System and method of using a sales management system to generate printed products

US7818285B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• FedEx Office and Print Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Cory E. Klatt · Edmonds, US
• Brent Krum · Redmond, US
• Thomas P. Maliska, JR. · Olympia, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 10, 2000
• Grant date: Oct 19, 2010
• Expiry date: Jan 10, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0603
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Information stored in a corporate database is monitored and used to determine when certain business-related events have occurred. Event information is transmitted over the Internet to a print production facility, where it is used to fire one or more event rules, which in turn automatically generate print requisitions or print production orders. In one variation, print requisitions are routed through an existing and commercially available procurement system before a print production order is generated. The system can monitor and handle events from multiple corporations, each having its own business-related event rules, and each potentially having its own procurement approval system.