Accounts payable process

Abstract

Techniques for performing an accounts payable process may include receiving transaction data including at least one of invoice data, purchase order data, and vendor data; and verifying a transaction by matching a dynamic data set of client-specified multi-dimensional criteria to the transaction data. An accounts payable system may include a host system in communication with one or more client systems. The host system may include a matching database configured to receive an accounts payable file including at least one of invoice data, purchase order data, and vendor data; and verify a transaction by matching a dynamic data set of client-specified multi-dimensional records to attributes of the accounts payable file.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An accounts payable process comprising: 
 receiving transaction data including at least one of invoice data, purchase order data, and vendor data; and    verifying a transaction by matching a dynamic data set of client-specified multi-dimensional criteria to the transaction data.    
     
     
         2 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic data set comprises client-specified purchase order information.  
     
     
         3 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic data set comprises client-specified vendor profile information.  
     
     
         4 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic data set comprises client-specified invoice information.  
     
     
         5 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase order data comprises one or more of: a PO Number, Vendor Number, Vendor Name, Vendor Remit Address, PO Total Amount, PO Line Item Amount, Discount Percent, Discount Days, Invoice Number, Invoice Date, and Invoice Total Amount.  
     
     
         6 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein the vendor data comprises one or more of: Customer Number, Vendor Name, Vendor Remit Address, Vendor Number, Contact Name, E-mail Address, Payment Terms, and Vendor Status.  
     
     
         7 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein the invoice data comprises one or more of: PO Number, PO Line Item Quantity, PO Line Item Amount, Vendor Number, Vendor Address, Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Invoice Total Amount, Discount Percent, and Discount Days.  
     
     
         8 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein matching further comprises identifying a set of probable matches based on client-specified criteria.  
     
     
         9 . The accounts payable process of  claim 8 , wherein the client-specified criteria includes a plurality of weighted factors.  
     
     
         10 . The accounts payable process of  claim 8 , wherein the client-specified data includes a tolerance range from an exact match.  
     
     
         11 . The accounts payable process of  claim 8 , further comprising simultaneously presenting the set of probable matches and the transaction data on a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         12 . The accounts payable process of  claim 11 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a split screen.  
     
     
         13 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically correcting discrepancies between the transaction data and client-specified information included in the dynamic data set.  
     
     
         14 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , further comprising augmenting the transaction data with client-specified information included in the dynamic data set.  
     
     
         15 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , further comprising initiating payment processing for a verified transaction.  
     
     
         16 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein matching comprises a vendor matching process.  
     
     
         17 . The accounts payable process of  claim 16 , wherein the vendor matching process comprises comparing transaction data associated with a vendor to a client-specified vendor profile.  
     
     
         18 . The accounts payable process of  claim 17 , wherein the vendor profile comprises a master vendor profile containing information regarding a plurality of vendors.  
     
     
         19 . The accounts payable process of  claim 16 , wherein the vendor matching process comprises performing a preliminary vendor match.  
     
     
         20 . The accounts payable process of  claim 19 , wherein the vendor matching process comprises identifying a set of probable vendor matches in the event that the preliminary match is unsuccessful.  
     
     
         21 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein matching comprises a purchase order matching process.  
     
     
         22 . The accounts payable process of  claim 21 , wherein the purchase order matching process comprises comparing transaction data associated with a purchase order to a client-specified purchase order file.  
     
     
         23 . The accounts payable process of  claim 21 , wherein the purchase order file comprises a digital image of a purchase order.  
     
     
         24 . The accounts payable process of  claim 21 , wherein the purchase order matching process comprises performing a preliminary purchase order match.  
     
     
         25 . The accounts payable process of  claim 24 , wherein the purchase order matching process comprises identifying a set of probable purchase order matches in the event that the preliminary match is unsuccessful.  
     
     
         26 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , wherein matching comprises an invoice matching process.  
     
     
         27 . The accounts payable process of  claim 26 , wherein the invoice matching process comprises comparing transaction data associated with an invoice to a client-specified invoice file.  
     
     
         28 . The accounts payable process of  claim 27 , wherein the invoice file comprises a master invoice file containing information regarding a plurality of invoices.  
     
     
         29 . The accounts payable process of  claim 26 , wherein the invoice matching process comprises performing a preliminary invoice match.  
     
     
         30 . The accounts payable process of  claim 29 , wherein the invoice matching process comprises identifying a set of probable invoice matches in the event that the preliminary match is unsuccessful.  
     
     
         31 . The accounts payable process of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an invoice in one of paper form and electronic form.  
     
     
         32 . The accounts payable process of  claim 31 , further comprising generating a digital image of an invoice received in paper form.  
     
     
         33 . The accounts payable process of  claim 31 , further comprising automatically extracting invoice data from the received invoice.  
     
     
         34 . An accounts payable system comprising: 
 a host system in communication with one or more client systems, the host system including a matching database configured to: 
 receive an accounts payable file including at least one of invoice data, purchase order data, and vendor data; and  
 verify a transaction by matching a dynamic data set of client-specified multi-dimensional records to attributes of the accounts payable file.  
   
     
     
         35 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , wherein the host system is accessible by at least one client system across a network.  
     
     
         36 . The accounts payable system of  claim 35 , wherein the network comprises a wireless communications network.  
     
     
         37 . The accounts payable system of  claim 35 , wherein the network comprises at least one of the Internet and World Wide Web.  
     
     
         38 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , wherein the matching database stores the client-specified records for a customer.  
     
     
         39 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , wherein the client-specified records comprise at least one of purchase order files, vendor profiles, and invoice files associated with a particular customer.  
     
     
         40 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , wherein the matching database is configured to perform matching according to client-specific matching rules.  
     
     
         41 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , wherein the matching database is configured to communicate probable matches to at least one client system.  
     
     
         42 . The accounts payable system of  claim 41 , wherein the matching database is configured to allow the client system to manually select at least one probable match.  
     
     
         43 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , further comprising a data transmission input device configured to communicate transaction information to the matching database.  
     
     
         44 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , further comprising an unmatched processor configured to receive accounts payable files that are not matched to a client-specified record.  
     
     
         45 . The accounts payable system of  claim 34 , further comprising a matched file processor configured to receive and process accounts payable files that are matched to a client-specified record.  
     
     
         46 . An accounts payable system comprising: 
 means for receiving transaction data including at least one of invoice data, purchase order data, and vendor data; and    means for verifying a transaction by matching a dynamic data set of client-specified multi-dimensional criteria to the transaction data.    
     
     
         47 . The accounts payable system of  claim 46 , wherein the means for verifying further comprises means for identifying a set of probable matches based on client-specified criteria.  
     
     
         48 . A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions to: 
 receive transaction data including at least one of invoice data, purchase order data, and vendor data; and    verify a transaction by matching a dynamic data set of client-specified multi-dimensional criteria to the transaction data.    
     
     
         49 . The computer program of  claim 48 , further comprising instructions to identify a set of probable matches based on client-specified criteria.  
     
     
         50 . The computer program of  claim 48 , wherein the computer-readable medium comprises at least one of a disk, a device, and a propagated signal.