ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRADING PARTNERS

摘要

An Electronic Commerce system (10) enables corporate purchasers (12) andsuppliers (16) to electronically transact for purchase and supply ofgoods/services. The system includes three major hardware and softwarecomponents: buyer (12), supplier (16) and bank/administrator (18, 20, 53). Toenable suppliers (16) to supply goods and services online and processelectronic orders, several software components are used for operating asupplier process server (40, 44) and a supplier catalog server (42). To enablecorporate purchasers (12) to purchase products and services online, preferablyover the Internet (14), from suppliers (16), software is used for operating acustomer server (34) to which multiple users (12) may log-on and access thesupplier server (40, 44). An Automated Clearing House (ACH) server (50) may beused to interface with a bank's (ACH) systems (18, 20). A service bureau (48)that supplies the hardware and/or software components and assists toadminister the system (10) includes a transaction counter (52), which recordstransactions and charges buyers (12) and/or suppliers (16) based on the numberof purchase orders and/or invoices issued.