Automated Supplier Data Verification and Production Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Receiving, verifying, and completing transactions between businesses can be complicated due to miscommunication in scheduling production and inventory requests, leading to costly over and under production at improper times and locations, despite advancements in electronic communication systems and formalized standards for business information exchange.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that receives a vendor selection, verifies documents using specific rules, determines eligible EDI transactions, exchanges security certificates, and schedules production based on user-provided information, including prompting for production date scheduling and notifying vendors, with optional human administrator approval and parallel monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual verification and communication methods are used for production scheduling, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but error rates increase and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransaction accuracyVSAvoidtransaction processing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic self-verification of transaction documents against predefined rules without human intervention. The computer system automatically receives vendor selections, validates documents, determines eligible EDI transactions, and schedules production based on AS2 information, eliminating manual verification steps while maintaining accuracy through rule-based validation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical processes of document verification and production scheduling are replaced with electronic automated systems. The patent implements electronic document exchange, automated rule-based verification, electronic data interchange (EDI) transaction processing, and computerized production scheduling, substituting human-operated mechanical processes with electronic automation to improve both reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automated electronic communication systems are implemented, then productivity increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransaction processing efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated system is divided into distinct functional modules: document reception module, verification module applying structure validation and business validation rules, EDI transaction determination module, AS2 information processing module, and production scheduling module. Each module handles a specific aspect of the transaction process, making the overall complex system manageable through functional segmentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary components to manage system complexity, including implementation guides that mediate between user requirements and system processing, and parallel monitor requests that allow optional human technician involvement for complex cases. These intermediaries bridge the gap between automated processing and human judgment when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If comprehensive document verification rules are applied, then manufacturing precision improves, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduling accuracyVSAvoidverification time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation by applying structure validation rules and business validation rules to documents before they enter the main processing flow. Eligible EDI transactions are determined in advance through automated rule application, and implementation guides are provided beforehand to users to prevent errors before they occur, reducing both verification time and scheduling errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10997539B2Supplier analysis and verification system and method
Publication Date: 2021.05.04 WALMART APOLLO LLC
  • US10997539B2 patent drawing
  • US10997539B2 patent drawing
  • US10997539B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An application and system are capable of taking file formatted data and using that data as an onboarding process to go live with a system to system business document exchange process. Using certain applications and systems, suppliers can automatically validate their data files using a certification tool and can request production of their various products. Certain systems can be operated without human intervention and can accommodate users in a variety of time zones. Certain systems may accommodate parallel validation by a human technician.