COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONNECTING CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND CLAIM MANAGEMENT

1 . Computer-implemented method for connecting contract management and claim management, the method comprising:

annotating target constraints, to be fulfilled by at least one contract, with machine-readable and/or machine-processible metadata;

providing an electronic target form based on the annotated target constraints of the contract;

receiving through an interface at least one actual data value corresponding to at least one of the target constraints in the electronic target constraint form;

determining, using a processor, whether the at least one actual data value matches the at least one target constraint; and

if a mismatch between the at least one actual data value and the at least one target constraint is determined, then providing an electronic decision form based on the mismatch by sending and displaying, through a user interface, the electronic decision form to a receiver, wherein the electronic decision form comprises a subset of the target constraints for which a mismatch is determined.

2 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein providing the electronic decision form comprises:

automatically activating at least one action associated with said at least one target constraint.

3 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein determining comprises:

comparing the at least one actual data value with the at least one corresponding target constraint; and

based on said comparison, determining whether a threshold value for said target constraint is exceeded.

4 . Method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically inserting contract negotiation data into the at least one contract such that the contract negotiation data are considered during annotation of the target constraints.

5 . Method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying and managing the target constraints in a graphical user interface.

6 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises one or more levels of granularity for displaying the target constraints and access rights to the one or more levels according to one or more user profiles.

7 . Computer program product comprising computer readable instructions, which when loaded and run in a computer and/or computer network, causes the computer and/or the computer network to perform operations according to a method for connecting contract management and claim management, the method comprising:

annotating target constraints, to be fulfilled by at least one contract, with machine-readable and/or machine-processible metadata;

providing an electronic target form based on the annotated target constraints of the contract;

receiving through an interface at least one actual data value corresponding to at least one of the target constraints in the electronic target constraint form;

determining, using a processor, whether the at least one actual data value matches the at least one target constraint; and

if a mismatch between the at least one actual data value and the at least one target constraint is determined, then providing an electronic decision form based on the mismatch by sending and displaying, through a user interface, the electronic decision form to a receiver, wherein the electronic decision form comprises a subset of the target constraints for which a mismatch is determined.

8 . Computer system for connecting contract management and claim management, the computer system including a contract and claim management system comprising:

an annotator operable to annotate target constraints, to be fulfilled by at least one contract, with machine-readable and/or machine-processible metadata;

a client operable to provide an electronic target constraint form based on the annotated target constraints of the contract, and to receive at least one actual data value for at least one of the target constraints in the electronic target constraint form; and

a determiner operable to determine whether the at least one actual data value matches the at least one target constraint;

if a mismatch between the at least one actual data value and the at least one target constraint is determined, then provide an electronic decision form based on the mismatch by sending and displaying, through a user interface, the electronic decision form to a receiver, wherein the electronic decision form comprises a subset of the target constraints for which a mismatch is determined.

9 . Computer system according to claim 8 , wherein the contract and claim management system is further operable to:

automatically activate at least one action associated with said at least one target constraint.

10 . Computer system according to claim 8 , wherein the contract and claim management system is further operable to:

compare the at least one actual data value with the at least one corresponding target constraint; and

based on the comparison, determine whether a threshold value for said target constraint is exceeded.

11 . Computer system according to claim 8 , wherein the contract and claim management system is further operable to:

automatically insert contract negotiation data into the at least one contract such that the contract negotiation data are considered during annotation of the target constraints.

12 . Computer system according to claim 8 , the computer system further comprising a graphical user interface operable to:

display and manage the target constraints.

13 . Computer system according to claim 8 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises one or more levels of granularity for displaying the target constraints and access rights to the one or more levels according to one or more user profiles.