INVOICING SYSTEM
A system to facilitate invoicing for transactions established utilizing a network-based transaction system includes a server to support establishment of transactions between a plurality of entities. The system also includes a server to identify a plurality of transactions to which a first entity is a party, to identify first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria, and to provide to the first entity an indication of combinability of the first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria. A process to facilitate invoicing and a machine-readable medium that includes instructions to facilitate invoicing are also disclosed.
1 . A system to facilitate invoicing for transactions established using a network-based transaction system, the system including:
a server to support establishment of transactions between a plurality of entities; and
a server to identify a plurality of transactions to which a first entity is a party, to identify first and second transactions of the plurality of transactions that satisfy combinable criteria, and to provide to the first entity an indication of combinability of the first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first entity is a seller, and the identification of the plurality of transactions is performed responsive to an initiation of the invoice generation process by a second entity.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first entity is a buyer, and the identification of the plurality of transactions is performed as part of a payment process.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the identification of the plurality of transactions is performed responsive to the buyer initiating the payment process in connection with the first transaction; and
the identification of the first and second transactions includes identifying a third transaction involving the buyer that is combinable with the first transaction based on the combinable criteria.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions includes determining that a seller agreed to combinability of transactions involving the seller.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the determining includes retrieving seller-defined preferences with respect to the combinability of transactions involving the seller.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions includes identifying each of the first and second transactions as being between a common buyer and a common seller.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions includes identifying each of the first and second transactions as having been established in terms of a common currency.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the supporting of the establishment of the first and second transactions between the plurality of entities is performed at a plurality of network-based transaction systems.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of network-based transaction systems includes a plurality of geographically customized network-based transaction systems.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions to which the first entity is a party includes identifying the first and second transactions as having been concluded within a predetermined time period.
12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a server to present the first and second transactions to the first entity as being combinable; and
a server to prompt the first entity for confirmation regarding an inclusion of the first and second transactions in the invoice.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions comprises:
a server to present to the first entity a list of unpaid transactions selected from the first and second transactions; and
a server to receive data identifying a selection of transactions from the list for the invoice by the first entity.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the list of unpaid transactions comprises one or more subsets of combinable transactions, each of the one or more subsets being associated with the first entity and a buyer.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the invoice includes one or more subsets of combinable transactions and one or more independent transactions.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the network-based transaction system comprises a network-based marketplace.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the first and second transactions comprises displaying on a client machine the first and second transactions with an indicator of combinability.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the indicator of combinability is an icon.
19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the first and second transactions comprises a server to provide a filter for combinable transactions; and a server to display on a client machine the first and second transactions in response to a selection of the filter for combinable transactions by the first entity.
20 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a server to provide a discount to the first entity when the first entity agrees to combine transactions that satisfy combinable criteria.
21 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a server to provide to the first entity an indication of savings resulting from combining the transactions.
22 . A computerized method to facilitate invoicing for transactions established utilizing a network-based transaction system, the method including:
supporting, using a server, establishment of transactions between a plurality of entities; and
identifying, with the server, a plurality of transactions to which a first entity is a party, identifying, with the server, first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria, and providing to the first entity, using the server, an indication of combinability of the first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria.
23 . The computerized method of claim 22 , wherein the identifying of the first and second transactions includes determining whether a seller agreed to combinability of transactions involving the seller.
24 . The computerized method of claim 22 , wherein the identifying of the first and second transactions includes identifying each of the first and second transactions as being between a common buyer and a common seller.
25 . The computerized method of claim 22 , comprising:
presenting, with the server, the first and second transactions to the first entity as being combinable; and
prompting, with the server, the first entity for confirmation regarding an inclusion of the first and second transactions in the invoice.
26 . The computerized method of claim 22 , wherein the network-based transaction system comprises a network-based marketplace.
27 . The computerized method of claim 22 , wherein the identifying the first and second transactions comprises providing, by the server, a filter for combinable transactions; and displaying on a client machine the first and second transactions in response to a selection of the filter for combinable transactions by the first entity.
28 . The computerized method of claim 22 , comprising providing, with the server, a discount to the first entity when the first entity agrees to combine transactions that satisfy combinable criteria.
29 . The computerized method of claim 22 , comprising providing to the first entity, with the server, an indication of savings resulting from combining the transactions.
30 . A machine-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor execute a method to facilitate invoicing for transactions established utilizing a network-based transaction system, the method including:
supporting establishment of transactions between a plurality of entities; and
identifying a plurality of transactions to which a first entity is a party, identifying first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria, and providing to the first entity an indication of combinability of the first and second transactions that satisfy combinable criteria.
31 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions includes determining whether a seller agreed to combinability of transactions involving the seller.
32 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the identification of the first and second transactions includes identifying each of the first and second transactions as being between a common buyer and a common seller.
33 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , comprising instructions for:
presenting the first and second transactions to the first entity as being combinable; and
prompting the first entity for confirmation regarding an inclusion of the first and second transactions in the invoice.
34 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the network-based transaction system comprises a network-based marketplace.
35 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the identifying the first and second transactions comprises providing a filter for combinable transactions; and displaying on a client machine the first and second transactions in response to a selection of the filter for combinable transactions by the first entity.
36 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , comprising instructions for providing a discount to the first entity when the first entity agrees to combine transactions that satisfy combinable criteria.
37 . The machine-readable medium of claim 30 , comprising instructions for providing to the first entity an indication of savings resulting from combining the transactions.