ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRADING PARTNERS

摘要

An Electronic Commerce system (10) enables corporate purchasers (12) and suppliers (16) to electronically transact for purchase and supply of goods/services. The system includes three major hardware and software components: buyer (12), supplier (16) and bank/administrator (18, 20, 53). To enable suppliers (16) to supply goods and services online and process electronic orders, several software components are used for operating a supplier process server (40, 44) and a supplier catalog server (42). To enable corporate purchasers (12) to purchase products and services online, preferably over the Internet (14), from suppliers (16), software is used for operating a customer server (34) to which multiple users (12) may log-on and access the supplier server (40, 44). An Automated Clearing House (ACH) server (50) may be used to interface with a bank's (ACH) systems (18, 20). A service bureau (48) that supplies the hardware and/or software components and assists to administer the system (10) includes a transaction counter (52), which records transactions and charges buyers (12) and/or suppliers (16) based on the number of purchase orders and/or invoices issued.