Title: Automated notification of part revisions for outside suppliers
Abstract: Revision of a part specification document, such as a drawing, a part specification, or a bill of materials, prompts execution of an automated notification process. A unique part number associated with the revised part specification document is employed in searching open purchasing documents for purchase orders or request for quotes containing the part number. Electronic mail addresses for outside supplier contacts are kept in the database and linked to the supplier master of the open purchasing documents containing the part number. An electronic mail notification of the part specification document revision is generated and transmitted to each electronic mail address identified as being associated with an open purchasing document containing the subject part number.
Patent Number: 6,868,387 Issued on 03/15/2005 to Krueger, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Krueger; Paul J. (Houston, TX);
Bratcher; William R. (Houston, TX);
Wooton; Wayne Thomas (Cypress, TX)
|
| Assignee:
|
ABB Vetco Gray, Inc. (Houston, TX)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
602138 |
| Filed:
|
June 23, 2000 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
705/7 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G06F 017//60 |
| Field of Search: |
705/7-13
707/500,511,530
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5361199 | Nov., 1994 | Shoquist et al. | 705/26.
|
| 6212549 | Apr., 2001 | Page et al. | 705/37.
|
| 6249807 | Jun., 2001 | Shaw et al. | 709/206.
|
| 6366933 | Apr., 2002 | Ball et al. | 707/511.
|
| 6418448 | Jul., 2002 | Sarkar | 707/104.
|
| 2001/0032166 | Oct., 2001 | Ruffo et al. | 707/511.
|
| 2002/0069096 | Jun., 2002 | Lindoerfer et al. | 705/7.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 2000099587 | Apr., 2000 | JP | .
|
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|
Primary Examiner: Hafiz; Tariq R.
Assistant Examiner: Heck; Michael C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bracewell & Patterson, LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of notifying relevant parties of revisions, the relevant
parties including at least one outside supplier, the method comprising:
responsive to detecting a revision to a part specification document,
identifying a part number associated with the part specification document;
searching a plurality of purchasing documents for the part number;
identifying each electronic mail address associated with any purchasing
document containing the part number, at least one electronic mail address
associated with any purchase document identified including an electronic
mail address of the at least one outside supplier;
generating an electronic mail message notification of the revision to the
part specification document;
transmitting the electronic mail message notification to all electronic
mail addresses associated with a purchasing document containing the part
number; and
terminating access by the at least one outside supplier to part information
responsive to closing at least one purchasing document identified to have
the electronic mail address of the at least one outside supplier.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring access to part specification documents including drawings, part
specifications, and bills of materials for revisions to the part
specification documents.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a unique part number
to at least one product purchased from the at least one outside supplier,
wherein the part information includes various data related to the at least
one product, wherein the step of searching the plurality of purchasing
documents for the part number further comprises searching open purchase
orders and open requests for quotes for the unique part number, and
wherein the at least one purchasing document comprises either at least one
of the open purchase orders or, alternatively, at least one open request
for quote.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an electronic mail
message notification of the revision to the part specification document
further comprising:
generating a message containing a uniform resource locator link to the part
specification document.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
setting a response period;
monitoring access to the part specification document during the response
period; and
responsive to determining that at least one recipient of the electronic
mail message notification failed to access the part specification document
during the response period, transmitting an alert to a designated
electronic mail address.
6. A method of notifying relevant parties of document revisions,
comprising:
monitoring access to a plurality of part specification documents for
creation, deletion, or release of a revision to any part specification
document; and
responsive to detecting creation, deletion, or release of a revision to any
part specification document,
automatically identifying each outside supplier associated with at least
one purchasing document including a part number from a part specification
document for which the revision was created, deleted, or released, and
automatically noting each identified outside supplier of the revision.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of automatically notifying each
identified outside supplier of the revision further comprises:
notifying at outside supplier associated with more than one purchasing
document including the part number from the part specification document
only once.
8. A system for notifying relevant parties of revisions, the system
comprising:
means for assigning a part number to at least one product purchased from at
least one outside supplier to thereby define a part number;
means, responsive to detecting a revision to a part specification document,
for identifying the part number associated with the part specification
document;
means for searching a plurality of purchasing documents for the part
number;
means for identifying each electronic mail address associated with any
purchasing document containing the part number;
means for generating an electronic mail message notification of the
revision to the part specification document; and
means for transmitting the electronic mail message notification to all
electronic mail addresses associated with a purchasing document containing
the part number.
9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:
means for terminating access of the at least one outside supplier to part
number information responsive to closing at least one purchasing document
associated with the part number; and
means for monitoring access to part specification documents for revisions
to the part specification documents.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for searching a plurality of
purchasing documents for the part number further comprises:
means for searching purchase orders and requests for quotes for the part
number.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for generating an electronic
mail message notification of the revision to the part specification
document further comprises:
means for generating a message containing a uniform resource locator link
to the part specification document to allow access to the part
specification document by a notified relevant party.
12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:
means for setting a response period;
means for monitoring access to the part specification document during the
response period; and
means, responsive to deterring that at least one recipient of the
electronic mail message notification failed to access the part
specification document during the response period, for transmitting an
alert to a designated electronic mail address.
13. A system for notifying relevant parties of document revisions, the
relevant parties including at least one outside supplier, the system
comprising:
a document management utility executing within a server and monitoring
access to a plurality of part specification documents for creation,
deletion, or release of a revision to any part specification document; and
a notification agent executing within the server and, responsive to
detecting creation, deletion, or release of a revision to any part
specification document,
automatically identifying each outside supplier associated with at least
one purchasing document including a part number associated with a part
specification document for which the revision was created, deleted, or
released, and
automatically notifying each identified outside supplier of the revision.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the notification agent notifies an
outside supplier associated with more than one purchasing document
including the part number associated with the part specification document,
and wherein the system further comprise means for terminating access to
part number information by the outside supplier responsive to closing one
or more of the purchasing documents having the part number.
15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:
a queue into which the document management utility inputs revision entries
for processing by the notification agent means for assigning a unique part
number to at least one product from an outside supplier, and where part
information includes various data related to the at least one product.
16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:
an electronic mail message containing a link to the part specification
document for which the revision was created, deleted, or released wherein
the electronic mail message is transmitted to each identified outside
supplier as notification of the revision.
17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:
a network connecting a workstation to the server, wherein an editor
executing within the workstation enables a user to create, delete, or
release of the revision to a part specification document under the control
of the document management utility.
18. An article of manufacture for notifying relevant parties of revisions,
the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media
including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to
perform the steps of:
(a) responsive to detecting a revision to a part specification document,
identifying a part number associated with the part specification document;
(b) searching a plurality of purchasing documents for the part number;
(c) identifying each electronic mail address associated with any purchasing
document containing the part number;
(d) generating an electronic mail message notification of the revision to
the part specification document; and
(e) transmitting the electronic mail message notification to each of a
plurality of electronic mail addresses associated with a purchasing
document containing the part number.
19. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for
notifying relevant parties of document revisions, the relevant parties
including at least one outside supplier, the computer program product
comprising:
instructions for monitoring access to a plurality of part specification
documents for creation, deletion, or release of a revision to any part
specification document; and
instructions, responsive to detecting creating, deletion, or release of a
revision to any part specification document,
for automatically identifying each outside supplier associated with at
least one purchasing document including a part number from a part
specification document for which the revision was created, deleted, or
released, and
for automatically notifying each identified outside supplier of the
revision.
20. The article of manufacture of claim 18, further comprising:
terminating access to part number information by the at least one outside
supplier responsive to closing at least one purchasing document associated
with the part number.
21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions,
responsive to detecting creating, deletion, or release of a revision to
any part specification document, further comprises instructions for
terminating access to part number information by the at least one outside
supplier responsive to closing at least one purchasing document associated
with the part number.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to supply management systems and in
particular to communications between an enterprise and outside suppliers
for that enterprise. Still more particularly, the present invention
relates to automatically notifying outside suppliers for an enterprise of
design changes relating to the products supplied or services performed by
the outside supplier.
2. Description of the Related Art
Improvements and other design changes are frequently required during the
life cycle of tools and similar products. Engineers or designers within an
enterprise may institute design changes to improve performance, reduce
manufacturing costs, or increase compatibility with other products.
However, such design changes complicate the supply management process
since outside suppliers affected by the changes must be notified.
Currently, notification of outside suppliers regarding design changes is
generally a manual and/or physical process. The engineer or designer must
identify each outside supplier affected by the change. Modified drawings
reflecting the design changes are sent, usually in hard copy form, to the
outside suppliers which have been identified. Responses from the outside
suppliers, which are also generally in hard copy form, must be correlated
to the appropriate change or revision.
In contemporary supply systems, identifying outside suppliers affected by a
design change (e.g., part specification and/or drawing changes) is
complicated by the global nature of most manufacturing bases. A design
change implemented by an engineer in Houston may affect a manufacturer in
England or Singapore with whom the engineer has never had contact. Mere
transmission of hard copies of the revisions to an outside supplier
located on a different continent requires significant time and expense.
It would be desirable, therefore, to automate the process of notifying
outside suppliers or other affected parties regarding relevant design
changes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Revisions of a part specification document, such as a drawing, a part
specification, or a bill of materials, prompts execution of an automated
notification process. A unique part number associated with the revised
part specification document is employed in searching open purchasing
documents for purchase orders or request for quotes containing the part
number. Electronic mail addresses for outside supplier contacts are kept
in the database and linked to the supplier master of the open purchasing
documents containing the part number. An electronic mail notification of
the part specification document revision is generated and transmitted to
each electronic mail address identified as being associated with an open
purchasing document containing the subject part number. The revision
notification includes a link to the revised part specification document to
enable the outside supplier to access the document and review the
revisions. A response period during which the outside supplier is expected
to access the revised document may be set, with an alert being generated
if one or more outside suppliers receiving the revision notification fails
to review the changes within the selected response period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth
in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a
preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best
be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an
illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 depicts a data processing system network in which a preferred
embodiment of the present invention may be implemented;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system for automatically notifying outside
suppliers of part revisions in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
FIG. 3 depicts a data flow diagram for a process of automatically notifying
outside suppliers of part revisions in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a high level flow chart for a process of automatically notifying
outside suppliers of part revisions in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the figures, and in particular with reference to FIG.
1, a data processing system network in which a preferred embodiment of the
present invention may be implemented is depicted. Data processing system
network 102 includes server systems 104, 106 and 108 and a workstation 110
coupled to an enterprise network 112. Enterprise network 112 is configured
in accordance with the known art to allow workstation 110 to communicate
with and control execution of applications within servers 104, 106 and
108, and to allow applications within servers 104, 106 and 108 to
communicate with each other. Enterprise network 112 also includes a
connection to the Internet 114 to allow communication with a system 116
maintained by an outside supplier. Data processing system network 102 also
includes a system for automatically notifying outside suppliers of part
revisions as described below.
Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a system for automatically
notifying outside suppliers of part revisions in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. System 202
or the exemplary embodiment includes an editor 204 executing within
workstation 110. Editor 204 may be a simple text or compound document
editor employed to edit text or HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
documents, or a computer aided design (CAD) drafting or graphics program
employed to edit drawings, which are preferably in the Tagged Image File
Format (TIFF). Editor 204 is employed by a user to modify or revise part
information 206 for a selected part.
Each product purchased by the enterprise from outside suppliers is assigned
a unique part number, which is employed in linking documents relating to
the product. Part information 206 includes various data regarding the
product such as a bill of materials (BOM) containing a parts list for the
product and documentation (DOC) such as drawings and specifications for
the product. Part information 206 may be indexed or keyed by the relevant
part number for the product.
Part information 206 is maintained and controlled by an enterprise document
management (EDM) utility 208 executing within server 104 and tracking user
access and revisions to registered documents, and revision histories for
documents. Document management utilities providing control over electronic
documents (text or HTML files, spreadsheets, drawings or graphics, etc.),
including access control and keyword search identification, are known in
the art. In the exemplary embodiment, the functionality normally
associated with document management is extended to provide a part data
management utility, which links documents by the part number and allows
documents relating to the same part number--e.g., the bill of materials,
specification(s) and drawing(s) for a particular product--to be logically
organized and treated together, particularly for the purposes of revision
histories.
Enterprise document management utility 208 also manages purchasing
documents 210 relating to purchases from outside suppliers, such as
purchase orders (Pos) and requests for quotes (RFQs). Purchasing documents
210 identify products which are the subject of the purchases by part
number 212, and are associated with electronic mail addresses 214 for
contact persons at the outside supplier receiving the purchase order or
request for quote. The e-mail addresses may comprise a field within the
purchase document or metadata associated with the purchase document.
However, in the preferred embodiment, the enterprise document management
utility 208 (depicted in FIG. 1) comprises a relational database, in which
the outside supplier comprises a table or database including the e-mail
addresses 214 for each supplier. Purchasing documents 210 include the
outside suppliers' name(s), which are employed to look up e-mail addresses
214 in the master supplier table or database.
While the exemplary embodiment is described in the context of purchase
orders and requests for quotes, the present invention may be applied to
any type of supply document such as requisitions, frame agreements, or
blanket orders. Moreover, the present invention may be utilized for
customers as well as suppliers, and may also be utilized internally for
production control. Accordingly, purchasing documents 210 may also include
sales orders for customers, as well as work orders or shop orders for
internal production flow management. In such cases, e-mail addresses 214
will be addresses for customers or particular enterprise employees within
the production system rather than outside suppliers.
System 202 also includes a queue 216 for revisions and an agent 218
executing within server 106, together with an electronic mail (e-mail)
server 220 executing within server 108 and transmitting e-mail messages to
an e-mail client 222 executing within outside supplier's data processing
system 116. Although depicted in the example shown as executing within
separate servers 104, 106 and 108, enterprise document management utility
208, agent 218, and e-mail server 220 may all execute within a single data
processing system.
In operation, system 202 notifies outside suppliers by electronic mail of
revisions to part information 206. Upon detecting a revision to a document
comprising part information 206, document management utility 208 queues a
revision entry for processing within queue 216. The queue entry identifies
the document revised and the part number to which the revised document
relates. Agent 218 periodically checks queue 216 for revision entries
requiring processing and, upon detecting a revision entry, searches
purchase documents 210 for open or ongoing purchase orders and requests
for quotes containing the part number within the revision entry from queue
216. These matching open purchase documents are then employed to identify
the outside suppliers which should be notified of the revision.
In the preferred embodiment, only open purchasing documents are employed in
the revision notification process, and outside suppliers are only allowed
to access part information 206 which is associated with an open purchase
document. Once a purchase order or request for quote is closed, access to
the related part information by outside suppliers is terminated to
maintain the security and confidentiality of proprietary enterprise
information. An access control system (not shown) prevents access by any
outside supplier to part information relating only to closed purchasing
documents, but may permit selective access to part information based on
the identification of an outside supplier within related purchasing
documents.
Any open purchase documents 210 including the part number associated with
the revised part information document 206 are identified and the e-mail
addresses within or associated with such matching purchase documents 210
are extracted. Because the same supplier may be identified in connection
with more than one purchasing document, the list of e-mail addresses may
be limited to unique or discrete addresses and not allowed to include
duplicate addresses. Agent 218 then generates an e-mail message regarding
the revision, including a uniform resource locator (URL) link to the
revised document which allows the outside supplier receiving the e-mail
message to access and review the revised document--under appropriate
security constraints such a logging in with a password--over the Internet.
Agent 218 transmits notifications to outside suppliers whenever a part
revision is created, modified, deleted, or released within part
information documents 206. Thus, when a part revision is first initiated
and saved by an engineer or designer, outside suppliers are notified to
allow the supplier as much lead time as possible in preparing to retool
production. Similarly, when a part revision is altered, the outside
supplier is notified. When the part revision is canceled or "released"
(formally incorporated into the design specification), the outside
suppliers are notified to allow production to be changed accordingly.
Agent 218 also sets a response period for each outside supplier notified.
In the exemplary embodiment, the response period is two days. If an
outside suppliers does not respond to the revision notification, either
through a responsive e-mail or by accessing the revised part information
document, agent 218 notifies an appropriate enterprise manager by e-mail,
enabling the enterprise to determine why the outside supplier has not
responded to the revision notification. For this reason, the outside
suppliers' e-mail addresses for receiving revision notifications may be
employed as a user identifier in logging on to review the revised part
information document.
With reference now to FIG. 3, a data flow diagram for a process of
automatically notifying outside suppliers of part revisions in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. A
revision or change 302 to a part specification document 206, such as a
drawing or bill of materials, initiates the notification process. The
notification agent utilizes the part number 212 to search purchasing
documents 210 such as purchase orders and requests for quotes.
The notification agent utilizes the purchasing documents 210 containing the
matching part number for the revised specification document to determine
the e-mail addresses 306 of the outside suppliers which should be notified
of the part revision. The agent then generates an e-mail notification of
the part revision, including a link to the part specification document
which was changed, and transmits the notification 308 to each of the
identified outside supplier e-mail addresses 306. The notification agent
may then optionally monitor response to the revision notification and
alert a supply manager to any nonresponsive outside suppliers.
Referring to FIG. 4, a high level flow chart for a process of automatically
notifying outside suppliers of part revisions in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The process
begins at step 402, which depicts a part specification change being
initiated (or altered, deleted, or released). The process first passes to
step 404, which illustrates determining the part number associated with
the part specification document (drawing, bill of materials, etc.) which
is affected. The process next passes to step 406, which depicts search
purchasing documents for the part number, and determining the e-mail
addresses of outside suppliers having an association with the purchasing
document (for example, as the recipient or originator of the purchase
order or request for quote).
The process then passes to step 408, which illustrates generating an e-mail
notification containing the URL for the revised part specification
document, and transmitting the notification to each of the e-mail
addresses identified as being associated with purchasing documents
containing part number from the revised part specification document. The
process passes next to step 410, which depicts a determination of whether
all notified parties have responded to the notification within the
preselected response period, either by return e-mail or, preferably, by
accessing the part specification document which was changed. If not, the
process proceeds to step 412, which illustrates alerting an enterprise
employee (such as a supply manager or clerk or the engineer/designer
initiating the part revision) to the nonresponsiveness of one or more
notified parties. Otherwise, the process proceeds instead directly to step
414, which depicts the process becoming idle until another part revision
is initiated.
The present invention provides automatic notifications to outside suppliers
of part revisions which affect the respective suppliers. A list of
impacted vendors which should be notified of a part change need not be
manually determined, but is instead automatically ascertained from
purchasing documents, correlated by the part number of the part which was
changed. The revisions are immediately accessible to the outside suppliers
by accessing the revised part specification documents, rather than
awaiting courier delivery.
It is important to note that while the present invention has been described
in the context of a fully functional data processing system and/or
network, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanism of
the present invention is capable of being distributed in the form of a
computer usable medium of instructions in a variety of forms, and that the
present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of
signal bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution.
Examples of computer usable mediums include: nonvolatile, hard-coded type
mediums such as read only memories (ROMs) or erasable, electrically
programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), recordable type mediums such as
floppy disks, hard disk drives and CD-ROMs, and transmission type mediums
such as digital and analog communication links.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
*
