Margin-Sensitive Pricing Quotations via Segmented Data Pathways

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current enterprise pricing systems face challenges in providing timely and accurate price modeling due to data aggregation leading to loss of individual transaction details, resulting in untimely and irrelevant pricing guidance and product configuration suggestions, which can lead to narrower profit margins.

Innovation Solution

The system generates margin-sensitive pricing quotations by selecting products, providing pricing data and guidance elements, calculating guidance prices, and incorporating these into quotations, allowing for real-time adjustments and suggestions to preserve profit margins.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If data is aggregated in a data warehouse to reduce volume and improve readability, then data management becomes more efficient, but individual transaction details are lost resulting in untimely and irrelevant pricing guidance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata volumeVSAvoidindividual transaction details

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data into two distinct pathways: aggregated data for analytical reporting and individual transaction data for real-time pricing decisions. This segmentation allows each data type to be processed appropriately without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between data volume reduction and information preservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an intermediary layer (pricing guidance system) that receives both aggregated data from the data warehouse and individual transaction data from operational systems. This intermediary processes and integrates both data types to generate timely pricing guidance, bridging the gap between aggregated data management and detailed transaction processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If data is aggregated and processed through multiple layers, then data management becomes more organized, but temporal setbacks occur making pricing guidance irrelevant by the time it reaches users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata organizationVSAvoidtemporal setback

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating pricing guidance parameters and storing them in advance based on aggregated data trends. When individual transactions occur, the pre-prepared guidance is immediately applicable, eliminating temporal delays while maintaining organized data structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention establishes continuous data flows between operational systems, the pricing guidance system, and analytical systems. This continuity ensures that pricing guidance is constantly updated and available in real-time, preventing temporal setbacks while maintaining organized data composition through systematic data exchange.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If traditional pricing systems use aggregated data from data warehouses, then data accessibility improves, but pricing guidance becomes untimely and profit margins narrow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidpricing guidance accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges aggregated data from data warehouses with individual transaction data from operational systems to generate comprehensive pricing guidance. This combination maintains data accessibility while improving pricing guidance accuracy by incorporating both macro trends and micro transaction details, thereby preserving profit margins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS7912792B2Systems and methods for making margin-sensitive price adjustments in an integrated price management system

Publication Date: 2011.03.22 VENDAVO INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for generating margin sensitive pricing quotation in an integrated price adjustment system including: a) selecting products in selected product sets; b) providing pricing data corresponding to the products in selected product sets; c) providing guidance elements for products in selected product sets wherein guidance elements are margin sensitive; d) calculating guidance prices for products based upon guidance elements; e) selecting one of either pricing data or guidance prices; and f) generating a quotation based upon selections made such that margin sensitive pricing adjustments are incorporated into quotations. In some example embodiments, the present invention further includes providing predetermined suggestions for modifying the quotation.