Baseline cost savings analysis

1. A computer-implemented cost savings analysis system, comprising:

one or more databases storing historical transaction data;

a server system coupled to the one or more databases, the server system operable to:

receive a user input specifying a cost savings goal for one or more transactions; and

access the historical transaction data within the one or more databases needed to generate a baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, wherein the baseline price is generated based on data selected from the group consisting of the historical transaction data and data manually input by an authorized user; and

an analysis module coupled with the server system, the analysis module operable to:

determine the historical transaction data to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions;

responsive to a determination that the historical transaction data exists to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, generate the baseline price based on the historical transaction data for each of the one or more transactions that the historical transaction data exists;

responsive to a determination that the historical transaction data does not exist to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, generate the baseline price according to manual input by the authorized user for each of the one or more transactions that the historical transaction data does not exist, wherein the authorized user is required to provide a reason for the baseline price;

determine a weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions based on the specified cost savings goal for the one or more transactions and a percentage of total costs an organization allocates to a transaction type associated with each of the one or more transactions;

determine a variation between the generated baseline price and an actual price for each of the one or more transactions, wherein the actual price reflects a per-item price for each of the one or more transactions;

compare the determined variations for each of the one or more transactions with the weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions;

generate a cost savings result of the comparison of the determined variations for each of the one or more transactions and the weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions; and

alert the user when the generated cost savings result reaches a certain threshold.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the specified cost savings goal comprises a monetary amount or a percentage relative to a baseline price; and

the determined variations comprise monetary amounts or percentages relative to the generated baseline price.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the specified cost savings goal is for a particular combination of one or more items, suppliers, time frames, units within an organization, or personnel within an organization.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generated baseline price is selected from the group consisting of an average rolling twelve-month price, an average year-to-date price, an average previous calendar year price, and a last paid price.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more databases containing the historical transaction data comprise relational databases.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis module is further operable to access the historical transaction data, generate the baseline price, determine the variations for the one or more transactions corresponding to the specified cost savings goal, and compare the determined variations for the one or more transactions with the specified cost savings goal by causing one or more scripts designed for these activities to be executed.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server system is further operable to monitor the determined variations and alert a user when at least one variation reaches a corresponding threshold.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server system is further operable to access one or more classes within an object-oriented database system to generate one or more objects for conducting the cost savings analysis, each class comprising one or more properties for defining an object, each generated object comprising values for one or more of the properties within a corresponding class, the values being generated from one or more of the following:

the first input;

the second input;

the historical transaction data; and

one or more other generated objects.

9. A computer-implemented method for conducting a cost savings analysis, comprising:

receiving, by a server, a user input specifying a cost savings goal for one or more transactions;

accessing, by the server, historical transaction data within one or more databases needed to generate a baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, wherein the baseline price is generated based on data selected from the group consisting of the historical transaction data and data manually input by an authorized user;

determining, by an analysis module linked to the server, the historical transaction data to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions;

responsive to a determination that the historical transaction data exists to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, generating the baseline price based on the historical transaction data for each of the one or more transactions that the historical transaction data exists;

responsive to a determination that the historical transaction data does not exist to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, generating the baseline price according to manual input by the authorized user for each of the one or more transactions that the historical transaction data does not exist, wherein the authorized user is required to provide a reason for the baseline price;

determining, by the analysis module, a weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions based on the specified cost savings goal for the one or more transactions and a percentage of total costs an organization allocates to a transaction type associated with each of the one or more transactions;

determining, by the analysis module, a variation between the generated baseline price and an actual price for each of the one or more transactions, wherein the actual price reflects a per-item price for each of the one or more transactions;

comparing, by the analysis module, the determined variations for each of the one or more transactions with the weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions;

generating, by the analysis module, a cost savings result of the comparison of the determined variations for each of the one or more transactions and the weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions; and

alerting, by the analysis module, the user when the generated cost savings result reaches a certain threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the specified cost savings goal comprises a monetary amount or a percentage relative to a baseline price; and

the determined variations comprise monetary amounts or percentages relative to the generated baseline price.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the specified cost savings goal is for a particular combination of one or more items, suppliers, time frames, units within an organization, or personnel within an organization.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the generated baseline price is selected from the group consisting of an average rolling twelve-month price, an average year-to-date price, an average previous calendar year price, and a last paid price.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more databases containing the historical transaction data comprise relational databases.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein accessing the historical transaction data, generating the baseline price, determining the variation for the one or more transactions corresponding to the specified cost savings goal, and comparing the determined variations for the one or more transactions with the specified cost savings goal comprises causing one or more scripts designed for these activities to be executed.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising monitoring the determined variations and alerting a user when at least one variation reaches a corresponding threshold.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising accessing one or more classes within an object-oriented database system to generate one or more objects for conducting the cost savings analysis, each class comprising one or more properties for defining an object, each generated object comprising values for one or more of the properties within a corresponding class, the values being generated from one or more of the following:

the first input;

the second input;

the historical transaction data; and

one or more other generated objects.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for conducting a cost savings analysis comprising:

receiving a user input specifying a cost savings goal for one or more transactions;

accessing historical transaction data within one or more databases needed to generate a baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, wherein the baseline price is generated based on data selected from the group consisting of the historical transaction data and data manually input by an authorized user;

determining the historical transaction data to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions;

responsive to a determination that the historical transaction data exists to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, generating the baseline price based on the historical transaction data for each of the one or more transactions that the historical transaction data exists;

responsive to a determination that the historical transaction data does not exist to generate the baseline price for each of the one or more transactions, generating the baseline price according to manual input by the authorized user for each of the one or more transactions that the historical transaction data does not exist, wherein the authorized user is required to provide a reason for the baseline price;

determining a weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions based on the specified cost savings goal for the one or more transactions and a percentage of total costs an organization allocates to a transaction type associated with each of the one or more transactions;

determining a variation between the generated baseline price and an actual price for each of the one or more transactions, wherein the actual price reflects a per-item price for each of the one or more transactions;

comparing the determined variations for each of the one or more transactions with the weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions;

generating a cost savings result of the comparison of the determined variations for each of the one or more transactions and the weighted cost savings goal for each of the one or more transactions; and

alerting the user when the generated cost savings result reaches a certain threshold.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein:

the specified cost savings goal comprises a monetary amount or a percentage relative to a baseline price; and

the determined variations comprise monetary amounts or percentages relative to the generated baseline price.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the specified cost savings goal is for a particular combination of one or more items, suppliers, time frames, units within an organization, or personnel within an organization.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the generated baseline price is selected from the group consisting of an average rolling twelve-month price, an average year-to-date price, an average previous calendar year price, and a last paid price.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more databases containing the historical transaction data comprise relational databases.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , operable to access the historical transaction data, generate the specified baseline price, determine the variation for the one or more transactions corresponding to the specified cost savings goal, and compare the determined variations for the one or more transactions with the specified cost savings goal by causing one or more scripts designed for these activities to be executed.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further operable to monitor the determined variations and alert a user when at least one variation reaches a corresponding threshold.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further operable to access one or more classes within an object-oriented database system to generate one or more objects for conducting the cost savings analysis, each class comprising one or more properties for defining an object, each generated object comprising values for one or more of the properties within a corresponding class, the values being generated from one or more of the following:

the first input;

the second input;

the historical transaction data; and

one or more other generated objects.