Method and system of managing contract negotiation records

Details Method and system of managing contract negotiation records Method and system of managing contract negotiation records

1997-11-26

2001-05-22

Alam, Hosain T. (Department: 2172)

Data processing: database and file management or data structures

Database design

Data structure types

C707S793000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06236984

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of data storage, and more particularly to a method and system of managing contract negotiation records.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Businesses may employ computer systems to maintain and track contract records. The contract records may include significant events and discussions occurring during the life of the negotiating process of individual contracts, up to and including the completion and signing of these contracts. The contract records may be stored in a database and accessed by a user through an interface.
Conventional contract interfaces are often text-based and accordingly cumbersome to use. Conventional interfaces generally also lack functionality that allow contract records to be efficiently reviewed, updated and common information shared between contract records.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a method and system of managing contract negotiation records is provided that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with other systems and methods.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and system of managing contract negotiation records may comprise a contract table, a plurality of activity tables and a contract interface. The contract table may comprise a plurality of contract records each having a plurality of fields of contract data and a unique contract identifier. The activity tables may each comprise a plurality of activity records associated with one of the contract records to form a contract negotiation record. Each of the activity records may have a plurality of fields of activity data. The contract interface may be displayed as a series of graphical displays providing selections for manipulating at least one of the contract negotiation records. A selection to manipulate a contract negotiation record may be received via the contract interface and automatically processed.
More specifically, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a contract negotiation record may be selected for duplication. In this embodiment, at least some of the fields of data of the selected contract negotiation record may be automatically duplicated to generate duplicated fields of data. The duplicated fields of data in a new unique contract identifier associated with the duplicated fields of data may be automatically stored. In this particular embodiment, the duplicated fields of data and the associated new unique contract identifier may be stored as a new contract negotiation record in a table comprising the selected contract negotiation record. In another embodiment, the duplicated fields of data and associated new unique contract identifier may be separately stored as a contract profile.
Important technical advantages of the present invention include providing an improved method and system of managing contract negotiation records. In particular, the invention provides a highly intuitive, menu-driven interface to manipulate contract negotiation records. Accordingly, contract negotiation records may be efficiently accessed, viewed, updated or otherwise manipulated by users.
Another important technical advantage of the present invention includes providing increased functionality for manipulating contract negotiation records. In particular, the contract negotiation records may be duplicated and stored as a new contract negotiation record and/or as a contract profile. In addition, reports are provided that include useful information to users such as managers and team leaders about the progress of contracts and related negotiations. Accordingly, data of the contract negotiation records may be efficiently shared and otherwise utilized by users.
Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5272623 (1993-12-01), Grubb et al.
patent: 5526520 (1996-06-01), Krause
patent: 5692206 (1997-11-01), Shirley et al.
patent: 5872640 (1999-02-01), Cohen et al.
patent: 5924109 (1999-07-01), Ackerman et al.

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