Gathering and disseminating quality performance and audit activity data in an extended enterprise environment

Abstract

A method for facilitating supplier auditing functions in a communications network environment is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request from a user system of an enterprise system to initiate an activity. The activity includes assessing a supplier record for determining a need to schedule a supplier audit, and scheduling the audit for performing an initial or ongoing qualification of an existing or prospective trading partner of the enterprise system. Assessing the supplier record includes reviewing past audit activity, date of last audit, and results of past audits. The enterprise system retrieves data from at least one database, which corresponds to the request. The enterprise system includes a quality information network application for executing activity options that include the activity requested by the user system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 873,905, filed Oct. 17, 2007, which is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 749,846, filed Dec. 27, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,346,527, the contents of both are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to a computer-based method and system for supply chain management, and more particularly, this invention relates to gathering and disseminating quality performance and audit activity data in an extended environment.[0003]With the advent of the Internet and related technologies, complex networking systems have evolved that enable distant trading partners operating disparate computer systems to interact with one another. The Internet provides a ubiquitous message routing architecture that supports reliable inter-business connectivity around the world, based on common communication protocols and common standards for system...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

With the advent of the Internet and related technologies, complex networking systems have evolved that enable distant trading partners operating disparate computer systems to interact with one another.

Additionally, as product designs and components are becoming increasingly complex and frequently updated, a contract manufacturer with specialized skills may be better equipped to accommodate the changing technology.

Traditional methods of qualifying suppliers and performing auditing procedures often result in redundant or unnecessary audits where inefficient, incomplete, or outdated records provide incorrect information.

This is compounded by the fact that multiple procurement divisions of an OEM may not always know what other divisions are doing due to inadequate communications, employee turnover, and / or geographic separation.

Further, old auditing methods that involved tracking down a particular auditor who possessed the requisite skills necessary to perform the audit was tedious and time consuming and often involved scheduling the auditor to travel excessive distances to the audit sites.

Finally, old audit methods provided inconsistent results where audit reports took on different formats depending upon the division requesting the audit, resulting in non-standardized audit reports and unsatisfactory results.

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