Transaction management system

Abstract

To provide a transaction management system with which delivery timing of a commodity can be set through simple operation.SOLUTION: A second management server 12 includes a use permission unit 121, a page display unit 122, and a delivery instruction unit 12D. When the use permission unit 121 permits the use of a database 20, the page display unit 122 displays a transaction information page on an external terminal 17. In the case where a commodity ordered by a customer is a commodity for which the customer can make a delivery instruction to a seller, and where the delivery instruction is not made for the commodity, a delivery instruction waiting display column which displays delivery instruction waiting information and a delivery instruction operation unit which is to be operated for making a delivery instruction are set on the transaction information page. The delivery instruction unit 12D outputs, when the delivery instruction operation unit is operated while the delivery instruction waiting information is displayed in the delivery instruction waiting information display column, delivery instruction data to a first management server 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transaction management system. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, transactions involving building exterior products between a seller such as a trading company and a customer such as a construction company proceed as follows: First, when the seller receives an offer from the customer, a meeting is held to discuss the details of the planned transaction (products to be purchased, quantity to be purchased, etc.). The seller then prepares documents (a confirmation of the details of the meeting and an estimate) based on the items agreed upon in the meeting and presents these documents to the customer. If the seller is satisfied with the transaction details written in the documents, the seller places a formal order for the products. The transaction is then completed when the products are delivered to the location specified by the customer (the construction site or construction company).

[0003] In recent years, e-commerce sites have come into practical use (see, for example, Patent Document 1). On e-commerce sites, products selected by sellers are displayed together with their prices. A purchaser selects the product they want from the products on the e-commerce site and purchases it. The product thus purchased is delivered to a location (usually the purchaser's home) selected by the purchaser on the e-commerce site. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-21300 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] At exterior construction sites, it is sometimes desirable for a seller to temporarily store products purchased by customers and deliver them to customers when storage space becomes available or when construction work is being carried out that will utilize the products. In such cases, it is necessary to set the delivery timing of products with simple operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An embodiment of an apparatus for solving the above problems will be described. [Aspect 1] A transaction management system for managing transaction details of exterior-related products, comprising: a storage unit for storing a database in which transaction information data, which associates identification information set for each customer with transaction information of the customer corresponding to the identification information, and product data relating to information on the product; a first management server for managing the transaction information data and the product data as data relating to transaction details of the product by the seller of the product; and a second management server for managing the transaction information data and the product data as data relating to transaction details of the product by the customer, wherein the second management server is configured to allow the external terminal to use the database when the identification information is input through the operation of the external terminal connected via a communication network; A transaction management system comprising: a page display unit that displays on the external terminal a transaction information page that, when usage is permitted, displays the transaction information of the customer corresponding to the input identification information, and when the product ordered by the customer is a product for which the customer can issue a delivery instruction to the seller and the delivery instruction for the product has not been issued, a delivery instruction waiting display field that displays delivery instruction waiting information for the product, and a delivery instruction operation unit that is operated when issuing the delivery instruction; and a delivery instruction unit that outputs delivery instruction data instructing the delivery of the product to the first management server when the delivery instruction operation unit is operated through operation of the external terminal while the delivery instruction waiting information is displayed in the delivery instruction waiting display field.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when it is desired to deliver goods at an exterior construction site at a time when space for the goods becomes available or at the time of construction work that will use the goods, the customer can set the timing of delivery of the goods by simply operating an external terminal connected to the transaction management system via a communication network. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the timing of delivery of goods can be set with a simple operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of a transaction management system. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram conceptually showing the structure of data stored in a database. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a login screen on the home screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the execution procedure of the task of obtaining a customer-form estimate. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a customer list page. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a quote request page. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a quote inquiry page. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a quote input page. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a new order page. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the execution procedure of a calculation display process. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a process chart page. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a specification selection page. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a specification confirmation page. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an example of display content in a product display section. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a catalog page. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a delivery date notification page. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display contents of a delivery instruction page. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of a transaction management system will be described below. The transaction management system of this embodiment is introduced by a trading company that sells building exterior products, and is a system for managing various information related to product transactions between the trading company and its customers (e.g., construction companies).

[0011] <Outline of the transaction management system> As shown in FIG. 1, the transaction management system 10 of this embodiment includes a first management server 11, a second management server 12, and a database server 13.

[0012] <First management server 11> The first management server 11 is for managing various data stored in the database server 13 as data relating to the transaction details of merchandise by sellers.

[0013] The first management server 11 includes a central processing unit (so-called CPU) and a storage device. The storage device is configured with storage such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The storage device stores applications and various software used to manage product transaction details. The first management server 11 executes various processes related to the management of product transaction details by sellers based on the applications and various software stored in the storage device. The first management server 11 has the functions of a web server and an application server.

[0014] The first management server 11 has, as functional units, a shipping request data creation unit 111 and a shipping request data transmission unit 112. The functions of the shipping request data creation unit 111 and the shipping request data transmission unit 112 will be described later.

[0015] The first management server 11 is connectable to external devices such as facsimiles of product manufacturers (so-called manufacturers) and customer smartphones via a communication network 16 such as the Internet or a mobile phone network. The first management server 11 is capable of sending and receiving information to and from external devices. Specifically, the first management server 11 is capable of communicating with external devices of manufacturers and customers via facsimile, email, social networking services (SNS), etc. Various types of data are sent and received between the first management server 11 and external devices in accordance with known communication protocols.

[0016] <Operation terminal 14> An operation terminal 14 is connected to the first management server 11. The operation terminal 14 is configured as a computer having an input device 15 (e.g., a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel) for performing input operations. The operation terminal 14 is intended for use by an administrator of the transaction management system 10 (e.g., an employee of a sales trading company). By operating the operation terminal 14, data related to the details of product transactions by sellers, among the various data stored in the database 20, is mainly updated.

[0017] <Second management server 12> The second management server 12 is for managing various data stored in the database server 13 as data relating to the details of transactions of products by customers.

[0018] The second management server 12 includes a central processing unit and a storage device. The storage device is configured with storage such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive. The storage device stores applications and various software used to manage product transaction details. The second management server 12 executes various processes related to the management of product transaction details by customers based on the applications and various software stored in the storage device. The second management server 12 has the functions of a web server and an application server.

[0019] The second management server 12 has, as its functional units, a usage permission unit 121, a page display unit 122, a quote request storage unit 123, a quote output unit 124, a nameplate order request sending unit 125, a nameplate ordered display unit 126, and a shortest delivery date display unit 127. The second management server 12 also has, as its functional units, an order request sending unit 128, an ordered display unit 129, a schedule display unit 12A, a schedule postponement unit 12B, a construction cost display unit 12C, and a delivery instruction unit 12D. The functions of these functional units will be described later.

[0020] <External Terminal 17> The second management server 12 is connectable to an external terminal 17 via a communication network 16 such as a mobile phone network or the Internet. For example, the external terminal 17 is configured as a user terminal such as a personal computer, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone. The second management server 12 is capable of sending and receiving information to and from the external terminal 17. Various types of data are sent and received between the external terminal 17 and the second management server 12 in accordance with known communication protocols.

[0021] <Database Server 13> The database server 13 stores a database 20. The database 20 stores various data relating to the details of product transactions between sellers and customers. The various data include transaction information data 21, product data 22, seller data 23, and manufacturer data 24. In this embodiment, the database server 13 corresponds to a storage unit.

[0022] <Transaction Information Data 21> The transaction information data 21 is data that associates identification information (customer ID) set for each customer with the transaction information of the customer corresponding to the identification information.

[0023] As conceptually shown in FIG. 2, the following data is defined as the transaction information data 21. [Customer Data 25] Customer data 25 (A1, A2, etc.) is data related to identification information (customer code, login ID, and login password) assigned to each customer, and data related to customer information (including contact information such as address, telephone number, and email address). Note that the identification information is set by the sales trading company for customers with whom the company trades products.

[0024] [Purchased Product Data 26] The purchased product data 26 (B1, B2, etc.) is data relating to products purchased by the customer (model number, manufacturer, name, color, price, etc.). "Delivery Destination Data 27" Delivery destination data 27 (C1, C2...) is data regarding the delivery destination of the product purchased by the customer, more specifically, the delivery location and delivery method. Data regarding the delivery location includes "your company," "land yard," "site," and "- (other)." "Your company" indicates that the product will be delivered directly to the customer (for example, a construction company). "Land yard" indicates that the delivery location will be the customer's material storage location. "Site" indicates that the delivery location will be the site where the customer will install the product. "-" indicates that the delivery location will be somewhere else. Data regarding the delivery method includes "normal," "collection by manufacturer," "in-store delivery," "direct delivery from manufacturer," and "other." "Normal" indicates that the seller will deliver the product. "Collection by manufacturer" indicates that the customer will directly collect the product from the manufacturer. "In-store delivery" indicates that the product will be delivered to the sales trading company to which the sales representative belongs (more specifically, the sales trading company's office, warehouse, or logistics center). "Direct from Manufacturer" indicates that the product is delivered directly from the manufacturer to the customer.

[0025] [Quotation Request Data 28] The quotation request data 28 (D1, D2, . . . ) is data created by the second management server 12 when a customer requests a quotation for a product through operation of the external terminal 17.

[0026] [Quotation Data 29] The quotation data 29 (E1, E2, etc.) is data created by the first management server 11 based on the quotation request data 28 through operation of the operation terminal 14 connected to the first management server 11.

[0027] [Sales Price Rate Data 30] The sales price rate data 30 (F1, F2, etc.) is the sales price rate of a product by a customer, more specifically, the value obtained by dividing the sales price PA of the product by the purchase price PB of the product by the customer and multiplying the result by 100 (PA / PB x 100). Values ​​determined by customers for each product are stored in advance in the database 20 as the sales price rate data 30. In this embodiment, the sales price rate data 30 corresponds to profit data indicating the customer's profit share for the product.

[0028] [Purchase Rate Data 31] Purchase rate data 31 (G1, G2, etc.) is the purchase rate of a product by a seller, more specifically, the value obtained by dividing the selling price PC of a product by the purchase price PD of the product by the seller and multiplying the result by 100 (PC / PD x 100). As purchase rate data 31, values ​​determined by the seller for each product are stored in advance in database 20.

[0029] [Order request data 32] The order request data 32 (H1, H2, etc.) is data created by the second management server 12 when a customer requests an order for a product registered on the quotation input page 60, which will be described later, through operation of the external terminal 17. The order request data 32 is created by the second management server 12, for example, when a customer requests an order for a product based on the quotation data 29 through operation of the external terminal 17.

[0030] [First Data 33] The first data 33 (I1, I2, etc.) is data that defines the relationship between the product, the product manufacturer, the product delivery destination, and the product delivery route. The first data 33 is set in advance by the seller and updated at appropriate times.

[0031] [Second Data 34] The second data 34 (J1, J2, etc.) is data that defines the relationship between the product manufacturer and the shortest date and time required for the product to be shipped to the warehouse after the product is ordered. The second data 34 is preset by the seller based on information about product shipment sent by the product manufacturer, and is updated at appropriate times.

[0032] [Third Data 35] The third data 35 (K1, K2, etc.) is data that defines the relationship between warehouses and their operating dates and times. The third data 35 is set in advance by the seller based on the warehouse operating calendar set by the seller, and is updated at appropriate times.

[0033] [Fourth Data 36] The fourth data 36 (L1, L2, etc.) is data that defines the relationship between the delivery destination of the product and the date and time required for the product to be delivered from the warehouse to the delivery destination. The fourth data 36 is preset by the seller based on the delivery date calendar of the delivery destination obtained from the customer, and is updated at appropriate times.

[0034] [Fifth Data 37] The fifth data 37 (M1, M2, etc.) is data that defines the relationship between the product, the layout including the product's length dimensions, multiple components that realize the layout, the prices of the components, the construction work that will realize the layout, and the costs of the construction work. The fifth data 37 is set in advance by the sales trading company based on information about the product provided by the product manufacturer, and is updated at appropriate times.

[0035] [Property Data 38] The property data 38 (N1, N2, etc.) is data related to the property where the product is installed. The property data 38 defines the property name (e.g., Mr. A's residence in Ginan Town) corresponding to the product purchased by the customer, the address, the vehicle model that can be delivered, etc.

[0036] [Nameplate Ordering Request Data 39] Nameplate ordering request data 39 is data created by the second management server 12 when a customer operates the external terminal 17 to request an order for a nameplate.

[0037] [Shipping request data 40] The shipping request data 40 is data to be sent to a product manufacturer to request the shipping of a catalog (for example, document data to be sent by facsimile or email). The shipping request data 40 is created by the first management server 11 when a customer requests the ordering of a catalog through the operation of the external terminal 17.

[0038] [Delivery availability data 41] The delivery availability data 41 is data indicating whether the product purchased by a customer is ready to be delivered to the customer. The delivery availability data 41 is created by the sales trading company's staff through operation of the operation terminal 14 when the target product is delivered to the warehouse, and is stored in the database 20.

[0039] [Delivery Instruction Data 42] The delivery instruction data 42 is data created by the second management server 12 when a customer operates the external terminal 17 to instruct delivery of a product that is ready for delivery.

[0040] [Layout Information 43] Layout information 43 is information about the layout of the product. The layout information defines the length dimensions of the product, the structure of the corners, etc. The layout information 43 is information input by the customer through operation of the external terminal 17.

[0041] <Product data 22> Product data 22 is data related to information about products handled by the seller. Product information includes the manufacturer, name, model, purchase price, details of the work required to install the product, costs for the work, etc. Product data 22 is set in advance by the seller based on information about the product provided by the product manufacturer, and is updated at appropriate times.

[0042] <Seller Data 23> The seller data 23 is data relating to information about the seller (including contact information such as address, telephone number, and email address).

[0043] <Manufacturer Data 24> The manufacturer data 24 is data relating to information about the manufacturer (including contact information such as address, telephone number, facsimile number, and email address).

[0044] <Operation of the transaction management system 10> In this embodiment, through the operation of the operation terminal 14 by the seller and the operation of the external terminal 17 by the customer, each of the seller and the customer can manage the details of product transactions using the data in the database 20 in a manner suitable for their own product management.

[0045] The following describes the operations of sellers and customers managing product transaction details using the transaction management system 10 of this embodiment. <Work to authorize use of the transaction management system 10> First, the process of allowing a customer to use the transaction management system 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0046] When a customer operates the external terminal 17 to access the transaction management system 10 (specifically, the second management server 12), a home screen 200 shown in FIG.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, if the customer is not logged in to the transaction management system 10, a login screen is displayed on the home screen 200. When the customer starts using the transaction management system 10, the customer enters a "customer ID" on the home screen 200. Specifically, a login ID is entered in the ID input field 201 on the home screen 200, and a login password is entered in the password field 202, and then the login button 203 is operated. When this customer ID is authenticated by the usage permission unit 121 of the second management server 12, the external terminal 17 is permitted to use the database 20. This allows the external terminal 17 to subsequently display various information related to commodity transactions linked to the entered customer ID (more specifically, a transaction information page including this information). As described above, the second management server 12 includes a page display unit 122 as a functional unit. The page display unit 122 has a function of displaying a transaction information page on the external terminal 17.

[0048] In the transaction management system 10 of this embodiment, a menu field 210 is set on the transaction information page (including the home screen 200) displayed on the external terminal 17. The menu field 210 displays various operation buttons, such as a home button 211, a customer ledger button 212, an allocation table button 213, a request / history button 214, a property management button 215, a schedule button 216, an inventory button 217, and a guide button 218. In addition, the menu field 210 also displays a catalog button 219, an inquiry button 220, and the like. By logging in to the transaction management system 10, the customer can operate these operation buttons 211 to 220. When the home button 211 in the menu field 210 is operated, the home screen 200 is displayed on the external terminal 17.

[0049] <Printing out customer-style estimates> Next, the process of obtaining a customer-style estimate will be described with reference to FIGS. The transaction management system 10 of this embodiment allows customers to obtain custom-made quotes.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 4, when obtaining a customer-specific quotation, first, quotation request data 28 for requesting a quotation for a product is created through operation of external terminal 17 (S101), and the quotation request data 28 is stored in database 20 (S102). Specifically, this process is performed as follows.

[0051] 5, the transaction information page displayed on the external terminal 17 includes a customer list page 50. The customer list page 50 is one of the transaction information pages that displays the transaction information of the customer corresponding to the input identification information when the use of the database 20 is permitted by the usage permission unit 121, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12.

[0052] The customer list page 50 is configured with a customer search section 51 for inputting information for a customer search, and a customer display section 52 for displaying the results of the customer search. By inputting a keyword (construction location or customer name) into the customer search section 51 and operating a search button 53 of the customer search section 51, the results of the customer search are displayed in the customer display section 52. In the example shown in FIG. 5, six customer columns 54 are displayed in a list in the customer display section 52 of the customer list page 50. Note that in this embodiment, the customer operating the external terminal 17 corresponds to a primary customer (e.g., a construction company), and the customer displayed in the customer display section 52 corresponds to a secondary customer (e.g., a client) who has ordered the product.

[0053] Each customer field 54 has an expand / collapse button 55. By operating the expand / collapse button 55, the customer field 54 can be expanded to display details or collapsed to display only the property name. In the example shown in Figure 5, one of the six customer fields 54 is expanded.

[0054] Furthermore, a quote request button 56 is set in each customer column 54. The quote request button 56 is an operation section that is operated when creating data for requesting a quote (the quote request data 28).

[0055] When a customer obtains a customer-formatted quotation, first, the customer operates the quotation request button 56 on the customer list page 50. As a result, a quotation request page 65, which is one of the transaction information pages, is displayed on the external terminal 17, as shown in FIG. 6. Then, when the customer operates this quotation request page 65, the quotation request storage unit 123, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, creates quotation request data 28 requesting a quotation for the product and stores the quotation request data 28 in the database 20.

[0056] <Request for quotation page 65> The quotation request page 65 includes a summary input section 66 for inputting the details of the quotation to be requested, and a registration button 67 .

[0057] The overview input section 66 includes a project name input field 661 for entering the project name, a desired date input field 662 for entering the desired date for submitting the estimate, a request content input field 663 for writing the request content in text, and an attachment field 664 for attaching documents such as construction drawings.

[0058] <Customer Request for Quote Page 65 Operation> The customer operates the external terminal 17 to enter information into the work name input field 661, desired date input field 662, request content input field 663, and attached document field 664 on the quotation request page 65, and then operates the register button 67. As a result, quotation request data 28 requesting a quotation for the product is created, and the quotation request data 28 is stored in the database 20. The quotation request data 28 includes data regarding the outline of the quotation (more specifically, the data entered in each field 661 to 664). In this embodiment, the quotation request page 65 including the register button 67 corresponds to the quotation request section.

[0059] <Creation of quotation data 29 by seller> 4, when the quotation request data 28 is stored in the database 20 (S102), a signal SG is output from the second management server 12 to the first management server 11 informing the first management server 11 that a quotation request has been received from the customer (S103). When the first management server 11 receives this signal SG (S104), the seller becomes aware that a quotation request has been received.

[0060] Then, the seller operates the operation terminal 14 connected to the first management server 11 (S105) to create quotation data 29, which is data corresponding to the quotation for the product indicated by the quotation request data 28, and stores the quotation data 29 in the database 20 (S106).

[0061] <Customer confirms quotation data 29> Once the quotation data 29 is stored in the database 20 (S106), the first management server 11 notifies the customer's external device by email or SNS that the seller has completed creating the quotation (S107). The customer receives the email or SNS on the customer's external device and is informed that the seller has completed creating the quotation. The customer then operates the external terminal 17 connected to the second management server 12 (S108) to confirm the quotation data 29 created by the seller (S109). This process is specifically performed as follows.

[0062] 7, the transaction information page displayed on the external terminal 17 includes a quote inquiry page 80. The quote inquiry page 80 includes a quote inquiry section 81 for inputting a quote inquiry, and a quote list display section 82 for displaying the results of the quote inquiry.

[0063] By entering keywords (e.g., quote or quote request, quote request date, quote request status, customer name, etc.) into this quote inquiry section 81 and operating a search button 83 in the quote inquiry section 81, the search results for quotes or quote requests are displayed in the quote list display section 82. In the example shown in FIG. 8, three quotes are displayed in a list in the quote list display section 82 of the quote inquiry page 80.

[0064] The quote list display section 82 has an edit button 84 that is operated when editing a quote. When obtaining a quote in a customer format, the edit button 84 corresponding to the quote to be obtained is operated. As a result, the quote input page 60 (FIG. 8) is displayed on the external terminal 17.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 8, the quotation input page 60 has a product selection field 63. When obtaining a customer-format quotation, a "Reflect Quotation Request Contents" button 793 in the product selection field 63 is operated. This causes the contents of the quotation data 29 created by the seller to be reflected in the product selection field 63. More specifically, the displayed contents of the product selection field 63 are updated to the contents defined in the quotation data 29. Note that FIG. 8 shows an example of the state in which the contents of the quotation data 29 are reflected in the product selection field 63.

[0066] The customer checks the contents of the quotation prepared by the seller based on the displayed contents of the product selection field 63. If the customer wishes to obtain a quotation in customer format, the customer selects "Customer" in the quotation layout selection section 62. If the customer wishes to include major items in the quotation, the customer checks the check box 621. After performing these operations, the customer operates the registration button 72 to register the quotation contents.

[0067] The quote input page 60 will be described in detail below. The quotation input page 60 has a summary input section 61 for inputting the details of the quotation to be requested, a quotation layout selection section 62 for selecting the output format of the quotation, and a product selection section 63 for selecting the product.

[0068] The overview input section 61 includes a construction name input field 611 for inputting the construction name, a desired date input field 612 for inputting the desired date for submitting the estimate, and an attachment field 613 for attaching documents such as construction drawings.

[0069] The estimate layout selection section 62 is a pull-down input section. Selection items in the estimate layout selection section 62 include "Customer" to select the customer style, "Dealer" to select the dealer style, "Housebuilder" to select the housebuilder style, and "Other" to select other styles. Near the estimate layout selection section 62, a checkbox 621 is set together with the text "Print major items." When entering major items, which will be described later, in the estimate, a check mark is placed in this checkbox 621. In this embodiment, the estimate layout selection section 62 corresponds to the output style selection section.

[0070] <Product selection column 63> The product selection field 63 includes a main item field 70, a medium item field 71, a sub-item field (not shown), a register button 72, and a back button 73. In this embodiment, the product selection field 63 corresponds to a product selection unit that is operated to select a product.

[0071] <Major item column 70> The major item field 70 displays major item display fields 74 that display major items related to the content selected in the product selection field 63. In the example shown in Fig. 8, three major item display fields 74 are displayed. When the quotation data 29 is reflected, the major item display fields 74 display major items related to the content of the quotation data 29 (information on the product to be quoted).

[0072] The major item display field 74 has display items such as a major item selection section 75, a total amount field 76, and a details button 77. The major item selection section 75 is an input section for inputting major items (text information) for the content selected in the product selection field 63. The total amount field 76 is a display field for displaying the cost (amount) for the major item selected in the major item selection section 75. The details button 77 is an operation section that is operated when displaying details (more specifically, the medium item field 71 and the minor item field) of the major item selected in the major item selection section 75 in the product selection field 63.

[0073] An add line button 78 is set in the main item column 70. The add line button 78 is an operation unit that is operated when adding a main item display column 74. <Medium item column 71> The medium item column 71 displays a medium item display column 79 that displays medium items for the product selected in the product selection column 63. In the example shown in FIG. 8, three medium item display columns 79 are displayed. When the quotation data 29 is reflected, the medium item display column 79 displays medium items for the contents of the quotation data 29 (information on the product to be quoted). The medium item display column 79 has various display items set therein, such as a selection check section 790, as described below.

[0074] The selection check section 790 is an operation section that is operated when the product displayed in the medium item display column 79 is to be ordered. The selection check section 790 is operated by putting a check mark in a check box.

[0075] The medium item section 791 is a display section that displays the medium item selected through the operation of the medium item display field 79 . The product selection button 792 is an operation unit that is operated when selecting a product. When the product selection button 792 is operated, a product selection page for product selection is displayed. It is possible to select a product by operating this product selection page.

[0076] The quote request content reflect button 793 is an operation section that is operated when the quote data 29 created by the seller based on the quote request data 28 is reflected in the product selection field 63 . The quantity display section 794 is a display section that displays the quantity of the product displayed in the medium item section 791.

[0077] The unit input section 795 is an input section for inputting the unit (text information such as formula, piece, kg, etc.) of the quantity inputted to the quantity display section 794. The regular price display section 796 is a display section that displays the selling price of the product as determined by the customer.

[0078] The selling price rate display section 797 is a display section that displays the selling price rate of the product by the customer. The unit price display section 798 is a display section that displays the sales price (unit price) of the product by the customer. The price display section 799 is a display section that displays the total price (unit price x quantity) of the product sold by the customer.

[0079] The purchase rate display section 800 is a display section that displays the purchase rate of the product by the seller. The purchase price display section 801 is a display section that displays the purchase price (unit price) of the product by the seller.

[0080] The purchase price display section 802 is a display section that displays the total purchase price (unit price x quantity) of the product purchased by the seller. In this embodiment, it is possible to use the medium item display field 79 to select a product as follows.

[0081] First, when the product selection button 792 is operated, a product selection page for product selection is displayed on the external terminal 17. Then, when a product is selected and the quantity is entered through operation of the product selection page, the name of the selected product is displayed in the medium item section 791. At this time, the price (unit price) of the selected product is automatically displayed in the list price display section 796, unit price display section 798, and purchase unit price display section 801. At this time, the sales price rate of the selected product is automatically displayed in the sales price rate display section 797, and the purchase rate of the selected product is automatically displayed in the purchase rate display section 800.

[0082] Furthermore, the amount (price) according to the quantity input through the operation of the product selection page is automatically calculated, and the calculated amount is displayed in the amount display area 799 and the purchase amount display area 802. In this embodiment, by selecting a product and inputting the quantity in the product selection field 63 (more specifically, the product selection page), a list of information about the selected product is automatically created in the medium item display field 79 based on the product data 22 stored in the database 20.

[0083] For products that are not registered in product data 22, the product cannot be selected on the product selection page, so text information (product name and model) is directly entered in medium item section 791. In this case, list price display section 796, selling price rate display section 797, unit price display section 798, amount display section 799, purchase rate display section 800, purchase unit price display section 801, and purchase amount display section 802 are left blank.

[0084] <Small item column> The sub-item column is a display column that is created when a product is selected through the operation of the product selection page and the selected product has "sub-items" in addition to "medium items." The sub-item column displays multiple sub-item display columns that display sub-items for the product selected in the product selection column 63. When the quotation data 29 is reflected, the sub-item column displays sub-items for the contents of the quotation data 29 (information on the product to be quoted). In each sub-item display column, various display items such as a selection check section 790 are set, similar to the above-mentioned medium item display column 79. In the sub-item display column, information about the product is displayed in the same display format as the above-mentioned medium item display column 79.

[0085] <Registration button 72> The register button 72 is an operation section that is operated when registering a product selected in the product selection field 63 or a product displayed in the product selection field 63 .

[0086] <Back button 73> The back button 73 is an operation unit that is operated when returning to the previous page (for example, the customer list page 50).

[0087] In this embodiment, the product selection field 63 on the quote input page 60 has a function to display the contents of the quote data 29 (more specifically, information about the product to be quoted), as well as a function to select and display a product through an operation by the customer. Even if the customer selects a product in the product selection field 63 before reflecting the quote data 29 in the product selection field 63, the quote data 29 can be reflected in the product selection field 63 by operating the quote request content reflect button 793. The customer then confirms the contents of the quote created by the seller based on the product information reflected in this way.

[0088] <Customer prints out customer-formatted quote> 4, when the estimate (specifically, estimate data 29) created by the seller is confirmed by the customer (S109), the confirmed estimate is output to the external terminal 17 (S111) through operation of the external terminal 17 connected to the second management server 12 (S110). The customer then obtains this estimate by receiving it on the external terminal 17 (S112). This process is specifically performed as follows.

[0089] That is, as shown in Fig. 7, the quotation button 85 on the quotation inquiry page 80 is operated. This causes a confirmation page (not shown) to be displayed, allowing the user to confirm the display contents of the quotation to be output. Then, by operating this confirmation page, a quotation in a predetermined file format (e.g., PDF file format) is output to the external terminal 17 as a quotation in the customer's format. In this embodiment, the quotation button 85 on the quotation inquiry page 80 and the confirmation page correspond to the output operation unit operated when outputting the quotation.

[0090] In this embodiment, the quotation output unit 124, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, has the function of creating a quotation in a customer format based on the quotation data 29 and outputting the quotation when the following (conditions) are met:

[0091] (Condition) The output operation unit is operated in a state where a customer format corresponding to the customer is selected through operation of the estimate layout selection unit 62. <Actions and effects of obtaining customer-specific quotes> In this embodiment, a first management server 11 is configured to manage the details of product transactions by sellers who sell products, and a second management server 12 is configured to manage the details of product transactions by customers who purchase products. Therefore, the same data stored in database 20 can be used in first management server 11 as data related to the details of transactions by sellers (e.g., sales), while in second management server 12 as data related to the details of transactions by customers (e.g., purchases). Therefore, each of sellers and customers can use the data in database 20 in a manner suitable for their own product management to manage the details of product transactions.

[0092] According to this embodiment, the customer can use the database 20 and the second management server 12, specifically, by operating the external terminal 17, to request a seller for an estimate for a product.

[0093] Furthermore, upon receiving a request from a customer, the seller can use the database 20 and the first management server 11, specifically by operating the operation terminal 14, to create a product quotation (more specifically, quotation data 29) and store it in the database 20. Then, once the quotation data 29 is stored in the database 20, the customer can use the quotation data 29 and the second management server 12, specifically by operating the external terminal 17, to obtain a quotation in a customer format that has been created and output.

[0094] Therefore, product estimates can be easily created without the need for tedious tasks such as holding meetings between the seller and the customer, creating documents based on the items agreed upon in the meetings, etc. Moreover, customers can easily create customer-formatted estimates without the need for tedious tasks such as receiving estimates from the seller by facsimile or email and transcribing the estimates. Such customer-formatted estimates can then be presented as the customer's own estimates to third parties other than the seller (e.g., the client).

[0095] As described above, according to this embodiment, the transaction management system 10 can be made a system that is easy to use for both sellers and customers. <Work related to ordering nameplates> Next, the work involved in ordering a nameplate will be described with reference to FIG.

[0096] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, in order to perform all tasks related to ordering nameplates without any omissions, a nameplate order button 90 and an ordered / unordered display column 91 are set in the customer column 54 in the customer display section 52 of the customer list page 50.

[0097] The nameplate order button 90 is an operation unit that is operated when ordering a nameplate. The ordered / not yet ordered display field 91 is a display field that selectively displays either order completion information that indicates that the order of the nameplate has been completed, or order incomplete information that indicates that the order of the nameplate has not yet been completed. For example, the text information "ordered" is used as the order completion information, and the text information "not yet ordered" is used as the order incomplete information.

[0098] In this embodiment, the nameplate order button 90 and the ordered / unordered display field 91 are set for each customer field 54. Therefore, if multiple customer fields 54 are displayed on the customer list page 50, the nameplate order button 90 and the ordered / unordered display field 91 are displayed for each customer field 54.

[0099] The following describes the process of ordering a nameplate using the nameplate order button 90 and the ordered / unordered display field 91. When ordering a nameplate, the external terminal 17 displays the customer display section 52 of the customer list page 50, specifically the customer column 54 corresponding to the nameplate to be ordered. For example, by performing a customer search using the customer search section 51 of the customer list page 50, it is possible to display the customer column 54 corresponding to the nameplate to be ordered in the customer display section 52 of the customer list page 50. Note that in this embodiment, the customer search section 51 of the customer list page 50 corresponds to the collective display operation section that is operated when displaying transaction information of customers for the same property in a collective manner. Also in this embodiment, the customer column 54 of the customer list page 50 corresponds to the collective display section that displays transaction information of customers for the same property in a collective manner.

[0100] When ordering a nameplate, the nameplate order button 90 in the customer column 54 corresponding to the nameplate to be ordered is operated. This causes a nameplate order page (not shown), one of the transaction information pages, to be displayed on the external terminal 17. Then, through operation of this nameplate order page, information about the nameplate to be ordered (e.g., text data, drawings) is entered, and an order request for the nameplate is made based on that information. Specifically, the nameplate order request sending unit 125, one of the functional units of the second management server 12, creates nameplate order request data 39 requesting the order of the nameplate, and sends the nameplate order request data 39 to the first management server 11. The nameplate order request data 39 includes information about the nameplate to be ordered. In this embodiment, the nameplate order button 90 and the nameplate order page correspond to the nameplate order operation unit.

[0101] The seller performs the process of ordering the nameplates, such as creating an order form based on the nameplate order request data 39 received by the first management server 11 and sending it by facsimile to the manufacturer of the nameplates. In this embodiment, when a request to order a nameplate is made through operation of the nameplate order button 90 and the nameplate order page, the order completion information is displayed in the ordered / unordered display field 91. In more detail, before a request to order a nameplate is made, the incomplete order information (e.g., text information "unordered") is displayed in the ordered / unordered display field 91. Then, when a request to order a nameplate is made through operation of the nameplate order button 90 and the nameplate order page, the display content of the ordered / unordered display field 91 is switched from the incomplete order information to the completed order information (e.g., text information "ordered").

[0102] In this embodiment, the nameplate ordered display unit 126, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, executes a process of displaying order completion information in the ordered / not ordered display field 91. In this embodiment, the ordered / not ordered display field 91 corresponds to the nameplate ordered completion display field that displays the order completion information.

[0103] <Actions and effects of carrying out work related to ordering nameplates> In this embodiment, the customer column 54 of the customer list page 50 includes a nameplate order button 90, which is an operation unit dedicated to ordering nameplates, and an ordered / unordered display column 91, which is a display column dedicated to ordering nameplates. This allows the ordered / unordered display column 91 displayed in the customer column 54 to be seen each time the customer column 54 of the customer list page 50 is viewed. By viewing the ordered / unordered display column 91, the user can determine whether a nameplate order has been completed for the property corresponding to the customer column 54. Furthermore, if the user determines based on the ordered / unordered display column 91 that a nameplate order has not yet been completed, the user can order the nameplate by operating the nameplate order button 90 displayed in the customer column 54 along with the ordered / unordered display column 91. Therefore, this embodiment allows the user to thoroughly complete the nameplate ordering process, which is a task that is often forgotten during exterior construction work.

[0104] <Displaying the earliest delivery date for a product> Next, the operation of displaying the earliest delivery date of a product will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0105] 9, a new order page 100, which is one of the transaction information pages, has a shortest expected delivery date field 106. In this shortest expected delivery date field 106, the shortest delivery date of the product is displayed.

[0106] The new order page 100 is displayed on the external terminal 17, for example, in the following procedure. First, to specify the product to be ordered, the selection check section 790 is operated on the quotation input page 60 (see FIG. 8). Then, in this state, the quote order button 803 on the quotation input page 60 is operated. This displays the new order page 100 for ordering the product to be ordered.

[0107] The new order page 100 includes an "input page" and a "content confirmation page." The "input page" is a page for entering information related to ordering a product, and the "content confirmation page" is a page for confirming the information entered on the "input page."

[0108] The earliest expected delivery date field 106 is not set on the input page, but is set on the content confirmation page. The setting items other than the earliest expected delivery date field 106 are the same on the input page and the content confirmation page. Therefore, the input page and content confirmation page of the new order page 100 will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 9 showing the content confirmation page of the new order page 100.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 9, the input page of the new order page 100 has a manufacturer selection section 101, a delivery destination selection section 102, a desired delivery date input section 103, and a product display section 104 set up. The manufacturer selection section 101 is an operation section operated to select the manufacturer of the product to be ordered, more specifically, the product for which the selection check section 790 has been operated on the estimate input page 60. When the new order page 100 is displayed by operating the estimate order button 803 on the estimate input page 60, the manufacturer of the product is automatically input and displayed in the manufacturer selection section 101.

[0110] The delivery destination selection section 102 is an operation section operated to specify the delivery destination of the product to be ordered, more specifically, the product for which the selection check section 790 has been operated on the estimate input page 60. By operating the manufacturer selection section 101, the delivery destination of the product, such as "normal," "collection from manufacturer," "in-store delivery," "direct delivery from manufacturer," or "other," and the address of the delivery location of the product, etc. are input.

[0111] The desired delivery date input section 103 is an input section for inputting the desired delivery date of the product to be ordered, more specifically, the product for which the selection check section 790 on the estimate input page 60 has been operated. A check box 105 is set near the desired delivery date input section 103 along with the text information "shortest." In this embodiment, when a check mark is placed in the check box 105, the earliest delivery date of the product is displayed in the earliest estimated delivery date field 106 set on the content confirmation page. In this embodiment, the earliest estimated delivery date field 106 corresponds to the earliest delivery date display field that displays the earliest delivery date for the product to be ordered.

[0112] The product display field 104 displays information about the product to be ordered, specifically, the product for which the selection check section 790 on the estimate input page 60 has been operated. A confirmation button (not shown) is set on the input page of the new order page 100. The confirmation button is operated when moving to the content confirmation page of the new order page 100 after inputting information into the manufacturer selection section 101, delivery destination selection section 102, and desired delivery date input section 103 on the input page.

[0113] The content confirmation page of new order page 100 has set thereon an expected earliest delivery date field 106 that displays the earliest delivery date of the product. The content confirmation page of new order page 100 has set thereon a confirm button 107. Confirm button 107 is an operation unit that is operated when confirming the content displayed on the content confirmation page and placing an order for the product.

[0114] The following describes how to order a product using the new order page 100. When placing an order for a product, first, the new order page 100 is displayed on the external terminal 17. For example, the new order page 100 can be displayed by checking the selection check section 790 on the estimate input page 60 and operating the estimate order button 803.

[0115] Then, the manufacturer of the product to be ordered and the delivery destination of the product are entered through operation of the new order page 100, more specifically, the input page. If the customer wishes to know the earliest delivery date of the product to be ordered, the customer checks the check box 105 through operation of the external terminal 17. After this operation, the confirmation button on the input page of the new order page 100 is operated.

[0116] This displays the content confirmation page of new order page 100. In addition to the product manufacturer, product delivery destination, desired delivery date, and product information, the content confirmation page displays an expected earliest delivery date field 106. If a check mark is placed in checkbox 105, the expected earliest delivery date field 106 automatically calculates and displays the expected earliest delivery date for the product.

[0117] Specifically, the earliest delivery date display unit 127, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, calculates the earliest delivery date for the product based on the input information in the product display field 104, manufacturer selection unit 101, and delivery destination selection unit 102, and the first to fourth data 33 to 36. Then, the earliest delivery date display unit 127 displays the calculated earliest delivery date in the earliest expected delivery date field 106.

[0118] <Calculation display process> Hereinafter, the process of calculating the earliest delivery date and displaying it in the earliest expected delivery date field 106 (calculation and display process) will be described with reference to FIG.

[0119] Fig. 10 shows the execution procedure of the calculation and display process, more specifically, the execution procedure of the calculation and display process when the product to be ordered is shipped from the manufacturer and then delivered to the delivery destination specified by the customer via the seller's warehouse. The series of processes shown in Fig. 10 is executed by the second management server 12 as a process at a predetermined interval. The calculation and display process is executed on the condition that the product to be ordered, the manufacturer of the product, and the delivery destination of the product are selected through operation of the new order page 100, and a check mark is placed in the checkbox 105.

[0120] 10, in this process, first, a delivery route for the product is calculated from the first data 33 based on the product, manufacturer, and delivery destination selected through the operation of the new order page 100 (S201). This identifies the delivery route for the product to be ordered, such as "manufacturer → seller's warehouse → delivery destination."

[0121] Thereafter, the earliest arrival date (hereinafter referred to as the first earliest arrival date a1) for the product to be shipped from the manufacturer and received at the warehouse is calculated based on the product, manufacturer, and second data 34 selected through operation of the new order page 100 (S202). In the process of S202, the first earliest arrival date a1 is calculated based on the following considerations.

[0122] Manufacturers may publish the shortest number of days it takes from ordering a product to shipping it (hereinafter referred to as the first shortest shipping period a2). The relationship between a product and its first shortest shipping period a2 is predefined in the second data 34. In this process, first, a first shortest shipping date a3 (e.g., year / month / day [x+n]) is calculated, which is the shortest date and time for the product to be shipped from the manufacturer, based on the first shortest shipping period a2 (e.g., N days) for the product to be ordered and the current date and time (e.g., year / month / day). Note that the calculation of the first shortest shipping date a3 takes into account the manufacturer's holidays. Furthermore, if multiple products are selected through the operation of the new order page 100, the latest of the first shortest shipping dates a3 for each product is used as the first shortest shipping date a3.

[0123] The seller also knows the shortest date and time required for the product to arrive at the seller's warehouse after being shipped by the manufacturer (hereinafter referred to as the first shortest arrival date a4). The second data 34 predetermines the relationship between the product and the first shortest arrival date a4 for that product. In this process, the shortest date and time for the product shipped from the manufacturer to arrive at the seller's warehouse, i.e., the first shortest arrival date a1, is calculated based on the first shortest arrival date a4 and the first shortest shipping date a3. In this way, the first shortest arrival date a1 is calculated.

[0124] Thereafter, based on the warehouse identified in the process of S201 and the first shortest arrival date a1, the shortest date and time at which the product once stored in the warehouse will be shipped from the warehouse (hereinafter referred to as the second shortest shipping date b1) is calculated from the third data 35 (S203). In the process of S203, the second shortest shipping date b1 is calculated based on the following considerations.

[0125] For each warehouse, the seller knows the days on which products will not be delivered to the warehouse (hereinafter referred to as delivery unavailable days) and the days on which products will be delivered to the warehouse (hereinafter referred to as delivery available days). The third data 35 predetermines the relationship between a warehouse and its delivery unavailable days.

[0126] In this process, the earliest date and time when the product will be received at the warehouse (hereinafter referred to as the second earliest arrival date b2) is calculated. Specifically, if the first earliest arrival date a1 is a date on which the product cannot be received at the warehouse identified in the process of S201, the second earliest arrival date b2 is set to the next date on which the product can be received at that warehouse. In this case, the first earliest arrival date a1 is considered to be a date and time when the product cannot be received at the warehouse, and the second earliest arrival date b2 is set to a date and time that is later than the first earliest arrival date a1 until the next date and time when the product can be received at the warehouse, i.e., the earliest date and time when the product can be received at the warehouse. On the other hand, if the first earliest arrival date a1 is a date and time when the product can be received at the warehouse identified in the process of S201, the first earliest arrival date a1 is considered to be a date and time when the product can be received at the warehouse, and the first earliest arrival date a1 is set to the second earliest arrival date b2 as is.

[0127] The seller also knows the shortest date and time required for a product to be shipped from the warehouse after it arrives at the warehouse (hereinafter, the second shortest shipping days b3). The third data 35 predetermines the relationship between the product and the second shortest shipping days b3 for that product. In this process, the shortest date and time for a product once received at the warehouse to be shipped from the warehouse (the second shortest shipping date b1) is calculated based on the second shortest shipping days b3 and the second shortest arrival date b2. If the second shortest shipping date b1 is a date on which the warehouse cannot ship, the second shortest shipping date b1 is shifted to the next date on which the warehouse can ship. Note that a warehouse cannot ship a product on a date on which the warehouse cannot ship a product, and a warehouse can ship a product on a date on which the warehouse can ship a product. On the other hand, if the second shortest shipping date b1 is a date on which the warehouse can ship a product, the second shortest shipping date b1 is not shifted. In this manner, the second shortest shipping date b1 is calculated.

[0128] Thereafter, the earliest date and time at which the product shipped from the warehouse will be delivered to the delivery destination (hereinafter referred to as the earliest delivery date c1) is calculated (S204) based on the delivery destination identified in the process of S201, the second earliest shipping date b1, and the fourth data 36. In the process of S204, the earliest delivery date c1 is calculated based on the following considerations.

[0129] The seller knows the days on which product delivery is not performed (hereinafter referred to as delivery unavailable days) and the days on which product delivery is performed (hereinafter referred to as delivery available days) for each warehouse. The fourth data 36 predetermines the relationship between warehouses and their delivery unavailable days.

[0130] In this process, the earliest date and time when the product will be shipped from the warehouse (hereinafter referred to as the third earliest shipping date C2) is calculated. Specifically, if the second earliest shipping date b1 is a date on which delivery is not possible for the warehouse identified in the process of S201, the third earliest shipping date C2 is set to the next date on which delivery is possible for that warehouse. In this case, the second earliest shipping date b1 is considered to be a date and time on which the product cannot be delivered, and the third earliest shipping date C2 is set to a date and time that is later than the second earliest shipping date b1 until the next date and time on which delivery is possible for the warehouse, i.e., the earliest date and time on which delivery of the product is possible. On the other hand, if the second earliest shipping date b1 is a date and time on which delivery is possible for the warehouse identified in the process of S201, the second earliest shipping date b1 is considered to be a date and time on which the product can be delivered, and the second earliest shipping date b1 is set as the third earliest shipping date C2.

[0131] The seller also keeps track of the date on which the product cannot be delivered to the delivery destination (hereinafter referred to as the non-delivery date) and the date on which the product can be delivered to the delivery destination (hereinafter referred to as the delivery possible date) for each delivery destination. The fourth data 36 predetermines the relationship between the delivery destination and the non-delivery date for that delivery destination. In this process, if the third shortest shipping date C2 is a non-delivery date for the delivery destination identified in the process of S201, the shortest delivery date c1 is set to the next possible delivery date for that delivery destination. In this case, the third shortest shipping date C2 is considered to be the date and time on which the product cannot be delivered to the delivery destination, and the shortest delivery date c1 is set to a date and time that is later than the third shortest shipping date C2 to the next possible delivery date for the delivery destination, i.e., the earliest date and time on which the product can be delivered. On the other hand, if the third shortest shipping date C2 is the delivery date of the delivery destination identified in the process of S201, the third shortest shipping date C2 is set as the shortest delivery date c1 as it is, assuming that the third shortest shipping date C2 is the date and time when the product can be delivered. In this way, the shortest delivery date c1 is calculated.

[0132] Thereafter, the earliest delivery date c1 calculated in the process of S204 is displayed in the earliest scheduled delivery date field 106 (S205). In the calculation and display process of this embodiment, when the "collection from manufacturer" is selected as the delivery destination, the first shortest shipping date a3 is calculated as the shortest delivery date c1 and displayed in the shortest expected delivery date field 106. When the "pick up at store" is selected as the delivery destination, the second shortest shipping date b1 is calculated as the shortest delivery date c1 and displayed in the shortest expected delivery date field 106.

[0133] <Actions and effects of displaying the shortest delivery date c1> In the exterior industry, sellers are often asked by customers about the earliest possible delivery date for their products. Calculating the earliest possible delivery date is complicated, as it requires consideration of various parameters, such as the time required from when the product is ordered until it is shipped, the route the product will be delivered, the operating hours of the warehouses the product will pass through during delivery, and the status of the delivery destination.

[0134] In this embodiment, the shortest delivery date c1 of a product is automatically calculated by simply selecting the product, the product manufacturer, and the product delivery destination through the external terminal 17, taking into account the above parameters. The automatically calculated shortest delivery date c1 is then displayed in the shortest expected delivery date field 106 on the content confirmation page of the new order page 100. As described above, according to this embodiment, the work of calculating the shortest delivery date c1 and the work of presenting the shortest delivery date c1 to the customer can be performed automatically. This saves the seller the trouble of presenting the shortest delivery date of a product to the customer.

[0135] As shown in Figure 9, when placing an order for a product, the user confirms the product order details based on the displayed content on the content confirmation page of the new order page 100, and if the details are satisfactory, operates the confirm button 107 on the content confirmation page to register the product order details.

[0136] At this time, the order request sending unit 128, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, creates order data 44 requesting the ordering of the product and sends the order data 44 to the first management server 11. In this manner, the product is ordered. In this embodiment, the new order page 100 and the confirm button 107 correspond to the product ordering operation unit.

[0137] Furthermore, the ordered display unit 129, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, displays ordered information in the selection check unit 790 of the estimate input page 60 when a product order is placed through operation of the new order page 100. Specifically, the selection check unit 790 is displayed in a light gray color, i.e., grayed out, and is in an inoperable state with a check mark always placed in the checkbox. In this embodiment, the selection check unit 790 corresponds to an ordered display field that displays ordered information indicating that an order based on the estimate data 29 has been completed.

[0138] <Actions and Effects of Displaying Ordered Information in the Selection Check Unit 790> In this embodiment, a series of systems including a first management server 11 and a second management server 12 can centrally manage data regarding product quotations created by the second management server 12 and data regarding product orders created by the first management server 11.

[0139] Therefore, when an order request is made to the first management server 11 based on the product information registered on the estimate input page 60, the ordered information can be automatically displayed in the selection check section 790 of the estimate input page 60 without any special operation. Note that when an order request is made to the first management server 11 based on the product information registered on the estimate input page 60, this also includes when an order request is made to the first management server 11 based on the estimate data 29 created by the second management server 12.

[0140] This prevents the display content of the selection check section 790 of the quote input page 60 from not showing "ordered" information even though the product has already been ordered, i.e., prevents a situation in which ordering of the product becomes possible. Furthermore, it also prevents the display content of the selection check section 790 of the quote input page 60 from showing "ordered" information even though the product has not yet been ordered, i.e., prevents a situation in which ordering of the product becomes impossible. Therefore, by looking at the selection check section 790 of the quote input page 60, the customer can accurately determine whether or not a product has been ordered based on the created quote.

[0141] <Displaying a schedule for construction work by the customer> Next, the operation of displaying a schedule for construction work by a customer will be described with reference to FIG.

[0142] As shown in Fig. 11, the transaction information page includes a schedule page 130. The schedule page 130 is displayed, for example, by operating the schedule tab 501 on the customer list page 50 (see Fig. 5). The schedule page 130 has a first schedule display field 131, a second schedule display field 132, a new input button 133, a correction button 134, and a rain-staining button 135.

[0143] The first schedule display field 131 is a display field that displays a schedule for the construction work by the seller. The first schedule display field 131 displays a schedule that is created based on the construction information (construction date, construction content) entered by the seller.

[0144] The second schedule display field 132 is a display field that displays a schedule for construction work by a customer. The second schedule display field 132 displays a schedule that is created based on construction information (construction date, construction content) entered by the customer. In the example shown in Fig. 11, one second schedule display field 132 is displayed.

[0145] The new input button 133 is an operation section that is operated when creating a new second schedule display field 132. When the new input button 133 is operated, a new input page (not shown) is displayed. By inputting and registering construction information through the operation of the new input page, a new second schedule display field 132 that displays a schedule including the construction information is created on the schedule page 130.

[0146] The edit button 134 is an operation section that is operated when correcting an already created second process chart display field 132. When multiple second process chart display fields 132 are formed, the edit button 134 is set for each second process chart display field 132. When the edit button 134 is operated to correct a second process chart display field 132, an edit page (not shown) is displayed. By inputting and registering the correction content through operations on the edit page, the correction content is reflected in the second process chart display field 132.

[0147] In this embodiment, the new input button 133, the new input page, the edit button 134, and the edit page correspond to the construction information input unit. In this embodiment, the schedule display unit 12A, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, has a function of displaying a schedule including construction information input through operation of the construction information input unit in the second schedule display field 132.

[0148] <Actions and Effects of Setting the Second Process Chart Display Column 132> According to this embodiment, the customer can operate the external terminal 17 to display a schedule for the construction work to be performed by the customer on the schedule page 130, which is one of the transaction information pages displayed on the external terminal 17. Therefore, the customer can conveniently use the transaction information page displayed on the external terminal 17.

[0149] <Rain-Stained Button 135> The rain shift button 135 is an operation unit that is operated by the customer when postponing multiple construction plans displayed in the second schedule display field 132 all at once. When the rain shift button 135 is operated, all of the multiple construction plans displayed in the second schedule display field 132 (in the example shown in FIG. 11, 2 / 1 (Thurs), 2 / 2 (Fri), 2 / 3 (Sat)) are shifted to plans that are postponed by one day (2 / 2 (Fri), 2 / 3 (Sat), 2 / 4 (Sun)).

[0150] In this embodiment, the schedule postponement unit 12B, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, has the function of postponing all of the multiple construction schedules displayed in the second schedule display field 132 by one day when the rain slip button 135, which serves as a bulk postponement operation unit, is operated.

[0151] <Actions and effects of setting the rain shear button 135> Construction work related to the exterior may be postponed due to rainfall or snowfall. In such cases, the construction work is postponed by one day. According to this embodiment, when construction work is postponed due to rainfall or snowfall, by operating the rain slippage button 135, multiple construction work plans displayed in the second schedule display field 132 can be postponed by one day all at once in accordance with the actual situation of the exterior construction work described above.

[0152] Therefore, when construction work is postponed due to rain or snowfall, instead of individually changing the multiple construction work plans displayed in the second schedule display field 132, all of the multiple construction work plans can be appropriately changed without the need for time and effort by operating the rain shift button 135.

[0153] <Estimating products to be installed according to customer-specified length dimensions> Next, the process of estimating a product to be installed with a length dimension set by a customer will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0154] For products such as fences and handrails that are installed according to the length specified by the customer (hereinafter referred to as "specific products"), the overall length is adjusted by adding or cutting components that make up the product. Therefore, when estimating or ordering specific products, the task of calculating the number and cost of components required for installation can be complicated.

[0155] In this embodiment, the transaction information page includes a specification selection page 140 shown in Fig. 12 and a specification confirmation page 150 shown in Fig. 13. When the product for which a quotation is requested, i.e., the product selected by the customer in the product selection field 63, is the specific product, the above-mentioned work can be easily performed by operating the specification selection page 140 and the specification confirmation page 150.

[0156] The procedure for performing the above operations through the operation of the specification selection page 140 and specification confirmation page 150 will be described below. As shown in Fig. 12, when a specific product is selected, the specification selection page 140 displays a first selection field 141 for selecting the product, and also automatically displays a layout input section 142 for inputting information about the product layout. The specification selection page 140 is a page that is displayed on the external terminal 17 in the process of selecting a product through operation of the product selection field 63 on the estimate input page 60 (see Fig. 8), for example. The specification selection page 140 is also displayed on the external terminal 17 when the product selection button 108, fence pick-up button 109, or handrail pick-up button 110 on the new order page 100 (see Fig. 9) is operated.

[0157] Fig. 12 shows an example of the display of specification selection page 140 when a fence manufactured by company A, which is a specific product, is arranged in an L-shape. In the example shown in Fig. 12, the length dimension of one fence section (4.3 meters), the length dimension of the other fence section (2.8 meters), and the component part (hiding corner joint A...) to be used at the corner where the two fence sections form an angle are input into layout input section 142. Then, when specification confirmation button 143 is operated in this state, specification confirmation page 150 shown in Fig. 13 is displayed.

[0158] As shown in FIG. 13, a specification confirmation page 150 includes a construction cost display field 151, a selection check box 152, and a product confirmation button 153. The construction-inclusive cost display field 151 is a display field that displays a plurality of components that will realize the layout input in the layout input unit 142, the prices of the plurality of components, the construction details that will realize the layout input in the layout input unit 142, and the costs associated with the construction details. In this embodiment, each display item displayed in the construction-inclusive cost display field 151 is automatically calculated by the construction-inclusive cost display unit 12C, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, and displayed in the construction-inclusive cost display field 151. Specifically, the construction-inclusive cost display unit 12C calculates each display item by calculation based on information about the product selected in the first selection field 141, information about the layout input in the layout input unit 142, and the fifth data 37. The construction-inclusive cost display unit 12C then displays each calculated display item in the construction-inclusive cost display field 151.

[0159] The selection check section 152 is an operation section operated by the customer when requesting the seller to carry out the construction work according to the construction details displayed in the construction-inclusive cost display field 151. The selection check section 152 is an operation section consisting of a check box and the character string "Request construction work," and is operated by checking the check box.

[0160] The product confirmation button 153 is an operation section that is operated when confirming the selection of a product in the display content of the installation-inclusive cost display field 151 . In this embodiment, by operating the product confirmation button 153 while operating the selection check section 152 on the specification confirmation page 150, the display content displayed on the specification confirmation page 150 is reflected in the product selection field 63. FIG. 14 conceptually shows an example of the display content of the product selection field 63. As shown in FIG. 14, the multiple components that will realize the layout, the prices of the multiple components, the construction details that will realize the layout, and the costs for the construction details are automatically calculated and reflected in the product selection field 63.

[0161] <Actions and effects of setting pages 140 and 150> In this embodiment, by selecting a specific product through operation of the external terminal 17 and inputting information about the product's layout, the number and cost of components required to install the specific product in the specified layout can be automatically calculated and displayed in the product selection field 63. This allows the customer to easily understand the number and cost of components required to install the specific product. Moreover, since the effort required to calculate the number and cost of components required to install the specific product can be eliminated, the work required to request a quote and the work required to place an order can be easily performed while saving time and effort.

[0162] <Task of requesting that catalogs be sent to customers> Next, the operation of requesting delivery of a catalog to a customer will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in Figure 15, the transaction information page includes a catalog page 160. The catalog page 160 is a page operated by a customer to request that a catalog be sent to the customer. The catalog page 160 is displayed, for example, by operating the catalog button 219 in the menu field 210 (see Figure 3).

[0163] The catalog page 160 has a subject selection section 161, a manufacturer selection section 162, a delivery destination input section 163, a catalog input section 164, and a request button 165. The subject selection section 161 is an operation section operated to select a subject. When requesting the delivery of a catalog, "catalog" is selected in the subject selection section 161. The manufacturer selection section 162 is an operation section operated to select a manufacturer to which the catalog delivery is to be requested. In this embodiment, the delivery destination of the delivery request data 40 requesting the delivery of the catalog is specified based on the manufacturer selected in the manufacturer selection section 162 and the manufacturer data 24.

[0164] The delivery destination input section 163 is an input section for inputting the delivery destination of the catalog. The delivery destination input section 163 allows input by selecting the above-mentioned "your company," "lumberyard," "site," "other," etc. Furthermore, when the above-mentioned "other" is selected, it is possible to directly input text information about the delivery destination (postal code, address, telephone number, etc.) into the delivery destination input section 163.

[0165] The catalogue input section 164 is an input section where an input operation is performed to select a catalogue for which shipping is requested. When a manufacturer is selected in manufacturer selection section 162, catalog input section 164 displays a list of catalogs corresponding to that manufacturer together with quantity input section 166. In the example shown in Fig. 15, four types of catalogs are displayed together with quantity input section 166. By inputting a quantity into quantity input section 166, the catalog for which shipping is requested is selected and the quantity is input.

[0166] The request button 165 is an operation section that is operated when requesting the delivery of a catalog with the contents selected through the operation of the catalog page 160 . <Operation on Catalog Page 160> When requesting that a catalog be sent to the customer, the customer operates catalog page 160 as follows: select "catalog" by operating subject selection section 161; select the manufacturer from which the customer wishes to request a catalog be sent by operating manufacturer selection section 162, and select the destination of the catalog by operating destination input section 163; select the catalog for which the customer wishes to request a catalog be sent by operating catalog input section 164, and input the quantity of the catalog. More specifically, the customer selects the catalog for which the customer wishes to request a catalog from the list of catalogs displayed in catalog input section 164 after selecting the manufacturer in manufacturer selection section 162, and inputs the quantity in quantity input section 166 corresponding to the selected catalog. After performing this series of operations, the customer operates request button 165.

[0167] This displays a confirmation page (not shown) for confirming the request details for requesting catalog shipping. Then, by operating the confirm button on this confirmation page, the request details for requesting catalog shipping are confirmed. More specifically, at this time, creation request data 45 for requesting the creation of shipping request data 40 is created, and this creation request data 45 is stored in database 20. Note that the creation request data 45 includes data related to the manufacturer requesting catalog shipping, data related to the destination of the catalog, and data related to the catalog for which shipping is requested. The second management server 12 has the function of creating the creation request data 45 in this way and storing this creation request data 45 in database 20. In this embodiment, the request button 165 and the confirmation page correspond to the catalog shipping request unit.

[0168] The first management server 11 has, as a functional unit, the shipping request data creation unit 111. On the condition that creation request data 45 has been created by the second management server 12 and stored in the database 20, the shipping request data creation unit 111 creates shipping request data 40 to be sent to the product manufacturer to request the shipping of a catalog.

[0169] The shipping request data 40 is data for requesting the shipping of a catalog, with the seller as the sender of the shipping request data 40 and the customer as the recipient of the catalog. The shipping request data 40 is created based on the production request data 45, customer data 25, and manufacturer data 24 stored in the database 20. For example, document data that can be sent by facsimile or email is created as the shipping request data 40.

[0170] The first management server 11 has, as a functional unit, the shipping request data transmission unit 112. The shipping request data transmission unit 112 has a function of transmitting the shipping request data 40 created by the shipping request data creation unit 111 to an external device of the manufacturer via the communication network 16. The shipping request data transmission unit 112 automatically transmits the shipping request data 40 to the manufacturer, for example, by facsimile or email.

[0171] <Actions and effects of setting catalog page 160> A seller may be requested by a customer to order a product catalog. In this case, the seller creates document data for the catalog order in a format that lists the seller as the sender of the document and the customer as the recipient, and then sends the document data to the product manufacturer by facsimile or email. The tasks involved in creating such documents and sending the document data are simple, but tedious.

[0172] According to this embodiment, when a customer requests a catalog, the task of creating shipping request data 40 can be performed automatically by using seller data 23, customer data 25, and manufacturer data 24 stored in database 20. In addition, the task of transmitting shipping request data 40 to the manufacturer can also be performed automatically by using manufacturer data 24. Therefore, when a seller requests a catalog from a manufacturer at the customer's request, the seller can save time and effort.

[0173] <Work to give instructions for delivery of products for which delivery instructions can be given> Next, the work of issuing a delivery instruction for a product for which a delivery instruction can be issued will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0174] As shown in Fig. 16, the transaction information page includes a delivery date notification page 170. The delivery date notification page 170 is displayed, for example, by operating the delivery date notification tab 502 on the customer list page 50 (see Fig. 5). The delivery date notification page 170 is a page that customers refer to when checking the delivery date of an ordered product.

[0175] The delivery date notification page 170 has a product display field 171 and a delivery instruction waiting field 172. The product display field 171 is a display field that displays various information about the product ordered by the customer. The delivery instruction waiting field 172 is a display field that displays delivery instruction waiting information (for example, text information such as "waiting for instructions") for the product that is waiting for delivery instructions.

[0176] Here, at an exterior construction site, it may be desirable for the seller to temporarily store the product purchased by the customer and deliver the product to the customer when storage space becomes available or when construction work using the product is being carried out. In this embodiment, in such cases, the delivery instruction waiting information is displayed in the delivery instruction waiting display field 172. More specifically, in this embodiment, if a product is eligible for delivery instructions based on the product data 22, the delivery instruction waiting information is displayed in the delivery instruction waiting display field 172.

[0177] The delivery date notification page 170 has a delivery instruction button 173. The delivery instruction button 173 is an operation unit that is operated by a customer when requesting delivery of a product. When the delivery instruction button 173 is operated, a delivery instruction page 180 shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the external terminal 17. The delivery instruction page 180 is one of the transaction information pages.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 17, the delivery instruction page 180 includes a product display field 181, a selection check field 182, a delivery waiting display field 183, a desired delivery date input field 184, a delivery destination selection field 187, a request button 185, and a back button 186.

[0179] The product display field 181 is a display field that displays the same content as the product display field 171 on the delivery date notification page 170. The selection check section 182 is an operation section that is operated when designating the product displayed in the product display field 181 as the product to be delivered. The selection check section 182 is an operation section made up of check boxes, and is operated by checking the check boxes. The delivery waiting display field 183 is a display field that displays the same content as the delivery instruction waiting display field 172 on the delivery date notification page 170. The desired delivery date input field 184 is an operation section for inputting the date and time for desired delivery of the product.

[0180] The delivery destination selection section 187 is a pull-down input section for selecting the delivery destination of the product. The selection items in the delivery destination selection section 187 include "your company", "lumberyard", "site", etc.

[0181] The request button 185 is an operation unit operated when requesting delivery of the product according to the details displayed on the delivery instruction page 180. The back button 186 is an operation unit operated when returning to the previous page (for example, the delivery date notification page 170) without requesting delivery of the product.

[0182] <Delivery Instruction Page 180 Operation> When requesting delivery of a product for which delivery instruction waiting information is displayed in the delivery instruction waiting display field 172, that is, a product for which delivery instructions can be issued, the delivery instruction page 180 is operated as follows.

[0183] The selection check section 182 corresponding to the product for which delivery is requested is operated. The desired delivery date and time of the product is entered by operating the desired delivery date input field 184. The delivery destination of the product is selected by operating the delivery destination selection section 187. Then, in this state, the request button 185 is operated. As a result, delivery of the product is requested according to the details displayed on the delivery instruction page 180. In this embodiment, the delivery instruction button 173 and the delivery instruction page 180 correspond to the delivery instruction operation section.

[0184] Specifically, when the delivery instruction operation unit is operated through operation of the external terminal 17, the delivery instruction unit 12D, which is one of the functional units of the second management server 12, outputs delivery instruction data 42 instructing the delivery of the product to the first management server 11. Based on the delivery instruction data 42 received by the first management server 11, the seller arranges for the delivery of the product included in the delivery instruction data 42 to the delivery destination.

[0185] <Actions and effects of setting the delivery instruction operation section> According to this embodiment, the customer can set the delivery timing of the product that the customer has purchased and for which delivery instructions can be given to the seller, by simply operating the external terminal 17.

[0186] <Effects of this embodiment> The effects of this embodiment will be described. (1) Sellers and customers can manage product transaction details by using the data in database 20 in a manner suited to their own product management. Furthermore, product quotations can be easily prepared without the need for tedious tasks such as holding meetings between sellers and customers and preparing documents based on the terms agreed upon in those meetings. Furthermore, customers can easily prepare quotes in their own format without the need for tedious tasks such as receiving quotes from sellers via facsimile or e-mail and then transcribing those quotes. Thus, according to this embodiment, the transaction management system 10 can be made user-friendly for both sellers and customers.

[0187] (2) A customer-formatted quotation can be created using the product price included in the quotation data 29, i.e., the purchase price for the customer, and the customer's profit for the product indicated in the selling price rate data 30, i.e., the amount the customer adds to the purchase price. This allows the customer to automatically create a customer-formatted quotation that includes the product purchase price plus their own profit.

[0188] (3) The customer column 54 on the customer list page 50 includes an ordered / unordered display column 91, which is a display column dedicated to ordering nameplates, and a nameplate order button 90, which is an operation unit dedicated to ordering nameplates. This allows the user to complete all tasks related to ordering nameplates, which are often forgotten when performing exterior construction work.

[0189] (4) By simply selecting the product, the product manufacturer, and the product delivery destination through the external terminal 17, the shortest delivery date c1 of the product is automatically calculated taking into account the above parameters. The automatically calculated shortest delivery date c1 is then displayed in the shortest expected delivery date field 106 on the transaction information page. As described above, according to this embodiment, the work of calculating the shortest delivery date c1 and the work of presenting the shortest delivery date c1 to the customer can be performed automatically. This saves the seller time and effort when presenting the shortest delivery date of the product to the customer.

[0190] (5) When an order request is made to the first management server 11 based on the quotation data 29 created by the second management server 12, the order completion information can be automatically displayed in the selection check section 790 of the quotation input page 60 without any special operation. Therefore, by looking at the selection check section 790 of the quotation input page 60, the customer can accurately recognize whether or not an order for a product has been placed based on the created quotation.

[0191] (6) By operating the external terminal 17, the customer can display a schedule for the construction work to be performed by the customer on the schedule page 130, which is one of the transaction information pages displayed on the external terminal 17. Therefore, the customer can conveniently use the transaction information page displayed on the external terminal 17.

[0192] (7) When construction work is postponed due to rain or snowfall, instead of individually changing the multiple construction work plans displayed in the second schedule display field 132, all of the multiple construction work plans can be appropriately changed without any hassle by operating the rain shift button 135.

[0193] (8) By selecting a specific product through the operation of the external terminal 17 and inputting information about the layout of the specific product, the number and cost of components required to install the specific product in the specified layout can be automatically calculated and displayed in the product selection field 63. This allows the customer to easily perform the tasks of requesting a quote and placing an order while saving time and effort.

[0194] (9) When a customer requests a catalog, the task of creating shipping request data 40 can be performed automatically by using seller data 23, customer data 25, and manufacturer data 24 stored in database 20. In addition, the task of sending shipping request data 40 to the manufacturer can also be performed automatically by using manufacturer data 24. Therefore, when a seller requests a catalog from a manufacturer at the customer's request, the seller can save time and effort.

[0195] (10) When a seller temporarily stores a product that is ready for delivery, the customer can set the delivery timing of the product by simply operating the external terminal 17.

[0196] <Example of change> The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0197] It is possible to directly import the quotation data 29 and create a customer-style quotation based on the quotation data 29 without having to perform a process to reflect the contents of the quotation data 29 in the product selection field 63. This configuration can be realized by setting up a dedicated page for creating customer-style quotation.

[0198] The quotation request data 28, quotation data 29, and customer-format quotation may be created without using the selling price rate data 30 as profit data. The selling price rate can be set for each product, or it can be set to the same value for all products of the same customer.

[0199] When requesting a quote for a product, instead of using the selling price rate data 30 pre-stored in the database 20, a value (selling price rate) input each time through operation of the external terminal 17 may be used.

[0200] Purchase rates can be set for each product, or the same value can be set for all products of the same manufacturer. The confirmation page displayed by operating the quotation button 85 on the quotation inquiry page 80 may be omitted. In this case, operating the quotation button 85 may output a quotation in the customer format to the external terminal 17.

[0201] When calculating the shortest delivery date, in addition to considering "dates" such as days when stock cannot be received or shipped, "times" such as the cut-off time for product delivery and the cut-off time for product collection may also be considered.

[0202] The ordered information displayed in the selection check section 790 of the quotation input page 60 is not limited to a check mark that is always in a check box, a grayed-out state, an inoperable state, or the like, and any other information can be used. For example, the ordered information can be two or one of a check mark that is always in a check box, a grayed-out state, or an inoperable state. In addition, instead of putting a check mark in a check box, the ordered information can be a symbol "○" or the text information "Ordered".

[0203] Any information can be used as the order completion information to be displayed in the ordered / not ordered display field 91, such as the character information "completed" or the symbol "○". Also, any information can be used as the order incompletion information to be displayed in the ordered / not ordered display field 91, such as the character information "not yet" or the symbol "×".

[0204] The confirmation page that is displayed by operating the confirmation button (not shown) on the new order page 100 may be omitted. In this case, the product order details may be registered by operating the confirmation button.

[0205] Days on which construction work is not performed (hereinafter, "construction unavailable days") may be set in the second schedule display field 132 of the schedule page 130. To achieve this configuration, construction unavailable days can be registered through operations on the schedule page 130. With the above configuration, construction plans can be prevented from being displayed on construction unavailable days in the second schedule display field 132 of the schedule page 130. Furthermore, when the rain slip button 135 is operated, all of the multiple construction plans displayed in the second schedule display field 132 can be postponed by one day, excluding construction unavailable days.

[0206] The rain weep button 135 may be omitted. The specific product for which the layout input section 142 and the installation cost display field 151 are automatically displayed is not limited to adopting both a fence and a handrail, but may adopt only one of a fence and a handrail. In addition, the specific product for which the layout input section 142 and the installation cost display field 151 are automatically displayed may adopt any product as long as it is installed with the length dimensions set by the customer.

[0207] The shipping request data transmission unit 112, which is one of the functional units of the first management server 11, may be omitted. Even with this configuration, it is possible to automatically create shipping request data 40 with the seller as the sender of the shipping request data 40 and the customer as the recipient of the catalog. In this case, the shipping request data 40 may be sent to an external device of the manufacturer through operation of the operation terminal 14, or printed shipping request data 40 may be sent to the manufacturer by facsimile.

[0208] The process for displaying the delivery instruction waiting information in the delivery instruction waiting display field 172 can be changed as desired. The process can be executed based on the following idea: The customer specifies the product for which a "delivery instruction" is to be issued by operating the external terminal 17. The second management server 12 displays the delivery instruction waiting information in the delivery instruction waiting display field 172 corresponding to the specified product.

[0209] The date and time to be entered in the desired delivery date input field 184 on the delivery instruction page 180 can be the "date" on which the product is desired to be delivered, or the "date" and "time" on which the product is desired to be delivered, or the "period" on which the product is desired to be delivered.

[0210] The delivery status information displayed in the delivery instruction waiting display field 172 is not limited to using the text information "waiting for instructions" and can be changed as desired, such as using text information other than "waiting for instructions" or using a check mark that can be placed in a check box.

[0211] The transaction management system 10 is not limited to performing all of the following (Task 1) to (Task 8), but may perform only some of (Task 1) to (Task 8) (specifically, one, two, three, four, five, six, or seven).

[0212] (Task 1) Print out a quote in customer format. (Task 2) Work related to ordering nameplates. (Task 3) Displaying the earliest delivery date for the product.

[0213] (Task 4) Displaying the ordered information in the ordered information display field. (Task 5) Displaying a schedule for the construction work by the customer. (Task 6) Estimating products to be installed according to the length dimensions set by the customer.

[0214] (Task 7) Requesting that catalogs be sent to customers. (Task 8) Requesting delivery of products in a deliverable state. The transaction management system 10 can be constructed using an external service such as an ASP (Application Service Provider) service, in addition to being constructed as a proprietary system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0215] 10...Transaction management system 11...First management server 111...Shipping Request Data Creation Department 112...Shipping request data transmission unit 12...Second management server 121…Usage Permission Department 122...Page display section 123...Quote request storage section 124... Estimate output section 125...Nameplate order request sending section 126...Nameplate order display section 127…Shortest delivery date display section 128...Order request sending section 129...Ordered display section 12A…Process chart display section 12B…Schedule Postponement Section 12C...Installation cost display section 12D…Delivery Instructions 13...Database server 14...Operation terminal 16...Communication Network 17...External terminal 20...Database 50...Customer list page 60...Quote input page 65...Quote Request Page 80...Quote inquiry page 90...Nameplate order button 91...Ordered / Unordered display column 100...New order page 130...Schedule page 135...Rain-resistant button 140...Specification selection page 142...Layout input section 150...Specification confirmation page 151...Construction cost display column 160...Catalog page 170...Delivery date contact page 173...Delivery instruction button 180...Delivery Instruction Page

Claims

[Claim 1] A transaction management system for managing transaction details of exterior-related products, a storage unit that stores a database that stores transaction information data that associates identification information set for each customer with transaction information of the customer corresponding to the identification information, and product data related to information on the products; a first management server that manages the transaction information data and the product data as data relating to the transaction details of the product by the seller of the product; a second management server that manages the transaction information data and the product data as data related to the transaction details of the product by the customer; The second management server a usage permission unit that permits the external terminal to use the database when the identification information is input through an operation of the external terminal connected via a communication network; a page display unit that displays on the external terminal, when the use of the database is permitted by the use permission unit, a transaction information page that displays transaction information of the customer corresponding to the input identification information, and when the product ordered by the customer is a product for which the customer can issue a delivery instruction to the seller and the delivery instruction for the product has not been issued, the transaction information page is configured with a delivery instruction waiting display field that displays delivery instruction waiting information for the product, and a delivery instruction operation unit that is operated when issuing the delivery instruction; a delivery instruction unit that outputs delivery instruction data instructing the delivery of the product to the first management server when the delivery instruction operation unit is operated through operation of the external terminal while the delivery instruction waiting information is displayed in the delivery instruction waiting display field, Transaction management system.

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