Processing Payment Transactions Between Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for processing a payment transaction comprises receiving, by a payor an invoice generated from a first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system operated by a payee. The first ERP system formatted the invoice in a first format. The invoice is stored in a second format compatible with a second ERP system. The invoice has been converted from the first format to the second format, which is different from the first format. Approval of the invoice is received through the second ERP system. Authorization instructing a financial institution to transmit a payment to the payee is generated and transmitted to the financial institution. Confirmation of the payment to the payee is generated and transmitted to the payee.

1 . A method for processing a payment transaction, comprising:
 receiving, by a payor at a network interface, an invoice generated from a first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system operated by a payee, the first ERP system having formatted the invoice in a first format;   storing the invoice in a memory in a second format compatible with a second ERP system, the invoice having been converted from the first format to the second format, wherein the second format is different from the first format;   receiving approval of the invoice through the second ERP system;   generating, using one or more processors, an authorization, the authorization instructing a financial institution to transmit a payment to the payee;   transmitting, using the network interface, authorization to the financial institution;   generating, using one or more processors, a confirmation of the payment to the payee; and   transmitting, using the network interface, the confirmation to the payee.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the invoice is received from the payee in the first format; and   the invoice is converted from the first format to the second format at the payor.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the invoice is received from the payee in an intermediate format, the invoice having been converted from the first format to the intermediate format at the payee and converted from the intermediate format to the second format at the payor.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the invoice is received from the payee in the second format; and   the invoice is converted from the first format to the second format at the payee prior to the receiving of the invoice.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation is transmitted to the payee in a selected one of the first format, an intermediate format, and the second format. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the converting the invoice from the first format to the second format comprises:
 identifying, using one or more processors, one or more data fields in the invoice of the first format;   identifying, using one or more processors, one or more corresponding data fields in the second format; and   mapping, using one or more processors, the one or more data fields in the invoice of the first format to the corresponding data fields in the second format.   
     
     
         7 . A system for processing a payment transaction, comprising:
 a first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system comprising logic encoded on a computer readable storage medium such that, when executed by a processor, is operable to:
 receive, at a payor, an invoice generated from a second ERP system operated by a payee, the second ERP system having formatted the invoice in a first format; 
 storing the invoice in a memory in a second format compatible with the first ERP system, the invoice having been converted from the first format to the second format, wherein the second format is different from the first format; 
 receiving approval of the invoice through the first ERP system; 
 generate an authorization, the authorization instructing a financial institution to transmit a payment to the payee; 
 transmit authorization to the financial institution; 
 generate a confirmation of the payment to the payee; and 
 transmit the confirmation to the payee. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the invoice is received from the payee in the first format; and   the invoice is converted from the first format to the second format at the payor.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the invoice is received from the payee in an intermediate format, the invoice having been converted from the first format to the intermediate format at the payee and converted from the intermediate format to the second format at the payor.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the invoice is received from the payee in the second format; and   the invoice is converted from the first format to the second format at the payee prior to the receiving of the invoice.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the confirmation is transmitted to the payee in a selected one of the first format, an intermediate format, and the second format. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the logic, when executed by the processor, being further operable to convert the invoice from the first format to the second format by:
 identifying, using one or more processors, one or more data fields in the invoice of the first format;   identifying, using one or more processors, one or more corresponding data fields in the second format; and   mapping, using one or more processors, the one or more data fields in the invoice of the first format to the corresponding data fields in the second firm.   
     
     
         13 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method for processing a payment transaction, comprising:
 receiving, by a payor at a network interface, an invoice, a payee having generated the invoice by generating an electronic representation of a paper invoice;   storing the invoice in a memory in a format compatible with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, the invoice having been converted from the electronic representation into the format compatible with the ERP system, wherein the format is different from the electronic representation generated by the payee;   receiving approval of the invoice through the ERP system;   generating, using one or more processors, an authorization, the authorization instructing a financial institution to transmit a payment to the payee;   transmitting, using the network interface, the authorization to the financial institution;   generating, using one or more processors, a confirmation of the payment to the payee; and   transmitting, using the network interface, the confirmation to a viewing platform accessible by the payee.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , the viewing platform comprising an electronic mail message transmitted to the payee. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , the viewing platform comprising a website accessible by the payee. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the invoice is received from the payee in an intermediate format, the invoice having been converted from the electronic representation generated by the payee to the intermediate format, the method further comprising converting the invoice from the intermediate format to the format compatible with the ERP system. 
     
     
         29 . A system for processing a payment transaction, comprising:
 a first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system comprising logic encoded on a computer readable storage medium such that, when executed by a processor, is operable to:
 receive, at a payor, an invoice, a payee having generated the invoice by generating an electronic representation of a paper invoice; 
 store the invoice in a memory in a format compatible with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, the invoice having been converted from the electronic representation into the format compatible with the ERP system, wherein the format is different from the electronic representation generated by the payee; 
 receive approval of the invoice through the ERP system; 
 generate an authorization, the authorization instructing a financial institution to transmit a payment to the payee; 
 transmit the authorization to the financial institution; 
 generate a confirmation of the payment to the payee; and 
 transmit the confirmation to a viewing platform accessible by the payee. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , the viewing platform comprising an electronic mail message transmitted to the payee. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , the viewing platform comprising a website accessible by the payee. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the invoice is received from the payee in an intermediate format, the invoice having been converted from the electronic representation generated by the payee to the intermediate format, the method further comprising converting the invoice from the intermediate format to the format compatible with the ERP system.