System and method of setting a configuration to achieve an outcome
A method for improving performance of a computer procurement application includes using a procurement control system computer that is communicatively connected to a plurality of client computers, retrieving attribute values of one or more entities, forming a set of matching entity records, and determining peer group data of a peer group from each set of matching entity records corresponding to the one or more entities and associated with two or more entities that are similar to a target entity; using the procurement control system computer, from each of set of matching entity records corresponding to the peer group, extracting configuration data for the one or more entities and identifying one or more commonalities in the configuration data for the one or more entities; using the procurement control system computer, extracting configuration data for the target entity; using the procurement control system computer, comparing the configuration data of the target entity with the one or more commonalities in the configuration data from the matching entity records; using the procurement control system computer, determining the configuration data of the target entity that differs from the one or more commonalities of a majority of the one or more entities in the peer group; and using the procurement control system computer, providing, via a graphical user interface of one of the client computers, one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity that differs from the one or more commonalities of a majority of the one or more entities in the peer group as a recommendation to change one or more of the configuration data of the target entity.
1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
using a procurement control system computer that is communicatively connected to a plurality of client computers, detecting a triggering event associated with accessing the procurement control system computer by a client computer via executing web browser instructions;
in response to detecting the triggering event, retrieving attribute values of one or more entities by the procurement control system computer, forming a set of matching entity records, and determining peer group data of a peer group from each set of matching entity records corresponding to the one or more entities and associated with two or more entities that are similar to a target entity;
using the procurement control system computer, from each set of matching entity records corresponding to the peer group, extracting configuration data for the one or more entities and identifying one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group, wherein the one or more commonalities in the configuration data are values specified by the configuration data that at least a threshold number of entities in the peer group individually select for use within a procurement application, and wherein the values of the configuration data affect procurement operations within the procurement application;
using the procurement control system computer, extracting configuration data associated with procurement operations within the procurement application for the target entity;
using the procurement control system computer, comparing the configuration data of the target entity with the one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group;
using the procurement control system computer, identifying one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity that differ from the one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group;
using the procurement control system computer, providing a plurality of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) values of the two or more entities in the peer group as input to a machine learning algorithm and predicting, automatically and without human intervention, by the machine learning algorithm and based in part on KPI values of the target entity, a particular KPI value as an effect of changing the one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity on a relative performance of the target entity for the procurement operation;
using the procurement control system computer, providing, via a graphical user interface of the client computer, a recommendation of changing more than one value of the configuration data of the target entity such that a synergistic effect on the particular KPI value is achieved, the recommendation providing descriptions of the predicted effect of changing the more than one value of the configuration data of the target entity on the relative performance of the target entity for the procurement operations within the procurement application, wherein the graphical user interface comprises an interface element for initiating changing the configuration data of the target entity adjacent to the recommendation; and
in response to a selection of the interface element, automatically changing the more than one value of the configuration data of the target entity without human intervention on behalf of the target entity.
2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity that differs from the one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group being associated with changing the procurement operations within the procurement application of the target entity.
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more commonalities comprise binary values indicating an approval required for a purchase order above a specified amount.
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more commonalities comprise two or more configuration values that represent a range for the configuration data.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the attribute values of the one or more entities in one or more of a sign-up process with the procurement control system computer or in response to a request of the procurement control system computer to update entity information, the attribute values comprising any of a revenue value, number of employees, an industry value or a vertical market value.
6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising assembling configuration values including KPI values of the peer group that are related to the configuration data of the target entity and presenting, on the graphical user interface of the client computer, the KPI values of the peer group depicting performance data to the relative performance of the target entity based on associated KPI values.
7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface of the client computer includes one or more options and graphical elements for changing one or more values corresponding to the configuration data of the target entity.
8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising removing one or more steps in the configuration data of the target entity to change a level of the procurement operations within the procurement application in response to predicting an amount of time for the procurement operations within the procurement application of the target entity.
9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising setting the configuration data for the peer group using the interface element on the graphical user interface, the interface element comprising two or more drop-down menus, each of the two or more drop-down menus being associated with a different attribute value associated with the one or more entities in the peer group.
10 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing sequences of instructions which when executed using one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform:
using a procurement control system computer that is communicatively connected to a plurality of client computers, detecting a triggering event associated with accessing the procurement control system computer by a client computer via executing web browser instructions;
in response to detecting the triggering event, retrieving attribute values of one or more entities by the procurement control system computer, forming a set of matching entity records, and determining peer group data of a peer group from each set of matching entity records corresponding to the one or more entities and associated with two or more entities that are similar to a target entity;
using the procurement control system computer, from each set of matching entity records corresponding to the peer group, extracting configuration data for the one or more entities and identifying one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group, wherein the one or more commonalities in the configuration data are values specified by the configuration data that at least a threshold number of entities in the peer group individually select for use within a procurement application, and wherein the values of the configuration data affect procurement operations within the procurement application;
using the procurement control system computer, extracting configuration data associated with procurement operations within the procurement application for the target entity;
using the procurement control system computer, comparing the configuration data of the target entity with the one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group;
using the procurement control system computer, identifying one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity that differ from the one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group;
using the procurement control system computer, providing a plurality of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) values of the two or more entities in the peer group as input to a machine learning algorithm and predicting, automatically and without human intervention, by the machine learning algorithm and based in part on KPI values of the target entity, a particular KPI value as an effect of changing the one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity on a relative performance of the target entity for the procurement operation;
using the procurement control system computer, providing, via a graphical user interface of the client computer, a recommendation of changing more than one value of the configuration data of the target entity such that a synergistic effect on the particular KPI value is achieved, the recommendation providing descriptions of the predicted effect of changing the more than one value of the configuration data of the target entity on the relative performance of the target entity for the procurement operations within the procurement application, wherein the graphical user interface comprises an interface element for initiating changing the configuration data of the target entity adjacent to the recommendation; and
in response to a selection of the interface element, automatically changing the more than one value of the configuration data of the target entity without human intervention on behalf of the target entity.
11 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , the one or more values of the configuration data of the target entity that differs from the one or more commonalities in the configuration data corresponding to the peer group being associated with changing the procurement operations within the procurement application of the target entity.
12 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the one or more commonalities comprise binary values indicating an approval required for a purchase order above a specified amount.
13 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the one or more commonalities comprise two or more configuration values that represent a range for the configuration data.
14 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , further comprising sequences of instructions which when executed using one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform receiving the attribute values of the one or more entities in one or more of a sign-up process with the procurement control system computer or in response to a request of the procurement control system computer to update entity information, the attribute values comprising any of a revenue value, number of employees, an industry value or a vertical market value.
15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , further comprising sequences of instructions which when executed using one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform assembling configuration values including KPI values of the peer group that are related to the configuration data of the target entity and presenting, on the graphical user interface of the client computer, the KPI values of the peer group depicting performance data to the relative performance of the target entity based on associated KPI values.
16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the graphical user interface of the client computer includes one or more options and graphical elements for changing one or more values corresponding to the configuration data of the target entity.