Order and accounting method and system for services provided via an interactive communication network
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a method and system for providing e-commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by the organization via an on-line interactive communication network. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and system whereby a third party intermediary can absorb certain payment, collection and billing functions on behalf of an organization and service providers which provide services to the organization. The term service provider as used herein refers to any entity or individual that provides a service, including the service of providing goods.
1. A method for providing electronic commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by members of the organizations, said method comprising:
receiving, via an interactive communication network, identification information, said identification information identifying at least one member of one of said organizations;
maintaining a database of said service providers with associated offerings;
receiving, via said interactive communication network, service provider selection information identifying a selected service provider;
receiving, via said interactive communication network, offering selection information identifying at least one selected offering of said selected service provider;
receiving, via said interactive communication network, billing information for payment of said selected offering;
electronically storing said billing information;
electronically communicating said at least one selected offering to said selected service provider; and
generating, using at least said billing information, a consolidated invoice for a plurality of offerings ordered by a plurality of members of said one of said organizations from a plurality of service providers during a predetermined time period.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said billing information includes at least one of an employee personal identification number, a business identification number, and a client billing code.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a payment from said organization on said consolidated invoice; and
paying said selected service provider for said at least one selected offering.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein paying said selected service provider for said at least one selected offering comprises retaining a commission for said at least one selected offering.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining a database of said service providers with associated offerings comprises maintaining a web site coupled to said database.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said web site is searchable by said at least one member of said organization.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising limiting access for said at least one member to a pre-selected subset of said service providers.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a receipt; and
transmitting said receipt to at least one of said at least one member, said organization, and said selected service provider.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said billing information comprises credit card information, and further wherein said at least one selected offering is not billed to said organization on said consolidated invoice.
10. A method for providing electronic commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by members of the organizations, said method comprising:
receiving, via an interactive communication network, identification information, said identification information identifying at least one member of one of said organizations;
maintaining a database of said service providers with associated offerings;
receiving, via said interactive communication network, service provider selection information identifying a selected service provider;
receiving, via said interactive communication network, offering selection information identifying at least one selected offering of said selected service provider;
receiving, via said interactive communication network, billing information for payment of said selected offering;
electronically storing said billing information;
electronically communicating said at least one selected offering to said selected service provider; and
generating, using at least said billing information, a plurality of consolidated invoices, each of the consolidated invoices containing amounts due for a plurality of offerings ordered by a plurality of members of said one of said organizations from a specific service provider.
11. A system for providing electronic commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by members of the organizations, comprising:
a database comprising at least one offering offered by each of a plurality of service providers;
a server in communication with said searchable database and coupled to an interactive communication network, said server configured to:
receive identification information, said identification information identifying at least one member of one of said organizations;
receive service provider selection information identifying a service provider selected by said at least one member;
receive offering selection information identifying at least one selected offering of said service provider;
receive billing information for payment of said at least one selected offering;
store said billing information;
communicate said at least one selected offering to said selected service provider; and
generate, using said billing information, a consolidated invoice for a plurality of offerings ordered by a plurality of members of one of said organizations from a plurality of service providers during a predetermined time period.
12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a searchable website coupled to said database, said website searchable by said at least one member of said organization.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said server is further configured to:
receive at least one search parameter; and
display, via said website, only a subset of said service providers which fit said at least one search parameter.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein said billing information includes at least one of an employee personal identification number, a business identification number, and a client billing code.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein said billing information comprises credit card information, and said server is further configured to process a credit card transaction based on said credit card information.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said server is configured to not bill said at least one selected offering paid for by said credit card transaction to said organization.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein said server is further configured to:
receive a payment from said organization; and
pay said selected service provider for said at least one selected offering.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said server is further configured to retain a commission for said at least one selected offering.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein said server is further configured to:
generate a receipt; and
transmit said receipt to at least one of said at least one member, said organization, and said service provider.
20. A system for providing electronic commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by members of the organizations, comprising:
a database comprising at least one offering offered by each of a plurality of service providers;
a server in communication with said searchable database and coupled to an interactive communication network, said server configured to:
receive identification information, said identification information identifying at least one member of one of said organizations;
receive service provider selection information identifying a service provider selected by said at least one member;
receive offering selection information identifying at least one selected offering of said service provider;
receive billing information for payment of said at least one selected offering;
store said billing information;
communicate said at least one selected offering to said selected service provider;
generate, using said billing information, a plurality of consolidated invoices, each of the consolidated invoices containing amounts due for a plurality of offerings ordered by a plurality of members of said one of said organizations from a specific service provider.