A wip management system

Abstract

A WIP management system is disclosed that comprises a data storage device arranged to store work in progress (WIP) data indicative of work in progress financial amounts associated with at least one person, and a filter arranged to facilitate filtering of the WIP data according to received criteria so as to produce filtered WIP data. The system is arranged to facilitate display of filtered WIP information indicative of the filtered WIP data, to facilitate selection by a user of WIP from the filtered WIP information and to instigate invoice processing based on the selected WIP. A corresponding method of managing WIP is also disclosed.

1 . A WIP management system comprising:
 a data storage device arranged to store work in progress (WIP) data indicative of work in progress financial amounts associated with at least one person; and   a filter arranged to facilitate filtering of the WIP data according to received criteria so as to produce filtered WIP data;   the system being arranged to facilitate display of filtered WIP information indicative of the filtered WIP data, to facilitate selection by a user of WIP from the filtered WIP information and to instigate invoice processing based on the selected WIP.   
     
     
         2 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein WIP data is stored in a primary database associated with an accounting system, and the system includes a secondary database and a data extractor arranged to extract a sub-set of WIP data from the primary database for storage in the secondary database, the filter being arranged to filter the WIP data stored in the secondary database according to the received criteria. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the WIP management system includes a data updater arranged to synchronise the sub-set of WIP data stored in the secondary database with the WIP data stored in the primary database. 
     
     
         5 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system is separate to and interfaceable with an accounting system. 
     
     
         6 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the system is interfaceable with an accounting system through an application programming interface (API) associated with the accounting system. 
     
     
         7 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system is incorporated into an accounting system. 
     
     
         8 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the system is incorporated into an accounting system as a software plug-in or add-on. 
     
     
         9 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the filter is arranged to facilitate filtering of the WIP data according to any one or more of:
 the amount of a WIP entry;   the timekeeper associated with a WIP entry;   the client associated with a WIP entry; and/or   the age of a WIP entry.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system includes a web server arranged to serve at least one web page to at least one computing device on request, the at least one web page being usable to facilitate reception of filter criteria and display of the filtered WIP information. 
     
     
         12 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system is arranged to facilitate editing of WIP data by editing the displayed WIP information corresponding to the WIP data. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system is arranged to facilitate selection of multiple WIP records by a user and to instigate invoice processing for each selected WIP record. 
     
     
         16 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the system is arranged to facilitate simultaneous modification of WIP data for all selected WIP records. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system is arranged to facilitate invoice processing by facilitating display of prebill details indicative of a prebill. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the displayed prebill details are editable. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A WIP management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system is arranged such that each user associated with the system has an associated user profile indicative of the types of actions that the user is authorized to carry out. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of managing work in progress (WIP), the method comprising:
 storing work in progress (WIP) data indicative of work in progress financial amounts associated with at least one person;   receiving criteria for filtering of the WIP data;   filtering the WIP data according to the received criteria so as to produce filtered WIP data;   displaying filtered WIP information indicative of the filtered WIP data;   receiving selection by a user of WIP from the filtered WIP information; and   instigating invoice processing based on the selected WIP.   
     
     
         27 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising storing WIP data in a primary database associated with an accounting system, extracting a sub-set of WIP data from the primary database, and storing the extracted WIP data in a secondary database, wherein the step of filtering the WIP data comprises filtering the WIP data stored in the secondary database according to the received criteria. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method as claimed in  claim 27 , comprising synchronising the sub-set of WIP data stored in the secondary database with the WIP data stored in the primary database. 
     
     
         30 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the filtering criteria includes any one or more of:
 the amount of a WIP entry;   the timekeeper associated with a WIP entry;   the client associated with a WIP entry; and/or   the age of a WIP entry.   
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising serving at least one web page to at least one computing device on request, the at least one web page being usable to receiving filter criteria and display the filtered WIP information. 
     
     
         33 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising facilitating editing of WIP data by editing the displayed WIP information corresponding to the WIP data. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising facilitating selection of multiple WIP records by a user and instigating invoice processing for each selected WIP record. 
     
     
         37 . A method as claimed in  claim 36 , comprising facilitating simultaneous modification of WIP data for all selected WIP records. 
     
     
         38 . A method as claimed in  claim 37 , comprising facilitating simultaneous modification of WIP data for all selected WIP records so as to modify the WIP data of each selected WIP record to a zero financial amount. 
     
     
         39 . A method as claimed in  claim 38 , comprising instigating invoice processing by instigating creation and display of at least one prebill based on the selected WIP. 
     
     
         40 . A method as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein details of the displayed prebill are editable. 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising providing each user associated with the system with a user profile indicative of the types of actions that the user is authorized to carry out.