IE79445B1 - An order processing method - Google Patents
An order processing methodInfo
- Publication number
- IE79445B1 IE79445B1 IE950977A IE950977A IE79445B1 IE 79445 B1 IE79445 B1 IE 79445B1 IE 950977 A IE950977 A IE 950977A IE 950977 A IE950977 A IE 950977A IE 79445 B1 IE79445 B1 IE 79445B1
- Authority
- IE
- Ireland
- Prior art keywords
- order request
- order
- file
- request
- control register
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
- G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06Q10/087—Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
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- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Economics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- Quality & Reliability (AREA)
- Finance (AREA)
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
- Human Resources & Organizations (AREA)
- Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
- Operations Research (AREA)
- Development Economics (AREA)
- Strategic Management (AREA)
- Tourism & Hospitality (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
Abstract
An order create request is received from a user at a local station, validated locally and routed to a remote station for authorization. Connection between local and remote stations may be of any type and full audit histories of order requests is provided using a slip file. Order requests may be chained together for multiple authorizations and different levels of validation are controlled by an array matrix addressed by an order stage identifier. A control register is associated with the order request throughout the processing and assists in the remote communication, validation and authorisation process.
Description
An order processing method”
Introduction
The present invention relates to an order processing method in a distributed computer system.
A number of order processing methods are known for handling customer orders. Examples of various order processing methods are shown in European Patent Nos. EP 0 425 405 A2, EP 0 585 932 A2 and United Kingdom Patent No. GB 2 265 032. While these methods accurately address the problems associated with inventory tracking and stock control management the initial input is a customer order. Validation of this order is limited to ensuring correct receipt of the order. In larger organisations excessive resources are committed to validating and authorising these purchase orders prior to submission to suppliers. This causes a particular problem in larger organisations where authorising personnel may be distributed across a number of sites leading to processing delays and failure to deliver ordered items in good time.
It is an object of the invention to provide an order processing method which overcomes at least some of these problems.
Accordingly there is provided an order processing method carried out by a distributed computer system comprising the steps of:25 receiving an order create request from a user at a local station, identifying an order request type associated with the order create request, retrieving a prompt file associated with the identified order request type and prompting the user to input order request details into an order request;
generating an order request control register by selectively comparing portions of the inputted order
- 2 request with a validation control register and adding the order request control register and an order stage identifier to the order request;
validating the order request by retrieving the order request control register and a configuration array matrix, isolating the order stage identifier of the order request control register, addressing the matrix with the identifier, incrementing the identifier and iteratively comparing selected portions of the order request control register and the addressed contents of the matrix and updating a next action address counter associated with the order request based on said comparison;
transmitting the validated order request to a local order request router;
the local order request router generating a message file and a slip file from the validated order request and transmitting the message and slip files to a remote station;
receiving the message file and attached slip file into a router of the remote station and decoding the message file and attached slip file to recreate the order request;
retrieving and addressing the next action address counter associated with the order request;
identifying an authorization request code by comparing the addressed contents of the next address counter with the predefined list of action codes;
generating an authorised order request by attaching an authorization code to the order request and incrementing the order stage identifier;
regenerating the order request control register for the authorised order request by selectively comparing portions of the authorised order request with the 3 validation control register;
. validating the authorised order request by, retrieving the regenerated order request control register, retrieving the configuration array matrix, isolating the incremented order stage identifier, addressing the matrix with the identifier, and iteratively comparing selected portions of the order request control register and the addressed contents of the matrix and updating the next action address counter associated with the order request based on said comparison;
generating an authorised message file and appending a station address to the attached slip file; and transmitting the authorised message file and attached slip file to a second remote station.
In this way efficient processing of orders may be achieved. Paper processing of the orders is eliminated while maintaining control and optimal use is made of personnel and resources by eliminating unnecessary authorization of orders.
In one embodiment, the step of generating the message and slip files comprises the sub-steps of :25 receiving the validated order request into the order request router, retrieving and addressing the next action address counter associated with the order request;
identifying a transmit code by comparing the addressed contents of the next address counter with a predefined list of action codes;
identifying an order request destination address by incrementing the next address counter and reading the next address counter contents;
iteratively reading each line of the order request and writing the read line to a message file;
reading a source identifier from the local station, writing said source identifier to a slip file and attaching the slip file to the message file; and transmitting the message file and attached slip file to the remote station.
In this way orders requiring multiple authorizations may be simply chained together. Additionally as the router determines the next action to be undertaken, a different result for a given validation may be achieved by simply updating the address contents of the array matrix. This significantly reduces the work required and allows a greater degree of flexibility while maintaining full control.
Ideally the method includes the further steps of:parsing selected text portions of the inputted order request by iteratively identifying space characters in the selected text portions to isolate each word;
comparing each isolated word against a predefined list of noise words;
ignoring isolated words found in the list;
generating a lookup file with isolated words and an associated order request identifiers not found in the list; and generating a keyword file from the lookup file by indexing and writing non duplicate entries of the lookup file.
In this way the time taken for a purchasing manager to locate details of a given order request is significantly reduced.
Ideally the step of directing the message file and 5 attached slip file to a remote station includes the steps of:identifying a transport protocol for a connection between the local and remote stations; and encoding the message file and attached slip file in 10 response to the identified transport protocol with a predefined encoding table.
Preferably the step of decoding the message file and attached slip file includes the steps of :identifying a transport protocol for a connection 15 between the local and remote stations; and aligning bytes associated with the message file and associated slip file in response to the identified transport protocol.
Thus order requests may be conveyed between platforms 20 and may use any desired messaging system.
The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:25 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an order processing method in accordance with the invention.
Referring to Fig. 1 there is illustrated an order processing method according to the invention for implementation in a distributed computer system.
An order create request is received from a user at a local station in step 1. The order request type associated with the order create request of step 1 is identified in step 2 by comparing the order request type with a number of predefined, permitted order request types. This order request type might typically be an order request for office stationary requiring little authorization or a major capital expenditure request necessitating many layers of authorization.
A prompt file associated with the order request type identified in stage 2 is retrieved in stage 3 and used to prompt the user in stage 4. These prompts may therefore be made specific to the identified order request type, allowing the user to input only necessary order request details without having to filter out unnecessary detail.
When all of the request details have been entered the order request is submitted in step 5. The local station then generates an order request control register in step 6 for the order request submitted in step 5. The order request control register is generated by selecting each portion of the inputted order request detail in turn and comparing it with the appropriate section of a validation control register retrieved in step 7. Portions of the request which may be validated may include validation of suppliers, credit card or spend limits among others. The order request control register generated in step 6 is then appended to the order request in step 8 and an order stage identifier is added in step 9. The order stage identifier is used in subsequent validation to determine the criticality of validation failures. For example if a supplier is not found for a low cost, low risk item then the request may be allowed to proceed however in validation of greater value items the absence of an approved supplier may cause rejection of the request.
Selected text portions of the inputted order request are parsed in step 100 by iteratively identifying space characters in the selected text portions to isolate each word. Isolated words are compared against a predefined list of noise words in step 101 and words matched to entries on the list are ignored. A lookup file with j isolated words and associated order request identifiers not found in the list is generated in step 102 and a keyword file from the lookup file of step 102 is generated in step 103 by indexing and writing non duplicate entries of the lookup file. The lookup file and keyword file are then stored for searching by the ordering manager to facilitate control.
Validation of the order request is started in step 10 by 10 retrieving the order request control register. A configuration array matrix is retrieved in step 11 and the order stage identifier of the order request control register added in step 9 is isolated in step 12. The configuration array matrix retrieved in step 11 is addressed with the isolated order stage identifier in step 13. The order stage identifier is then incremented in step 14.
In step 15 each portion of the order request control register and the addressed contents of the configuration array matrix is iteratively compared. Following each comparison a next action address counter associated with the order request is updated in step 16. The next action to be undertaken is determined by the result of the comparison. Thus to determine a change of events for a validation, all the order processing manager is required to do is to update the address contents of the array matrix. This significantly reduces the work required and allows a greater degree of flexibility while maintaining full control. Error handling routines may easily be incorporated by loading an instruction to execute a given error routine into the next action address counter. Similarly a change to the array matrix may cause an error handling routine to be executed where previously another operation was performed.
When the order request has been validated it is transmitted to an order request router in step 20 and the order request router receives the validated order request in step 21. The next action address counter associated with the order request is retrieved in step and addressed in step 23. A transmit code is identified in step 24 by comparing the addressed contents of the next address counter from step 23 with a predefined list of action codes in step 25.
An order request destination address is identified in step 26 by incrementing the next address counter and reading the next address counter contents. Each line of the order request is read in, in turn in step 27 and written to a message file in step 28. A source identifier from the local station is read in stage 29 and written to a slip file in step 30. The slip file is attached to the message file in step 31. The use of the slip file in this way provides a full audit trail for the order request further enhancing the controllability of the method.
The message file and attached slip file are then directed to a remote station. This is done by first identifying a transport protocol for a connection between the local and remote stations in step 35. This transport protocol may be any one of a number of types such as SNA or TCP/IP. The message file and attached slip file are then encoded in step 36 in response to the identified transport protocol with a predefined encoding table. This allows the order request to be easily transmitted across any type and between a variety of hardware platforms. The message file and attached slip file are received in the remote station in step 37. The transport protocol used for the connection between the local and remote stations is again identified in step
38. Individual bytes associated with the message file and associated slip file are aligned in response to the transport protocol identified in step 38 in step 39. This allows different hardware platforms using different messaging systems such as VIM or MAPI to be interfaced without user intervention.
When received by the remote station the aligned message and slip file produced in step 39 are processed in the router of that station by retrieving the next action address counter associated with the order request in step 40. The next action address counter is addressed in step 41 and an authorization request code is identified in step 42 by comparing the addressed contents of the next address counter with the predefined list of action codes previously used in step 25.
An authorised order request is generated in step 43 by adding an authorization code entered by an authorising user to the order request. The order stage identifier is then incremented in step 44 to indicate that the validation criteria available from the array matrix retrieved in step 11.
The order request control register for the authorised order request is regenerated in step 45 by selectively comparing portions of the authorised order request with the validation control register retrieved in step 7. The authorised order request is then validated in step 46 by retrieving the regenerated order request control register from step 45 and retrieving the configuration array matrix, isolating the incremented order stage identifier produced in step 44 and addressing the configuration array matrix with the isolated order stage identifier. Each portion of the order request control register and the addressed contents of the configuration array matrix is compared in step 47 and a next action address counter associated with the order request is updated in step 48 based on the results of the comparison.
An authorised message file is generated in step 50 and a station address is appended to the attached slip file in step 51. The authorised message file and attached slip file are then directed to a remote station in step 52. It will be noted that the remote station to which the files are directed in step 52 may be the station of the order supplier, a printer for printing an order docket or alternatively another station for further authorization if required. In this way, orders may be efficiently processed without using excessive resources. Control is also guaranteed by specifying which orders require which level of authorization using the level identifier.
It will be appreciated that the method described may easily be implemented in an application specific integrated circuit with resultant increase in processing speed. Further, it will be noted that specifics of error handling routines have been omitted so as not to obscure the present invention however detailed technical error handling may easily be incorporated.
It will also be appreciated that purchase cards may also be easily incorporated further validation and process.
The invention is not 15 hereinbefore described, construction and detail.
into the system to provide facilitate the authorization limited to the embodiments which may be varied in both
Claims (6)
1. An order processing method carried out by a distributed computer system comprising the steps of:receiving an order create request from a user at a local station, identifying an order request type associated with the order create request, retrieving a prompt file associated with the identified order request type and prompting the user to input order request details into an order request; generating an order request control register by selectively comparing portions of the inputted order request with a validation control register and adding the order request control register and an order stage identifier to the order request; validating the order request by retrieving the order request control register and a configuration array matrix, isolating the order stage identifier of the order request control register^ addressing the matrix with the identifier, incrementing the identifier and iteratively comparing selected portions of the order request control register and the addressed contents of the matrix and updating a next action address counter associated with the order request based on said comparison; transmitting the validated order request to a local order request router; the local order request router generating a message file and a slip file from the validated order request and transmitting the message and slip files to a remote station; receiving the message file and attached slip file into a router of the remote station and decoding the message file and attached slip file to recreate the order request; retrieving and addressing the next action address counter associated with the order request; identifying an authorization request code by comparing the addressed contents of the next address counter with i the predefined list of action codes; generating an authorised order request by attaching an authorization code to the order request and incrementing the order stage identifier; regenerating the order request control register for the authorised order request by selectively comparing portions of the authorised order request with the validation control register; validating the authorised order request by, retrieving the regenerated order request control register, retrieving the configuration array matrix, isolating the incremented order stage identifier, addressing the matrix with the identifier, and iteratively comparing selected portions of the order request control register and the addressed contents of the matrix and updating the next action address counter associated with the order request based on said comparison; o generating an authorised message file and appending a station address to the attached slip file; and transmitting the authorised message file and attached slip file to a second remote station.
2. An order processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating the message and slip files comprises the sub-steps of :v receiving the validated order request into the order request router, retrieving and addressing the next action address counter associated with the order request; identifying a transmit code by comparing the addressed contents of the next address counter with a predefined list of action codes; identifying an order request destination address 5 by incrementing the next address counter and reading the next address counter contents; iteratively reading each line of the order request and writing the read line to a message file; 10 reading a source identifier from the local station, writing said source identifier to a slip file and attaching the slip file to the message file; and transmitting the message file and attached slip 15 file to the remote station.
3. An order processing method as claimed in any preceding claim further including the steps of:parsing selected text portions of the inputted order request by iteratively identifying space characters in the selected text portions to isolate each word; comparing each isolated word against a predefined list of noise words; ignoring isolated words found in the list; generating a lookup file with isolated words and an associated order request identifiers not found in the list; and generating a keyword file from the lookup file by indexing and writing non duplicate entries of the lookup file.
4. An order processing method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the step of directing the message file and attached slip file to a remote station includes the steps of:A 5. Identifying a transport protocol for a connection between the local and remote stations; and encoding the message file and attached slip file in response to the identified transport protocol 6. 10 with a predefined encoding table.
5. An order processing method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the step of decoding the message file and attached slip file includes the steps of identifying a transport protocol for a 15 connection between the local and remote stations; and aligning bytes associated with the message file and associated slip file in response to the identified transport protocol. 20
6. An order processing method as claimed in any preceding claim with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| IE950977A IE79445B1 (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1995-12-21 | An order processing method |
| IES960041 IES67387B2 (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1996-01-18 | An order processing method |
| GB9601263A GB2308472B (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1996-01-23 | An order processing method |
| CA002193582A CA2193582A1 (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1996-12-20 | Order processing method |
| US08/779,951 US5937393A (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1996-12-23 | Order processing method in a distributed processing system with local validation and dynamic control of the order request through a configuration matrix |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| IE950977A IE79445B1 (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1995-12-21 | An order processing method |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| IE950977A1 IE950977A1 (en) | 1997-07-02 |
| IE79445B1 true IE79445B1 (en) | 1998-05-06 |
Family
ID=11041011
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| IE950977A IE79445B1 (en) | 1995-12-21 | 1995-12-21 | An order processing method |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2308472B (en) |
| IE (1) | IE79445B1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20020002516A1 (en) * | 1997-07-28 | 2002-01-03 | Masahiko Sakayori | Parts ordering system,parts management system and apparatus for managing ordering and reciept of orders |
| US6823226B2 (en) * | 2000-03-31 | 2004-11-23 | Sap Aktiengesellschaft | Matrix methods and systems for supply chain management |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5315508A (en) * | 1992-09-03 | 1994-05-24 | Monarch Marking System | Label generating and data tracking system for processing purchase orders |
| CA2140244A1 (en) * | 1993-05-20 | 1994-12-08 | John D. Doyle | Computer integration network for channeling customer orders through a centralized computer to various suppliers |
-
1995
- 1995-12-21 IE IE950977A patent/IE79445B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1996
- 1996-01-23 GB GB9601263A patent/GB2308472B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2308472A (en) | 1997-06-25 |
| GB2308472B (en) | 1999-12-01 |
| GB9601263D0 (en) | 1996-03-27 |
| IE950977A1 (en) | 1997-07-02 |
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| MM4A | Patent lapsed |