Abstract: Methods and systems for determining print revenue behavior for an account are disclosed. A computing device may determine a print revenue for an account for each of a plurality of time periods. The computing device may select a best fit model from a plurality of models based on the print revenue for the account for the plurality of time periods. The computing device may determine a risk level associated with the account based on a best fit model. The risk level may be based on a difference between the best fit model and the print revenue for the account for each of time period.

Abstract: A method for evaluating expansion of a business where the business is located in a first geographic area. The method includes receiving information about the business, querying a business information source and a demographic information source using the information, receiving data from the business information source and the demographic information source in response to the querying, processing the data using business expansion factors to obtain a rank order, where the data comprises a plurality of potential geographic areas for expanding the business, where the plurality of potential geographic areas are evaluated on the business expansion factors to determine a similarity to the first geographic area to obtain a rank order, and presenting, in the rank order, each of the plurality of potential geographic areas.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for handling a workflow within an electronic document. Participants are chosen for the workflow and the activities are assigned to the workflow participants. Workflow information is obtained from an electronic document, where the workflow information pertains to activities assigned to a user. The user can consult on or delegate the assigned activities, in which case the electronic document is sent to the consultant or delegate. Alternatively the user can reassign future activities. If it is detected that the workflow has been completed, the user can indicate the continuing of the workflow by identifying additional workflow participants, and the electronic document is sent to one of the additional workflow participants.

Abstract: An electronic catalog system monitors browsing actions of users to generate user activity data. A data mining component analyzes the user activity data to generate conditional probability data that is presented to users contextually to assist users in selecting items from the electronic catalog. The conditional probability data reflects the frequencies with which users that have performed specific actions, such as viewing a particular item, set of items or web page, or conducting a specific search, have thereafter acquired specific items from the catalog. For example, in one embodiment, when a user selects a first item for viewing in the catalog, the user is notified, for at least one second item, of a frequency with which users who have viewed the first item and then made a purchase have acquired the second item.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for customizing a worker's career development within an organization is provided. Information concerning the worker is obtained by either or both soliciting input directly from the worker and retrieving the information from one or more databases containing such information. The information is applied to a set of stored rules for defining available options along predefined career dimensions reflective of career-life fit. Based on application of the information to the set of stored rules, a profile is automatically created. If the profile accurately reflects the career-life fit goals of the worker, it is used as the operative profile for the worker until it is appropriate or necessary to change it.

Abstract: A method and system for sorting online advertisements to enable users of online advertising networks, auctions, merchants, etc. to identify known or trusted parties are provided. Users designate other users as friends. When a user searches for or browses through advertisements, those advertisements posted by the user's friends are easily identified. Advertisements posted by members of the user's network (i.e., friends of the user's friends) are also easily identified.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for providing a graphical representation of a business process. According to one embodiment, a method for providing a user-relevant view of a business process can comprise reading a definition of the business process. A determination can be made as to whether a milestone in the business process is relevant to an end user of the business process based on a set of pre-defined milestones for the business process. In response to determining the milestone in the business process is relevant to the end user a visualization of the business process can be generated that includes the milestone. In response to determining the milestone in the business process is not relevant to the end user, a visualization of the business process can be generated that does not include the milestone.

Abstract: A system for calculating financial benefit estimations and generating reports for multi-dimensional project plans for implementing packaged software applications, the system includes: a view layer configured to act as a user interface for user inputs and system outputs; a model and control layer configured to implement rules based on a series of estimation and implementation models, and to perform calculations to determine financial benefits of implementing multi-dimensional project plans; an estimation knowledge base layer configured to hold and derive the series of estimation and implementation models; and wherein the system for generating financial benefit estimations and reports for the implementation of packaged software applications is carried out over networks comprising: the Internet, intranets, local area networks (LAN), and wireless local area networks (WLAN).

Abstract: A system and method for storing, filtering, selecting and manipulating business exceptions generated by forecasting and replenishment processes and systems. When an exception is generated, it will be associated with attributes corresponding to those business objects and business areas to which the exception relates. Exceptions may also be associated with administrative attributes such as status, priority and generation date, as well as information identifying the specific business process that generated the exception. Generated forecasting and replenishment exceptions may be directed to a transitory dialog message. Alternatively, forecasting and replenishment exceptions may be logged or stored in a database for future review and treatment. Within an exceptions monitor or workbench tool, a business replenishment specialist may browse, search, select, review, filter, rearrange, edit, forward and/or respond to generated exceptions.

Abstract: A method for generating a pricing estimate involves displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) to obtain and display data associated with the pricing estimate, receiving items of the pricing estimate receiving a request to generate the pricing estimate, and obtaining, in response to receiving the request, pricing data for the items from a pricing server collecting pricing data from suppliers. The method further involves accessing a pricing rule relating to items of the pricing estimate, applying the pricing rule to the pricing data for the items to obtain adjusted pricing data, populating the GUI with the adjusted pricing data, calculating a total estimated cost based on adjusted pricing data and displaying the total estimated cost within the GUI.

Abstract: A method and system of predicting a maintenance schedule and estimating a cost for warranty service of systems, for example, hardware systems, is provided. The method and system in one aspect may collect component usage data and obtain component reliability data for each of the plurality of components. A component life distribution module (CLDM) may be constructed based on the real time component usage data and the component reliability data, and from CLDM a mean time to fail data may be obtained. A system life distribution model (SLDM) may be selected and the mean time to fail data input into the SLDM to obtain an operating environment index that represents the effect of environment conditions on the lifetime and reliability. A maintenance schedule may be predicted and an adjusted cost of warranty service may be calculated based on the operating environment index for each of the plurality of components.

Abstract: A system and a method for resource allocation in the semiconductor testing industry are provided. In the system, an industry characteristic conversion module is used to transform the industry characteristic obtained from an input module into a chromosome structure. Next, an artificial intelligence evolution module proceeds to find an optimal solution by handling the chromosome structure until a candidate solution having a maximum final total profit converges to a value.

Abstract: A framework and method for managing business data transactions resides outside individual business systems and allows creation of a policy for classification of each data element for all data schema in transit between processes. The framework allows identification of data sets by document type and endpoint, so that individual data elements of a schema can be validated, and edited or deleted if necessary, during their transit between endpoints, such as between trading partners. Because the policy is built and enforced outside the individual endpoint business systems, expensive customizations within each transactional system are avoided.

Abstract: A method, operable on a processing device, for assessment of skills of a user may include receiving, by the processing device, an error message reporting an error associated with the user. The method may also include determining, by the processing device, a categorization of the error. Determining the categorization of the error may include assigning one of a plurality of predetermined skill ratings to the user. Each predetermined skill rating may be associated with a predefined condition. The method may additionally include generating, by the processing device, a report for assessment of the skills of the user. The report may include an identification of the user, the error, identification of a system if a system associated error, identification of a product if a product associated error, the categorization of the error and the predetermined skill rating assigned to the user.

Abstract: The design and process scheduling optimization method is a technique that circumvents problems encountered in previous optimization techniques. The method performs comparison against multiple possible outcomes rather than a single-valued benchmark. Pattern Recognition (PR) techniques are utilized to classify the work planned at specified cut-off dates during the planning stage. Classification is used to monitor and evaluate the progress during the construction stage. The PR technique generalizes a virtual benchmark to represent the whole project based on multiple possible outcomes generated at a given cut-off date. The generalization feature offers a potential tool to overcome the problem of variation in the quality of data collected. Patterns are constructed to encode work of the project at different cut-off dates. The present invention utilizes a robust pattern recognition method applied to Critical Path Method (CPM) procedures to monitor and evaluate progress of construction projects.

Abstract: A system for identifying a discrepancy between a quantity of equipment ordered for a project and a quantity of equipment used for the project is provided. The system includes a procurement module, an engineering planning module, and a comparison module, each stored on one or more computer readable media and executed on one or more processors. The procurement module promotes identifying equipment estimated to be needed for the project and creation of a first list of the identified equipment. The engineering planning module promotes creation of a detailed project design for the project and creation of a second list of equipment deployed for the project. The comparison module provides an integration of the procurement module with the engineering planning module and compares the first list with the second list, and creates a report that promotes identifying discrepancies between the first list and the second list.

Abstract: A system and method for storing, filtering, selecting and manipulating business exceptions generated by forecasting and replenishment processes and systems. When an exception is generated, it will be associated with attributes corresponding to those business objects and business areas to which the exception relates. Exceptions may also be associated with administrative attributes such as status, priority and generation date, as well as information identifying the specific business process that generated the exception. Generated forecasting and replenishment exceptions may be directed to a transitory dialog message. Alternatively, forecasting and replenishment exceptions may be logged or stored in a database for future review and treatment. Within an exceptions monitor or workbench tool, a business replenishment specialist may browse, search, select, review, filter, rearrange, edit, forward and/or respond to generated exceptions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically soliciting business reviews includes a process for automatically soliciting business reviews whereby searches made, and/or reviews submitted, by individuals using a community based business listing and review system are monitored and user specific usage data is collected including: the user's identification; the business listing category in which a search was conducted and/or the business listing category in which a review was submitted by the user; and the community in which the user resides, and/or the community in which the search was made, and/or the community in which the business reviewed resides. Once user specific usage data about the user, and the searches the user conducts and/or the reviews the user has submitted, is gathered, the user specific usage data is then used to create user specific review solicitations of various types.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems provide for user collaboration in evaluating complex products over a public network. Product capabilities are preferably represented as a hierarchical taxonomy of features. Users can assign ratings and comments to the features of a product. User-submitted ratings can be qualified (or moderated) by other users. Such moderation is accomplished on a per-rating basis by user selection of one label from a set of labels that represent different levels of perceived credibility of the user that submitted the rating. A moderation score for a rating/comment is derived from the user-selected moderation labels pertaining to the rating/comment. Registered users preferably can assign weights to features, the weights representing the importance of that feature to the particular user.

Abstract: A system for detecting suspect meter reads in a print environment may include a computing device and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include one or more programming instructions for receiving historical meter read values associated with a print-related service, selecting a model set including one or more of the historical meter read values, using a predictive model to determine an anticipated meter read value and a corresponding forecast error value from the model set, determining an updated forecast error value, determining a threshold value, identifying an actual meter read value, determining an average rate associated with the actual meter read value, and flagging the actual meter read value as suspect based on a comparison of the average rate and the threshold value.