Invoice Interaction Metrics for Procurement Approval Bottlenecks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing business spend management (BSM) processes in online procurement systems suffer from inefficiencies, including excessive CPU cycles, memory usage, network bandwidth, and resource misallocation due to the synthesis of data from different departments and information sources, leading to unnecessary delays in invoice approval and payment processes.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented procurement processing system that detects agent activities, updates interaction history records, generates metrics on processing times and efficiencies, and provides recommendations for workflow adjustments, including automation and configuration changes to optimize invoice processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual review and synthesis of data from different departments is performed, then invoice approval accuracy is improved, but processing time and computing resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data collection and organization from different departments before the invoice review process begins. Interaction history records and relevant data are pre-synthesized and made readily accessible to reviewers, eliminating the need for manual data gathering during the review process and reducing overall processing time while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that automatically synthesizes data from multiple departments and presents it in a consolidated format to reviewers. This intermediary layer handles the complex data integration task, allowing human reviewers to focus on decision-making rather than data gathering, thus reducing processing time without compromising approval accuracy
2Reliability
If multiple departments handle different stages of invoice review, then comprehensive review coverage is improved, but system complexity and resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal interaction history datastore that serves multiple departments and review stages simultaneously. This single centralized repository handles data storage, retrieval, and synthesis for all departments involved in the invoice review process, reducing system complexity while maintaining comprehensive review coverage through a multi-functional platform
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the data handling functions of multiple departments into a unified system architecture. By combining data collection, storage, and synthesis capabilities into a single integrated platform with centralized datastore, the system reduces complexity while preserving the collaborative review process across different departments
3Productivity
If detailed interaction history records are maintained, then process analysis capability is improved, but data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential and relevant interaction history records needed for process analysis, rather than storing all possible data. By selectively capturing key events, timestamps, and outcomes in the centralized datastore, the system maintains strong process analysis capability while minimizing data storage requirements through targeted data extraction
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes detecting activity of one or more agents that modifies a processing state of a first of multiple invoices, each invoice requesting approval. The activity is conducted by the one or more agents through interacting with the procurement processing system. The method includes updating, based on the detected activity, an invoice interaction history record associated with the first invoice in an invoice interaction history datastore communicatively coupled to the procurement processing system. The method includes generating one or more metrics regarding activity of the agents affecting a processing state of the invoices based on the updated invoice interaction history datastore. The method includes providing the one or more metrics for presentation to the procurement processing system.