information
235.
[0050] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, instead of
qualifying vendors for a plurality of buyers, the computer system
100 can be implemented solely at the buyer network to enable a
particular buyer to qualify vendors 10 for only that buyer. In FIG.
2, vendor users 5 enter the computer system 100 via a data network
40 through a vendor browser 20a, as in FIG. 1. However, the web
server 120 in FIG. 3 is a buyer web server controlled and operated
by a single buyer. The database 150 stores the vendor fields 220
shown in FIG. 2 and can further store vendor records 230 for only
the vendors 10 that are qualified by the buyer, or vendor records
230 for all vendors 10 that enter vendor qualification information
235 into the computer system 100, depending upon the buyer
constraints. However, only those vendors 10 that qualify to do
business with the buyer based upon a comparison between the entered
vendor qualification information 235 and buyer-defined vendor
criteria information (that may or may not be stored in the database
150) are used by the buyer in selecting a particular vendor 10 to
provide a good and/or service to the buyer. For example, the buyer
can send RFP/RFQ's to qualified vendors 10 or select a particular
qualified vendor 10 based on the vendor qualification information
235 entered by the vendor 10.
[0051] Referring now to FIG. 4, an exemplary functional view of the
vendor, buyer and industry record creation process is shown. A
vendor user, a buyer user or an administrative user accesses the
web server 120 of the computer system 100 by connecting a computer
60 to a data network 40. The computer 60 can be, for example, a
personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer connected to a
wireless device for remote access to the data network, a handheld
wireless device providing a web browser capable of accessing the
data network or other type of machine implementing a web
browser.
[0052] Upon entering the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the web
server 120, a connection between the computer 60 and the web server
120 is created. The web server 120 pushes web pages 125 to the
computer 60 for viewing by the user on a user interface device 65.
In one embodiment, the user interface device 65 can be, for
example, a computer screen 15 connected to the computer 60. For
example, once a user has been validated (i.e., by entering a user
name and password), the user can view one or more web pages 125 on
the computer screen 65, each containing prompts for the user to
enter various information into the computer system 100. The user
can enter the information into the computer 60 for transmission via
the data network 40 to the web server 120 via any type of input
device 70, such as, for example, a mouse (as illustrated),
keyboard, touch screen, voice recognition software or light pen.
The subsequent web pages 125 that are pushed to the computer 60 are
based upon the information entered by the user in response to the
prompts. In addition, the web pages 125 can be pushed to the
computer 10 one-at-a-time or in bulk, depending upon the type of
information being solicited by the computer system 100 and the
settings of the computer system 100.
[0053] For example, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the web page 125
displayed on the computer screen 65 asks the user "What is the SIC
Division?" The web page 125 further prompts the user to select from
several SIC Division choices (only three of which are displayed).
The user selects one of the SIC Division choices, using the input
device 70, and the selected vendor qualification information 235 or
vendor criteria information 255 or 265 is transmitted from the
computer 60 to the web server 120 via the data network 40. Based
upon the selected vendor qualification information 235 or vendor
criteria information 255 or 265, the web server 120 selects and
provides subsequent web pages 125 to the computer 60 to solicit
additional information. As shown in FIG. 4, the user selected the
choice "Mining," and in response, the web server 120 can push one
or more "Mining Web Pages" 125 to the computer 60.
[0054] Each web page 125 pushed to the computer 60 is populated
with data retrieved by the vendor module 180, buyer module 190 or
administrative module 195 from the vendor fields 220, buyer fields
240 or industry fields 270, respectively, stored within the
database 150. The web server 120 uses the vendor module 180, the
buyer module 190 or administrative module 195 based upon the log-in
of the user. The vendor fields 220 include vendor selection data
222, such as the vendor selections or prompts to be displayed on
the web pages 125 to the vendor user, the buyer fields 240 include
buyer selection data 242, such as the buyer selections or prompts
to be displayed on the web pages 125 to the buyer, and the industry
fields 270 include industry selection data 272, such as the
industry selections or prompts to be displayed on the web pages 125
to the administrative user. For example, if the user is a vendor
user, the vendor module 180 receives the vendor qualification
information 235 entered by the vendor user from the web server 120
and accesses the vendor fields 220 to retrieve the vendor selection
data 222 to be populated in subsequent web pages 125 (e.g.,
"Mining" web pages 125).
[0055] The vendor fields 220, buyer fields 240 and industry fields
270 are organized in a hierarchical relationship to enable the
vendor module 180, buyer module 190 and industry module 195,
respectively, to determine the appropriate fields to use for
populating subsequent web pages 125. For example, the vendor module
180 can include a pointer (not shown) that points to a particular
vendor field 220 in the database 150. When the vendor module 180
receives new vendor qualification information 235 from the web
server 120, the vendor module 180 uses the pointer to locate the
current vendor field 220 associated with the previous vendor
qualification information 235 and moves the pointer to the next
vendor field 220 associated with the new vendor qualification
information 235. The buyer module and administrative module can be
similarly configured.
[0056] The vendor fields 220, buyer fields 240 and industry fields
270 are scalable and configurable per buyer and/or per industry to
meet the needs of each particular industry and each particular
buyer within the industry. Thus, new vendor fields 220, buyer
fields 240 and industry fields 270 and new data 222, 242 or 272
within the vendor fields 220, buyer fields 240 and industry fields
270, respectively, can be easily added to the database 150 at any
time. In addition, vendors, buyers and administrative users can
update their records 230, 250 and 260, respectively, at any time
with the new data and/or fields 220, 240 and 270, respectively. For
example, the computer system 100 can send update messages (e.g.,
via electronic mail messages or dashboard posting) to the vendors,
buyers and industry source users with the new data and/or fields
220, 240 and 270 available. The update message can be sent to all
vendors, buyers and industry source users registered with the
computer system 100 or to only those vendors, buyers and industry
source users who have a need to update their records 230, 250 or
260, respectively, based on the new data and/or field 220, 240 or
270 (e.g., all vendors and buyers in a particular industry related
to the new data and/or field 220 or 240, all vendors pre-qualified
for a particular buyer, etc.).
[0057] Examples of vendor fields 220, buyer fields 240 and industry
fields 270 stored within the database 150 are illustrated in Tables
1-4 below. The fields 220, 240 and 270 are illustrated for
simplicity as being organized in a table format, with each table
including all of the fields 220, 240 and 270 necessary for
displaying vendor selection data 222, buyer selection data 242 or
industry selection data 272 on a particular web page. The tables
are related in a hierarchical manner, such that the tables are
accessed in a particular order.
1TABLE 1 tblSICDivisions ASP_Display_Order SIC_Division_Name
SIC_Division_Code_ID 10 Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing 1 9
Mining 2 8 Construction 3 7 Manufacturing 4 6 Transportation,
Communications, 5 Electric, Gas and Sanitary Services 5 Wholesale
Trade 6 4 Retail Trade 7 3 Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate 8 2
Services 9 1 Public Administration 10
[0058]
2TABLE 2 tblSICMajorGroup ASP_Display_Order SIC_MajorGroup_Name
SIC_MajorGroup_Code_ID SIC_Division_Code_ID 2 Wholesale Trade -
Durable 50 6 Goods 1 Whole Trade - Non- 51 6 Durable Goods
[0059]
3TABLE 3 tblSICIndustryGroup ASP_Display_Order
SIC_IndustryGroup_Name SIC_IndustryGroup_Code_ID
SIC_MajorGroup_Code_ID 9 Motor Vehicles and Motor 501 50 Vehicle
Parts 8 Furniture and Home 502 50 Furnishings 7 Lumber and Other
503 50 Construction Material 6 Professional and Commercial 504 50
Equipment 5 Metals and Minerals 505 50 4 Electrical Goods 506 50 3
Hardware, Plumbing and 507 50 Heating 2 Machinery Equipment and 508
50 Supplies 1 Miscellaneous Durable Goods 509 50
[0060]
4TABLE 4 tblSICIndustries ASP_Display_Order SIC_Industry_Name
SIC_Industry_Code_ID SIC_IndustryGroup_Code_ID 2 Furniture 5021 502
1 Home Furnishings 5023 502
[0061] The fields shown in Tables 1-4 above contain selection data
for soliciting profiling information from the vendors, buyers or
industry source to categorize the type of good and/or service the
vendor provides, the buyer desires or the industry is associated
with. The selection data shown in Tables 1-4 above is based upon
the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system provided by the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S.
Department of Labor. However, it should be understood that any
classification system can be used instead of the SIC system
described herein.
[0062] For example, as shown in Table 1, the computer system 100
can define the type of good and/or service by enabling the vendor
module 180, buyer module 190 or administrative module 195 to
retrieve a "SIC Divisions" table from the database 150 and populate
the next web page 125 with selection data 222, 242 or 272,
respectively, containing the ten SIC division types: Agriculture,
Forestry and Fishing; Mining; Construction; Manufacturing;
Transportation, Communications, Electric, Gas and Sanitary
Services; Wholesale Trade; Retail Trade; Finance, Insurance and
Real Estate Services; Services; and Public Administration. The "SIC
Divisions" table in Table 1 includes a SIC_Division_Code_ID field
listing the SIC identification numbers of each of the SIC
divisions, a SIC_Division_Name field listing the names of the SIC
divisions to be displayed on the web page and an ASP_Display_Order
field listing the display order for the SIC divisions on the web
page.
[0063] Assuming the user selects "Wholesale Trade" as the SIC
Division, the computer system can further define the type of
wholesale trade by accesses a "SIC Major Group" table within the
database and populating the next web page with wholesale trade
major groups for the user to choose from, as shown in Table 2. The
"Wholesale Trade" table in Table 2 includes a
SIC_MajorGroup_Code_ID field listing the SIC identification numbers
of each of the major groups and the SIC_Division_Code_ID field
listing the SIC division code for each of the major groups.
However, for simplicity, only the major groups associated with one
particular SIC division are shown in Table 2 (e.g., Wholesale
Trade--Durable Goods and Wholesale Trade--Non-Durable Goods). In
addition, the "Wholesale Trade" table above further includes a
SIC_MajorGroup_Name field listing the names of the Wholesale Trade
major groups and an ASP_Display_Order field listing the display
order for the major groups on the web page. It should be understood
that the major groups for each of the SIC divisions can be can be
subdivided into separate tables.
[0064] Assuming the user selects "Wholesale Trade--Durable Goods"
as the SIC Major Group, the computer system can further define the
type of wholesale durable goods that the vendor provides by
accessing a "SIC Industry Group Wholesale Trade--Durable Goods"
table above within the database and populating the next web page
with appropriate industry groups for the user to select from, as
shown in Table 3. Various exemplary industry groups for only the
wholesale trade--durable goods major group are illustrated in Table
3 (for simplicity), with each SIC_IndustryGroup_Name field having a
particular SIC_IndustryGroup_Code_I- D field associated therewith
for determining which the SIC identification numbers of each of the
industry groups, an SIC_MajorGroup_Code_ID field associated
therewith for determining the industry groups associated with the
selected major group and an ASP_Display_Order field associated
therewith for determining the display order of the SIC industry
groups.
[0065] Assuming the user selects "Furniture and Home Furnishings"
as the SIC Industry Group, the computer system can further define
the type of industry associated with the vendor by accessing a "SIC
Industries Furniture" table within the database 150 and populating
the next web page with appropriate industries for the user to
select from, as shown in Table 4. Various exemplary industries for
only the "Furniture and Home Furnishings" industry group are
illustrated in Table 4 (for simplicity), with each
SIC_Industry_Name field having a particular SIC_Industry_Code_ID
field associated therewith for determining which the SIC
identification numbers of each of the industry groups, an
SIC_IndustryGroup_Code_ID field associated therewith for
determining the industries associated with the selected industry
group and an ASP_Display_Order field associated therewith for
determining the display order of the SIC industries.
[0066] The type of good and/or service can be further defined by
the user, and information specific to a particular type of good
and/or service can be solicited from the user using subsequent
tables, not shown. In addition, it should be understood that the
computer system does not limit each vendor or buyer to only one
good and/or service. Therefore, each vendor or buyer can enter
multiple goods and/or services. In general, the computer system
does not limit each vendor, buyer or administrator to only one data
entry for each field or only one data entry for each table, so that
vendors, buyers and administrators can adequately describe all of
the goods and/or services associated therewith and all of the
relevant qualification information associated with the goods and/or
services.
[0067] Turning again to FIG. 4, all of the information entered by
the user (i.e., vendor qualification information 235 or vendor
criteria information 255 or 265) and received at the web server 120
is stored in a vendor record 230, a buyer record 250 or an industry
record 260 within the database 150 (as described above in
connection with FIG. 2) via the vendor module 180, buyer module 190
and administrative module 195, respectively. The vendor
qualification information 235 and the vendor criteria information
255 or 265 in the vendor record 230, buyer record 250 and industry
record 260, respectively, are organized in the same hierarchical
and relational manner as the vendor fields 220, buyer fields 240
and industry fields 270, respectively.
[0068] For example, referring now to Tables 5-7 hereinbelow,
examples of the type of vendor qualification information 235 stored
in a vendor record 230 are illustrated.
5TABLE 5 tblVendorMaster Vendor Qualification Column Name Data Type
Length Information Vendor_ID int 4 XXX vCompany_Name nvarchar 100
ABC v_Parent_Company_Name nvarchar 100 vCountry_ID int 4 1
vYear_Corp int 4 10 vBusiness_Entity_Type_ID int 4 1
vDiversified_Business_Entity char 1 Y vDBE_Type_ID int 4 1, 2, 3,
4, 7, 8, 9 vDBE_Certificate_Number varchar 50 C57Z
vDBE_Certifying_Body varchar 100 XYZ vDBE_Certifying_State_ID int 4
3 vFederal_Tax_ID nvarchar 50 2F22 vFull_Time_Employee_Count
numeric 9 500 vW_2_Employee_Count numeric 9 1,000 vNet_Worth money
8 1,000,000 vPrior_Year_Revenue money 8 2,000,000
vPrior_Year_Profit money 8 750,000 vPrior_Year_Tax_Filing char 1 Y
vPrior_Year_Audited_Statement char 1 Y vPrevious_Bankruptcy char 1
N vEDI_Capability char 1 Y vEFT_Capability char 1 Y
vDun_Bradstreet_ID nvarchar 50 vDun_Bradstreet_Rating nvarchar 50
vJD_Power_Rating varchar 50 vWeb_Site_URL varchar 100
www.vendorcompany.com vCorporate_Location_Phone varchar 50
214-555-1212 vCorporate_Location_Fax varchar 50 214-555-1213
vCorporate_Location_Email varchar 50 vendor@vendorcompany.com
vContracted bit 1 0 vContract_Number varchar 50
vContract_Start_Date datetime 8 vContract_Expiration_Date datetime
8 vApproval_Status_ID int 4 1 vCurrent_Status_ID int 4 1
vInformation_Profile_Complete char 1 Y vCreate_Date datetime 8
dd/mm/yyyy vData_Renewal_Date datetime 8 dd/mm/yyyy
[0069]
6TABLE 6 Business Entity Types 1 `S` Corporation 2 General
Partnership 3 Limited Liability Company 4 Sole Proprietorship 5
Other 6 `C` Corporation 7 Limited Partnership 8 Limited Liability
Partnership 9 Close Corporation 10 Professional Business Formation
11 PLC 12 Franchise
[0070]
7TABLE 7 Diversified Supplier Types African_American_Male 1
African_American_Female 2 Hispanic_Male 3 Hispanic_Female 4
Hasidic_Male 5 Hasidic_Female 6 White_Female 7 Oriental_Male 8
Oriental_Female 9 Island_Pacific_Male 10 Island_Pacific_Female 11
Indian_Male 12 Indian_Female 13 Disabled_American_War_Veteran
14
[0071] Table 5 shows a "Vendor Master" table that contains a number
of vendor fields 220 and associated data entries 235 that provide
basic vendor identification information, such as the vendor ID
within the computer system, the company name, the company phone
number and other basic identification information. Each vendor
field 220 within the "Vendor Master" table is capable of supporting
different data types (e.g., int, nvarchar, char, varchar, bit and
datetime) of different data lengths. For example, the field 220
"vBusiness_Entity_Type_ID" is capable of supporting an intermittent
number of numeric values, depending upon how the vendor's business
is classified. Table 6 illustrates examples of the various business
entity types and lists exemplary numeric identities assigned to
each business entity type for that vendor field 220. The numeric
identity of each business entity type that applies to the vendor
can be stored in the "vBusiness_Entity_Type_ID" field 220. As
another example, the field 220 "vDiversified_Business_Entity" is
capable of supporting a single character (Y or N), depending upon
whether the vendor has been certified as a diversified business.
Table 7 illustrates examples of the various diversified vendor
types, and the field 220 "vDBE Type ID" includes each diversified
type ID that the vendor has been certified for.
[0072] Referring now to Tables 8-11 hereinbelow, additional vendor
qualification information 235 provided by vendors are illustrated.
Tables 8-10 illustrate insurance information, while Table 11
illustrates certification information.
8TABLE 8 tblVendorInsurance (db structure view) Column Name Data
Type Length Vendor_Insurance_ID int 4 viVendor_ID int 4
viCarrier_Name varchar 50 viCarrier_ID int 4 viPolicy_Number
varchar 50 viPolicy_Exp_Date dateline 8 vi_Policy_Amount_ID int 4
vi_Policy_Currency_ID int 4 viPStaff_Insured char 1 viBuyer_Insured
char 1 viType_ID int 4 Insurance_Coverage_Type_ID int 4
viApproval_Status_ID int 4 viCurrent_Status int 4 viApproval_Date
datetime 8
[0073]
9TABLE 9 Data from tblluInsuranceType General_Liability 1
Errors_&_Omissions 2 Automobile 3 Employee_Dishonesty 4
Employer_Liability-Workman's_Comp 5 Hazard_Insurance 6
Flood_Insurance 7 Fire_Marine_Casualty_Insurance 8 Surety_Insurance
9 Life_Insurance 10
[0074]
10TABLE 10 Data from tblluInsuranceCoverageType Per_Occurrence 1
Aggregate 2
[0075]
11TABLE 11 tblVendorCertification Column Name Data Type Length
Vendor_ID int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Certification_Type_ID int 4
Certificate_# varchar 100 Certifying_Body varchar 100
Certificate_Expiration_Date datetime 8 GEO_Country_ID int 4
GEO_Region_ID int 4 GEO_City_ID int 4 Record_Date datetime 8
Approval_Status_ID int 4 Current_Status_ID int 4
[0076] As shown in Tables 8-10 above, the vendor record can further
include one or more tables under the "Vendor Master" table that
include data (not shown) indicating the various carriers and types
of insurance coverage the vendor maintains. Table 8 illustrates a
sample "Vendor Insurance" table and exemplary vendor fields
included within the "Vendor Insurance" table, each having a
different data type. It should be noted that each "Vendor
Insurance" table can include multiple records if the vendor has
multiple insurance carriers. Table 9 illustrates examples of the
various types of insurance that the vendor can provide and the
associated data (i.e., numeric values for each insurance type) that
can be populated in the "viType_ID" field of the "Vendor Insurance"
table. Table 10 illustrates examples of the various insurance
coverage types and the associated data (i.e., numeric values for
each insurance coverage type) that can be populated in the
"Insurance_Coverage_Type_ID" field of the "Vendor Insurance"
table.
[0077] Table 11 illustrates a sample "Vendor Certification" table
and exemplary vendor fields included within the "Vendor
Certification" table, each having a different data type. The
"Vendor Certification" table can be used to store certification
information for the vendor related to each industry (good and/or
service) that the vendor is associated with and each geographical
area that the vendor provides the good and/or service. The
certification can be required by a national or local regulatory
authority (and thus, the geographical area can be defined at the
national or local level) or by an industry group that certifies
members of the industry (and thus, the geographical area can be
undefined). It should be noted that each "Vendor Certification"
table can include multiple records if the vendor industry requires
multiple certifications and/or provides multiple goods and/or
services.
[0078] FIGS. 5A and 5B are database table views illustrating the
interrelation between various different types of vendor fields 220
containing vendor qualification information (not shown) entered and
stored in the vendor records 230. The "Vendor Master" table 231a,
shown in Table 5 above, stores all of the general vendor profile
information. The "Vendor Master" table 231a is tied to an SIC
Industries table 231e that contains industry-specific vendor
profile information to identify the specific industries that the
vendor provides goods and/or services in. The geographical area(s)
associated with the selected industries can be defined using a "SIC
Countries" table 231i to identify the country where the vendor
provides a certain good and/or service. The geographical area(s)
can be further defined using a "SIC Region" table 231j and a "SIC
City" table 231k. It should be understood that additional tables
can be included to more concisely define the locations where the
vendor is capable of providing goods and/or services, such as a
"Zip Code" table (not shown), depending upon the needs of the buyer
and/or the industry.
[0079] The "SIC Country", "SIC Region" and "SIC City" tables 231i-k
are populated based upon values stored in master geographical
tables "GEO Countries" 23 If, "GEO Regions" 231g and "GEO Cities"
231h. The master geographical tables 231f-h constrain the data
stored in the SIC geographical tables 231i-k based upon available
geographical selections (e.g., the SIC region stored is based upon
the GEO Regions associated with the stored SIC country, the SIC
region and SIC city selections can be set to "all" to cover all SIC
regions and SIC cities within the GEO Regions and GEO Cities tables
if the vendor provides goods and/or services throughout a
particular country, etc.). The "SIC Industries" table 231e is
populated based upon the selected SIC division, SIC major group and
SIC industry group and SIC industry, shown as SIC tables 231b-d.
The SIC tables 231b-e are associated in a hierarchical and
relational structure. For example, the "Major Group" table 231c is
a second tier table to the "SIC Division" table 231b in that the
"Major Group" table 231c lists the SIC identification of the major
group and the SIC identification of the division associated with
the major group. Other tables 231l-t, shown in FIG. 5B, can also be
included in the vendor record 230 to further define other aspects
of the vendor, such as the insurance information (tables 231l-p),
certification information (tables 231q-r), business information
(table 231s) and minority information (table 231t).
[0080] Many of the tables shown in FIG. 5A include an approval
field 220 that indicates whether or not the vendor qualification
information entered by the vendor has been approved by the computer
system. For example, the vendor location tables 231i-k each include
the field 220 "vApproval_Status_ID." Initially, the data (not
shown) within the "vApproval_Status_ID" field 220 is set by the
computer system to "approval waiting" while the computer system
verifies the location information entered by the vendor. Once the
location information has been verified, the data within the
"vApproval_Status_ID" field 220 is changed to "approved." However,
if the location information is incorrect or not able to be
verified, the data within the "vApproval_Status_ID" field 220 is
set to "declined" and the vendor is notified (e.g., via e-mail)
that the vendor is not able to be qualified by any buyer and/or
industry due to unverifiable location information. The computer
system enables the vendor to correct the location information
stored in the vendor record 230 or to provide verification of the
location information to the operator of the computer system (e.g.,
by e-mailing or mailing the verification information to an employee
of the company operating the computer system).
[0081] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering and confirming vendor qualification information, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Initially, a
vendor user accesses the computer system and logs-in using, for
example, a user name and password, to authenticate the vendor user
to the computer system (step 300). The user name and/or password
can be unique to each user at a particular vendor (e.g., to enable
vendors to control the types of information that a particular user
can modify or add), or one user name and password can be associated
with all users at a particular vendor. Once the vendor user has
been authenticated, the vendor user can enter vendor qualification
information into the computer system (step 305), as described
above. For example, the vendor user can be prompted to enter vendor
qualification information in the hierarchical and relational manner
described above by pushing web pages populated with vendor fields
and vendor selection data to the vendor user and storing received
vendor qualification information into fields within a vendor record
associated with the vendor. Alternatively, if the vendor user is
updating existing vendor qualification information, the vendor user
can be prompted to indicate the type of information the vendor user
would like to update, and in response, the computer system can push
web pages to the vendor user having vendor selection data
associated with only the vendor qualification information that the
vendor user would like to update.
[0082] There are certain vendor fields that the computer system may
require all vendors to fill out, such as the vendor name, and
depending upon the type of good and/or service the vendor provides,
there may be certain vendor fields that the computer system
requires vendors providing that good and/or service to fill out,
such as insurance information for particular services. If the
vendor user does not fill out one or more of the required fields
(step 310), the computer system prompts the vendor user to fill out
those required fields (step 315). Once all of the required fields
are complete (step 310), the computer system provides the vendor
user with a message indicating that the vendor qualification
information (new or changed) has been received and forwarded to the
computer system for review (step 320).
[0083] All of the entered vendor qualification information is
stored in a vendor record for the vendor in a database, and all
"approval" fields associated with particular entered vendor
qualification information are automatically set to "approval
waiting" (step 325). Operators of the computer system are notified
of the "approval waiting" status for particular vendor
qualification information, and attempt to verify the entered vendor
qualification information (step 330). For example, if the vendor
user entered vendor qualification information indicating that the
vendor provides tax solutions in a specific geographical area, the
computer system operator could be prompted to verify that the
vendor employs staff capable of providing tax solutions in that
particular geographical area. As another example, if the vendor
user entered certification or insurance information, the computer
system operator could be prompted to verify that the vendor is
certified or has the insurance that the vendor user entered by
requesting hard copies of documentation or other type of verifiable
proof that the vendor is actually certified or has the insurance
that the vendor user entered.
[0084] If the entered vendor qualification information is verified
(step 335), the "approval" field in the vendor record is changed to
"approved" (step 340). If the entered vendor qualification
information is updated vendor qualification information intended by
the vendor to replace previously entered vendor qualification
information, the "current status" field of any previously stored
vendor qualification information in the vendor record is set to
"outdated" to indicate that there is new vendor qualification
information that replaces the previously entered vendor
qualification information. In other embodiments, the new vendor
qualification information can simply replace the previously entered
vendor qualification information, thereby effectively deleting the
previously entered vendor qualification information from the
database. Thereafter, the vendor user is notified via e-mail or via
a dashboard accessible to the vendor user via the vendor browser
that the updated or newly entered vendor qualification information
has been approved by the computer system (step 345). It should be
understood that if the vendor user entered vendor qualification
information that did not require approval of the computer system,
the vendor user would simply be notified via e-mail or dashboard
display that the updated or newly entered vendor qualification
information was received and recorded.
[0085] However, if the entered vendor qualification information
cannot be verified (step 335), the operator changes the "approval"
field in the vendor record to "declined" (e.g., via the input
device shown in FIG. 3) (step 350), and the vendor user is notified
via e-mail or via a dashboard that the vendor qualification
information was not able to be verified (step 355).
[0086] FIG. 7 is a screen shot of an exemplary web page that could
be displayed on a dashboard to an administrative user to provide
vendor approval information. (A similar view could be displayed to
vendor users). As can be seen in FIG. 7, the user can be provided
summary information concerning each SIC industry and associated
geographical area that a particular vendor is approved for. From
this web page, the user can view more detailed information and
modify existing information. Although not shown, the dashboard can
further provide summary information for each SIC industry and
associated geographical area that the vendor is not approved for,
or that has approval waiting.
[0087] Examples of the type of buyer-defined vendor criteria
information 255 stored in a buyer record 250 are illustrated
hereinbelow in Tables 12-15. The buyer-defined vendor criteria
information 255 can be stored in the same hierarchical manner as
the vendor qualification information 235, mirroring the buyer
fields 240 stored in the database 150.
12TABLE 12 tblBuyerMaster Vendor Criteria Column Name Data Type
Length Information Buyer_ID int 4 XXX bCompany_Name nvarchar 100
ABC bParent_Company_Name nvarchar 100 bCountry_ID int 4 1
bYear_Corp int 4 10 bBusiness_Entity_Type_ID int 4 1
bDiversified_Business_Entity char 10 Y bDBE_Type_ID int 50 1, 2, 3,
4, 7, 8, 9 bDBE_Certificate_Number varchar 50 C57Z
bDBE_Certifying_Body varchar 50 XYZ bDBE_Certifying_State_ID int 4
3 bFederal_Tax_ID nvarchar 50 2F22 bFull_Time_Employee_Coun- t
numeric 9 500 bW_2_Employee_Count numeric 9 1,000 bNet_Worth money
8 1,000,000 bPrior_Year_Revenue money 8 2,000,000
bPrior_Year_Profit money 8 750,000 bPrior_Year_Tax_Filing char 1 Y
bPrior_Year_Audited_Statement char 1 Y bPrevious_Bankruptcy char 1
N bEDI_Capability char 1 Y bEFT_Capability char 1 Y
bDun_Bradstreet_ID nvarchar 50 bDun_Bradstreet_Rating nvarchar 50
bCorporate_Location_Phone varchar 50 214-555-1214
bCorporate_Location_Fax varchar 50 214-555-1215
bCorporate_Location_Email varchar 50 buyer@buyercompany.com
bCurrent_Status_ID int 4 1 bInformation_Profile_Complete char 1 Y
bCreate_Date datetime 8 dd/mm/yyyy
[0088]
13TABLE 13 tblBuyerInsurance Column Name Data Type Length Buyer_ID
int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Country_ID int 4 Region_ID int 4 City_ID
int 4 Insurance_Type_ID int 4 Insurance_Coverage_Type int 4
Coverage_Amount money 8 Currency_ID int 4 Create_Date datetime 8
Record_ID int 4
[0089]
14TABLE 14 tblBuyerCertification Column Name Data Type Length
Buyer_ID int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Country_ID int 4 Region_ID int 4
City_ID int 4 Certification_Type_ID int 4 Create_Date datetime 8
Record_ID int 4
[0090]
15TABLE 15 tblBuyerMiscQualifiers Column Name Data Type Length
Buyer_ID int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Vendor_Country_ID int 4
Vendor_Region_ID int 4 Vendor_City_ID int 4 Contracted char 1
Preferred_Union varchar 255 Previous_Business_Relationship char 1
Vendor_Net_Worth money 8 Vendor_Prior_Year_Revenue money 8
Vendor_Prior_Year_Profit money 8 Vendor_Prior_Year_Tax_Filing char
1 Vendor_Prior_Year_Audit char 1 Vendor_Previous_Bankruptcy char 1
Vendor_Year_Corp int 4 Vendor_Business_Entity_Type_ID int 4
Vendor_Diversified_Business_- Entity char 10 Vendor_DBE_Type_ID int
50 Vendor_FTE_Count numeric 9 Vendor_W_2_Employee_Count numeric 9
Vendor_EDI_Capability char 1 Vendor_EFT_Capability char 1
Vendor_Dun_Bradstreet_Rating nvarchar 50 Create_Date datetime 8
Record_ID int 4
[0091] Table 12 shows a "Buyer Master" table that contains a number
of buyer fields 240 and associated data entries 255 that provide
basic buyer identification information, such as the buyer ID within
the computer system, the company name, the company phone number and
other basic identification information. Each buyer field 240 within
the "Buyer Master" table is capable of supporting different data
types (e.g., int, nvarchar, char, varchar, bit and datetime) of
different data lengths. As shown in Tables 13-15 above, the buyer
record 250 can further include one or more tables under the "Buyer
Master" table that include data (not shown) indicating additional
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255. For example, Table
13 illustrates insurance information, Table 14 illustrates
certification information and Table 15 illustrates miscellaneous
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255.
[0092] FIG. 8 is a database table view illustrating the storage of
vendor criteria information in the buyer records 250. The "Buyer
Master" table 251a, shown in Table 12 above, stores all of the
general buyer profile information. The "Buyer Master" table 251a is
tied to an SIC Industries table 251b that contains
industry-specific buyer profile information to identify the
specific industries that the buyer has a need for vendors in. The
geographical area(s) associated with the selected industries can be
defined using a "GEO Countries" table 251c to identify the country
where the buyer has a need for a certain good and/or service. The
geographical area(s) can be further defined using a "GEO Regions"
table 251d and a "GEO Cities" table 251e (if a buyer only has a
need in one or more regions and/or cities of a particular country).
It should be understood that the geographical area(s) associated
with a particular industry can be stored in SIC geographical
tables, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, but for simplicity, only the
GEO geographical tables are shown in FIG. 8. It should further be
understood that additional tables can be included to more concisely
define the locations where the buyer has a need for goods and/or
services, such as a "Zip Code" table (not shown), depending upon
the needs of the buyer. Other qualifier tables, such as the
insurance information table 251f, certification information table
251g and miscellaneous information table 251h, can be tied to the
"Buyer Master" table 251a, "SIC Industries" table 251b and
geographical tables 251c-e to further define the buyer requirements
for vendors.
[0093] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering and configuring general buyer-defined vendor criteria
information, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention. General buyer-defined vendor criteria information is any
data unrelated to a specific industry. For example, general
buyer-defined vendor criteria information can include the type of
data stored in the "Buyer Master" table, insurance information
unrelated to a specific industry or any other miscellaneous
information unrelated to a specific industry. General buyer-defined
vendor criteria information will be referred to hereinafter as
general profile information.
[0094] Initially, a buyer user accesses the computer system and
logs-in using, for example, a user name and password, to
authenticate the buyer user to the computer system (step 400). The
user name and/or password can be unique to each user at a
particular buyer (e.g., to enable buyers to control the types of
information that a particular user can modify or add), or one user
name and password can be associated with all users at a particular
buyer. Once the buyer user has been authenticated, the buyer user
is provided an input user interface to enter general profile
information into the computer system (step 405), as described
above. For example, the buyer user can be prompted to enter the
general profile information in the hierarchical and relational
manner described above by pushing web pages populated with buyer
fields and buyer selection data to the buyer user. Alternatively,
if the buyer user is updating existing general profile information,
the buyer user can be prompted to indicate the type of information
the buyer user would like to update, and in response, the computer
system can push web pages to the buyer user having buyer selection
data associated with only the general profile information that the
buyer user would like to update.
[0095] Once the buyer user has completed entering the general
profile information (step 410), the computer system stores the
received general profile information in fields within a buyer
record associated with the buyer (step 415). It should be
understood that there may be certain general buyer fields that the
computer system may require all buyers to fill out, such as the
buyer name and phone number. In addition, if the entered general
profile information is updated general profile information intended
by the buyer to replace previously entered general profile
information, the "current status" field of any previously stored
general profile information in the buyer record is set to
"outdated" to indicate that there is new general profile
information that replaces the previously entered general profile
information. In other embodiments, the new general profile
information can simply replace the previously entered general
profile information, thereby effectively deleting the previously
entered general profile information from the database.
[0096] If the entered general profile information is sufficient to
meet all of the buyer's requirements (step 420), the process ends
(step 425). However, if the buyer user requires additional vendor
qualifications that the computer system does not provide, the buyer
user can further submit a request for a new qualifier (e.g., a
request for a new buyer fields and/or buyer selection data within a
buyer field) to the computer system (step 420). Thereafter, the
buyer user is provided an input user interface to allow the buyer
user to enter the new qualifier(s) into the computer system (step
430). For example, the buyer user can select one or more existing
buyer fields related to the desired new qualifier(s) and enter the
new qualifier(s) under that buyer field, or, if no existing buyer
fields are related to the new qualifier, the buyer user can be
provided a blank form to fill out the buyer field(s) and buyer
selection data desired within the buyer field(s).
[0097] The new general qualifier information entered by the buyer
user is submitted to the computer system for review (step 435). One
or more operators of the computer system are notified of the new
qualifier(s) for a particular buyer user, and after reviewing the
new qualifier information, the computer system operator determines
whether or not the new qualifier information is approved as a new
buyer field and/or buyer selection data in the computer system
(step 440). If the new general qualifier information is not
approved, the buyer user is notified via e-mail or via a dashboard
accessible to the buyer user via the buyer browser that the new
qualifier information does not meet the computer system standards
and will not be added (step 445). However, if the new general
qualifier information is approved, the buyer user is notified via
e-mail or via the dashboard that the new qualifier information has
been approved by the computer system (step 450).
[0098] Once the new qualifier information has been approved, the
computer system updates the database to include new buyer fields
and/or buyer selection data within the buyer fields with the new
general qualifier information (step 455). Thereafter, the buyer
user can access the computer system to enter updated general
profile information using the newly added buyer fields and/or buyer
selection data (step 460). The updated general profile information
is further stored in the buyer record associated with the buyer
user (step 465). It should be understood that, although not
discussed above, if the vendor foresees additional vendor
qualifications that the computer system does not provide, the
vendor can create a new vendor field and/or vendor selection data
(with approval from the network operator), which can be mirrored in
the buyer and/or industry fields to allow a vendor to stay current
with (or improve upon) industry qualifications. It should also be
understood that, although not shown in FIG. 9, the general profile
information entered by the buyer user may require approval by the
network operator to ensure that all buyers are submitting correct
information.
[0099] FIGS. 10A and 10B are screen shots of exemplary web pages
125 illustrating a sample user interface for configuring general
profile information. FIG. 10A shows an example of various general
buyer fields 240 that can be displayed to a buyer user. For
example, the buyer fields 240 can include geographical fields, such
as a country field, a region field and a city field. The buyer user
can select the particular country, region and city by clicking on
links to country selection data, region selection data and city
selection data. The user interface provided by the buyer module can
further display additional general buyer fields and provide
additional buyer selection data to the buyer user, depending upon
the requirements of the buyer. For example, the buyer user can
select various business requirements and insurance requirements
that are general to the buyer. In addition, the buyer user can be
provided a link to enter new general qualifier(s) into the computer
system, as discussed above in connection with FIG. 9. It should be
noted that buyers have the capability of creating multiple "General
Qualification Profiles" based upon business needs and business
locations.
[0100] FIG. 10B shows an example of general profile information 255
entered by a buyer user using the user interface shown in FIG. 10A.
The general profile information 255 can be displayed to the buyer
user as the buyer user is entering the general profile information,
and can also be accessed by the buyer user at a later time on a
dashboard accessible to a buyer user upon authentication and log-on
to view and/or edit the general profile information.
[0101] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering and configuring industry-specific buyer-defined vendor
criteria information, in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention. Industry-specific buyer-defined vendor criteria
information is any data that is related to a specific industry that
the buyer has a need for vendors in. For example, industry-specific
buyer-defined vendor criteria information can include the industry
information stored in an "Industry" table, insurance information
related to a specific industry, certification information related
to a specific industry, geographical information related to a
specific industry or any other miscellaneous information related to
a specific industry. Industry-specific buyer-defined vendor
criteria information is hereinafter referred to as industry profile
information.
[0102] Initially, a buyer user accesses the computer system and
logs-in using, for example, a user name and password, to
authenticate the buyer user to the computer system (step 500), as
discussed above in connection with FIG. 9. Once the buyer user has
been authenticated, the buyer user can access an "Industry Profile"
link from the home page to enter the industry profile information
(step 505). Alternatively, once the buyer user has entered the
general profile information, the buyer user can link directly to an
"Industry Profile" web page to enter the industry profile
information. Each industry that the buyer user has entered criteria
for is stored as a separate industry profile within the buyer
record to distinguish the criteria applicable to each industry
(e.g., the industry table can include several records, each being
associated with separate insurance table records, certification
table records, miscellaneous table records and geographical table
records). All previously entered industry profiles associated with
the buyer can be displayed to the buyer (step 510) to allow the
buyer to either create a new industry profile or edit an existing
industry profile (step 515).
[0103] If the buyer user selects to edit an existing industry
profile (step 520), the buyer user is provided an input user
interface that contains the existing (previously entered and
stored) industry profile information as default data (step 525).
However, if the buyer user selects to create a new industry
profile, the buyer user is provided an input user interface that
contains industry-specific buyer fields to select from and general
profile information entered in accordance with FIG. 9 above as
default data (step 530). In some embodiments, the buyer user may be
able to modify the general profile information as it relates to a
specific industry. In other embodiments, the buyer user may be
prevented from modifying some or all of the general profile
information for one or more industries. For example, the buyer user
may be prevented from modifying geographical information, insurance
information, general business qualification information and other
miscellaneous information, depending upon the buyer's business
rules/requirements.
[0104] Thereafter, the buyer user is prompted to either edit or
enter for the first time the industry profile information into the
computer system (step 535), as described above. For example, the
buyer user can be prompted to enter industry profile information in
the hierarchical and relational manner described above by pushing
web pages populated with buyer fields and buyer selection data to
the buyer user. Alternatively, if the buyer is updating existing
industry profile information, the buyer can be prompted to indicate
the type of information the buyer would like to update, and in
response, the computer system can push web pages to the buyer user
having buyer selection data associated with only the industry
profile information that the buyer would like to update.
[0105] Once the buyer user has completed entering the industry
profile information (step 540), the computer system stores the
received industry profile information in fields within a buyer
record associated with the buyer (step 545). It should be
understood that there may be certain industry-specific buyer fields
that the computer system may require all buyers to fill out, such
as insurance information for particular services. In addition, if
the entered industry profile information is updated industry
profile information intended by the buyer to replace previously
entered industry profile information, the "current status" field of
any previously stored industry profile information in the buyer
record is set to "outdated" to indicate that there is new industry
profile information that replaces the previously entered industry
profile information. In other embodiments, the new industry profile
information can simply replace the previously entered industry
profile information, thereby effectively deleting the previously
entered industry profile information from the database.
[0106] If the entered industry profile information is sufficient to
meet all of the buyer's requirements (step 550), the process ends
(step 555). However, if the buyer user requires additional
industry-specific qualifications that the computer system does not
provide, the buyer user can further submit a request for a new
industry-specific qualifier (e.g., a request for a new buyer fields
and/or buyer selection data within a buyer field) to the computer
system, which is reviewed by an operator of the computer system
(step 560), in a similar manner as described above in connection
with FIG. 9. If the new industry-specific qualifier information is
not approved (step 565), the buyer user is notified via e-mail or
via a dashboard accessible to the buyer user via the buyer browser
that the new industry-specific qualifier information does not meet
the computer system standards and will not be added (step 570).
However, if the new industry-specific qualifier information is
approved, the buyer user is notified via e-mail or via the
dashboard that the new industry-specific qualifier information has
been approved by the computer system (step 575).
[0107] Once the new industry-specific qualifier information has
been approved, the computer system updates the database to include
new buyer fields and/or buyer selection data within the buyer
fields with the new industry-specific qualifier information (step
580). Thereafter, the buyer user can access the computer system to
enter updated industry profile information using the newly added
buyer fields and/or buyer selection data (step 585). The updated
industry profile information is further stored in the buyer record
associated with the buyer user (step 590). It should also be
understood that, although not shown in FIG. 11, the industry
profile information entered by the buyer user may require approval
by the network operator to ensure that all buyers are submitting
correct information.
[0108] In addition, the computer system can further update the
database to include new vendor fields and/or vendor selection data
within the vendor fields with the new industry-specific qualifier
information and notify all applicable vendors of the newly added
vendor field and/or vendor selection data (step 595). For example,
the computer system can notify all vendors that were previously
qualified for the buyer, all vendors within the specific industry
or all vendors having a vendor record stored within the database.
Thereafter, a vendor user can access the computer system to enter
updated vendor qualification information using the newly added
vendor fields and/or vendor selection data (step 598). The updated
vendor qualification information is further stored in the vendor
record associated with the vendor user (step 590).
[0109] FIGS. 12A and 12B are screen shots of exemplary web pages
125 illustrating a sample user interface for configuring industry
profile information. FIG. 12A shows an example of various
industry-specific buyer fields 240 that can be displayed to a buyer
user. For example, the buyer fields 240 can include
industry-defining fields, such as an SIC Division field, an SIC
Major Group field, an SIC Industry Group field and an SIC Industry
field. The buyer user can select the particular SIC Division, Major
Group, Industry Group and Industry by clicking on links to SIC
Division selection data, SIC Major Group selection data, SIC
Industry Group selection data and SIC Industry selection data. In
addition, the buyer fields 240 can further include geographical
fields, insurance fields, certification fields, miscellaneous
fields and a profile name field (to differentiate the various
industries that the buyer has qualifications for). Furthermore, the
buyer user can be provided a link to enter new general qualifier(s)
into the computer system, as discussed above in connection with
FIG. 11
[0110] As discussed above, some of the buyer fields 240 displayed
are also general buyer fields that the buyer may have previously
filled out with general profile information. If general profile
information has been entered and stored for any of the buyer fields
displayed, that general profile information is listed as default
information. The buyer user may or may not be able to modify the
general profile information, depending upon the settings of the
buyer. For example, as seen in FIG. 12A, the geographical
preferences and insurance requirements include several buyer fields
that have previously been filled out during the general profile
information entering process. One or more of these fields may not
be modifiable by the buyer user for the specific industry.
[0111] FIG. 12B shows an example of industry profile information
255 entered by a buyer user using the user interface shown in FIG.
12A. The industry profile information 255 includes the general
profile information not modified by the buyer user (e.g.,
geographic preferences, business requirements and insurance
requirements) and the newly entered industry-specific information
entered by the buyer user (e.g., certification requirements and
miscellaneous qualifiers). The industry profile information 255 can
be displayed to the buyer user as the buyer user is entering the
general profile information, and can also be accessed by the buyer
user at a later time on a dashboard accessible to a buyer user upon
authentication and log-on to view and/or edit the general profile
information.
[0112] Vendors are qualified for buyers based upon the general
profile information and the industry profile information. Each
industry profile is qualified separately (for both the vendor and
the buyer), and therefore, each industry profile has a separate
vendor list of qualified vendors associated therewith. Therefore,
when viewing the industry profile information 255 for a specific
industry profile after the industry profile information 255 has
been entered and stored, the buyer user may be provided the option
of viewing the qualified vendor list for this specific industry
profile. In addition, the buyer user may also be provided the
option of viewing standard industry qualifications retrieved from
an industry record for the specific industry profile as a
benchmarking tool.
[0113] Examples of the type of industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 stored in an industry record 260 are illustrated
hereinbelow in Tables 16-19. The industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 can be stored in the same hierarchical manner as
the buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255, mirroring the
industry fields 270 stored in the database 150.
16TABLE 16 tblIndustryMaster Vendor Criteria Column Name Data Type
Length Information Industy_Profile_Name nvarchar 100 Furniture in
NY Industry_ID int 4 20 SIC_Code_ID int 4 5021 Country_ID int 4 1
Recom_Year_Corp_Low int 4 10 Recom_Year_Corp_High int 4 50
Recom_FTE_Count_Low numeric 9 500 Recom_FTE_Count_High numeric 9
2,000 Req_Verified_Tax_Filing char 1 Y Req_Audited_Statement char 1
Y Req_EDI_Capability char 1 N Req_EFT_Capability char 1 N
Req_D&B_Listed char 1 Y Req_JDPower_Listed char 1 Y
Recom_Sales_Low money 10 $500,000 Recom_Sales_High money 10
$10,000,000 Recom_Profit_Low money 10 $200,000 Recom_Profit_High
money 10 $7,500,000 Recom_NetWorth_High money 10 $1,000,000
Recom_NetWorth_Low money 10 $5,000,000 Create_Date datetime 8
dd/mm/yyyy Edit_Date datetime 8 dd/mm/yyyy Expiration_Date datetime
8 dd/mm/yyyy MSP_User_ID int 4 10 Source_ID int 4 2 Source_Name
nvarchar 100 Wall Street Journal Current_Status_ID int 4 1
[0114]
17TABLE 17 tblIndustryInsurance Column Name Data Type Length
Industry_ID int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Country_ID int 4 Region_ID int
4 City_ID int 4 Insurance_Type_ID int 4 Insurance_Coverage_Type int
4 Coverage_Amount_High money 10 Coverage_Amount_Low money 10
Coverage_Amount_Average money 10 Coverage_Amount_Median money 10
Coverage_Amount_StandardDeviation money 10 Total_Record_Number int
10 Total_VendorRecord_Number int 10 Total_BuyerRecord_Number int 10
StandardDeviation_Vendor_Number int 10
StandardDeviation_Buyer_Number int 10 Coverage_Recommended_ID int 4
Coverage_Amount_Recommended_High money 10
Coverage_Amount_Recommended_Low money 10
[0115]
18TABLE 18 tblIndustryCertification Column Name Data Type Length
Industry_ID int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Country_ID int 4 Region_ID int
4 City_ID int 4 Certification_Type_ID int 4
Certification_Recommended_ID int 4 Total_Record_Number int 10
Total_Certified_Record_Number int 10 Total_Certified_Record_P-
ercentage percentage 10 Vendor_Record_Number int 10
Vendor_Certified_Record_Number int 10 Vendor_Certified_Record_Per-
centage percentage 10 Buyer_Record_Number int 10
Buyer_Certified_Record_Number int 10 Buyer_Certified_Record_Perce-
ntage percentage 10
[0116]
19TABLE 19 tblIndustryMiscQualifiers Column Name Data Type Length
Industry_ID int 4 SIC_Code_ID int 4 Country_ID int 4 Region_ID int
4 City_ID int 4 Recom_UnionShop char 1 Req_Service_Warranty char 1
Req_Goods_Warranty char 1 Previous_Business_Relationship char 1
Net_Worth money 8 Total_Record_Number int 10
Total_Buyer_Record_Number int 10 Total_Vendor_Record_Number int
10
[0117] Table 16 above shows an "Industry Master" table that
contains a number of industry fields 270 and associated data
entries 275 that provide general industry information, such as the
industry profile name, the industry ID within the computer system,
the SIC Industry Code associated with the industry profile name and
various recommended and required general industry information, as
entered into the industry record 260 from an industry source user
or as collected from buyer records and/or vendor records stored in
the database 150. The source of the industry-related vendor
criteria information 265 can also be stored in the "Industry
Master" table to indicate all of the sources of the information.
For example, an expert in the industry can provide some or all of
the information, while statistical data collected from analyzing
vendor records and/or buyer records can provide other
information.
[0118] As shown in Tables 17-19 above, the industry record 260 can
further include one or more tables under the "Industry Master"
table that include data (not shown) indicating additional
industry-related vendor criteria information 265. For example,
Table 17 illustrates insurance information, Table 18 illustrates
certification information and Table 19 illustrates miscellaneous
industry-related vendor criteria information 265. For example, the
industry insurance requirements can include an indication of
whether or not a particular type of insurance is recommended or
required, an indication of the minimum coverage amounts of
insurance for each insurance type that are typically required in
the industry, ranges of insurance typically required in the
industry, average coverage amounts typically required in the
industry, the standard deviations from the average coverage amounts
and any other data related to insurance requirements. The industry
insurance requirements can be entered by an industry source user
and/or collected from vendor records and/or buyer records. If the
latter, the industry insurance table can further indicate the total
number of vendor and/or buyer records used in the calculation and
the number of vendor and/or buyer records within the standard
deviation.
[0119] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
entering industry-related vendor criteria information, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Initially, an
administrative user accesses the computer system and logs-in using,
for example, a user name and password, to authenticate the
administrative user to the computer system (step 600). Thereafter,
the administrative user is provided a summary page listing all
existing industry records accessible to the administrative user
(step 605) to allow the administrative user to either create a new
industry record or edit an existing industry record (step 610).
[0120] If the administrative user selects to edit an existing
industry record (step 615), the administrative user is provided an
input user interface that contains the existing (previously entered
and stored) industry information as default data (step 620).
However, if the administrative user selects to create a new
industry record, the administrative user is provided an input user
interface to enable the administrative user to enter the
industry-related vendor criteria information into a new industry
record (step 625). For example, the administrative user can be
prompted to enter the industry-related vendor criteria information
in the hierarchical and relational manner described above by
pushing web pages populated with industry fields and industry
selection data to the administrative user (step 630).
Alternatively, if the administrative user is updating an existing
industry record, the administrative user can be prompted to
indicate the type of information the user would like to update, and
in response, the computer system can push web pages to the user
having industry selection data associated with only the information
that the user would like to update (step 630).
[0121] Once the industry user has completed entering the
industry-related vendor criteria information (step 635), the
computer system stores the received industry-related vendor
criteria information in fields within an industry record (step
640). It should be understood that if the entered industry-related
vendor criteria information is updated industry-related vendor
criteria information intended by the user to replace previously
entered industry-related vendor criteria information, the "current
status" field of any previously stored industry-related vendor
criteria information in the industry record is set to "outdated" to
indicate that there is new industry-related vendor criteria
information that replaces the previously entered industry-related
vendor criteria information. In other embodiments, the new
industry-related vendor criteria information can simply replace the
previously entered industry-related vendor criteria information,
thereby effectively deleting the previously entered
industry-related vendor criteria information from the database. It
should further be understood that if the user requires additional
vendor qualifications that the computer system does not provide,
the administrative user can create a new industry field and/or
industry selection data (with or without approval from another
administrator) and enter information using the newly added industry
fields and/or industry selection data.
[0122] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
calculating statistical data and storing the statistical data as
industry-related vendor criteria information into an industry
record, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. To
create an industry record, either the computer system or an
administrative user initializes an industry record creation process
(step 650). For example, the computer system can be programmed to
automatically create industry records at pre-defined intervals.
Alternatively, an administrative user can access the computer
system and request initialization of the industry record creation
process.
[0123] Upon initialization, the search criteria are for determining
matching records are selected. For example, the particular industry
associated with the industry record (step 655), the record source,
such as buyer records, vendor records or both (step 660), and the
geographical area for the industry record (steps 665 and 670) can
be selected. Once all of the search criteria have been selected
(either manually by an administrative user or pre-configured by the
computer system), the computer system runs a batch mode matching
process on the selected resource records (i.e., vendor, buyer or
both) to determine matching records having the selected industry
and the selected geographical area (if any) therein. Using all of
the matching records, the computer system calculates statistical
data related to the industry (step 680) and stores the statistical
data in the industry record (step 685). The statistical data can be
run on all fields within the vendor and/or buyer records that
contain general and/or industry-specific data therein, or only on
specified fields (pre-configured by the computer system or entered
by the administrative user prior to calculating the statistical
data). In addition, the statistical data that is calculated for
each specified field can be pre-configured by the computer system
(e.g., high-low range, average, median and standard deviation) or
set by the administrative user prior to calculating the statistical
data.
[0124] FIG. 15A is a data view illustrating the types of
industry-related vendor criteria information 265 stored in an
industry record. The industry-related vendor criteria information
265 can be static (e.g., entered by an administrative user) or
dynamic (e.g., including updated calculated statistical data). The
industry-related vendor criteria information 265 can further
identify the industry (e.g., SIC Division, SIC Major Group, SIC
Industry Group and SIC Industry) and the geographical area
associated with the information 265. As shown above in Tables
16-19, the industry-related vendor criteria information 265 can
further include general business qualification data, business
insurance data, business certification data and other miscellaneous
qualifier data. In addition, the industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 can include multiple records associated with past
data, present data and future data (e.g. predicted data).
[0125] FIG. 15B is a screen shot of an exemplary web page
illustrating an example of industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 entered by an administrative user and stored within
an industry record. The industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 can be used to qualify vendors for industries or
displayed to a buyer user or vendor user, as described above, to
use as a benchmarking tool when entering industry profile
information or to compare a particular vendor with the industry
recommendations.
[0126] FIG. 16 is a data flow diagram illustrating a vendor
qualification tool 130 for comparing vendor qualification
information 235 with vendor criteria information 255 or 265 to
qualify vendors to do business with buyers and/or to qualify
vendors to do business in particular industries, in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention. The qualification tool 130
can include any hardware, software and/or firmware required to
perform the functions of the qualification tool, and can be
implemented within the web server 120 or an additional server (not
shown). Each time a vendor updates a vendor record 230 or creates a
new vendor record 230, the qualification tool 130 compares the
vendor qualification information 235 entered and stored in the
vendor record 230 to vendor criteria information 255 or 265 entered
and stored in buyer records 250 and/or industry records 260,
respectively.
[0127] If a vendor qualifies to do business with a particular
buyer, the qualification tool 130 adds the vendor to a buyer list
258 containing all of the vendors that are qualified to do business
with the buyer and adds the buyer to a vendor list 238 containing
all of the buyers that the vendor is qualified to do business with.
If the vendor list 238 is maintained at the computer system 100,
and not provided to the vendor, the vendor list 238 may only
contain the buyer identities the computer system 100 assigned the
buyers (although additional buyer information could be stored).
However, if the vendor list 238 is to be downloaded to a vendor
database (not shown), the vendor list 238 could include any buyer
information that the vendor chooses to include in the list. For
example, the vendor list 238 can include all of the buyer-defined
vendor criteria information 255 (including basic buyer
identification information) stored in the buyer record 250 or just
a portion of the buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255.
However, there may be some buyer-defined vendor criteria
information 255 that the buyer does not want the vendor to have
access to. In this case, the buyer can limit access to certain
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 by restricting access
to the information 255 when the buyer enters the information 255.
The vendor list 238 can further be subdivided or organized in any
manner the vendor and/or computer system 100 chooses. For example,
the vendor may provide multiple goods and/or services, and
therefore, the vendor list 238 can include multiple lists, each
being associated with a particular good or service, or the vendor
list 238 can be subdivided into the particular goods or services
the vendor provides. As another example, the vendor may provide
goods and/or services in multiple geographical areas, and
therefore, the vendor list 238 can include multiple lists, each
being associated with a particular geographical area.
[0128] In addition, the buyer list 258 containing all of the
vendors qualified to do business with the buyer can include any
vendor qualification information 235 desired by the buyer (unless
the vendor limits access to that information 235) and can be
subdivided or organized in any manner desired by the buyer. For
example, the buyer list 258 may include multiple lists, each
containing vendors qualified to do business with the buyer for a
particular good or service. These lists can be further subdivided
into vendors qualified to provide a particular good or service in a
particular geographical area. The vendor qualification information
235 included in the buyer list 258 should be sufficient for the
buyer to contact the vendor (e.g., mailing address, e-mail address,
telephone number, contact name at the vendor, etc.) and assess
whether a particular vendor should be contacted for a particular
good or service request (e.g., RFQ/RFP). The buyer can either
access the buyer list 258 at the computer system 100 to contact one
or more vendors or the buyer list 258 can be downloaded to a buyer
database 400 for independent use of the buyer list 258 at the buyer
site for selection of vendors to send RFQ/RFP's to. Updates to the
buyer list 258 can be downloaded to the buyer database 400 upon
receipt or periodically. For example, the computer system database
150 can download the entire buyer list 258 to the buyer database
400 each time a vendor is added or removed from the list 258,
download the entire buyer list 258 to the buyer database 400
periodically or download only the changes to the buyer list 258 to
the buyer database 400 as they occur or periodically.
[0129] If a vendor qualifies to do business in a particular
industry, the qualification tool 130 adds the vendor to an industry
list 268 containing all of the vendors that are qualified to do
business in that industry and adds the industry to the vendor list
238 containing all of the industries that the vendor is qualified
to do business in. The qualified industries can be included within
the same list 238 that the qualified buyers are in, or can be
separated out into a separate list 238. Each industry record 260
has a different industry list associated with it, and each industry
list 268 can be subdivided or organized in any manner desired by
the computer system operator. The industry list 268 can be accessed
by buyers (or vendors or administrators) to determine the vendors
that are pre-qualified for a particular industry and to view the
"best in class" of the vendors for that industry.
[0130] In addition, each time a buyer updates a buyer record 250 or
creates a new buyer record 250, the qualification tool 130 compares
the buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 entered and
stored in the buyer record 250 to vendor qualification information
235 entered and stored in vendor records 230. If the buyer is
simply updating a buyer record 250, the buyer can request that the
computer system 100 only re-qualify vendors currently on the buyer
list 258 with only the new vendor criteria information 255.
Alternatively, the computer system 100 can compare all of the
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255, including the new
vendor criteria information 255, with all vendor records 230,
especially if the new vendor criteria information 255 significantly
changes the buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255. The
qualification tool 130 can further be used to solicit new vendor
qualification information 235 from vendors if the buyer adds a new
vendor criteria (buyer field) not previously supported by the
system. For example, after an associated vendor field is created by
the computer system 100, the qualification tool 130 can send an
e-mail to all vendors in the buyer list 258 or to certain vendors
in the buyer list 258 specified by the buyer to provide new vendor
qualification information 235 to remain qualified for the
buyer.
[0131] The qualification tool 130 further interfaces with the web
server 120 to provide e-mail notification messages 25a and 25b (or
dashboard displays) to the vendor browser 20a, indicating whether
the vendor is qualified or not. For example, the qualification tool
130 can request the web server 120 to send an e-mail notification
message 25a to the vendor browser 20a each time the vendor is
qualified for a particular buyer or industry. Alternatively, the
qualification tool 130 can request the web server 120 to send an
e-mail notification message 25a to the vendor browser 20a
periodically with a list of buyers and/or industries that the
vendor is qualified for. The qualification tool 130 can send the
entire list of buyers and/or industries stored within the vendor
list 238, or only newly added buyers and/or industries.
[0132] In most cases, it would not be economical to send the vendor
an e-mail notification message including every buyer and/or
industry the vendor is not qualified for. Therefore, the
qualification tool 130 can send the vendor an e-mail notification
message 25b including only those unqualified buyers and/or
industries that the vendor was attempting to be qualified for,
based on the information entered by the vendor into the vendor
qualification information 235. For example, the vendor could
specify particular buyers that the vendor would like to do business
with, and request notification of whether or not the vendor was
qualified for those particular buyers. As another example, if the
vendor was previously qualified for a particular buyer or industry,
and due to new qualifications associated with the buyer or industry
or expired vendor qualification information 235 stored in the
vendor record 230, the vendor is no longer qualified for the buyer
or industry, the qualification tool 130 can send an e-mail
notification message 25b to the vendor browser 20a indicating that
the vendor is no longer qualified for that buyer or industry.
[0133] An example of the information the qualification tool uses to
compare vendor qualification information 235 and vendor criteria
information 255/265 to pre-qualify a vendor per industry or per
buyer is illustrated in FIG. 17. The qualification tool retrieves
pertinent vendor qualification information 235 from vendor fields
220 from the vendor record 230 and vendor criteria information
255/265 from buyer fields 240 within the buyer record 250 or
industry fields 263 from the industry record 260 to perform the
comparison. For example, the qualification tool can retrieve the
vendor ID, vendor company name and other identifying data from the
vendor qualification information 235, buyer identifying data (not
shown) from the buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 (if
the qualification tool is qualifying a vendor for a buyer) and
industry identifying data (not shown) from the industry-related
vendor criteria information 265 (if the qualification tool is
qualifying a vendor for an industry). The qualification tool
further retrieves all of the vendor criteria information 255 or 265
from the buyer record 250 or industry record 260, respectively, and
uses the vendor criteria information 255 or 265 to determine the
associated vendor qualification information 235 to retrieve from
the vendor record 230.
[0134] In the example of FIG. 17, the fields (buyer fields 240 or
industry fields 263) containing vendor criteria information 255 or
265 included the business entity type of the vendor, the net worth
of the vendor, the currency type of the vendor, the full time
employee count of the vendor, along with other certification and
insurance fields. In addition, the fields 240 or 263 containing
vendor criteria information 255 or 265, respectively, also included
the data renewal date of the vendor qualification information 235
stored in the vendor records 230. The data renewal date allows the
buyer or computer system (for industry records) to effectively put
an expiration time on the vendor qualification information 235 to
eliminate vendors that have not updated their records 230 within a
certain period of time. The qualification tool compares the data
within each particular field to ascertain whether the vendor
complies with the buyer and/or industry requirements. In FIG. 17,
the qualification tool has entered "Yes" in a compliance record 500
for each field, and therefore, the vendor does comply with each
buyer or industry requirements. Based on the compliance record 500,
the qualification tool would qualify the vendor for the particular
buyer or industry and update the associated lists (vendor, buyer
and/or industry) accordingly. For exemplary purposes, the specific
geographic, SIC industry and industry certification qualifiers were
gleaned from the reporting output view in FIG. 17.
[0135] FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
qualifying vendors on a per industry or per client basis, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention. When the
computer system receives both vendor criteria information (step
700) and vendor qualification information (step 710), the computer
system compares the vendor criteria information to the vendor
qualification information (step 720). If the vendor qualification
information does not match the vendor criteria information (step
730), the computer system can optionally send an e-mail
notification message to the vendor (step 740), as discussed above
in connection with FIG. 16. However, if the vendor qualification
information does match the vendor criteria information (step 730),
the computer system sends an e-mail notification message to the
vendor (step 750). If the vendor criteria information is
buyer-defined vendor criteria information (step 760), the computer
system adds the vendor to the qualified buyer list (step 770) and
sends the updated qualified buyer list to the buyer (step 780). If
the vendor criteria information is industry-related vendor criteria
information (step 760), the computer system adds the vendor to the
qualified industry list (step 790). The buyer and/or industry can
also be added to the vendor list, as described above.
[0136] FIG. 19 is a data flow diagram illustrating a statistical
tool 160 for calculating and providing industry-related statistical
data associated with one or more vendor records and/or buyer
records, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
The statistical tool 160 can include any hardware, software and/or
firmware required to perform the functions of the statistical tool
160, and can be implemented within the web server 120 or an
additional server (not shown). When a user accesses the computer
system 100 using a user browser 20, the computer system 100
solicits selection criteria 110 from the user. The user can be an
administrative user attempting to create an industry record, as
described above in connection with FIG. 14, a buyer user requesting
statistical data or standard industry qualifications, as described
above in connection with FIG. 12B and shown in FIG. 15B, or a
vendor user requesting statistical data or standard industry
qualifications. The statistical data can be used to qualify vendors
for industries, to compare a vendor to industry standards or to use
as a benchmarking tool by a buyer or a vendor when entering data
into a buyer record 250 or vendor record 230, respectively.
[0137] In one embodiment, the statistical criteria 110 includes
information 235 or 255 stored in a vendor or buyer record 230 or
250, respectively, within the database 150. In another embodiment,
the statistical criteria 110 can be entered in the same manner as
the vendor criteria information 265 stored in the industry records
260 in the database 150. For example, the statistical tool 160 can
interface with the database 150 to retrieve criteria fields 170
containing criteria selection data 175 and populate one or more web
pages 125a within the web server 120 with the criteria selection
data 175 to be passed to the user browser 20, so that the user can
enter the specific statistical criteria 110 that the user would
like statistical information on. It should be understood that the
criteria selection data 175 can include either selection data that
can be individually selected (e.g., corresponding to the industry
selection data within industry fields discussed above in connection
with FIG. 2) and/or one or more pre-configured industry profiles
that correspond to pre-configured industry-related vendor criteria
information 265 (e.g., industry, geographical area and record
source) stored within industry records 260. In addition, if the
statistical criteria 110 is selected from one or more
pre-configured industry profiles, the statistical criteria 110
provided to the computer system 100 can include only one or more
components of a particular pre-configured industry profile.
[0138] In some embodiments, the criteria selection data 175 can
further include statistical selections that can be populated in web
pages 125a and provided to the user browser 20 from the web server
120 for the user to select statistical criteria 115 from. In other
embodiments, the statistical criteria 115 can be pre-configured by
the computer system 100 based upon existing industry records. The
statistical selections 175 provided to the user can be generic
regardless of the selection criteria 110 entered by the user, or
the statistical selections 175 can be based upon the selection
criteria 110 entered by the user. For example, if the user selects
a particular industry having unique qualifications, the user can be
prompted to enter whether the user would like to have statistical
data 265a related to those unique qualifications. The statistical
criteria 115 entered by the user can also indicate the types of
statistical data 265a required. For example, the statistical
criteria 115 can request the average insurance amount across all
geographical areas for a specific industry, the average insurance
amount for specific geographic areas for the specific industry, the
standard deviation, the insurance amount range and any other
statistical data 265a that the user desires.
[0139] The selection criteria 110 and any statistical criteria 115
are passed from the web server 120 to the statistical tool 160 to
determine the statistical data 265a to be presented to the user. If
the user has selected a pre-configured industry profile associated
with a particular industry record (or one or more components of a
pre-configured industry profile), the statistical tool 160 can
retrieve the selected industry-related vendor criteria information
265 from the selected industry record 260 and interface with the
web server 120 to provide a web page 125b containing the requested
statistical data 265a to the user browser 20. If the user has
entered individual selection criteria 110 or if the user is using
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 or vendor
qualification data 235 as the selection criteria 110, the
statistical tool 160 can either compare the entered/stored
selection criteria 110 with industry records 260 stored within the
database 150 or compare the entered selection criteria 110 to the
vendor records 230 and/or buyer records 250 stored within the
database 150. The statistical tool 160 compares the entered
selection criteria 110 to industry records 260 in order to
determine the closest matching industry record to the entered
selection criteria 110 in order to present pre-calculated
statistical data 265a to the user.
[0140] However, if the user desires specific statistical data 265a
not available from existing industry records, the user can request
that the statistical tool 160 run a new industry record creation
process to create an industry record 260 for the user (that may or
may not be stored in the database 150 and may or may not be
available to multiple buyers, vendors and administrators). To
determine the matching records associated with the entered
selection criteria 110, the statistical tool 160 retrieves vendor
qualification information 235 from the vendor records 230 and/or
buyer-defined vendor criteria information from the buyer records
250 to determine if the vendor criteria 110 match any of the vendor
and/or buyer records 250 and/or 260, respectively. The user can
designate that all entered selection criteria 110 must match
exactly before a particular record 230 or 250 is used in the
statistical analysis, or the user can specify a minimal match
percentage (e.g., 75% of the selection criteria 110 must match a
record 230 or 250 for that record 230 or 250 to be used in the
statistical analysis). Alternatively, the computer system 100 can
determine a minimal match percentage or other matching criteria
before using a record 230 or 250 in the statistical analysis. The
computer system 100 can further inform the user of the matching
criteria used to enable the user to narrow or broaden the matching
criteria accordingly as part of the selection criteria 110.
[0141] If the vendor qualification information 235 and/or
buyer-defined vendor criteria information 255 within a particular
vendor record 230 and/or buyer record 250, respectively, matches
the entered selection criteria 110 based upon the matching
criteria, the statistical tool 160 uses the information 235 and/or
255 within the record 230 and/or 250, respectively, to calculate
statistical data 265a related to the selection criteria 110. The
statistical tool 160 interfaces with the web server 120 to provide
the web page 125b containing the requested statistical data 265a to
the user browser 20. The statistical tool 160 can further interface
with the database 150 to store the statistical data 265a within a
new industry record 260 as industry-related vendor criteria
information, unless the user designates otherwise.
[0142] Based upon the statistical data 265a received, the
statistical tool 160 can further provide the user the option of
modifying the selection criteria 110 and/or the statistical
criteria 115 to narrow or broaden the number of records 230 and/or
250 included within the statistical data 265a or modify the type of
statistical data 265a provided on the web page 125b displayed to
the user via the user browser 20. In addition, if the selection
criteria 110 entered by the user are too broad to perform a
manageable search, the statistical tool 160 can request the user to
modify the selection criteria 110. For example, the statistical
tool 160 can suggest that the user narrow the geographical area,
industry (e.g., from a Major Group to an Industry Group or
Industry) or record source. Furthermore, if the selection criteria
110 are too narrow, such that few or no matches occur, the
statistical tool 160 can request the user to modify the selection
criteria 110. For example, the statistical tool 160 can suggest
that the user broaden the geographical area, industry or record
source.
[0143] Examples of statistical industry data 265a provided to a
user are illustrated in FIGS. 20A and 20B. FIG. 20A is a screen
shot of an exemplary web page 125b listing various statistical data
265a based upon vendor records, while FIG. 20B is a screen shot of
an exemplary web page 125b listing various statistical data 265a
based upon buyer records. For example, the user can be provided a
total number of records that matched the vendor criteria entered by
the user, along with various statistical data 265a associated with
the vendor qualification information or buyer-defined vendor
criteria information stored in the matching records. In addition,
the user can be provided the option to view buyer preferences (as
shown in FIG. 20B), vendor information (as shown in FIG. 20A) or
qualification recommendations (as shown in FIG. 15B). Furthermore,
the user can be provided the option to edit the selection criteria
and/or statistical criteria (shown as an "Edit Criteria" button),
save the selection criteria and/or statistical criteria (shown as a
"Save Criteria" button) to save the criteria entered for future
analysis purposes (e.g., the user may want to run another
statistical analysis of vendor records and/or buyer records or both
for the same or a different industry, and may want to reduce the
amount of input that is required) and/or save the data displayed
(shown as a "Save Data" button) as an industry record for later
viewing by the user.
[0144] FIG. 21 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for
calculating and providing statistical data related to one or more
vendor records and/or buyer records, in accordance with embodiments
of the present invention. Initially, a user accesses the computer
system and logs-in using, for example, a user name and password, to
authenticate the user to the computer system (step 800). The user
name and/or password can be unique to each user, or one user name
and password can be associated with all users at a particular
source (e.g., business entity).
[0145] Once the user has been authenticated, if the user has
created a record (vendor or buyer), the user can use the previously
created record as the selection criteria (step 805). The user can
further choose to either determine the closest matching industry
record to the previously created user record (steps 810 and 815) or
to use the previously created user record as the search criteria to
create a new industry record (steps 810 and 820). If the user does
not want to use a previously created user record as the selection
criteria, the user can select a pre-configured industry profile
associated with an existing industry record to view statistical
data associated with one or more industry fields stored within that
industry record (step 825), or the user can enter the selection
criteria individually to create a new industry record (step 830).
Thereafter, the user can enter the statistical criteria (step 835)
into the computer system, as described above.
[0146] Once the selection criteria and statistical criteria have
been entered, the computer system determines whether the selection
criteria is associated with an existing industry record (e.g., the
user has requested the computer system to determine the closest
matching industry record to a previously created user record or the
user has selected a pre-configured industry profile associated with
an existing industry record) (step 840). If so, the computer system
retrieves the requested statistical data based upon the statistical
criteria from the industry record and displays the statistical data
to the user (step 845).
[0147] If not, the computer system compares the selection criteria
to the information stored in vendor records and/or buyer records to
determine matching vendor records and/or buyer records (step 850),
in accordance with the matching criteria, as discussed above.
Thereafter, the information included within the matching record is
used to calculate statistical data in accordance with the
statistical criteria entered by the user (step 855). The calculated
statistical data is provided to the user for viewing, downloading
or printing by the user (step 845). It should be noted that the
user can further be provided the option of modifying the selection
criteria and/or statistical criteria to broaden or narrow the
number of matching records in order to obtain more accurate
statistical data or different statistical data.
[0148] FIG. 22 is a data flow diagram illustrating a vendor
maintenance tool 140 for maintaining vendor qualification, in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Each vendor
record 230 has a data review field therein that stores a data
renewal date 235a to serve as a reminder to the vendor to review
and update the vendor qualification information stored in the
vendor record 230. In addition, one or more tables or fields within
the vendor record 230 may have an expiry field that stores an
expiration date 235b associated with the particular table or field.
For example, if a vendor has entered insurance information into the
vendor record 230, and one or more of the insurance policies has an
expiration date 235b, an expiry field within the vendor record 230
would store the expiration date(s) 235b of the insurance
policies.
[0149] The vendor maintenance tool 140 within the computer system
100 interfaces with the database 150 to manage the vendor records
230 to ensure that all vendor qualification information stored
within the vendor records 230 is current by reviewing all data
renewal dates and data expiration dates within the vendor records
230. The maintenance tool 140 includes the hardware, software
and/or firmware required to perform the functions of the
maintenance tool 140, and can be included within the web server 120
or an additional server (not shown). If a data renewal date 235a or
data expiration date 235b indicates that updated vendor
qualification information is needed from a vendor, the maintenance
tool 140 interfaces with the web server 120 to send an update
request message 35 to the vendor browser 20a. For example, the
maintenance tool 140 can be programmed to send out update request
messages 35 a certain period of time (e.g., one month) in advance
of any data renewal date 235a or expiration date 235b. The update
request message 35 can be sent as an e-mail message to the vendor
browser's 20a e-mail account or as a posted message on a dashboard
that a vendor user can view via the vendor browser 20a upon
logging-in to the computer system.
[0150] The maintenance tool can further retrieve new vendor fields
220 (based on new buyer fields 240 configured by the buyer or new
industry fields 263 configured by the computer system 100) not
previously available to the vendor or not previously required to be
filled out by the vendor. The update request message 35 sent to the
vendor browser 20a can inform the vendor that a new vendor field is
available or required to be filled out. It should be understood
that although not shown, an update request message can also be sent
to the buyer browser, informing the buyer of a new buyer field 240
(shown in FIG. 2). The update message can be sent to all vendors
and buyers registered with the computer system 100 or to only those
vendors and buyers who have a need to update their records 230 or
250 based on the new field 220 or 240 (e.g., all vendors and buyers
in a particular industry related to the new field 220 or 240, all
vendors pre-qualified for a particular buyer, etc.).
[0151] The maintenance tool 140 further coordinates the collection
of any updated vendor qualification information 235c provided by
the vendor via the vendor module (and also the collection of any
updated vendor criteria information provided by the buyer via the
buyer module). The updated vendor qualification information 235c
can be entered by the vendor via the vendor browser 20a and web
server 120 and/or provided to the computer system 100 through
traditional mailing or faxing, if hard copies of or documentation
supporting the updated vendor qualification information 235c are
required for verification purposes (e.g., a new copy of an
insurance policy). Therefore, in some embodiments, the maintenance
tool 140 further enables an operator of the computer system 100 to
enter updated vendor qualification information 235c into the
maintenance tool 140. The computer system 100 further incorporates
the capability of receiving documents transmitted electronically
via file attachment and/or direct technical interface. Upon receipt
of the updated vendor qualification information 235c, the
maintenance tool 140 is further responsible for storing the updated
vendor qualification information 235c in the vendor record 240 and
updating the data renewal date 235a and/or data expiration date
235b, as appropriate. If the updated vendor qualification
information 235c changes or modifies an existing table or field
within the vendor record 240, the maintenance tool can replace any
previously stored vendor qualification information with the updated
vendor qualification information 235c or store the updated vendor
qualification information 235c in addition to the previously stored
vendor qualification information within the vendor record 230. If
the latter, the current status of the previously stored vendor
qualification information would be changed to "outdated."
[0152] The maintenance tool 140 is further responsible for
interfacing with the qualification tool (shown in FIG. 16) to
update vendor lists 238, buyer lists 258 and industry lists 268 if
updated vendor qualification information 235c is not entered into
the computer system 100 prior to the expiration date or data
renewal date. In one embodiment, the maintenance tool 140 removes
the vendor from all buyer lists 258 and industry lists 268 and sets
the current status of the vendor record 230 to "outdated" if
updated vendor qualification information 235c is not entered prior
to the expiration or data renewal date (or within a reasonable,
pre-configured or negotiated time period after the expiration or
data renewal date). In another embodiment, the maintenance tool 140
removes the vendor from all buyer lists 258 and industry lists 268
that required the updated vendor qualification information 235c if
updated vendor qualification information 235c is not entered prior
to the expiration date. For example, if a particular industry or
buyer requires the vendor to have a particular amount of insurance
coverage, and the insurance policy providing that coverage lapses
without the vendor providing a renewal policy, the maintenance tool
140 can remove the vendor from that particular buyer list 258 or
industry list 268. In addition, the maintenance tool 140 can
further remove that particular industry or buyer from the vendor
list 238. In further embodiments, the maintenance tool 140 can be
programmed to make no changes to the vendor list 238, buyer lists
258 or industry lists 268 if updated vendor qualification
information 235c is not provided prior to the data renewal date.
For example, the data renewal date can be used simply as a reminder
to the vendor to check the vendor records 230 and make any changes
without invoking any consequences on the vendor if changes are not
made.
[0153] The maintenance tool 140 further interfaces with the web
server 120 to provide e-mail notification messages 25a and 25b to
the vendor regarding whether the vendor is qualified or not based
upon any updated vendor qualification information 235c the vendor
enters or does not enter into the computer system 100. For example,
if the updated vendor qualification information 235c re-qualifies
the vendor for a particular buyer or industry, the maintenance tool
140 can provide an e-mail notification message 25a to the vendor
indicating the vendor is qualified for the buyer or industry.
Likewise, if the vendor does not provide any updated vendor
qualification information 235c or if the updated vendor
qualification information 235c does not meet the vendor criteria
information stored within a particular buyer record 250 or industry
record 260, the maintenance tool 140 can provide an e-mail
notification message 25b to the vendor informing the vendor that
the vendor is no longer qualified for that particular buyer or
industry. It should be understood that the maintenance tool 140
interfaces with the qualification tool (shown in FIG. 16) to make
the determination as to whether any updated vendor qualification
information 235c entered by the vendor matches the vendor criteria
information for any buyers and/or industries on the vendor list
238.
[0154] FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
maintaining vendor qualification, in accordance with embodiments of
the present invention. When the computer system determines that a
vendor is in compliance breach due to changed buyer or industry
requirements or to the expiration of a qualification date (such as
the data renewal date or data expiration date), the computer system
notifies the vendor via e-mail and/or system dashboard of the
pending compliance breach (step 900). If the vendor provides
updated vendor qualification information within pre-configured time
constraints (step 905), the computer system updates the vendor
record with the updated vendor qualification information (step 910)
and, if necessary, verifies the updated vendor qualification
information (step 915). If the updated vendor qualification
information is verified as accurate (step 915), the vendor
qualification information is marked as approved within the vendor
record (step 920). However, if the vendor does not provide updated
vendor qualification information within pre-configured time
constraints (step 905) or the updated vendor qualification
information is not verified as accurate (step 915), the vendor is
subjected to pre-determined penalties dependent upon the type of
breach (no longer qualified for a particular buyer or industry or
stale vendor qualification information) and any rules pertaining to
the breach defined by the buyer or industry (step 925).
[0155] FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps for
maintaining current vendor qualification information, in accordance
with embodiments of the present invention. When a vendor enters
vendor qualification information for the first time into the
computer system or when a vendor provides updated vendor
qualification information to the computer system (step 950), the
vendor record associated with the vendor is updated with the newly
entered or updated vendor qualification information (step 955). If
any of the vendor qualification information entered by the vendor
has an expiration date (step 960), the computer system sets an
expiry field associated with the vendor qualification information
with the expiration date (step 965). In addition, the computer
system further sets a data review field with a data renewal date to
request updated vendor qualification information from the vendor
(step 970).
[0156] If an expiration date is reached (step 975), the computer
system sends an update request e-mail message to the vendor
requesting updated vendor qualification information related to the
expired data (step 980). If the requested updated vendor
qualification information is entered by the vendor into the
computer system prior to the expiration date (step 985), the vendor
record for the vendor is updated (step 955), and a new expiration
date (if any) is set (step 960). However, if the requested updated
vendor qualification information is not received by the computer
system prior to the expiration date (or within a reasonable,
pre-configured or negotiated time after the expiration date) (step
985), the vendor is removed from the appropriate buyer and industry
lists, and the vendor list is updated accordingly (step 990).
[0157] If the data renewal date is reached (step 995), the computer
system sends an update request e-mail message to the vendor
requesting updated vendor qualification information to remind the
vendor to check the vendor record to ensure the accuracy of the
vendor qualification information (step 998). If updated vendor
qualification information is entered by the vendor into the
computer system prior to the data renewal date (step 999), the
vendor record is updated with the updated vendor qualification
information (step 955). However, if no updated vendor qualification
information is received by the computer system prior to the data
renewal date (step 999), in one embodiment, the vendor
qualification information is considered outdated and the vendor is
removed from any buyer and/or industry lists that the vendor was
qualified for (step 990). In another embodiment, if no updated
vendor qualification information is received by the computer system
prior to the data renewal date (step 999), the data renewal date is
updated and no changes are made to the vendor record or any of the
buyer, industry or vendor lists (step 975).
[0158] As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the
innovative concepts described in the present application can be
modified and varied over a wide range of applications. Accordingly,
the scope of patented subject matter should not be limited to any
of the specific exemplary teachings discussed, but is instead
defined by the following claims.
* * * * *
References