3157 results about "Invoice" patented technology

The invention concerns a multiparty accounts receivable and accounts payable system that allows business trading partners to use a single, shared system for both accounts receivable and accounts payable management. The system of the invention forms an electronic “bridge” between a plurality of business trading partners for purposes of invoicing, dispute resolution, financing, and settlement of single and multiple currency debts. As the invoicing and settlement activities of the participants are funneled through a common system, the system allows a participant to aggregate all debts owed to other participants, aggregate all debts owed by the other participants, and net debts owed to other participants with debts owed by these participants. After aggregation and netting, the participant issues a single payment to settle numerous accounts payable items, and receives a single payment that settles numerous accounts receivable items. The system allows participants to use the substantial amount of financial and cash flow information captured by the system to borrow more efficiently by permitting lenders to view this information. Furthermore, the system provides a confirmation process to convert existing debt obligations into a new, independent payment obligation due on a date certain and free of any defenses to the underlying contract. The confirmed debt obligations provide a better source of working capital for the participants, or can be converted into electronic promissory notes. The system provides an electronic exchange for electronic promissory notes, allowing participants to raise working capital in various ways, for example, by selling them.

Any of various comparisons of computer folders from different points in time is performed. Such comparisons provide the ability to discover missing documents or documents with modification dates that have changed when there would otherwise have been no need to change them and thus allows discovery of missing documents to discover fraud or to search for evidence after a fraud is suspected. In another embodiment, deltas in accounting system vendor invoice accounts are compared at different points in time, potentially exposing the practice of moving fraudulent vendor transactions into a large group of legitimate transactions for a legitimate vendor. Per period transaction totals for specific periods for legitimate vendors are compared over historical time for suspicious activity. A comparison of reports from the two different periods, using exact data and software from those separate periods (instead of reporting from “current’” data), may raise a red flag otherwise missed.

A bill payment system consistent with the invention comprises a biller generating at least one invoice for at least one customer, the invoice comprising a unique bar code comprising data identifying at least the customer and the biller, and a scanning apparatus configured to scan the bar code and, based on the identifying data of the bar code, to effect payment to the biller in a predetermined amount. In method form, a bill payment method consistent with the invention comprises: generating an invoice for at least one customer, said invoice comprising a unique bar code, said bar code comprising data identifying at least said customer and said biller; and permitting a third party to scan said bar code and, based on the identifying data of said bar code, to effect payment to said biller in a predetermined amount. In another embodiment, a bill payment network consistent with the invention comprises a plurality of billers, each biller generating an invoice for at least one customer, the invoice comprising a unique bar code comprising data identifying at least the customer and the biller, and a plurality of third parties in communication with the billers, each third party capable of scanning the bar code and, based on the identifying data of the bar code, effecting payment to the biller in a predetermined amount.

A supply chain network where customers, suppliers, logistics providers, carriers, and financial institutions are all connected to a centralized supply chain server. The server receives forecasts from the customers detailing the orders that the customers desire. These forecasts are analyzed by the supply chain server to ensure that they conform to contractual agreements and do not contain errors. The forecasts are also used to warn the suppliers of future demands so that the suppliers can anticipate demands and plan inventory accordingly. Once supplier demand issues are resolved, the forecasts are sent to the suppliers in groups so that the suppliers prepare a smaller number of large orders. The supply chain server also controls the processes involved in distributing the product from the suppliers to the customers including the generation and payment of invoices. A form of financing the customers' purchases, made possible by the supply chain architecture, is also disclosed.