Granted Patent B2

US 8,041,616 · App. 11/885,090 · Granted Oct 18, 2011

Assignee: Volt Information Sciences, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (346)

1. A computer-implemented outsourced service-level-agreement (SLA) deliverable management method comprising:

configuring, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, SLA client and secondary SLA provider master data;

procuring, via the computer system, a secondary SLA provider provision services network;

administering, via the computer system, a secondary SLA provider human resource network;

processing, via the computer system, an SLA client provisioning requirement;

processing, via the computer system, an SLA provisioning service voucher; and

processing, via the computer system, payment of an SLA provisioning work order.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring SLA client and secondary SLA provider master data comprises:

configuring an SLA provision logistics control library;

configuring SLA client master data records;

configuring SLA client purchase order records; and

onboarding a secondary SLA provider network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein procuring a secondary SLA provider provision services network comprises:

generating an RFx bid from at least one SLA client provisioning detail record;

posting the RFx bid to a pre-established list of secondary SLA providers;

enabling secondary SLA providers to generate an RFx bid response responsive to receiving the RFx bid;

processing at least one secondary SLA providers RFx bid response;

processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase requisition responsive to RFx bid response acceptance; and

processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase order responsive to receiving a completed purchase requisition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein administering a secondary SLA provider human resource network comprises:

selecting at least one human resource submittal affiliated with a secondary SLA provider purchase order;

onboarding the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

enabling non-default human resource provisioning availability calendar administration; and

processing non-default work availability calendar information settings.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing an SLA client provisioning requirement comprises:

processing an SLA client service provision request;

processing a service provision dispatch request;

receiving a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record; and

processing the received provisioning human resource dispatch notification record.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing an SLA provisioning service voucher comprises:

creating and storing an SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by a provisioning human resource;

processing the stored SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable secondary SLA provider user;

processing an approved secondary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable primary SLA provider user; and

processing an approved primary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable SLA client user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing payment of an SLA provisioning work order comprises:

extracting SLA client approved provisioning work vouchers;

generating billing invoice files;

processing SLA client billing invoice files;

processing payment from a SLA client; and

issuing payment to a secondary SLA provider.

8. A computer-implemented method of configuring service level agreement (SLA) client and secondary SLA provider master data, the method comprising:

configuring, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, an SLA provision logistics control library;

configuring, via the computer system, SLA client master data records;

configuring, via the computer system, SLA client purchase order records; and

onboarding, via the computer system, a secondary SLA provider network.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein configuring an SLA provision logistics control library comprises at least one of:

receiving at least one specified SLA provision skill profile applicable to provisioning services provided by a primary SLA provider;

receiving at least one specified SLA provision type applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider;

receiving at least one specified SLA provision labor type applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider;

receiving at least one specified SLA provision labor response time increment applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider; and

receiving as needed specified SLA provision material records applicable to the provisioning services provided by the primary SLA provider.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein configuring the SLA client master data records comprises:

receiving specified general business information settings applicable to at least one SLA client;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client user;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client location;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning contract;

wherein the primary SLA provider is a party to the contract;

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning detail record; and

receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning purchase order.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client user comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying user location and contact details;

receiving settings specifying user transactional authorization details; and

receiving settings specifying user system access credentials.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client location comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying non-employee worker access and authorization details;

receiving settings specifying freight delivery details;

receiving settings specifying location description in terms of a structured relational database; and

wherein the at least one SLA client location is logically mapped to a geographical management schema employed by a primary SLA provider.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning contract comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying contract activation and duration details;

receiving settings specifying contract payment, incentive and penalty details; and

receiving settings specifying a contract provisioning services count.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving settings applicable to at least one SLA client provisioning detail record comprises at least one of:

receiving settings specifying affiliation with at least one primary SLA provider user;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA client user;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA client provisioning contract;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision skill profile;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision type;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision labor type;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA provision labor response time increment;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with the at least one SLA client location;

receiving settings specifying details relative to required provision coverage time periods; and

receiving settings specifying details relative to affiliated provision materials.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein configuring SLA client purchase order records comprises:

receiving settings specifying SLA client purchase order header details;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with at least one SLA client provisioning detail record;

receiving settings specifying affiliation with SLA client provisioning material records responsive to receiving settings of the SLA client provisioning material records; and

storing SLA client purchase order and SLA client provisioning detail record affiliations.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

configuring settings for at least one SLA client purchase order responsive to storing SLA client purchase order and SLA client provisioning detail record affiliations; and

wherein configuring settings for at least one SLA client purchase order responsive to storing SLA client purchase order and SLA client provisioning detail record affiliations comprises:

receiving settings specifying SLA client purchase order pricing details;

receiving settings specifying applicable SLA client purchase order non-provisioning penalty costing details;

receiving settings specifying applicable SLA client purchase order dating details;

storing received SLA client purchase order specifications as a purchase order line item;

approving a completed SLA client purchase order;

notifying applicable SLA client users of a completed purchase order transaction; and

providing user access to an SLA client purchase order and affiliated master data records as configured.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein onboarding a secondary SLA provider network comprises:

providing secondary SLA provider managed temporary system access;

receiving settings specifying secondary SLA provider business qualification information;

determining secondary SLA provider qualification status responsive to received specified business qualification information;

responsive to a satisfactory qualification review:

providing secondary SLA provider managed non-temporary system access responsive to a satisfactory qualification review; and

receiving settings specifying secondary SLA provider service provision capabilities and affiliated service provision geographical territories.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein receiving settings specifying secondary SLA provider service provision capabilities comprises:

receiving selected SLA service provision capabilities;

wherein user skill profile selections are presented via a relational database resulting in a non-prose-based SLA provision skill family profile; and

receiving settings specifying skill family profile location coverage territory in terms of a structured relational database; and

wherein the territory is logically mapped to a geographical management schema employed by a primary SLA provider.

19. A computer-implemented method of procuring a secondary service-level-agreement (SLA) provider provision services network, the method comprising:

generating, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, an RFx bid from at least one SLA client provisioning detail record;

posting, via the computer system, the RFx bid to a pre-established list of secondary SLA providers;

enabling, via the computer system, secondary SLA providers to generate an RFx bid response responsive to receiving the RFx bid;

processing, via the computer system, at least one secondary SLA providers RFx bid response;

processing, via the computer system, at least one secondary SLA provider purchase requisition responsive to RFx bid response acceptance; and

processing, via the computer system, at least one secondary SLA provider purchase order responsive to receiving a completed purchase requisition.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein generating an RFx bid comprises:

selecting at least one SLA client provisioning detail record unaffiliated with an active RFx bid or secondary SLA provider purchase order to be included on the RFx bid;

creating the RFx bid responsive to selection of the at least one unaffiliated SLA client provisioning detail record;

receiving default RFx bid information settings from at least one selected SLA client provisioning detail record set;

configuring non-default user desired information settings; and

storing RFx bid information settings.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein receiving default RFx bid information settings comprises retrieving information pertinent to at least one of:

SLA client details;

SLA client provision service location details;

a SLA provision skill profile;

SLA provision requirements;

anticipated SLA provision service frequency; and

applicable SLA provision material details.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein configuring non-default user desired information settings comprises:

specifying at least one of:

maximum secondary SLA provider labor and applicable expense rates;

secondary SLA provider non-provision penalty terms; and

maximum and minimum human resource submittals and a SLA provision labor type; and

specifying a pre-configured RFx bid template to store default and non-default information settings for subsequent RFx bid response data processing.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein posting the RFx bid comprises:

receiving a listing of secondary SLA providers logically mapped to the RFx bid premised upon a match of business family and geographic provision capabilities;

specifying at least one secondary SLA provider for RFx bid receipt responsive to generation of a secondary SLA providers RFx bid list; and

broadcasting the RFx bid to specified secondary SLA providers.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein enabling secondary SLA providers to generate a RFx bid quotation responsive to receiving the RFx bid comprises:

receiving notification that the RFx bid has been posted for processing;

generating an RFx bid response record;

permitting access details of an RFx bid response;

specifying information settings responsive to RFx bid interrogatories; and

storing information settings applicable to the RFx bid response.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein specifying information settings responsive to RFx bid interrogatories comprises:

acquiring information pertinent to multiple provisioning billing rates applicable to variable time attributes comprising at least one of weekdays, weekends, holidays, business hours, and non-business hours;

acquiring information pertinent to multiple provisioning expense rates applicable to variable expense type scenarios;

acquiring information pertinent to acceptance of SLA provisioning terms comprising at least one of provisioning response time and non-provisioning penalty; and

acquiring information pertinent to at least one secondary SLA provider provisioning human resource submittal.

26. The method of claim 24 , further comprising, responsive to storing information settings applicable to a RFx bid response, submitting an RFx bid response to a primary SLA provider for evaluation.

27. The method of claim 19 , wherein processing at least one secondary SLA provider RFx bid response comprises:

receiving a submitted secondary SLA provider RFx bid response;

determining if the secondary SLA provider RFx bid response is accepted or rejected; and

storing an RFx bid response disposition.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising, responsive to storing the RFx bid response disposition:

notifying a secondary SLA provider regarding RFx bid response disposition; and

creating a secondary SLA provider purchase requisition responsive to RFx bid response being acceptance.

29. The method of claim 19 , wherein processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase requisition comprises:

integrating purchase requisition information settings from an accepted secondary SLA provider RFx bid response; and

creating a secondary SLA provider purchase order.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein processing a secondary SLA provider purchase requisition comprises:

approving purchase requisition information by a primary SLA provider;

submitting an approved purchase requisition to an applicable secondary SLA provider;

notifying a secondary SLA provider of a purchase requisition receipt;

acknowledging secondary SLA provider purchase requisition approval;

receiving the approved purchase requisition from the secondary SLA provider; and

notifying the primary SLA provider of completed purchase requisition receipt.

31. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, responsive to processing at least one secondary SLA provider purchase order:

populating a secondary SLA provider purchase order with default information functions contained within a completed purchase requisition record;

specifying non-default purchase order information; and

approving the secondary SLA provider purchase order.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein approving a secondary SLA provider purchase order comprises:

notifying the secondary SLA provider of a purchase order approval transaction; and

enabling user access to the secondary SLA provider purchase order.

33. A computer-implemented method of administering a secondary service-level-agreement (SLA) provider human resource network, the method comprising:

selecting, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, at least one human resource submittal affiliated with a secondary SLA provider purchase order;

onboarding, via the computer system, the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

processing, via the computer system, default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

enabling, via the computer system, non-default human resource provisioning availability calendar administration; and

processing, via the computer system, non-default work availability calendar information settings.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein selecting at least one human resource submittal affiliated with a secondary SLA provider purchase order comprises:

accessing secondary SLA provider RFx bid response human resource provisioning submittals;

specifying assignment approval for at least one human resource provisioning submittal;

storing the assignment approval for the at least one specified human resource provisioning submittal;

notifying a secondary SLA provider of the assignment approval for the at least one specified human resource provisioning submittal; and

enabling a secondary SLA provider to confirm the assignment approval for the at least one specified human resource provisioning submittal.

35. The method of claim 33 , wherein onboarding the at least one human resource provisioning personnel comprises:

receiving execution of human resource temporary worker agreements;

receiving human resource temporary worker agreement information responsive to the step of receiving execution;

approving human resource temporary worker agreement information;

storing an approval disposition of a human resource temporary worker; and

notifying a secondary SLA provider of approved human resource onboarding.

36. The method of claim 33 , wherein processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel comprises:

receiving specification of standard schedule blackout and availability time settings of the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

storing the specified standard schedule blackout and availability time settings; and

submitting the stored standard schedule blackout and availability time settings for primary SLA provider review.

37. The method of claim 33 , wherein processing default work availability calendar information settings for the at least one human resource provisioning personnel comprises:

receiving submitted stored standard schedule blackout and availability time settings;

receiving approval of human resource provisioning personnel default calendar availability settings;

storing provisioning personnel default calendar availability approval;

activating an availability calendar of the at least one human resource provisioning personnel;

notifying a secondary SLA provider of provisioning personnel default calendar availability approval and activation; and

accessing an active provisioning personnel availability calendar.

38. The method of claim 33 , wherein enabling non-default human resource provisioning availability calendar administration comprises;

permitting access to human resource provisioning personnel calendar availability records;

receiving specification of non-default information settings applicable to human resource provisioning personnel calendar availability;

storing specified human resource provisioning personnel non-default calendar availability information settings; and

notifying applicable users of human resource provisioning personnel non-default calendar availability information settings modification.

39. The method of claim 38 , wherein processing non-default work availability calendar information settings comprises:

determining if any required SLA client provision coverage time period is without human resource provisioning personnel coverage availability;

warning applicable primary SLA provider users of required provision coverage period complete blackout resource availability;

broadcasting a provision coverage modification request to applicable secondary SLA providers;

storing information settings associated with a received provision coverage modification request; and

notifying applicable primary SLA provider users that a provision resource unavailability scenario has been remedied responsive to stored secondary SLA provider information settings.

40. A computer-implemented method of processing a service-level-agreement (SLA) client provisioning requirement, the method comprising:

processing, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, an SLA client service provision request;

processing, via the computer system, a service provision dispatch request;

receiving, via the computer system, a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record; and

processing, via the computer system, the received provisioning human resource dispatch notification record.

41. The method of claim 40 , wherein processing an SLA client service provision request further comprises:

permitting access to an SLA client purchase order and affiliated provisioning master data records;

creating an SLA client provisioning request record;

receiving default SLA client provisioning request information;

specifying non-default SLA client provisioning request information; and

storing SLA client provisioning request information settings.

42. The method of claim 41 , wherein receiving default SLA client provisioning request information comprises retrieving SLA provisioning record details responsive to user record selection.

43. The method of claim 41 , wherein specifying non-default SLA client provisioning request information comprises inputting desired information applicable to provided SLA client provisioning request data fields.

44. The method of claim 41 , further comprising, responsive to storing SLA client provisioning request information settings:

notifying a user that an SLA client provisioning request has been completed and stored; and

submitting an SLA client provisioning request to a primary SLA provider for downstream processing.

45. The method of claim 40 , wherein processing a service provision dispatch request comprises:

enabling record access to the SLA client service provision request;

receiving a listing of affiliated secondary SLA providers configured to provide services to an SLA client;

receiving a listing of affiliated secondary SLA provider available provisioning human resources configured to provide services to the SLA client;

specifying an available provisioning human resource to provide services to the SLA client; and

storing information settings.

46. The method of claim 45 , wherein storing information settings comprises generating the service provision dispatch request.

47. The method of claim 40 , further comprising:

wherein processing a service provision dispatch request comprises broadcasting the service provision dispatch request;

wherein broadcasting the service provision dispatch request comprises:

transmitting the service provision dispatch request to an affiliated secondary SLA provider;

notifying the affiliated secondary SLA provider of an incoming service provision dispatch request; and

providing access to the transmitted service provision dispatch request.

48. The method of claim 40 , wherein processing a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record comprises:

validating provisioning human resource availability;

storing information settings relative to human resource availability.

49. The method of claim 48 , wherein storing information settings comprises:

generating a provisioning human resource dispatch notification; and

transmitting to a primary SLA provider a provisioning human resource dispatch notification record.

50. The method of claim 40 , wherein processing the provisioning human resource dispatch notification record comprises:

permitting access to the provisioning human resource dispatch notification record;

creating an SLA client provisioning dispatch notification;

storing the SLA client provisioning dispatch notification; and

transmitting the SLA client provisioning dispatch notification to applicable SLA client users affiliated with an originating SLA client service provision request.

51. The method of claim 50 , wherein transmitting the SLA client provisioning dispatch notification comprises:

notifying applicable SLA client users; and

permitting access to the transmitted SLA client provisioning dispatch notification.

52. A computer-implemented method of processing a service-level agreement (SLA) provisioning work voucher, the method comprising:

creating and storing, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, an SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by a provisioning human resource;

processing, via the computer system, the stored SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable secondary SLA provider user;

processing, via the computer system, an approved secondary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable primary SLA provider user; and

processing, via the computer system, an approved primary SLA provider provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable SLA client user.

53. The method of claim 52 , wherein creating an SLA provisioning service voucher comprises:

specifying an applicable human resource provision dispatch record;

receiving default information applicable to SLA provisioning information affiliated with the specified human resource provision dispatch record;

specifying non-default information relative to performed physical provisioning service details; and

storing SLA provisioning work voucher information settings.

54. The method of claim 53 , further comprising, responsive to storing SLA provisioning work voucher information settings:

notifying an applicable secondary SLA provider user that a stored SLA provisioning work voucher is available for review; and

permitting access to the stored SLA provisioning work voucher.

55. The method of claim 52 , wherein processing the stored SLA provisioning service voucher responsive to input by an applicable secondary SLA provider user comprises:

receiving default SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information inherited from an applicable secondary SLA provider purchase order;

specifying SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information non-default data values;

approving information settings; and

storing secondary SLA provider SLA provisioning work voucher information settings.

56. The method of claim 55 , further comprising, responsive to storing secondary SLA provider SLA provisioning work voucher information settings:

notifying an applicable primary SLA provider user that an approved secondary SLA provider provisioning work voucher has been submitted for review; and

permitting access to the approved secondary SLA provider provisioning work voucher.

57. The method of claim 52 , wherein processing an approved secondary SLA provider provisioning service voucher comprises:

receiving default SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information inherited from an applicable SLA client purchase order;

specifying SLA provisioning service voucher purchase order information non-default data values; and

storing primary SLA provider provisioning work voucher information settings.

58. The method of claim 57 , further comprising, responsive to storing primary SLA provider SLA provisioning work voucher information settings:

notifying an applicable SLA client user that an approved primary SLA provider provisioning work voucher is available for review; and

permitting access to the approved primary SLA provider provisioning work voucher.

59. The method of claim 52 , wherein processing an approved primary SLA provider provisioning service voucher comprises:

receiving provisioning work voucher information settings by an SLA client user;

specifying an approval or rejection disposition responsive to receiving the provisioning work voucher information settings; and

storing the specified approval or rejection disposition.

60. The method of claim 59 , wherein storing the approval or rejection disposition comprises:

receiving default SLA provisioning service quality assurance assessment information;

specifying information applicable to the received quality assurance assessment information;

storing quality assessment information specifications within the system.

61. The method of claim 59 , further comprising, responsive to storing the approval or rejection disposition:

notifying applicable primary SLA provider and secondary SLA provider users of a SLA client provisioning work voucher disposition; and

permitting applicable primary SLA provider and secondary SLA provider users to access the SLA client provisioning work voucher disposition.

62. A computer-implemented method of processing payment of a service-level agreement (SLA) provisioning work order, the method comprising:

extracting, via a computer system comprising one or more computers comprising a processor and memory, SLA client approved provisioning work vouchers;

generating, via the computer system, billing invoice files;

processing, via the computer system, SLA client billing invoice files;

processing, via the computer system, payment from a SLA client; and

issuing, via the computer system, payment to a secondary SLA provider.

63. The method of claim 62 , wherein extracting SLA client approved provisioning work vouchers comprises:

identifying a stored unprocessed SLA client approved provisioning work voucher record;

receiving default information inherited from the unprocessed SLA client approved provisioning work voucher record; and

storing approved provisioning work voucher record set information settings.

64. The method of claim 62 , wherein generating billing invoice files comprises:

generating a primary SLA provider to SLA client billing file; and

generating a secondary SLA provider to primary SLA provider billing file.

65. The method of claim 64 , wherein generating primary SLA provider to SLA client billing file comprises:

utilizing an SLA client specified billing file information template;

populating the SLA client specified billing file information template with stored approved provisioning work voucher record set information settings; and

storing an SLA client billing invoice file responsive to data population.

66. The method of claim 64 , wherein generating a secondary SLA provider to primary SLA provider billing file comprises:

utilizing a primary SLA provider specified billing file information template;

populating a primary SLA provider specified billing file information template with stored approved provisioning work voucher record set information settings; and

storing a primary SLA provider billing invoice file responsive to data population.

67. The method of claim 65 , further comprising, responsive to storing an SLA client billing invoice file responsive to data population:

notifying applicable SLA client users that a billing invoice file is available for data processing; and

providing a user interface to applicable SLA client users adapted with access to the billing invoice file.

68. The method of claim 62 , wherein processing SLA client billing invoice files comprises:

approving SLA client billing invoice data;

notifying applicable primary SLA provider users of billing file approval;

issuing payment to the primary SLA provider by the SLA client; and

generating and storing a cash payment file responsive to primary SLA provider payment.

69. The method of claim 62 , wherein processing payment from an SLA client comprises:

receiving a cash payment;

permitting access to a stored cash payment file;

applying cash payment file data against an applicable SLA client billing invoice file; and

storing a record of billing invoice payments.

70. The method of claim 69 , further comprising, responsive to storing a record of billing invoice payments:

generating a secondary SLA provider invoice payment file; and

storing the secondary SLA provider invoice payment file.

71. The method of claim 70 , further comprising, responsive to storing the secondary SLA provider invoice payment file:

notifying applicable primary SLA provider users that a secondary SLA provider billing invoice file is available for data processing; and

providing a user interface to applicable primary SLA provider users adapted to access a secondary SLA provider billing invoice file responsive to notification.

72. The method of claim 62 , wherein issuing payment to a secondary SLA provider comprises:

approving secondary SLA provider billing invoice data;

paying to the secondary SLA provider; and

generating and storing a cash payment file responsive to secondary SLA provider payment.

73. The method of claim 72 , further comprising, responsive to generating and storing a cash payment file responsive to secondary SLA provider payment:

providing access to the stored secondary SLA provider cash payment file; and

applying cash payment file data against an applicable secondary SLA provider.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (2)