Central Database for Automated Purchase Transaction Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing purchase management systems fail to automatically transfer transaction information from purchases into the company's economic and administrative systems, relying on manual invoicing and lacking the ability for external parties to add purchase details.
Innovation Solution
A central database system that collects and converts transaction information from various parties, using metadata linked to transaction IDs to facilitate automatic entry into administrative systems, with a purchasing authorization database module that approves or rejects purchases based on predefined rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a purchase request system is used to simplify approval processes, then internal approval efficiency is improved, but automatic transfer of transaction information to external economic systems is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central database arrangement as an intermediary between the purchase request system and external economic systems. This database receives purchase requests with transaction information, stores them with unique transaction IDs, and enables automatic transfer to external systems while maintaining the simplified approval process structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments transaction information into structured data fields within the central database, separating transaction details, metadata, and authorization information. This segmentation enables selective transfer of specific transaction data to external economic systems while maintaining internal approval workflows.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized database is introduced to enable external information entry, then information collection capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central database arrangement is designed as a universal platform that serves multiple functions: storing purchase requests, managing transaction information, enabling external party access, and facilitating transfer to various external economic systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a standardized data structure with homogeneous data fields and formats within the central database, allowing consistent storage and transfer of transaction information regardless of the source or destination system, thereby simplifying integration despite increased adaptability.
3Device complexity
If manual invoicing processes are maintained, then system simplicity is preserved, but administrative efficiency and compliance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically capturing and storing transaction information in the central database at the time of purchase, rather than waiting for manual invoicing. This preliminary data collection enables subsequent automatic transfer to economic systems, improving administrative efficiency without significantly increasing perceived system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A purchase management system 100 comprises a central database arrangement 110 and a purchasing authorization database module 130, arranged to communicate with a transaction authorization module 405. The central database arrangement 110: receives, from a purchasing entity 200, purchasing rules applying to a purchasing group 250; adds a selected purchasing group 250 as metadata linked to a first transaction ID; adds the purchasing rules applying to said purchasing group 250; and transfers the metadata to the purchasing authorization database module 130. The purchasing authorization database module 130 receives a purchase approval request from the transaction authorization module 405; decides on the purchase approval request based on whether the requested purchase fulfils the purchasing rules; responds to the transaction authorization module 405 with approval or rejection of the purchase approval request; and transfers the transaction information to the central database arrangement 110. The central database arrangement 110 transfers the transaction information to the purchasing entity 200, thereby allowing the information about the purchase to be automatically entered into administrative systems of the purchasing entity 200.