International Business Machines Corporation

Debra J White

Benjamin J Steele, Jr

Eric T Lambert

E Weston Seaman

Robert M Mireault

Lynn M Clauer

Laurie Cohn

James Greene

A method includes generating, by a processor, a Systems, Applications, Products (SAP) profile standardization data structure for secure SAP profile entry submission. A reporting data structure including records from a first SAP profile data structure and a second SAP profile data structure is generated for a visual line-by-line result of a comparison of the first SAP profile data structure with the second SAP profile data structure. The reporting data structure comprises a compare template data structure including the first SAP profile data structure and the second SAP profile data structure placed side-by-side and each indicating the visual line-by-line result of the comparing.

Automatic comparison of enterprise profile analytics

A method includes storing, in a memory, a first Systems, Applications, Products (SAP) profile including first information. The method further includes storing, in the memory, a second SAP profile including second information. A processor compares the first information with the second information on a line-by-line basis. A reporting data structure is generated that includes a visual line-by-line result of the comparing.

A storage medium for managing a supply chain is provided. The storage medium includes instructions for implementing a method. The method includes transmitting a bid request from a bill of material (BOM) file to a web site and receiving a response from a supplier, resulting in an award notice. The method also includes identifying component prices incurred by the supplier that manufactures products using the components, comparing the prices with those available to the manufacturer from a component supplier. For components in which the supplier incurs a price greater than that available to the manufacturer, the method includes requesting authorization for the supplier to purchase a quantity of the component from the component supplier at the purchase price available to the manufacturer. Upon approval, the method includes transmitting an authorization to the supplier to purchase the component directly from the component supplier. The authorization includes guidelines for the contract manufacturer to follow.

Storage medium for facilitating parts procurement and production planning across an extended supply chain

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a computer-based system and method for automating supply chain functions in a network environment, and more particularly, for identifying and implementing cost-savings techniques within the parts procurement and production planning system of an extended enterprise. The system includes a manufacturing enterprise or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system comprising a host system operating a web server, an applications server, and a database manager; a data storage device in communication with the host system, and at least one terminal for accessing the host system. The OEM system runs on a network that is coupled to the Internet and is accessible to a supplier enterprise system and/or contract manufacturer system identified with proper permissions. The applications server executes a set of programs for managing the OEM system, including the A-source application of the present invention. The A-source application is assisted by bridging software capable of integrating a variety of data pertaining to parts or components collected from a plurality of sources, such as physical attributes for components stored in one database and corresponding business attributes stored in a second database, and organizing the data in a manner such that the organization implementing the software can then perform comprehensive analyses on the integrated data and ultimately make more effective purchasing decisions based upon the analyses. Bills of material, requests for quotes (RFQs), requests for price updates, and the physical and business attributes belonging to the bills of material are inputted into the manufacturing enterprise system via the A-source application where analysis and calculations are performed on the inputs and cost savings techniques can be identified and electronically implemented.

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Cold Spring, NY, United States of America

Debra J White