System And Method For Integrating Trading Operations Including The Generation, Processing And Tracking of Trade Documents

Abstract

First and second components of the present invention, in combination, provide a customer interface for initiating a trade transaction and provides for the secure viewing of the status of the transaction. A third component assists in the automatic generation and verification of the voluminous and detailed documents required to support a trade transaction. The third component additionally tracks and assists in the management of the seller's manufacturing and shipment of the goods that form the basis of the trade transaction. A fourth component automatically generates a Letter of Credit from a Purchase Order and performs a reconciliation function on payments made pursuant to Letters of Credit or open Accounts.

1 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . A computer-implemented method for processing trade documents associated with a trade operation, comprising:
 receiving an electronic copy of a payment contract associated with a trade receivables transaction;   at least one computer processor preparing transaction documents required for settlement of the trade receivables transaction, wherein at least one of the transaction documents is dependent upon a type of the payment contract, and wherein at least one of the transaction documents comprises transaction information for the trade receivables transaction;   the at least one computer processor determining if the transaction documents are acceptable;   the at least one computer processor revising unacceptable portions of the transaction documents to be individually re-submitted to a designated recipient whereby transaction documents denoted as being acceptable need not be resubmitted;   the at least one computer processor verifying that the transaction information is compliant with a banking standard in accordance with which information of the payment contract is reviewed in response to determining that the transaction documents are acceptable; and   the at least one computer processor bundling the transaction documents, whereby an association is provided between the transaction documents in response to verifying that the transaction information is compliant with the banking standard.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the trade receivables transaction is an international trade receivables transaction. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the banking standard is an international banking standard. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one transaction document comprise a required document that is automatically selected by the system dependent upon at least one of a type of the trade transaction and the type of the payment contract. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the at least one computer processor further determines a required condition associated with settling the trade receivables transaction; and
 the at least one computer processor associates the required condition with the transaction documents whereby a reference to the condition is provided on each one of the transaction documents when the transaction documents are outputted.   
     
     
         69 . A system configured for facilitating document and export receivables workflow tasks, comprising:
 at least one computer processor;   an executable computer program that is tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium that causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 upload an electronic copy of a payment contract associated with a trade receivables transaction; 
 prepare transaction documents required for settlement of the trade receivables transaction, wherein at least one of the transaction documents is dependent upon a type of the payment contract, and wherein at least one of the transaction documents comprises transaction information for the trade receivables transaction; 
 cause a disposition of the transaction documents to be denoted as being discrepant or acceptable; 
 cause a description corresponding to a corresponding discrepancy to be specified; 
 cause revised versions of discrepant portions of the transaction documents to be individually re-submitted to the designated recipient whereby transaction documents denoted as being acceptable need not be resubmitted; 
 performing system-managed verification that the transaction information is compliant with a banking standard in accordance with which information of the payment contract is reviewed in response to determining that all of the transaction documents are denoted as being acceptable; and 
 bundling the transaction documents whereby an association is provided between the transaction documents in response to verifying that the transaction information is compliant with the banking standard. 
   
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein the trade receivables transaction is an international trade receivables transaction, 
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 70 , wherein the banking standard is an international banking standard. 
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein at least a portion of the transaction documents are required documents automatically selected by the system dependent upon at least one of a type of the trade transaction and the type of the payment contract. 
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein the executable computer program further causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 determine a required condition associated with settling the trade receivables transaction; and   associate the required condition with a plurality of the transaction documents whereby a reference to the condition is provided on each one of the transaction documents when the transaction documents are outputted.   
     
     
         74 . A computer-implemented method configured for facilitating export receivables workflow tasks, comprising:
 at least one computer processor accessing settlement documents of an international trade receivables transaction dependent upon a type of payment contract upon which the international trade receivables transaction is dependent;   the at least one computer processor validating that transaction information contained in at least portion of the settlement documents is compliant with an international banking standard in accordance with which information of the payment contract is reviewed in response to determining that all of the settlement documents have no discrepancies; and   the at least one computer processor grouping the settlement documents in response to verifying that the transaction information is compliant with the international banking standard.   
     
     
         75 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 74 , wherein the payment contract is an export letter of credit. 
     
     
         76 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 74 , further comprising:
 the at least one computer processor causing a disposition of each one of the settlement documents to be denoted as being acceptable or not acceptable;   the at least one computer processor causing a description corresponding to a not acceptable document to be specified; and   the at least one computer processor causing revised versions of portions of the settlement documents having discrepancies to be individually resubmitted to a designated recipient whereby documents denoted as not having discrepancies need not be resubmitted.   
     
     
         77 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 74 , further comprising:
 the at least one computer processor determining a required condition associated with settling the international trade receivables transaction; and   the at least one computer processor associating the required condition with a plurality of the settlement documents whereby a reference to the required condition is provided on at least one of the settlement documents when the settlement documents are outputted.   
     
     
         78 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 74  wherein the step of validating that the transaction information contained in at least portion of the settlement documents is compliant with an international banking standard comprises:
 the at least one computer processor determining that the settlement documents have necessary signature information indicating and certifying that the settlement documents are compliant with the international banking standard and have system-implemented markings that indicate which ones of such settlement documents are copies and which ones of the settlement documents are originals. 
 
     
     
         79 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 78 , further comprising:
 the at least one computer processor causing a disposition of each one of the settlement documents to be denoted as being acceptable or not acceptable,   the at least one computer processor causing a description corresponding to a not acceptable document to be specified; and   the at least one computer processor causing revised versions of portions of the settlement documents having discrepancies to be individually resubmitted to a designated recipient whereby documents denoted as not having discrepancies need not be resubmitted   
     
     
         80 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 78 , further comprising:
 the at least one computer processor determining a required condition associated with settling the international trade receivables transaction; and   the at least one computer processor associating the required condition with a plurality of the settlement documents whereby a reference to the required condition is provided on at least one of the settlement documents when the settlement documents are outputted.   
     
     
         81 . A system configured for facilitating document and export receivables workflow tasks, comprising:
 at least one computer processor;   an executable computer program that is tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium that causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 access settlement documents of an international trade receivables transaction dependent upon a type of payment contract upon which the international trade receivables transaction is dependent; 
 validate that transaction information contained in at least a portion of the settlement documents is compliant with an international banking standard in accordance with which information of the payment contract is reviewed in response to determining that all of the settlement documents have no discrepancies; and 
 group the settlement documents in response to verifying that the transaction information is compliant with the international banking standard. 
   
     
     
         82 . The system of  claim 81 , wherein the payment contract is an export letter of credit. 
     
     
         83 . The system of  claim 81 , wherein the executable computer program further causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 cause a disposition of each one of the settlement documents to be denoted as being acceptable or not acceptable;   cause a description corresponding to a not acceptable document to be specified; and   cause revised versions of portions of the settlement documents having discrepancies to be individually resubmitted to a designated recipient whereby documents denoted as not having discrepancies need not be resubmitted.   
     
     
         84 . The system of  claim 81 , wherein the executable computer program further causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 determine a required condition associated with settling the international trade receivables transaction; and   associate the required condition with a plurality of the settlement documents whereby a reference to the required condition is provided on at least one of the settlement documents when the settlement documents are outputted.   
     
     
         85 . The system of  claim 81 , wherein the executable computer program further causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 determine that the settlement documents have necessary signature information indicating and certifying that the settlement documents are compliant with the international banking standard and have system-implemented markings that indicate which ones of such settlement documents are copies and which ones of the settlement documents are originals.   
     
     
         86 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the executable computer program further causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 cause a disposition of each one of the settlement documents to be denoted as being acceptable or not acceptable,   cause a description corresponding to a not acceptable document to be specified; and   cause revised versions of portions of the settlement documents having discrepancies to be individually resubmitted to a designated recipient whereby documents denoted as not having discrepancies need not be resubmitted   
     
     
         87 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the executable computer program further causes the at least one computer processor to perform the following:
 determine a required condition associated with settling the international trade receivables transaction; and   associate the required condition with a plurality of the settlement documents whereby a reference to the required condition is provided on at least one of the settlement documents when the settlement documents are outputted.   
     
     
         88 . A non-transient computer-readable medium having tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom a set of instructions interpretable by at least one computer processor, the set of instructions configured for causing the at least one computer processor to carry out operations for:
 accessing settlement documents of an international trade receivables transaction dependent upon a type of payment contract upon which the international trade receivables transaction is dependent;   validating that transaction information contained in at least a portion of the settlement documents is compliant with an international banking standard in accordance with which information of the payment contract is reviewed in response to determining that all of the settlement documents have no discrepancies; and   grouping the settlement documents in response to verifying that the transaction information is compliant with the international banking standard.   
     
     
         89 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of  claim 88 , wherein the payment contract is an export letter of credit. 
     
     
         90 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of  claim 88 , wherein the set of instructions is further configured for causing the at least one computer processor to carry out operations for:
 causing a disposition of each one of the settlement documents to be denoted as being acceptable or not acceptable;   causing a description corresponding to a not acceptable document to be specified; and   causing revised versions of portions of the settlement documents having discrepancies to be individually resubmitted to a designated recipient whereby documents denoted as not having discrepancies need not be resubmitted.   
     
     
         91 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of  claim 88 , wherein the set of instructions is further configured for causing the at least one computer processor to carry out operations for:
 determining a required condition associated with settling the international trade receivables transaction; and   associating the required condition with a plurality of the settlement documents whereby a reference to the required condition is provided on at least one of the settlement documents when the settlement documents are outputted.   
     
     
         92 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of  claim 88 , validating that transaction information contained in at least a portion of the settlement documents is compliant with an international banking standard comprises:
 determining that the settlement documents have necessary signature information indicating and certifying that the settlement documents are compliant with the international banking standard and have system-implemented markings that indicate which ones of such settlement documents are copies and which ones of the settlement documents are originals.   
     
     
         93 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of  claim 92 , wherein the set of instructions is further configured for causing the at least one computer processor to carry out operations for:
 causing a disposition of each one of the settlement documents to be denoted as being acceptable or not acceptable,   causing a description corresponding to a not acceptable document to be specified; and   causing revised versions of portions of the settlement documents having discrepancies to be individually resubmitted to a designated recipient whereby documents denoted as not having discrepancies need not be resubmitted   
     
     
         94 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of  claim 92 , wherein the set of instructions is further configured for causing the at least one computer processor to carry out operations for:
 determining a required condition associated with settling the international trade receivables transaction; and   associating the required condition with a plurality of the settlement documents whereby a reference to the required condition is provided on at least one of the settlement documents when the settlement documents are outputted.