US20220374818A1 - Project scheduling and management system that uses product data with product classes - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure facilitate scheduling and managing a project. In some embodiments, the system includes a quoting module, a product data module, and a project planning module executing on at least one processor of a server. The product data module may be configured to store at least one product. The product stored in the project module may have a product class indicating that the product is a labor product, parts product, or agreements product. The system may be configured to copy products from the product data module to the quoting module. The system may be configured to also copy products from the product data module to the project planning module, and generate tasks for the project planning module based on the products.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/101,450 titled “PROJECT SCHEDULING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT USES PRODUCT DATA WITH PRODUCT CLASSES”, filed on Nov. 23, 2020, which is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/624,628 titled “PROJECT SCHEDULING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT USES PRODUCT DATA WITH PRODUCT CLASSES”, filed on Jun. 15, 2017, which is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/837,337 titled “PROJECT SCHEDULING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT USES PRODUCT DATA WITH PRODUCT CLASSES”, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
• The present disclosure generally relates to the use of project planning systems to schedule and manage projects. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to using product data to drive the project planning process, based on product classes associated with the product data.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Project planning systems can schedule and manage projects of various types. Tasks that are required in order to complete the project are manually entered and assigned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Service providers are in the business of delivering equipment and services to customers. The services they offer to their customers include installation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of the equipment they deliver. In order to facilitate providing services, a service provider can use a project planning system to schedule and manage the plethora of activities involved in providing these installation, configuration, and maintenance services.
• The information used to enter and update tasks in a project planning system can be derived from the products that go into the original quote sent to the customer. For example, if the quote contains an email server, then the product data associated with the email server will include information such as the part number and the price of the hardware server, as well as the part number and price of the software license for the email software needed on the server. In the present disclosure, the product data can also include information about the amount of time and skill set needed to install the server, the amount of time and skill set needed to install and configure the email software, the interval at which regular maintenance of the server hardware is required, the amount of time and skill set needed to provide the regular maintenance of the server hardware, the interval at which regular maintenance of the email software is required, and the amount of time and skill set needed to provide the regular maintenance of the email software. With this product information, tasks can be automatically generated for the project planning system to install, configure, and maintain the server hardware and email software. The maintenance tasks can be automatically entered on an ongoing basis, for example, daily, weekly, or monthly. Additionally, the skill sets from the product data can be used to automatically assign the tasks to appropriate staff.
• The level of automation described in the present disclosure, combined with the “leveling” function available in modern project planning systems, makes it possible to completely automate the creation of the project plan using only the product data from the customer quote. This level of automation increases the efficiency of the service provider, and additionally reduces the human error inherent in more manual processes, which increases the level of customer satisfaction. As a result, the service provider has a large business advantage with the present disclosure.
• Systems and methods of the present disclosure facilitate scheduling and managing a project. For example, the present disclosure provides a quoting module, a product data module, and a project planning module. The product data module stores product descriptions and can be configured to store products. The products can have a product class indicating that they are a labor product, parts product, or agreements product. Products can be copied from the product data module to both the quoting module and the project planning module. Tasks can be generated for the project planning module based on the products.
• At least one aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a system for project scheduling and management. In some embodiments, the system can include a quoting module, a product data module, and a project planning module. The product data module can be configured to store at least one product. The products have a product class, indicating that the product is a labor product, parts product, or agreements product. The system can be configured to copy a first product from the product data module to the quoting module. The system can be configured to copy the first product from the product data module to the project planning module. The system can generate a task for the product planning module based on the first product.
• At least one aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for project scheduling and management. In some embodiments, the method can include storing, by a product data module executing on the server, at least one product, wherein the product comprises a product class, the product class including at least one of a labor product, a parts product, and an agreements product. In some embodiments, the method can include copying a first product from the product data module to a quoting module executing on the server. In some embodiments, the method can include copying the first product from the product data module to a project planning module executing on the server. In some embodiments, the method can include generating, based on the first product, a task for the project planning module.
• At least one aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a system for automatically scheduling and managing projects. In some embodiments, the system can include a product data module. The product data module can execute on at least one processor of a server. The product data module can be configured to obtain a first product. The first product can include a product description and a product class, where the product class can include at least one of a labor product, a parts product, and an agreements product. The system can include a quoting module configured to generate a quote and update the product data with the quote. The quote can be generated based, at least in part, on a subset of the product data. The system can also include a project planning module. The project planning module can be configured to obtain the updated product data with the quote. The project planning module can generate, based on the product class and the quote, a task. The task can be associated with at least one of a resource type, skill level, price, start time, deadline, and order.
• In some embodiments, the project planning module can identify, based on the generated task, an available resource to perform the task, and assign the task.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.
• FIG. 1 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of a system to schedule and manage a project.
• FIG. 2 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of a service provider.
• FIG. 3 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of the business units and processes within a service provider.
• FIGS. 4A-H are illustrative block diagrams of embodiments of the relationships between the business units and the processes within a service provider.
• FIG. 5 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of product data.
• FIG. 6 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of the data flow within a service provider.
• FIGS. 7A-C are illustrative block diagrams of embodiments of the flow of information from product data to the business processes within a service provider.
• FIG. 8 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of reliable synchronization of the quote and invoice seen by a customer.
• FIG. 9 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of interfaces between product data and external systems.
• FIG. 10 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of templates for product data.
• FIG. 11 is an illustrative block diagram of an embodiment of bundles for product data.
• FIG. 12 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for overall access to a resource planning system.
• FIG. 13 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying product data.
• FIG. 14 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying a single item of product data.
• FIG. 15 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying a quote for a customer.
• FIG. 16 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a quote for a customer.
• FIG. 17 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for sales management.
• FIG. 18 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for managing a single sales opportunity.
• FIG. 19 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for managing the products associated with a single sales opportunity.
• FIG. 20 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for creating a sales order from a sales opportunity that was won.
• FIG. 21 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying agreements.
• FIG. 22 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for project management.
• FIG. 23 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for managing procurement.
• FIG. 24 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for creating a service ticket from a sales order.
• FIG. 25 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying a service ticket.
• FIG. 26 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying the financial aspects of a service ticket.
• FIG. 27 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying an invoice for a customer.
• FIG. 28 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of an invoice for a customer.
• FIG. 29 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of classes for product data.
• FIG. 30 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for interfacing product data to an external product data source.
• FIG. 31 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for selecting a product template.
• FIG. 32 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for displaying and modifying a product bundle.
• FIG. 33 is an illustrative example of an embodiment of a user interface for selecting products to include in a product bundle.
• FIG. 34 is an illustrative flowchart depicting one embodiment of the steps taken to schedule and manage a project.
• Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Systems and methods of the present disclosure can use product data to drive the creation of tasks in a project management system. Product data can describe various classes of products including, e.g., parts products, labor products and agreement products. Based on the type of product data and the product description, the systems and methods disclosed herein can generate a quote for the product, which can then be used to generate, enter, assign and update one or more tasks associated with the product or project.
• In an illustrative example, a service provider may provide a network solution for a small business. As part of the network solution, the service provider may provide equipment (e.g., a firewall server, routers, Ethernet wires), installation (e.g., installing servers, routers and wires, setting up server, configuring client machines), and an agreement (e.g., warranty, maintenance program, routine updates, setting up new client machines on-demand). Each of these components of the network solution may be performed by various actors or entities. For example, a first entity may provide the server equipment, while a second entity may provide the wires and routers, a third entity performs the install, and a fourth entity negotiates the agreements. To determine the various tasks that need to be performed to complete the project, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the underlying product data to drive the task generation and assignment process. For example, a quote module or quoting business process can generate a quote using at least a subset of the product data. Once the customer agrees to the terms of the quote, which may require revising one or more term of the quote, the product data can be updated based on the quote.
• Thereafter, a project planning module can obtain the latest product data to generate one or more tasks based on a product description and a product class. For example, the project planning module can determine that a product description is a model number for a router and the product class is a part. The project planning module may further determine that this part needs to be ordered in order to complete the project. The product data may include additional terms associated with this part such as a price, quantity, shipping rate, delivery time, or warranty. In some embodiments, the project planning module may generate a task for ordering the part. In some embodiments, the system may determine, based on the product data, that the part will need to be installed in order to complete the project. In some embodiments, the system may determine that prior to generating and assigning a task for installing the product, that the part should be ordered and received at the site of installation or received by the installer. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the project planning module may schedule the ordering task with a deadline that is no later than the latest time an installer can install the part and still meet the overall timeline for the project. In other embodiments, the system may receive an indication that the part has arrived, and, responsive to receiving this indication, generate a task to install the part. That is, in the event tasks that are dependent on one another, the system can receive an indication of when a previous tasks is completed, and the project planning module can automatically schedule the subsequent task, based on the product data.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system to schedule and manage a project. In brief overview, the business is aservice provider201 with a project scheduling andmanagement system204. In some embodiments, thesystem204 can be, or include, a resource planning system. The project scheduling andmanagement system204 can include aproduct data module301 that stores product information101, with both a product description102 and aproduct class103. The project scheduling andmanagement system204 can include a quotingmodule303aand aproject planning module303e.The quotingmodule303aandproject planning module303ecan be communicatively coupled to each other or theproduct data module301. The system can copy aproduct101afrom theproduct data module301 to aproduct101bin the quotingmodule303a,and also copy theproduct101ato aproduct101cin theproject planning module303e.The system can then automatically use theproduct101cto create atask104 in the project planning module. This process can be repeated to makeadditional tasks104 from products101.
• In further detail, theservice provider201 can include any entity that provides services or equipment to customers. Services may include installation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of the equipment they deliver. In some embodiments, service providers may include manufacturers that manufacture equipment and provide the equipment to customers. Service providers may communicate with third-party vendors to provide one or more services to the customers, and may further assign tasks to the one or more vendors. In some embodiments, the service providers may assign tasks electronically via a network, SMS text messaging, electronic mail, or other communication technique. In some embodiments, the servicer provider may communicate with vendors or customers electronically, telephonically or physically.
• Theproduct data module301, which is discussed in further detail below, includes one or more products. Each product can include a product description and a corresponding product class. For example, installing a furnace may be a labor product class because it includes a person performing a task. The description of the product, e.g., the installation, can include the type of furnace (e.g., gas, oil, air, water), a make/model number of the furnace, estimated cost of installation, installation timeline, or skill level required to perform the installation.
• The quoting module or quotingbusiness process303acan obtain at least a subset of the product data to facilitate generating a quote, as discussed further below. The quotingmodule303acan obtain the product data in any manner including, e.g., copying the information from the product data module, referring to the data in the product module, transferring the product data information from the product data module, or otherwise conveying the product data information. The quotingmodule303amay obtain a subset of the product data, for example, the make/model of the furnace, the cost of the furnace, and the estimated installation cost to generate a quote and provide the quote product to the customer. The customer may alter one or more terms of the quote; e.g., the customer may determine that the make/model is too expensive or not compatible with a pre-existing system, and alter the part. The quotingmodule303amay then save the revised quote, which can be copied back to theproduct data module301, saved in theproduct data module301, or conveyed directly to theproject planning module303eor projectplanning business process303e.
• Theproject planning module303ecan obtain at least a subset of product data from either theproduct data module301 or the quotingmodule303a,or another repository that includes that the revised product data based on the quote. The product data may be copied, transferred, or otherwise conveyed to theproject module303e.Theproject data module303ecan generate a task based on the obtained updated product data. For example, theproject planning module303ecan plan, organize and manage resources (e.g., equipment and personnel) to facilitate completion of a project. In some embodiments, theproject planning module303ecan take into account various factors such as scheduling, cost control, budget management, resource allocation, or resource leveling.
• For example, the product data may indicate that a part needs to be ordered and that the part needs to be installed (e.g., a parts products and a labor product). The product data may also indicate who is in charge of ordering the part, the skill level required to perform the installation, and the timeline for the project. Based on the information in the product data, theproject planning module303ecan generate a task for ordering the part and assign the task to the person or entity responsible for ordering parts, which may indicated in the product data or obtained from a repository containing information about entities that can perform certain tasks. The task can indicate information about the part (e.g., make/model, quantity, price), from where to order the part, and by when the part should be ordered or received by the customer or the installer. Theproject planning module303ecan also generate a task to install the product based on the product data. For example, theproject planning module303ecan identify the skill level required to perform the task and further identify an available person to perform the task. In some embodiments, the product data ma include information about the availability of personnel who can perform the task, while in other embodiments theproject management module303emay obtain this information from another source, such as a worker shift schedule.
• In some embodiments, theproject planning module303ecan generate tasks based on the multiple dependency relationships of tasks or activities. Further to the network solution example above, the system may determine that the Ethernet wiring should be installed before the firewall server can be installed, that the firewall server needs to be installed before the routers can function, and that the routers should be installed before client machines can be configured to operate on the network. In some embodiments, each of these products (e.g., parts and labor products), may correspond to tasks that should be completed in a certain order. The project planning module may identify the order based on the product data itself, which may indicate whether certain products need to be performed prior to other products, or whether the product can be performed independent of other products.
• In some embodiments, theproject planning module303ecan provide resource leveling functionality. Resource leveling may refer to a project management technique used to resolve over-allocations or conflicts of resources (e.g., persons or equipment). For example, the project planning module may schedule certain tasks simultaneously. When more resources such as equipment or people are needed than are available, the tasks may have to be rescheduled concurrently or sequentially to manage the constraint. By resolving these conflicts, theproject planning module303ecan balance the workload and resolve conflicts or over allocations in a project plan by calculating delays and updating tasks automatically (e.g., delay task until resources are available).
• The system and its components, such as aresource planning system204 andbusiness process modules303, may include hardware elements, such as one or more processors, logic devices, or circuits. For example, the system and its components may include a bus or other communication component for communicating information and a processor or processing circuit coupled to the bus for processing information. The hardware elements can also include one or more processors or processing circuits coupled to the bus for processing information. The system also includes main memory, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus for storing information, and instructions to be executed by the processor. Main memory can also be used for storing position information, temporary variables, or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by the processor. The system may further include a read only memory (ROM) or other static storage device coupled to the bus for storing static information and instructions for the processor. A storage device, such as a solid state device, magnetic disk or optical disk, can be coupled to the bus for persistently storing information and instructions.
• According to various embodiments, the processes described herein can be implemented by the system or hardware components in response to the one or more processors executing an arrangement of instructions contained in memory. Such instructions can be read into memory from another computer-readable medium, such as a storage device. Execution of the arrangement of instructions contained in memory causes the system to perform the illustrative processes described herein. One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the instructions contained in memory. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to effect illustrative embodiments. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.
• To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of aservice provider201 in accordance with an embodiment. Theservice provider201 provides goods and services tocustomers206. In one embodiment, theservice provider201 is an information technology (IT) service company that provides computer software, hardware, and maintenance to itscustomers206. In another embodiment, theservice provider201 is a software product developer that provides the same software application to manydifferent customers206. In another embodiment, theservice provider201 is a custom software developer that provides different software applications, customized for specific needs, to eachcustomer206. In another embodiment, theservice provider201 is a web development company that provides the design and implementation of web sites to itscustomers206. In another embodiment, theservice provider201 is a managed service provider (MSP) that services the computer hardware and software of itscustomers206 for a fee (e.g., a fixed fee). In another embodiment, theservice provider201 is a hardware reseller that provides itscustomers206 with computer hardware, installation, and setup. These embodiments are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and in still other embodiments, theservice provider201 provides itscustomers206 with various combinations of the services described in these embodiments.
• Theservice provider201 employs a staff202 to provide the services described. To support their work, the staff202 uses one or moreresource planning systems204, accessing theresource planning systems204 with devices203. Devices203 may be connected to theresource planning systems204 either directly or through a network. In one embodiment, theresource planning systems204 run internally at theservice provider201. In another embodiment, theresource planning systems204 run externally, outside theservice provider201. In other embodiments, theresource planning systems204 are a mixture of internal and external systems.
• The network can include a local-area network (LAN), such as a company Intranet, a metropolitan area network (MAN), or a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet or the World Wide Web. In some embodiments, there are multiple networks between the devices and the servers. In one of these embodiments, the network may be a public network, a private network, or may include combinations of public and private networks.
• The network may be any type or form of network and may include any of the following: a point-to-point network, a broadcast network, a wide area network, a local area network, a telecommunications network, a data communication network, a computer network, an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network, a SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) network, a SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) network, a wireless network and a wireline network. In some embodiments, the network may include a wireless link, such as an infrared channel or satellite band. The topology of the network may include a bus, star, or ring network topology. The network may include mobile telephone networks utilizing any protocol or protocols used to communicate among mobile devices, including advanced mobile phone protocol (“AMPS”), time division multiple access (“TDMA”), code-division multiple access (“CDMA”), global system for mobile communication (“GSM”), general packet radio services (“GPRS”) or universal mobile telecommunications system (“UMTS”). In some embodiments, different types of data may be transmitted via different protocols. In other embodiments, the same types of data may be transmitted via different protocols.
• The service provider interacts withvendors205, which can include one or more of hardware vendors that supply physical hardware, software vendors that supply software applications, and service vendors that supply other services. In one embodiment, avendor205 is also a service provider, such as theservice provider201.
• The one or more servers associated with theresource planning systems204 or service provider devices203 do not need to be physically proximate to each other or in the same machine farm. Thus, the servers logically grouped as a machine farm may be interconnected using a wide-area network (WAN) connection or a metropolitan-area network (MAN) connection. For example, a machine farm may include servers physically located in different continents or different regions of a continent, country, state, city, campus, or room. Data transmission speeds between servers in the machine farm can be increased if the servers are connected using a local-area network (LAN) connection or some form of direct connection.
• Management of the servers may be de-centralized. For example, one or more servers may comprise components, subsystems and circuits to support one or more management services. In one of these embodiments, one or more servers provide functionality for management of dynamic data, including techniques for handling failover, data replication, and increasing robustness. Each server may communicate with a persistent store and, in some embodiments, with a dynamic store.
• A server may include a file server, application server, web server, proxy server, appliance, network appliance, gateway, gateway, gateway server, virtualization server, deployment server, secure sockets layer virtual private network (“SSL VPN”) server, or firewall. In one embodiment, the server may be referred to as a remote machine or a node.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of the business units302 andbusiness processes303 within aservice provider201 in accordance with an embodiment. The staff202 at theservice provider201 is organized into different business units302. In one embodiment, the business units302 can include at least one of the marketing/sales department302a,theproject management department302b,thepurchasing department302c,theengineering department302d,theaccounting department302e,thelegal department302f,thesupport department302g,and thecorporate management302h.In some embodiments, such as smaller companies, a single staff member202 is a member of more than one department302. In other embodiments, there are different business units; the embodiment described is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.
• The marketing/sales department302ais responsible for findingcustomers206 and convincing thecustomers206 to do business with theservice provider201. Theproject management department302bis responsible for understanding the needs ofcustomers206 and providing detailed plans to the staff202 to meet those needs. Thepurchasing department302cis responsible for interacting withvendors205 to procure and pay for goods and services provided by thevendors205. Theengineering department302dis responsible for the technical operations of installing, setting up, and maintaining the goods and services provided to thecustomers206. Theaccounting department302eis responsible for managing all of the financial aspects of theservice provider201. Thelegal department302fis responsible for agreements between theservice provider201 andcustomers206, agreements between theservice provider201 andvendors205, and any other legal issues involving theservice provider201. Thesupport department302gis responsible for helpingcustomers206 to resolve any problems they have with the goods and services that theservice provider201 provides. Thecorporate management302hoversees the operation of theservice provider201 and is ultimately responsible for its success or failure.
• The business units302 usemultiple business processes303 to interact withvendors205 and provide goods and services tocustomers206. In some embodiments, thesebusiness processes303 can include at least one of a quotingprocess303a,asales management process303b,aprocurement process303c,a delivery andsetup process303d,a project planning process or projectplanning business process303e,an invoicing andcollection process303f,apayables process303g,acontract management process303h,amaintenance process303i,asupport process303j,and a customer relationship management (CRM)process303k.
• Business units302 have the ability to interact withprocesses303, and can do so from time to time. As will be seen inFIG. 4, business units302 can have a preferred set ofbusiness processes303 with which they interact on a more regular basis. For example, thevendors205 can interact with theprocurement process303c,the payables process303g,thecontract management process303h,and thesupport process303j.In another example, thecustomers206 can interact with the quotingprocess303a,thesales management process303b,the delivery andsetup process303d,theproject planning process303e,the invoicing andcollection process303f,thecontract management process303h,themaintenance process303i,thesupport process303j,and theCRM process303k.
• The quotingprocess303aprovides a quote to acustomer206 with the cost of a specific set of goods and services to be provided by theservice provider201. Thesales management process303bhelps the marketing/sales department302ato organize their activities efficiently and manage their activities with thecustomers206. Theprocurement process303corders, receives, and processes goods and services from thevendors205. The delivery andsetup process303densures that goods and services from theservice provider201 arrive at thecustomers206 and are installed and configured properly. Theproject planning process303ecoordinates the resources of theservice provider201 in order to satisfy the commitments of theservice provider201 to thecustomers206 efficiently and in a timely manner. The invoicing andcollection process303fdelivers invoices tocustomers206, notifiescustomers206 when a payment is due and ensures that thecustomers206 pay theservice provider201 in a timely manner. The payables process303gfacilitates the process that includes theservice provider201 paying thevendors205 in a timely manner. Thecontract management process303hcan negotiate the terms of agreements between theservice provider201 and thecustomers206, and can also negotiate the terms of agreements between theservice provider201 and thevendors205. Themaintenance process303ifacilitates the process that includes completing, by theservice provider201 in a timely manner, periodic tasks required by thecustomers206. Thesupport process303jaddresses product-related problems that thecustomers206 are having, and can continue to work on those problems until they are resolved to the satisfaction of thecustomer206. TheCRM process303kfacilitates contact between theservice provider201 andcustomers206 by maintaining contact information and company information, and providing convenient interfaces for using that information to initiate telephone calls, emails, text messages, letters, faxes, or other forms of communication.
• The business processes303 use theproduct data301. Theproduct data301 is a key shared repository for data about the goods and services provided by theservice provider201. Systems and methods of the present disclosure can useproduct data301 to serve as a unifying mechanism for the business processes303, the business units302 that use those business processes303, and the staff202 that are part of those business units302.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of the relationships between the business units302 and the business processes303 within aservice provider201. Business units302 can interact withbusiness processes303, and certain interactions may occur more frequently in normal business operations. The interactions described with respect toFIG. 4 are not intended to be limiting, but are intended to illustrate customary business practices.
• FIG. 4aillustrates an exemplary interaction between the marketing/sales department302aand various business processes including, e.g., at least one of the quotingprocess303a,sales management process303b,contract management process303h,support process303j,orCRM process303k.The marketing/sales department302acan drive the quotingprocess303aby communicating with thecustomer206 and arriving at an understanding of the customer's needs, then assembling the quote from goods and services in theproduct data301, including the prices of those goods and services. The marketing/sales department302acan interact with thesales management process303bon a regular basis to find customers306 and close orders with these customers. The marketing/sales department302acan interact with thecontract management process303hto finalize agreements withcustomers206 for products that may require ongoing service and payment. The marketing/sales department302acan interact with thesupport process303jfor pre-sale support activity when, e.g., a prospective customer has a problem with a product or service and needs help from thesupport department302g.The marketing/sales department302acan use theCRM process303kwhen the department attempts to contact acustomer206. In these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for the marketing/sales department302ato understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4billustrates an exemplary interaction between theproject management department302band various processes including, e.g, the quotingprocess303a,procurement process303c,delivery andsetup process303d,project planning process303e,support process303j,orCRM process303k.Theproject management department302bcan use the details from the quotingprocess303ato build a project plan to deliver that quote, and can also integrate that project plan with other projects that are going on within theservice provider201. Theproject management department302bcan use theprocurement process303cto purchase external goods and services needed fromvendors205 in order to implement the project plan. Theproject management department302bcan use the delivery andsetup process303dto deliver the goods and services indicated by the project plan to thecustomer206. Theproject management department302bcan interact with thesupport process303jwhenever there are unforeseen difficulties in implementing the project plan that must be resolved for thecustomer206. Theproject management department302bcan use theCRM process303kto contact acustomer206. In some or all of these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for theproject management department302bto understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4cillustrates an exemplary interaction between thepurchasing department302cand various business processes including, e.g., at least one of theprocurement process303c,payables process303g,contract management process303h,support process303j,orCRM process303k.Thepurchasing department302ccan manage theprocurement process303cto order goods and services fromvendors205 that are needed in order for theservice provider201 to meet its commitments to itscustomers206. Thepurchasing department302ccan help to manage the payables process303gto pay thevendors205 in a timely manner and manage the cash flow of theservice provider201. Thepurchasing department302ccan interact with thecontract management process303hto get more favorable purchasing terms fromvendors205 by entering into longer term purchase agreements with them. Thepurchasing department302ccan also interact with thecontract management process303hto set up terms for services rendered byvendors205 for theservice provider201 and itscustomers206. Thepurchasing department302ccan interact with thesupport system303jwhen acustomer206 has an issue concerning an interaction with avendor205 for which thepurchasing department302cis managing the relationship. Thepurchasing department302ccan use theCRM process303kto contact acustomer206. In some or all of these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for thepurchasing department302cto understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4dillustrates an exemplary interaction between theengineering department302dand various business processes including, e.g, at least one of the delivery andsetup process303d,project planning process303e,maintenance process303i,support process303j,orCRM process303k.Theengineering department302dcan implement the setup part of the delivery andsetup process303dat the site of thecustomer206 by implementing any installation and configuration services needed for the goods and services provided by theservice provider201 to thecustomer206. Theengineering department302dcan use theproject planning process303eas a source of information on the selection and timing of tasks that are required in order to implement the overall project plan. Theengineering department302dcan implement themaintenance process303iat the site of thecustomer206 by implementing the periodic work agreed to by theservice provider201 and thecustomer206. Theengineering department302dcan use the support process to understand and diagnose problems encountered bycustomers206, and to implement and track the solutions to those problems. Theengineering department302dcan use theCRM process303kto contact acustomer206. In some or all of these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for theengineering department302dto understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4eillustrates an exemplary interaction between theaccounting department302eand various business processes including, e.g., at least one of the quotingprocess303a,procurement process303c,delivery andsetup process303d,invoicing andcollection process303f,payables process303g,support process303j,orCRM process303k.Theaccounting department302ecan use the quotingprocess303aas a source of information for creating an invoice to bill thecustomer206. Theaccounting department302ecan use information from theprocurement process303cto generate forecasts of expenses to manage the cash flow of theservice provider201. Theaccounting department302ecan use the delivery andsetup process303dto know when deliveries take place atcustomers206 in order to coordinate invoices and avoid invoicing acustomer206 for something that has not yet been delivered. Theaccounting department302ecan manage the invoicing andcollection process303fto deliver invoices tocustomers206 and collect payments from them, and can manage the cash flow of theservice provider201. Theaccounting department302ecan manage the payables process303gto payvendors205 in a timely manner, and can manage the cash flow of theservice provider201. Theaccounting department302ecan use thesupport process303jto manage and track billing and invoicing issues generated bycustomers206. Theaccounting department302ecan use theCRM process303kto contact acustomer206. In some or all of these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for theaccounting department302eto understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4fillustrates an exemplary interaction between thelegal department302fand various business processes including, e.g., at least one of thecontract management process303h,support process303j,orCRM process303k.Thelegal department302fcan manage thecontract management process303hto define and negotiate the terms of any agreement into which theservice provider201 enters. The legal department can use thesupport process303jto manage and track any issues generated bycustomers206 that involve the terms of an agreement. Thelegal department302fcan use theCRM process303kto contact acustomer206. In some or all of these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for thelegal department302fto understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4gillustrates an exemplary interaction between thesupport department302gand various business processes including, e.g., at least one of thesupport process303jorCRM process303k.Thesupport department302gcan manage thesupport process303jand can use it to track and respond to all issues withcustomers206. Thesupport department302gcan use theCRM process303kto contact acustomer206. In some or all of these interactions, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, and can also serve as a common way for thesupport department302gto understand their interactions with those business processes.
• FIG. 4hillustrates an exemplary interaction betweencorporate management302hand various business processes including, e.g., at least one of thebusiness processes303a-303k.Corporate management302hcan use information frombusiness processes303a-303kto track and understand the operation of the business of theservice provider201 as a whole. This can give a “360-degree view” of the business and can be valuable in making decisions about how to run the business. Again, theproduct data301 can serve as the basis of interaction between the business processes303, which can facilitate oversight provided bycorporate management302hwith respect to the status ofprocesses303 and to understand the implications of same.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram ofproduct data301. In this example, there are three different classes ofproduct data301. For example, one class ofproduct data301 can belabor501, which describes products that are services. Services-oriented products can include one-time actions that are taken by a person. For example,labor501 can include the action of setting up the initial configuration for a piece of equipment. Another example oflabor501 can include the action of installing a software update onto a computer. Yet another example oflabor501 can include the action of replacing a part in a network router that is broken in order to restore its function.Labor products501 can be invoiced at a fixed rate, based on the work that is done, or at an hourly rate, based on the amount of time spent doing the work.
• A second class ofproduct data301 isparts502, which describes products that are purchased entities delivered to thecustomer206. For example,parts502 can include a new piece of equipment that is installed for thecustomer206. Another example ofparts502 can include a replacement part for a network router that is broken. In some embodiments,parts502 can also include non-physical entities such as a software license for a commercial third party software application that is installed for thecustomer206. In another example,parts502 can include an extended warranty from a manufacturer covering repair and updates for a longer period of time than the standard warranty.Parts products502 can be invoiced at the cost to theservice provider201 plus a markup.
• In some embodiments, parts products can include a plurality of subclasses. For example, parts products can include two sub-classes,inventory parts504 andnon-inventory parts505.Inventory parts504 can beparts502 that theservice provider201 orders ahead of time and keeps in stock, which can make it convenient and quick to deliver theinventory parts505 to acustomer206.Non-inventory parts505 can beparts502 that the service provider orders from avendor205 on an as-needed basis. Thevendor205 can delivers theparts502 directly to thecustomer206. Thevendor205 can also deliver theparts502 to theservice provider201, who can then deliver them to thecustomer206.Inventory parts504 can be invoiced with a larger markup thannon-inventory parts505, because the service provider may need to pay the inventory and carrying costs associated with theinventory parts504.
• In some embodiments,product data301 can include a third class foragreements503, which describes products that are repeated or periodic services. Repeated or periodic services can refer to actions taken by a person on a regular basis, and can be covered by service agreements that are entered into between theservice provider201 and thecustomer206. Examples ofagreements503 can include agreements to periodically clean a piece of equipment at the site of thecustomer206; install updates for a commercial third party software application as they are released; and provide a network routing solution to meet a written specification, and continually update the network to meet the written specification as the environment changes.Agreements products503 are can be invoiced at a fixed fee for a given time period, such as monthly or yearly.
• FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of using theproduct data301 to unify communications between the various business processes303.FIG. 6 illustrates a number of different forms of intermediate data601 between the business processes301, but in every case the intermediate data601 is made up of products from theproduct data301, as will be described in further detail here. In this way, theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the business processes301 and the intermediate data601 that is used to transfer information between them.FIG. 6 is not intended to be limiting, but is instead intended to illustrate many of the aspects of the flow of information inside aservice provider201. Other embodiments of aservice provider201 have elements of data flow that are not shown inFIG. 6.
• In some embodiments, the marketing/sales department302acan commence the process by using the quotingbusiness process303ato create aquote601afrom theproduct data301. In other embodiments, different departments or processes can commence the flow. Thequote601acan include a list of products designed to address the needs of acustomer206. This list can include a plurality of classes of products such aslabor products501,parts products502, andagreements products503. For example, acustomer206 that needs an email server may get aquote601athat includes the hardware for the server, which is aparts product502, the one-time setup for that server, which is alabor product501, and the ongoing maintenance for that server, which is anagreements product503. Thequote601aincludes prices for all of the products in the list, so that thecustomer206 knows in advance the total price for what is being bought, and exactly what that price includes.
• The salesmanagement business process303bnow has the responsibility of selling the products to thecustomer206. The marketing/sales department follows a series of steps for working with thecustomer206. The steps can reference the list of products in thequote601a.In some embodiments, the sale is complete when thecustomer206 agrees with every element of thequote601a.At that time, the sale has been closed and thequote601ais converted to asale601b.Thesale601bis a different form of information, but it is a list of the products that thecustomer206 has agreed to purchase, so it is created from the quote by using thesame product data301 that the quote refers to. This is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the quotingbusiness process303aand the salesmanagement business process303b.
• Once thesale601bis finalized, the list of products in it is copied, transferred, or otherwise conveyed to several places. For example, the list ofparts products501 in thesale601bcan be copied to asales order601c.Thesales order601cis a list of theparts products501 that need to be ordered in order to deliver thequote601a.The sales order goes to theprocurement business process303c,which is responsible for procuring theparts products501 that are listed in the sales order. Since thesales order601cis created from a list of products from theproduct data301, this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the salesmanagement business process303band theprocurement business process303c.
• The list of agreements products in thesale601bis used by the contractmanagement business process303h.Each agreements product in thesale601bis used to generate anagreement601g.The agreement is created from information in theproduct data301 about the product in the list of products in thesale601b,so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the salesmanagement business process303band the contractmanagement business process303h.The contractmanagement business process303his responsible for negotiating the terms of theagreements601gwith thecustomer206, and updating theagreements601gwith the results of the negotiation.
• The list of all products in thesale601bis used by the invoicing andcollection business process303f.Each product in thesale601bis copied into the invoicing system, which is used to createinvoices601ito be sent to thecustomer206. Theinvoices601iare created from information such as pricing in theproduct data301 for the list of products in thesale601b,so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the salesmanagement business process303band the invoicing andcollections business process303f.Theinvoices601iare not actually sent to thecustomer206 until the products listed on them have actually been delivered; this is described later more fully.
• The list oflabor products501 in thesale601bis used by the projectplanning business process303e.The projectplanning business process303ecreates aproject plan601h,which is a list of tasks needed to deliver thequote601a.Eachlabor product501 listed in thesale601bis copied into one task, and theproduct data301 provides information such as the expected length of time for the task. The projectplanning business process303eassigns the tasks to appropriate staff202 within theservice provider201 based on the nature of the tasks, and schedules the tasks based on the availability of the staff202. The result is the completedproject plan601h.The tasks in theproject plan601hare created using information from theproduct data301 about thelabor products501 in thesale601b,so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the salesmanagement business process303band the projectplanning business process303e.
• The list of products in thesales order601cis used by theprocurement business process303cto createpurchase orders601d.Apurchase order601dis a list of products to be procured from onevendor205. Each product in thesales order601cthat is procured from thesame vendor205 is copied into thepurchase order601dfor thatvendor205. Thepurchase order601dis then sent to thevendor205 and is also used by thepayables business process303g.The purchase orders601dare created using the vendor information in theproduct data301, so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both theprocurement business process303cand thepayables business process303g.
• The list of products in thepurchase order601dis used by thepayables business process303gto createpayments601eto be sent to thevendors205. Thepayables business process303gmonitors the deliveries ofequipment601ffrom thevendors205 and coordinates thepayments601eto correspond to the delivery times and terms agreed upon with thevendors205. Thepayments601eare created and scheduled using vendor information and payment terms in theproduct data301, so this is another example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both theprocurement business process303cand thepayables business process303g.
• Theproject plan601his used by the delivery andsetup business process303dto schedule the delivery ofequipment601fto thecustomer206 as well as the use of staff202 to set up theequipment601fonce it has been delivered. Each task in theproject plan601his copied into a service ticket601l,and the service tickets are used by the staff202 to properly organize their time so that the setup of theequipment601fis done in a timely and efficient manner. The service tickets601lare created using information about the time and expense taken from theproduct data301 for thelabor products501 in the tasks in theproject plan601h,so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the projectplanning business process303eand the delivery andsetup business process303d.
• The staff202 addressing the service tickets601lcreatestimesheets601kfor the work they are doing. Information from the service ticket601lthat is completed is copied into the timesheet entry for that ticket, and the timesheet goes to the invoicing and billing business process to be included in theinvoice601ithat is sent to thecustomer206. This closes the loop that was described previously where alabor product501 entered the invoicing andcollection business process303ffrom thesale601b;the arrival of thesame labor product501 from atimesheet601kindicates that thelabor product501 has been delivered to the customer and can now be included in aninvoice601ithat is sent to the customer. Since thesame labor product501 is used from theproduct data301, this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for the salesmanagement business process303b,the invoicing andcollection business process303f,and the delivery andsetup business process303d.
• Theagreements601gare used by themaintenance business process303ito schedule and deliver the ongoing tasks required to meet the terms of theagreements601g.The terms of theagreements601gin the products in the agreements are copied into service tickets601l,and the service tickets are used by the staff202 to properly organize their time so that the periodic maintenance tasks are done in a timely and efficient manner. The service tickets601lare created using information about the scheduling, time, and expense taken from theproduct data301 for theagreements products503 in theagreements601g,so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for both the contractmanagement business process303hand themaintenance business process303i.
• The service tickets601lcreated by themaintenance business process303ican be handled in essentially the same way as previously described for service tickets601lcreated by the delivery andsetup business process303d.In much the same way, this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for the salesmanagement business process303b,the invoicing andcollection business process303f,and themaintenance business process303i.
• Thecustomers206 haveongoing issues601mwith the goods and services delivered by theservice provider201. Thesupport business process303jtakes theseissues601min a triage process and creates a service ticket601lfor each ticket. Since each issue is in reference to a particular product, the support process copies information from theproduct data301 into the service ticket601l.The service tickets are then used by staff202 to prioritize and organize time and effort efficiently to arrive atsolutions601nfor the issues, which are delivered to thecustomers206. The product information in the service tickets601lis integral in understanding, diagnosing, and solving theissues601m,so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for thesupport business process303jand everyother business process301, since anyother business process301 can be involved in solvingcustomer issues601mat some point in time.
• The service tickets601lcreated by thesupport business process303jare handled in essentially the same way as previously described for service tickets601lcreated by the delivery andsetup business process303d.In much the same way, this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for the salesmanagement business process303b,the invoicing andcollection business process303f,and thesupport business process303j.
• The logical end of the overall flow is reached when thecustomer206 deliversrevenue601jto theservice provider201 in response to receiving aninvoice601i.Therevenue601igoes to the invoicing andcollection business process303f,which matches the revenue against theinvoices601ithat have been delivered to thecustomer206 and closes the outstanding billing. In this final step, therevenue601jcan be matched to the product items in theinvoice601ithat is being paid, so this is an example of how theproduct data301 serves as a common source of information for the invoicing andcollection business process303fto manage the financial relationship with thecustomer206.
• FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of the way in which the product class affects how information from theproduct data301 is copied to the business processes303 in the system. The product class is the entity that divides theproduct data301 intolabor products501, which are detailed inFIG. 7a,parts products502, which are detailed inFIG. 7b, andagreements products503, which are detailed inFIG. 7c.
• FIG. 7aillustrates the way in which information fromlabor products501 is copied to the business processes303 in the system. In particular, information fromlabor products501 is copied to the quotingbusiness process303a,delivery andsetup business process303d,projectplanning business process303e,invoicing andcollection business process303f,and contractmanagement business process303h.
• The quotingbusiness process303acreates aquote601ain which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from thelabor product data501 to fill in, among other things, the description, part number, hourly rate, fixed fee, technician skill level, estimated time, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• The delivery andsetup business process303dcreates service tickets601lfor each task that is required in order to complete the delivery and setup. Each service ticket uses information from thelabor product data501 to fill in, among other things, the description, estimated time, customer name, customer contact information, and arbitrary notes for the ticket.
• The projectplanning business process303ecreates aproject plan601hin which every task corresponds to a product from theproduct data301. The task uses information from thelabor product data501 to fill in, among other things, the description, budgeted time, billing type, resource type (skill level) required, and arbitrary notes for the task.
• The invoicing andcollection business process303fcreates aninvoice601iin which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from thelabor product501 to fill in, among other things, the description, part number, hourly rate, fixed fee, billing method, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• The contractmanagement business process303hcreatesagreements601gwhen alabor product501 is delivered by anoutside vendor205 rather than a staff member202 of theservice provider201. In this case, the contract management must set up anagreement601gwith thevendor205 specifying the terms for the delivery of thelabor product501. Theagreement601guses information from thelabor product501 to fill in, among other things, the name, description, hourly rate, fixed fee, billing method, estimated time, vendor name, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• FIG. 7billustrates the way in which information fromparts products502 is copied to the business processes303 in the system. In particular, information fromparts products502 is copied to the quotingbusiness process303a,procurement business process303c,delivery andsetup business process303d,projectplanning business process303e,invoicing andcollection business process303f,andpayables business process303g.
• The quotingbusiness process303acreates aquote601ain which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from theparts product data502 to fill in, among other things, the description, part number, packaging, price, pricing modifiers, image, arbitrary notes, and sourcing information for the product.
• Theprocurement business process303ccreates apurchase order601din which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from theparts product data502 to fill in, among other things, the product ID, description, quantity, price, customer site, packaging, pricing modifiers, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• The delivery andsetup business process303dcreatesservice tickets601ifor each task that is required in order to install and configure theparts product502. Each service ticket uses information from theparts product data502 to fill in, among other things, the description, estimated time, customer name, customer contact information, and arbitrary notes for the ticket.
• The projectplanning business process303ecreates aproject plan601hin which every task corresponds to a product from theproduct data301. The tasks corresponding toparts product data502 are the tasks for installing and configuring thoseparts products502. The tasks use information from theparts product data502 to fill in, among other things, the description, budgeted time, billing type, resource type (skill level) required, and arbitrary notes for the task.
• The invoicing andcollection business process303fcreates aninvoice601iin which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from theparts product501 to fill in, among other things, the description, part number, packaging, price, pricing modifiers, image, arbitrary notes, and sourcing information for the product.
• Thepayables business process303gcreatespayments601efor products that are ordered fromvendors205. The payments correspond to a series of parts products, and the payments use information from theparts product data502 to fill in, among other things, the description, price, part number, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• FIG. 7cillustrates the way in which information fromagreements products503 is copied to the business processes303 in the system. In particular, information fromagreements products503 is copied to the quotingbusiness process303a,invoicing andcollection business process303f,contractmanagement business process303h,andmaintenance business process303i.
• The quotingbusiness process303acreates aquote601ain which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from theagreements product data503 to fill in, among other things, the name, description, hourly rate, fixed fee, billing method, estimated time, vendor name, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• The invoicing andcollection business process303fcreates aninvoice601iin which every line item is a product from theproduct data301. The line item uses information from theagreements product503 to fill in, among other things, the name, description, hourly rate, fixed fee, billing method, estimated time, vendor name, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• The contractmanagement business process303hcreatesagreements601gto fulfill the obligations required by theagreements products503. The contract management sets up anagreement601gwith thecustomer206 specifying the terms for the delivery of theagreements product503. Theagreement601guses information from thelabor product501 to fill in, among other things, the name, description, hourly rate, fixed fee, billing method, estimated time, vendor name, and arbitrary notes for the product.
• Themaintenance business process303dcreates service tickets601lfor each task that is required in order to complete the periodic maintenance task. Each service ticket uses information from theagreement product data503 to fill in, among other things, the description, hourly rate, fixed fee, billing method, estimated time, scheduling information, customer name, customer contact information, and arbitrary notes for the ticket.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of reliable synchronization of thequote601aandinvoice601iseen by thecustomer206. After the quotingbusiness process303aprepares thequote601a,thequote601ais sent to thecustomer206. The customer may interact with thequote601aand may even change it. After this,many business processes303 interact with thequote601aand are driven by it. Eventually, sometimes much later, one end result of the sale is the invoicing andcollection business process303f,which prepares theinvoice601ito be sent to thecustomer206. This is a very important process to theservice provider201, because it is the mechanism by which the business makes money. In some systems not described by the present disclosure, theinvoice601iis created by aperson801 using a manual process that involves referring to thequote601a.Preparing theinvoice601ithis way has a substantial risk of introducing errors, including simple typographical errors, transcription errors, referring to the wrong copy of a quote, and so on. Unfortunately, the consequences of acustomer206 seeing a mismatch between thequote601aand theinvoice601iare very negative. Thecustomer206 is not sure what amount to pay, which delays the payment. Thecustomer206 may interpret the mismatch as hidden charges or over-billing. The customer is likely to lose faith in theservice provider201 as a result of this relatively minor error.
• The present disclosure completely avoids the unfortunate situation described. Since both thequote601aand theinvoice601iare derived from the same list of products from theproduct data301, and the same product list is used by both the quotingprocess303aand the invoicing andcollection process601i,thequote601aand theinvoice601iseen by thecustomer206 always match exactly. In this way, the customer knows well in advance what payment is expected, so the payment is handled smoothly. The customer feels that theservice provider201 is in control and professional.
• FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of interfaces betweenproduct data301 and external systems902-903. Theservice provider201 may use external systems for some business processes. For example, theservice provider201 may use an external system when theservice provider201 previously chose a system for one business process long before deciding to use aresource planning system204, and does not want to train employees to work with a different system. In another embodiment, theservice provider201 previously chose or can choose a system for one or more business process based on special needs that require the features of that system. In another embodiment, theservice provider201 previously chose or can choose a system for one business process based on requirements imposed by acustomer206 or avendor205.FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment where the sales management process is implemented using an externalsales management system902asuch as the system provided by Salesforce.com of San Francisco, Calif., USA.FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment where the quoting process is implemented using an external quotingsystem902bsuch as the system provided by Quosal LLC of Bothell, Wash., USA.FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment where the invoicing and collection process and the payables process is implemented using anexternal accounting system902csuch as the QuickBooks system provided by Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., USA. For each of these external systems, theresource planning system204 provides an application programming interface (API)901 that communicates information both ways between theproduct data301 and the external system902. The API901 uses a well defined interface defined by the supplier of the external system902, and is greatly simplified by the fact that it only needs to correctly interface to a singleproduct data source301 in order to work with the rest of theresource planning system204. In this way, asales API901ais provided to interface theproduct data301 with the externalsales management system902a,a quotingAPI901bis provided to interface theproduct data301 with the external quotingsystem902b,and anaccounting API901cis provided to interface theproduct data301 with theexternal accounting system902c.
• In some embodiments, external interfaces can facilitate the use of external sources of product data. For example, external interfaces can facilitate importing standard product data from anexternal product database903, such as the product database provided by Etilize, Inc. of Denver, Colo., USA. Theexternal product database903 may include thousands of commercially available products. To use thisexternal product database903, theresource planning system204 provides aproduct API901dthat communicates information from theexternal product database903 to theproduct data301. TheAPI901duses a well defined interface defined by the supplier of theexternal product database903, and is greatly simplified by the fact that it only needs to correctly interface to a singleproduct data source301 in order to work with the rest of theresource planning system204.
• FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram oftemplates1001 forproduct data301. When the marketing/sales department302aprepares aquote601afor a customer, there is often a need to add to thequote601aa collection of products that are commonly grouped together. In one embodiment, a quote for a small business setup includes a server, a router, a firewall/VPN, operating system software for the server, VPN software for the employees of the business, software installation, network installation, and monitoring and maintenance for the server. Theservice provider201 wants to ensure that all of these products are included in the quote with the right configuration and pricing, but it is inefficient and error prone to require that all of the sales staff knows this product configuration, especially since it will change from time to time. To address this issue, theresource planning system204 providestemplates1001 that are used to manage groups of products.
• A list oftemplates1001 is available for generatingquotes601a.In one embodiment,template11001acontains product references toproduct11002athroughproduct j1002c,andtemplate21001bcontains product references toproduct k1002dthroughproduct n1002f,as well as a reference toproduct21002e.Each of the product references1002 in thetemplates1001 is a pointer to the actual product information1010 in theproduct data301, so that when theproduct data301 is updated, thetemplates1001 are automatically updated as well. Whentemplate11001aandtemplate21001bare both added to aquote601a,thequote601alists line items1003 forproduct11003athroughproduct n1003c.Theline item1003bforproduct2 indicates a quantity of 2, because one was generated byreference1002bintemplate11001a,and the other was generated byreference1002eintemplate21001b.
• Since thequote601ais generated automatically from theproduct data301, it is simple for the marketing/sales department to generate the quote in different formats for the convenience of the customer. In one embodiment, thequote601ais organized as a simple list of the products. In a second embodiment, thequote1004 is organized by the templates1005 used to make the quote, with the products1006 listed within the templates. In a third embodiment, thequote1007 is organized by theproduct classes labor1008a,parts1008b,andagreements1008c,and the products are listed in each class1008 as described previously, aslabor products1009a,parts products1009b,andagreements products1009c.
• In this way,templates1001 allow the sales/marketing department302ato provide aquote601ato a customer that contains commonly offered combinations of products, without requiring the sales/marketing department302ato have detailed knowledge of the exact combination of products used in those commonly offered combinations.
• FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram ofbundles1101 forproduct data301. When the marketing/sales department302aprepares aquote601afor a customer, it may add to thequote601aa product that is provided by theservice provider201, but is internally divided into a number of components. In one embodiment, theservice provider201 provides a product that is a small business server, but internally the product is made up of the server hardware, the operating system software license, the labor to install and configure the server, and the agreement for maintaining the server. In some embodiments, theresource planning system204 providesbundles1101 that are used to manage products that are made up of a number of components. Thebundles1101 can hide details from the customer, simplify the quote to make it more readable, or disguise details of the server hardware to discourage thecustomer206 from looking for another source for the hardware.
• A list ofbundles1101 is available for generatingquotes601a.In one embodiment,bundle11101acontains product references toproduct11104athroughproduct j1104c,andbundle21101bcontains product references to product k1104dthrough product n1104f,as well as a reference toproduct21104e.Each of the product references1104 in thebundles1101 is a pointer to the actual product information1010 in theproduct data301, so that when theproduct data301 is updated, thebundles1101 are automatically updated as well. Each product reference1104 in abundle1101 contains both the product reference itself1103, and anindicator1102 as to whether or not the product reference should be hidden. InFIG. 11, all of the product references1104a-1104cinbundle11101aare hidden, and only the product reference1104fto product n inbundle21101bis hidden.
• Whenbundle11101aandbundle21101bare both added to aquote601a,thequote601alists oneline item1105aforbundle1, and aline item1105bforbundle2 that is broken down into line items1106 for all of the product references1104 inbundle21101bexcept for product n1104f,which is marked as hidden.
• In this way, bundles1101 allow theservice provider201 to provide its own products that are made up of component products, and also provide the ability to hide the details of those products where it is advantageous for the operation of the business.
• In some embodiments, the system can determine to hide one or more details based on a user identifier (e.g., username, biometric information, pin number) associated with a user of the system, such as a customer or other entity using the system. For example, the system may include a list of users that are authorized to view certain data, and compare the user identifier of the user with the list to determine whether the user is authorized to view such data. In some embodiments, the system may prompt the user for a password prior to making the determination. Upon determining that the user is not authorized to view certain data (e.g., price or product details), the system may omit or otherwise censor the data such that the data is effectively hidden from the user. In some embodiments, the user can request access to the hidden data. The system can forward the request to a system manager or operator, who may grant or deny the request.
• FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for overall access. Themain display1201 shows a view of theproduct data301. The navigation display has tabs to select different main displays forcontacts1202,sales1203,marketing1204,procurement1205,project1206,service desk1207, time andexpense1208,finance1209, andsetup1210.
• FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying product data. Thedisplay1301 shows a list of the product data, with a single line for eachproduct1302. The columns1303-1311 display information about each product.Column1303 displays the product ID.Column1304 displays the description of the product.Column1305 displays the price of the product to thecustomer206.Column1306 displays the cost of the product from thevendor205.Column1307 displays whether or not the product is taxable.Column1308 displays the type of the product,column1309 displays the category of the product. andcolumn1310 displays the sub-category of the product. Together, the type, category, and sub-category of the product displayed by columns1308-1310 affect the way the product is treated by the rest of theresource planning system204.Column1311 displays the class of the product as described previously with respect toFIG. 5.
• FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying a single item of product data. Thedisplay1401 is shown by selecting one of theproducts1302 in thedisplay1301 described previously with respect toFIG. 13.Entry1402 allows the product ID, which is displayed incolumn1303 inFIG. 13, to be modified.Entry1403 allows the product class, which is displayed incolumn1311 inFIG. 13, to be modified.Entry1404 allows the product price, which is displayed incolumn1305 inFIG. 13, to be modified.Entry1405 allows the product cost, which is displayed incolumn1306 inFIG. 13, to be modified.
• FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying a quote for a customer. The display has tabs across the top allowing selection of different components of the quote.Tab1501 selects the hardware component of the quote.Tab1502 selects the software component of the quote.Tab1503 selects the services component of the quote. When a product is added to the quote, the product type, product category, product sub-category, and product class displayed in columns1308-1311 ofFIG. 13 determine the component of the quote to which the product belongs. Every product that is added to the quote adds a row to the quote. In one embodiment, the quote has two hardware products, which appear inrow1504 androw1505 in thehardware section1501 of the quote. Each row has columns1506-1511 that describe the product in the row.Column1506 displays the long description of the product.Column1507 displays the manufacturer's part number for the product.Column1508 displays the number of products that are in the quote.Column1509 displays the unit price of the product, andcolumn1510 displays the total price for the product in the quote.Column1511 displays any notes relevant to the product in the quote.
• FIG. 16 illustrates an embodiment of a printable quote to be sent to acustomer206. The quote is customized with the name andlogo1601 of theservice provider201. The quote includes a name and other identifyinginformation1602. The quote includes thecustomer information1603. The quote includes summary totals1604 of the price being quoted for different classes of products. The quote also includes atotal price1605 for easy reference by thecustomer206.
• FIG. 17 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for sales management. The display shows all the sales opportunities being pursued, for easy reference by the sales staff. Each sales opportunity is displayed as onerow1701. Each row has multiple columns1702-1707 that display the data for that sales opportunity.Column1702 displays the status of the opportunity.Column1703 displays the company with which the opportunity is being pursued.Column1704 displays the internal name of the opportunity.Column1705 displays the margin (profit) that the opportunity would give theservice provider201 if it were closed.Column1706 displays the next step that is required by the sales staff in order to advance the opportunity.Column1707 displays the expected closing date for the opportunity, or the actual closing date if the opportunity has been closed.
• FIG. 18 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for managing a single sales opportunity. The display allows the sales staff to view and edit all the detail information about a single sales opportunity.Entry1801 allows the internal name of the opportunity, which is displayed incolumn1704 inFIG. 17, to be modified.Entry1802 allows the description of the opportunity to be modified.
• The bottom part of the user interface is used to display several different categories of information about the opportunity. A set oftabs1803 is used to select the category of information being displayed. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 18, the Forecast tab is selected. This shows anarea1804 displaying the breakdown of the financials associated with each product class, and anarea1805 with the total financials for the entire opportunity.
• FIG. 19 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for managing the products associated with a single sales opportunity. The top part of theuser interface1901 is the same as previously illustrated with respect toFIG. 18. In thetabs1902, a different tab is selected for Products. As a result, the bottom part of theuser interface1903 is modified to display the list of products that are associated with the opportunity.
• FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for creating a sales order from a sales opportunity that was won. After the sales opportunity is won, the next step is to deliver the sale from theservice provider201 to thecustomer206. Initiating this process creates adialog box2001 on top of the existing sales management interface2002 (shown in part). Thedialog box2001 has a number ofoptions2003 about what information is copied from the sales opportunity to the sales order. After adjusting theseoptions2003, clicking on theOK button2004 creates the sales order.
• FIG. 21 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying agreements products. Thedisplay2101 shows a list of agreements products, where eachrow2102 has information about one agreements product. The columns2013-2106 display information about each agreements product.Column2103 displays the product ID.Column2104 displays the product description.Column2105 displays the price of the agreements product for thecustomer206.Column2106 displays the internal name of one sales opportunity that uses the product.
• FIG. 22 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for project management. The name of theproject2201 is the label for the display. A set oftabs2202 selects the information shown in the display. In one embodiment, the Work Plan tab is selected as shown inFIG. 22, and the display shows the groups oftasks2203 with theindividual tasks2204 indented under thegroups2203. For eachtask2204, the columns2205-2209 display information about the task.Column2205 displays the hours of time that are budgeted for the task.Column2206, which comprises a group of columns, displays the details about the task scheduling: when the task is planned, and how much time is planned to finish the task.Column2207, which is made up of a group of columns, displays the details about the timing of the task as it was actually completed: when the task was started, when the task was finished, and how much time was used to finish the task.Column2208 displays the current status of the task.Column2209 displays the staff members who are responsible for completing the task.
• FIG. 23 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for managing procurement. Thedisplay header2301 indicates that the page displays information about purchasing. The display is a list of items that need to be purchased, where eachrow2302 is a single item for purchase. The columns2303-2305 display information about each item for purchase.Column2303 displays the quantity (number) of items to purchase.Column2304 displays the cost of the item from thevendor205. Column2306 displays the location where the item should be delivered.
• FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for creating a service ticket from a sales order. After the sales order has been planned and is ready for execution, the next step is to generate tickets to drive the implementation of the sales order by engineering. Initiating this process creates adialog box2401 on top of the existing sales order interface2402 (shown in part). Thedialog box2401 has a number ofoptions2403 about what information is copied from the sales order to the service ticket. After adjusting theseoptions2403, clicking on theOK button2404 creates the service ticket.
• FIG. 25 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying a service ticket. Thedisplay header2501 indicates the name and identifier of the service ticket. A set oftabs2502 selects the information shown in the display. In one embodiment, the Ticket tab is selected as shown inFIG. 25. As a result, the rest of thedisplay2503 shows information about the ticket. Alarge interaction area2504 allows entry of free-form text describing any aspect of the ticket.
• Theinitial time2505 budgeted for the service ticket cannot be changed. This is because the value is taken from theproduct data301. This makes it clear to the engineer in charge of the ticket what the expected effort is for the ticket, and when to alert management if complications are increasing the amount of labor significantly. In this way, the generation of the service ticket directly from theproduct data301 greatly helps to control labor costs and manage overruns.
• FIG. 26 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying the financial aspects of a service ticket. The tabs across the top of the interface are used to select the information that is displayed.Section2601 displays the billing details, including the method used for computing the billing and the information for billing the customer.Section2602 displays the summary for the customer expenses incurred by the service ticket.Section2603 displays information about any external contractor used by theservice provider201 in order to complete the ticket.
• FIG. 27 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying an invoice for a customer. Thedisplay header2701 indicates that the interface is for generating an invoice, and provides a set of tabs for controlling the information that is displayed. In one embodiment, the Invoice tab is selected as shown inFIG. 27, and the bottom area of theinterface2702 provides a viewing and editing capability for all aspects of the invoice that goes to thecustomer206. The editing capability includeslarge text areas2703 that allow for significant customization of the invoice.
• FIG. 28 illustrates an embodiment of an invoice for a customer. The invoice illustrated inFIG. 28 is generated using the interface previously described with respect toFIG. 27.Section2801 identifies the invoice and its terms.Section2802 lists contact information and billing information for both theservice provider201 and thecustomer206.Section2803 displays the detail about the products included in the invoice.Section2804 summarizes the amount of the invoice for thecustomer206.
• FIG. 29 illustrates an embodiment of classes for product data. The user interface shown inFIG. 29 is an instance of the user interface previously described with respect toFIG. 14. Theitem Product Class2901 is implemented as a pull down2902. The Agreement item in the pull down2902 corresponds toagreements products503 as previously described with respect toFIG. 5. The Bundle item in the pull down2902 corresponds tobundles1101 as previously described with respect toFIG. 11. The Inventory item in the pull down2902 corresponds toinventory parts products504 as previously described with respect toFIG. 5. The Non-Inventory item in the pull down2902 corresponds tonon-inventory parts products505 as previously described with respect toFIG. 5. The Service item in the pull down2902 corresponds tolabor products501 as previously described with respect toFIG. 5.
• FIG. 30 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for interfacing product data to an external product database. Theinterface header3001 displays the name of the external product database. The interface allows the product database to be selected3002 and searched3003 using keywords. The results of the search are shown in the right panel of the interface. Once an item is found using itsdetail information3005, it can be selected3004 and imported into theproduct data301.
• FIG. 31 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for selecting a product template. To create a new quote, one of themenu options3101 is to copy the quote from a template. Hovering over thismenu option3101 displays alist3102 of the available quote templates. The desired template can then be selected and used.
• FIG. 32 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for displaying and modifying aproduct bundle1101 as previously described with respect toFIG. 11. The display indicates thename3201 of the bundle.Section3202 of the user interface allows editing of the pricing options for the bundle.Section3203 of the user interface lists the products that are included in the bundle. In one embodiment, the bundle contains twoproducts3204 and3205 as shown inFIG. 32.
• FIG. 33 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface, provided by theresource planning system204, for selecting products to include in a product bundle. When adding a product to a bundle, the bundle user interface as previously described with respect toFIG. 32 remains in the background, and aproduct list3301 is displayed on top of it. Selecting aproduct3302 from the list adds it to the bundle being edited.
• FIG. 34 illustrates a flowchart of an embodiment of the steps taken to schedule and manage a project. The process starts atstep3801.Step3802 gets the product class for a product, and step3803 stores the product data, including the product class, in the product data module. Step3804 copies product data from the product data module to the quoting module. Step3805 copies product data from the product data module to the project planning module. The loop atstep3806 repeats for each product in the project planning module. In the loop,step3807 creates a task in the project planning module using the product. When the loop is finished, the process finishes atstep3808.
• Embodiments of the subject matter and the operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more circuits of computer program instructions, encoded on one or more computer storage media for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. Alternatively or in addition, the program instructions can be encoded on an artificially generated propagated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus for execution by a data processing apparatus. A computer storage medium can be, or be included in, a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination of one or more of them. Moreover, while a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal, a computer storage medium can be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagated signal. The computer storage medium can also be, or be included in, one or more separate components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices).
• It should be understood that the systems described above may provide multiple ones of any or each of those components and these components may be provided on either a standalone machine or, in some embodiments, on multiple machines in a distributed system. The systems and methods described above may be implemented as a method, apparatus or article of manufacture using programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. In addition, the systems and methods described above may be provided as one or more computer-readable programs embodied on or in one or more articles of manufacture. The term “article of manufacture” as used herein is intended to encompass code or logic accessible from and embedded in one or more computer-readable devices, firmware, programmable logic, memory devices (e.g., EEPROMs, ROMs, PROMs, RAMs, SRAMs, etc.), hardware (e.g., integrated circuit chip, Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc.), electronic devices, a computer readable non-volatile storage unit (e.g., CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard disk drive, etc.). The article of manufacture may be accessible from a file server providing access to the computer-readable programs via a network transmission line, wireless transmission media, signals propagating through space, radio waves, infrared signals, etc. The article of manufacture may be a flash memory card or a magnetic tape. The article of manufacture includes hardware logic as well as software or programmable code embedded in a computer readable medium that is executed by a processor. In general, the computer-readable programs may be implemented in any programming language, such as LISP, PERL, C, C++, C#, PROLOG, or in any byte code language such as JAVA. The software programs may be stored on or in one or more articles of manufacture as object code.
• Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.
• References to “or” may be construed as inclusive so that any terms described using “or” may indicate any of a single, more than one, and all of the described terms.
• Thus, particular embodiments of the subject matter have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In certain embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.
• While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any inventions or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular implementations of particular inventions. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Claims (18)

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automatically scheduling and managing projects, comprising:

a product data module, executing on at least one processor of a server, configured to obtain a first product, the first product comprising a product description and a product class, the product class comprising at least one of a labor product, a parts product, and an agreements product;

a quoting module configured to generate, based at least in part on a subset of the product data, a quote and update the product data with the quote; and

a project planning module configured to:

obtain the updated product data comprising the quote; and

generate, based on the product class and the quote, a task, the task associated with at least one of a resource type, skill level, price, start time, deadline, and order;

2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the project planning module is further configured to:

identify, based on the generated task, an available resource to perform the task; and

assign the task to the available resource.

3. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the first product further comprises a skill level required to provide the first product, and the project planning module is further configured to:

assign the task to a staff member, based on the skill level.

4. The system ofclaim 3, wherein the project planning module is configured to:

generate, automatically, based on a plurality of the tasks, a project plan.

5. The system ofclaim 4, wherein the project plan includes a subsequent task that is dependent on a previous task being completed first, and the project planning module is configured to:

determine, based on the product data, that the subsequent task depends on the previous task being completed first;

identify, based on the product data, a second available resource to perform the previous task and a third available resource to perform the previous task;

generate a task for each of the previous task and the subsequent task;

assign the previous task; and

assign the subsequent task responsive to receiving an indication that the previous task has been completed.

6. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the system further comprises a ticketing system, and the system is further configured to:

generate, based on the task, a service ticket for the ticketing system.

7. A method for automatically scheduling and managing projects, comprising:

obtaining, by a product data module executing on at least one processor of a server, a first product, the first product comprising a product description and a product class, the product class comprising at least one of a labor product, a parts product, and an agreements product;

generating, by a quoting module, based at least in part on a subset of the product data, a quote and update the product data with the quote; and

obtaining, by a project planning module, the updated product data comprising the quote; and

generating, based on the product class and the quote, a task, the task associated with at least one of a resource type, skill level, price, start time, deadline, and order;

8. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising:

identifying, based on the generated task, an available resource to perform the task; and

assigning the task to the available resource.

9. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the first product further comprises a skill level required to provide the first product, and the method further comprises:

assigning the task to a staff member, based on the skill level.

10. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, automatically, based on a plurality of the tasks, a project plan.

11. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the project plan includes a subsequent task that is dependent on a previous task being completed first, and the method further comprises:

determining, based on the product data, that the subsequent task depends on the previous task being completed first;

identifying, based on the product data, a second available resource to perform the previous task and a third available resource to perform the previous task;

generating, based on the product data, a task for each of the previous task and the subsequent task;

assigning the previous task; and

assigning the subsequent task responsive to receiving an indication that the previous task has been completed.

12. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, based on the task, a service ticket for a ticketing system executing on the server.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for automatically scheduling and managing projects, the instructions comprising instructions to:

obtain a first product, the first product comprising a product description and a product class, the product class comprising at least one of a labor product, a parts product, and an agreements product;

generate, based at least in part on a subset of the product data, a quote and update the product data with the quote; and

obtain the updated product data comprising the quote;

generate, based on the product class and the quote, a task, the task associated with at least one of a resource type, skill level, price, start time, deadline, and order;

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

identify, based on the generated task, an available resource to perform the task; and

assign the task to the available resource.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein the first product further comprises a skill level required to provide the first product, and the instructions further comprise instructions to:

assign the task to a staff member, based on the skill level.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

generate, automatically, based on a plurality of the tasks, a project plan.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 16, wherein the project plan includes a subsequent task that is dependent on a previous task being completed first, and the instructions further comprise instructions to:

determine, based on the product data, that the subsequent task depends on the previous task being completed first;

identify, based on the product data, a second available resource to perform the previous task and a third available resource to perform the previous task;

generate a task for each of the previous task and the subsequent task;

assign the previous task; and

assign the subsequent task responsive to receiving an indication that the previous task has been completed.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

generate, based on the task, a service ticket for a ticketing system executing on the server.

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