Ensuring the accurateness and currentness of information provided by the submitter of an electronic invoice throughout the life of a matter
A facility for insuring information currentness is described. The facility receives from a party a request to submit an invoice. In response to receiving a request, the facility tests the currentness of information to be provided by the party. The facility permits the party to submit an invoice in connection with the request only if the testing determines that the information to be provided by the party is current.
1. A method, in a computing system having a processor and memory, for determining the accuracy of information relating to a distinguished representation of a client by a distinguished vendor, the method comprising:
defining a set of information relating to the distinguished representation;
receiving from the distinguished vendor the defined set of information;
determining, with the processor, the currentness of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor at least in part by determining whether the defined set of information is due or must be updated;
determining, with the processor, the accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor; and
providing an evaluation to the client for use in selecting a vendor for a new representation, wherein the evaluation is based at least in part on the determined currentness and the determined accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor includes comparing a prediction of results provided by the distinguished vendor to actual results.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor includes comparing a cost estimate provided by the distinguished vendor to actual cost information.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluation provided to the client includes a subjective evaluation of the distinguished vendor's performance.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
repeating the defining and receiving for a plurality of representations other than the distinguished representation by vendors other than the distinguished vendor, wherein the evaluation includes comparing the accuracy and currentness of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor in conjunction with the distinguished representation to the accuracy and currentness of defined sets of information provided by the other vendors in conjunction with the other representations.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising notifying the distinguished vendor of providing the evaluation to the client.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising providing the evaluation to the distinguished vendor.
8. A computer-readable storage device whose contents cause a computing system to perform operations for determining the accuracy of information relating to a distinguished representation of a company by a distinguished vendor, the operations comprising:
defining a set of information relating to the distinguished representation;
receiving from the distinguished vendor the defined set of information;
determining the currentness of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor at least in part by determining whether the defined set of information is due or must be updated;
determining the accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor; and
providing an evaluation to the company for use in selecting a vendor for a new representation, wherein the evaluation is based at least in part on the determined currentness and the determined accuracy.
9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 wherein determining the accuracy of the defined set of information comprises comparing a prediction of results provided by the distinguished vendor to actual results.
10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 wherein determining the accuracy of the information comprises comparing a cost estimate provided by the distinguished vendor to actual cost information.
11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the evaluation provided to the client comprises a subjective evaluation of the distinguished vendor's performance.
12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
repeating the defining and receiving for a plurality of representations other than the distinguished representation by vendors other than the distinguished vendor, wherein the evaluation comprises comparing the accuracy and currentness of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor in conjunction with the distinguished representation to the accuracy and currentness of defined sets of information provided by the other vendors in conjunction with the other representations.
13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
notifying the distinguished vendor of providing the evaluation to the client.
14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
providing the evaluation to the distinguished vendor.
15. A computing system, having a processor and memory, for determining the accuracy of information relating to a distinguished representation of a client by a distinguished vendor, the computing system comprising:
a defining subsystem configured to define a set of information relating to the distinguished representation;
a receiving subsystem configured to receive from the distinguished vendor the defined set of information;
an evaluating subsystem configured to:
determine the currentness of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor based at least in part on a determination of whether the defined set of information is due or must be updated, and
determine the accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor; and
an evaluation to the client for use in selecting a vendor for a new representation, wherein the evaluation is based at least in part on the determined currentness and the determined accuracy of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor.
16. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the evaluating subsystem is configured to compare a prediction of results provided by the distinguished vendor to actual results.
17. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the evaluating subsystem is configured to compare a cost estimate provided by the distinguished vendor to actual cost information.
18. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the evaluation provided to the client comprises a subjective evaluation of the distinguished vendor's performance.
19. The computing system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a repeating subsystem configured to repeat the defining and receiving for a plurality of representations other than the distinguished representation by vendors other than the distinguished vendor,
wherein the evaluating subsystem is configured to compare the accuracy and currentness of the defined set of information provided by the distinguished vendor in conjunction with the distinguished representation to the accuracy and currentness of defined sets of information provided by the other vendors in conjunction with the other representations.
20. The computing system of claim 19 , further comprising:
a notifying subsystem configured to notify the distinguished vendor upon determining that the evaluation has been provided to the client.
21. The computing system of claim 19 , wherein the providing subsystem is further configured to provide the evaluation to the distinguished vendor.