Granted Patent B1

US 9,245,291 · App. 12/286,507 · Granted Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

Claims (99)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

by a server system, in response to one or more user commands to an electronic procurement system:

receiving a purchase requisition, where the purchase requisition originates from outside the electronic procurement system;

converting the purchase requisition from a first computer-readable format to a second computer-readable format, wherein the second computer-readable format is native to the electronic procurement system;

verifying that the purchase requisition that originates from outside the electronic procurement system includes one or more required fields, including at least a field used to verify that the purchase requisition originates from a recognized user of the electronic procurement system;

determining that the verified purchase requisition includes an item that is in short-supply or includes a large volume of items;

in accordance with the determination that the verified purchase requisition includes an item that is in short-supply or includes a large volume of items, requesting bids from a plurality of vendors;

receiving a plurality of bids from the plurality of vendors for the verified purchase requisition;

receiving a user selected bid;

updating the purchase requisition with the user selected bid; and

routing the purchase requisition including the user selected bid for approval.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising prior to routing,

receiving at the electronic procurement system edits by a user to the purchase requisition, and updating the purchase requisition with the edits.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising verifying that the updated purchase requisition includes the one or more required fields.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising after receiving the purchase requisition

preventing a user associated with the purchase requisition from editing the purchase requisition; or

verifying that a purchaser required information is associated with the purchase requisition, and if not, notifying a sender of the purchase requisition that the purchase requisition is refused; or

verifying that at least one line item is associated with the purchase requisition, and if not, notifying a sender of the purchase requisition that the purchase requisition is refused; or

verifying that required information is present, and if not, saving the purchase requisition in the electronic procurement system and notifying a user associated with the purchase requisition that required information is missing, and

wherein the required information is specified by a purchasing organization associated with the purchase requisition or is a next approver associated with a user submitting the purchase requisition.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein converting the purchase requisition includes:

importing an attachment associated with the purchase requisition into the electronic procurement system; or

identifying a respective restricted item in the purchase requisition and applying a respective restriction to the purchase requisition; or

identifying a form associated with the purchase requisition and mapping data from the purchase requisition into the form, and storing the mapped form data at the electronic procurement system; or

identifying the purchase requisition as an imported requisition; or

identifying and storing a requisition identifier associated with a user submitting the requisition, and wherein the electronic procurement system supports searching by the requisition identifier.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second computer-readable format native to the electronic procurement system is an Extensible Markup Language.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising identifying in the purchase requisition a restriction override request for a respective restricted item.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a purchase requisition includes receiving a plurality of purchase requisitions in a single operation.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein routing the purchase requisition for approval includes:

preventing a re-order based on the purchase requisition; or

routing the purchase requisition to an approval process for imported requisitions.

10. A server system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions to:

by a server system, in response to one or more user commands to an electronic procurement system:

receiving a purchase requisition, where the purchase requisition originates from outside the electronic procurement system;

converting the purchase requisition from a first computer-readable format to a second computer-readable format, wherein the second computer-readable format is native to the electronic procurement system;

verifying that the purchase requisition that originates from outside the electronic procurement system includes one or more required fields, including at least a field used to verify that the purchase requisition originates from a recognized user of the electronic procurement system;

determining that the verified purchase requisition includes an item that is in short-supply or includes a large volume of items;

in accordance with the determination that the verified purchase requisition includes an item that is in short-supply or includes a large volume of items, requesting bids from a plurality of vendors;

receiving a plurality of bids from the plurality of vendors for the verified purchase requisition;

receiving a user selected bid;

updating the purchase requisition with the user selected bid; and

routing the purchase requisition including the user selected bid for approval.

11. The server system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions for prior to routing,

receiving at the electronic procurement system edits by a user to the purchase requisition, and updating the purchase requisition with the edits.

12. The server system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions for verifying that the updated purchase requisition includes the one or more required fields.

13. The server system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions for after receiving the purchase requisition,

preventing a user associated with the purchase requisition from editing the purchase requisition; or

verifying that a purchaser required information is associated with the purchase requisition, and if not, notifying a sender of the purchase requisition that the purchase requisition is refused; or

verifying that at least one line item is associated with the purchase requisition, and if not, notifying a sender of the purchase requisition that the purchase requisition is refused; or

verifying that required information is present, and if not, saving the purchase requisition in the electronic procurement system and notifying a user associated with the purchase requisition that required information is missing; and

wherein the required information is specified by a purchasing organization associated with the purchase requisition or is a next approver associated with a user submitting the purchase requisition.

14. The server system of claim 10 , wherein instructions for converting the purchase requisition includes instructions for:

importing an attachment associated with the purchase requisition into the electronic procurement system; or

identifying a respective restricted item in the purchase requisition and applying a respective restriction to the purchase requisition; or

identifying a form associated with the purchase requisition and mapping data from the purchase requisition into the form, and for storing the mapped form data at the electronic procurement system; or

identifying the purchase requisition as an imported requisition; or

identifying and storing a requisition identifier associated with a user submitting the requisition, and wherein the electronic procurement system supports searching by the requisition identifier.

15. The server system of claim 10 , wherein the second computer-readable format native to the electronic procurement system is an Extensible Markup Language.

16. The server system of claim 14 , further comprising instructions for identifying in the purchase requisition a restriction override request for a respective restricted item.

17. The server system of claim 10 , wherein instructions for receiving a purchase requisition includes instructions for receiving a plurality of purchase requisitions in a single operation.

18. The server system of claim 10 , wherein instructions for routing the purchase requisition for approval includes instructions for:

preventing a re-order based on the purchase requisition; or

routing the purchase requisition to an approval process for imported requisitions.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions to:

by a server system, in response to one or more user commands to an electronic procurement system:

receiving a purchase requisition, where the purchase requisition originates from outside the electronic procurement system;

converting the purchase requisition from a first computer-readable format to a second computer-readable format, wherein the second computer-readable format is native to the electronic procurement system;

verifying that the purchase requisition that originates from outside the electronic procurement system includes one or more required fields, including at least a field used to verify that the purchase requisition originates from a recognized user of the electronic procurement system;

determining that the verified purchase requisition includes an item that is in short-supply or includes a large volume of items;

in accordance with the determination that the verified purchase requisition includes an item that is in short-supply or includes a large volume of items, requesting bids from a plurality of vendors;

receiving a plurality of bids from the plurality of vendors for the verified purchase requisition;

receiving a user selected bid;

updating the purchase requisition with the user selected bid; and

routing the purchase requisition including the user selected bid for approval.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for prior to routing,

receiving at the electronic procurement system edits by a user to the purchase requisition, and updating the purchase requisition with the edits.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , further comprising instructions for verifying that the updated purchase requisition includes the one or more required fields.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for after receiving the purchase requisition,

preventing a user associated with the purchase requisition from editing the purchase requisition; or

verifying that a purchaser required information is associated with the purchase requisition, and if not, notifying a sender of the purchase requisition that the purchase requisition is refused; or

verifying that at least one line item is associated with the purchase requisition, and if not, notifying a sender of the purchase requisition that the purchase requisition is refused; or

verifying that required information is present, and if not, saving the purchase requisition in the electronic procurement system and notifying a user associated with the purchase requisition that required information is missing, and

wherein the required information is specified by a purchasing organization associated with the purchase requisition or is a next approver associated with a user submitting the purchase requisition.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein instructions for converting the purchase requisition includes instructions for:

importing an attachment associated with the purchase requisition into the electronic procurement system; or

identifying a respective restricted item in the purchase requisition and applying a respective restriction to the purchase requisition; or

identifying a form associated with the purchase requisition and mapping data from the purchase requisition into the form, and for storing the mapped form data at the electronic procurement system; or

identifying the purchase requisition as an imported requisition; or

identifying and storing a requisition identifier associated with a user submitting the requisition, wherein the electronic procurement system supports searching by the requisition identifier.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the second computer-readable format native to the electronic procurement system is an Extensible Markup Language.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for identifying in the purchase requisition a restriction override request for a respective restricted item.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein instructions for receiving a purchase requisition includes instructions for receiving a plurality of purchase requisitions in a single operation.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein instructions for routing the purchase requisition for approval includes instructions for:

preventing a re-order based on the purchase requisition; or

routing the purchase requisition to an approval process for imported requisitions.

Assignments (14)