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System for ordering items using an electronic catalogue
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Abstract
The disclosed system facilitates the user in electronically ordering items from suppliers. The system is comprised of an Electronic Catlogue and an Electronic Requisition facility. The Electronic Catalogue includes a Public Catalog and a Private Catalogue. The Public Catalog is stored on a publicly available database for access by customer/Requestors. The Private Catalogue is resident on a Customer's computer system and may contain unique pricing data based on pricing agreements. The Electronic Requisition facility is used by the Customer/Requestors to electronically create purchase requisitions based upon the information provided in the catalogues and route the requisitions through the appropriate approval process within he enterprise. Requisitions are then processed through the customer's procurement system and transmitted electronically as purchase orders to Suppliers.
| Inventors: | King, Jr.; John E. (Warrenton, VA), Nilsen; John R. (Reston, VA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assignee: | International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY) |
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| Appl. No.: | 07/589,353 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Filed: | September 27, 1990 **************************** U.S. Patent Documents
Assistant Examiner: Tran; Khai Attorney, Agent or Firm: Abzug; Jesse L. Bruzzone; Lauren C. |