Abstract: In an order processing system, mechanisms and techniques receive a change to an existing order in the order processing system and generate a change order based on the existing order. The change order includes the change to the existing order. The system can then compare the change order to the existing order to generate change order result that indicates differences between a change order in the existing order. The system then provides the change order result to at least one recipient such that the recipient may distinguish the differences between a change order in the existing order. Since a change to an existing order can result in changes other than those specifically specified in the received change, the system of the invention allows a person making the change to be presented with the change order results that convey all of the changes that result to the existing order.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the stability of a project. One embodiment includes computing at least two project progress parameters of a project for numerically describing elements of the project. Regression parameters are computed based upon the project progress parameters and correlation coefficients are computed utilizing the regression parameters. The correlation coefficients describe the strength of the correlation of the project progress parameters for indicating the stability of the project as project develops.

Abstract: A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The scheduling system utilizes a cost reactive resource scheduler to minimize resource exception while at the same time minimizing the global costs associated with the solution. The achievable movement plan can be used to assist in the control of, or to automatically control, the movement of trains through the system.

Abstract: Multimedia contacts are forecasted, propagated, and managed for each period in a range. The number of contacts received in a period are forecasted using historical methods and are propagated to succeeding periods based on the business goals, such as how quickly a certain contact type is to be handled. After the contacts have been propagated, the total contacts to handle is determined for each period and the staffing requirements are calculated therefrom.

Abstract: A system and method for improved matrix management of personnel planning factors is provided. In modern organizations using matrix management, one employee may be managed by several managers. Each employee has an employee profile data area that is used to store planning data and actual data corresponding to the employee. Planning data includes risk analysis data, compensation data, and development planning data. Actual data includes current compensation data and performance data. Managers' input regarding a common employees performance and planning factors is converted to a single performance evaluation and single set of planning factors by weighting the evaluation and factors by a percentage corresponding to each manager. Online collaboration between managers is provided to discuss employee contributions and revise planning factors and evaluations as needed. Revised data is displayed on each of the manager's systems in response to the revisions.

Abstract: In an on-site medical examination, an appointment is made from a work office in order to shorten the entire medical examination time of the patients and the order and the route can be shown at the medical examination site. The scheduler includes a waiting queue for individual medical examination items and a waiting queue for individual patients. The efficiency of the medical examination is achieved by communicating by wireless displays carried by patients at the medical examination site and by giving individual guidance concerning the places to go at the site.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for demand forecasting that enable multiple-scenario comparisons and analyses by letting users create forecasts from multiple history streams (for example, shipments data, point-of-sale data, customer order data, return data, etc.) with various alternative forecast algorithm theories. The multiple model framework of the present invention enables users to compare statistical algorithms paired with various history streams (collectively referred to as “models”) so as to run various simulations and evaluate which model will provide the best forecast for a particular product in a given market. Once the user has decided upon which model it will use, it can publish forecast information provided by that model for use by its organization (such as by a downstream supply planning program).

Abstract: The present invention is a computer-based system for managing projects. It allows the user to input data concerning a project and associate individuals with the project. The system then determines a deadline for completing a task associated with the project and send out reminders accordingly. The system provides the user a number of options not available on the conventional docketing systems, such as automatically increasing the frequency with which reminders are sent as the deadline approaches, and automatically increasing the number of individuals to whom the reminders are sent as the deadline draws near.

Abstract: A system and method for identification and notification of elevated over-the-counter medication sales is disclosed. Localized alerts of elevated sales of specified over-the-counter medications and graphical views of historical sales intensity by medication category are provided. Intervention instructions to manage responses to factors causing the elevation of sales are provided. The system analyzes sales volume from stores that sell the identified medications to determine if sales volume exceeds expected thresholds. Data from individual products are combined into meaningful categories for tracking, and alerts are sent to users of data anomalies and of intervention messages or tasks requiring attention. Users view a geographic area and define their own notification events and mode.

Abstract: A network-enabled workflow system is used in conjunction with a rules-based search engine to provide an easy-to-use interface to build workflow processes that facilitate the support for electronic business applications as well as business-to-business relationships. The system allows workflow services to be rendered to external organizations such as partners, suppliers, distributors and customers. Workflow services are preferably represented by roles that can be used to represent workflow actors in the workflow routing rules. These roles are preferably evaluated at run-time to best match recipients (via the MORSE algorithm) depending on the organization context from which the routing request is made. Furthermore, the network-enabled workflow system provides for the analysis of workflow processes in real time.

Abstract: The system of this invention manages customer orders using vendor supplied software systems interfaced on a real time basis to touch the data in each system on a real time basis. In effect, there is horizontal communication between the various components of the system such as inventory, purchasing, order management and receipt, logistics and inventory to have continual data flow without using a vertical software interface. As a result, customer orders are received on a real-time basis using screens that are user friendly to promptly take orders, and to verify customer data and verify the ability to meet those orders. Transmission of documents within the system is minimized thereby making it more efficient, timely and cost efficient.

Abstract: A method is provided for assigning a group of agents to a plurality of available schedules, including determining preferences for a plurality of factors for each agent. Each agent provides an order of importance for the plurality of factors. For each factor, a difference value for that factor between a preliminarily assigned schedule (or pool of unassigned schedules) and each agent's preference for that factor is determined. The difference value for each factor is assigned to a vector for each agent. Then, for each agent, a vector for each schedule not assigned to that agent is determined. Vectors for every other agent are also calculated for every schedule swap involving the current agent. The schedule having the lowest vector is then assigned for each agent.

Abstract: A method and system for processing test data relevant to specific behavior of visitors of a network accessible site, such as a website, includes a number of components. A first component is configured to determine an initial estimate of visitor behavior on the basis of pre-testing information. Such information may be entered by a manager of the site. A second component is configured to generate updates of the estimate in response to monitored behavior. Bayesian estimation may be employed in this component. The third and fourth components cooperate to dynamically adjust a measure of the required test sample size of the visitors so as to maintain a target statistical confidence level. The third component utilizes systematic sampling, while the fourth component uses negative binomial sampling.

Abstract: A process and system is disclosed to assist work planners by assembling a work breakdown structure (WBS) and work flow for a project based on the explicit selection or deselection of outcome(s) by a work planner from a defined set of possible outcomes. The process and system ensure that the resulting project WBS and work flow is composed of the minimum set of activities required to produce the set of outcomes desired for the project. The process and system further ensure that the project's activities are organized into an activity hierarchy defined by a WBS template designated by the work planner, and that each of the project's activities is linked into an appropriate work flow, supported by appropriate instructional or descriptive content.

Abstract: The present invention allocates the supply of critical components and manufacturing capacity by optimizing critical material planning decisions and dynamically allocating constrained materials using advanced substitution logic that considers alternate suppliers and supports product life cycle from design through end-of-life. The present invention may utilize unique synchronized allocations and matched sets logic. The synchronized allocations ensure that all materials necessary for production are available in the appropriate time-phased allocation before beginning production to minimize wasted production capacity and materials. The supply system may include various combination of components, including a Supply Planner, a Resource Optimizer, a Constraint Based Master Planner, a Product Change Analyzer, a Comparer, a Resource Requirements Planner, a Finite Resource Planner, a Customer Promiser, and an Interactive Master Scheduler.

Abstract: A visiting plan generation method and system for promptly carrying out optimum formation of groups, optimum destination assignment to the groups, and optimum planning for each of the groups in an optimization problem of an action plan. In implementation, at least information on plural groups which are to take visiting actions, information on members of each of the plural groups, and information on destinations are received by input means, and optimum formation of the plural groups and optimum destination assignment to each of the plural groups are performed by cost calculation means which provides a cost function for evaluating a visiting plan. Thus, in preparation of a visiting plan for a plurality of groups to visit a plurality of destinations on a task-sharing basis, it is possible to carry out optimum formation or the plural groups, optimum destination assignment to the plural groups, and optimum planning for each of the plural groups.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting supplier instability is disclosed. Warning indicators such as annual warning indicators and early warning indicators are assigned values and analyzed to determine the stability of a supplier. Annual and early warning indicator values are based on supplier data related to profit, financial, quality, cost, delivery, development, management, and sensing data. As a result of the analysis of the annual warning and early warning indicator values, each supplier is assigned a supplier stability measure or level. Suppliers that are determined by the company to be unstable are guided by the company through a recovery process to restore stability. The present invention allows a company to maintain a smooth and stable supply of products, parts, or materials to its business operations.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for customizing consumer product packaged thereby. The purpose of this method is to attract, increase, or retain consumer interest by varying the images appearing on packages of the products which appear to the consumer is different in most of time. The method involves selecting a number of packages the consumer will purchase without seeing the same image repeated. A group of images is randomly selected to the products such as individual packages, the consumer packages, and the cartons of consumer packages, and one image is randomly placed on each package. The method further varies the images by changing them based upon, the consumer purchasing characteristics statistically after a selected time period.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing planning information in a high availability planning and scheduling architecture includes processing requests from one or more external systems (40) using an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) engine (22) included in a first primary high availability (HA) system (20a). The processing of requests includes modifying planning information stored in memory of the first primary HA system (20a) according to the requests. The method also includes storing change information reflecting the modifications to the planning information in a database (64) and extracting the change information from the database (64) at an extraction time. Furthermore, the method includes updating the planning information using the extracted change information and storing the updated planning information in memory of a second primary HA system (20a?).

Abstract: A system and method for matching potential employees with potential employers over a network. Potential employers provide position information for one or more job openings over the network to a employee recruitment, job matching and job placement system. Case workers work with potential employees in assessing the potential employees and providing the potential employee's job qualification information, physical and behavioral health information and social needs over the network to the employee recruitment, job matching and job placement system. The employee recruitment, job matching and job placement system compares the information for the potential employee with the position information for at least one job opening and generates a list of job openings and corresponding matching percentages. A matching percentage is the percentage of the received information from the potential employee matches the position information for a job listing of a potential employer.