Abstract:
A system for managing requests for services from vendors including a database having contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for services. The requests are compared with the entitlement information for the requesting user and the contract information for the vendor that supplies the information to determine if the request is approved. If the request is approved, the system generates an associated billing item in the database for the request and the approved request is transmitted to the vendor. The vendor sends an invoice of charges associated with the approved requests which is compared with the associated billing items for the approved requests. Additionally, a method for managing user requests for services from vendors is provided including providing a database for storing contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for services from a vendor. The method includes generating a request for services from a vendor and transmitting the request to the database. The method compares the request for services to entitlement information for the user and contract information for the vendor, and generates an approved request and an associated billing item in the database. The method includes receiving from the vendor an invoice of charges associated with the approved request and comparing the invoice with the associated billing item for the approved request.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/040,909, filed Apr. 2, 1997 by the inventor herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for tracking products and services usage; and more particularly to a system and method of storing information about vendor contracts, user entitlements to the vendor products and services and requests for a product or services, as well as tracking changes in a database. The system and method allows for comparing costs charged for the requests and actual usage against vendor invoices. The system and method can handle different vendor billing methods such as flat fees, a fee per request, monthly tiered fees and various methods of applying a discount. The system and method can also track changes in user entitlements to different vendor products and services. 
     A preferred embodiment shows the invention being applied to the financial services industry. Financial institutions such as major banks, brokerage houses, insurance companies and the like rely on information provided by specialized financial and market data service providers. Many financial institutions may subscribe to well over 100 different national and international news and price feed information services. A typical large bank may spend an average of $12 M annually on such services. 
     Within the large financial institutions, individual users, such as analysts, traders and the like will be entitled to have access to particular market data products and services, generally determined by their department or division, as is appropriate for that user. Typically, a centralized management department, typically a help desk function, within the company will assign the access rights for a particular user to a particular product or service. A user&#39;s unique set of available market data services, or entitlements needs to be managed and tracked. These entitlements, for example, can change or remain with a user if that user changes departments, or moves its physical desk. 
     Typically, physical moves within a company or between departments are frequent, especially at banks or other financial institutions and there is a higher-than-average turnover ratio in the financial services industry. For example, in many banks, two-year training programs for analysts start every summer and service entitlements must frequently be added or deleted for the new users to keep up with current staffing. 
     Management of the resources involved in accessing on-line information from vendors can raise additional complications. Certain services may require specialized hardware or licensed software to be used in accessing the information. Additionally, certain dedicated modems or phone lines may have to be provided. When a physical move of a user is planned, decisions on whether to move the hardware and other infrastructure needs to be made. If a new user occupying the seat will require the same resources as were there, then only the changes in the user name are needed. Often, however, physical equipment or software will have to be moved. 
     The many market data and information services vendors typically invoice for their services on a monthly basis and charge rates that are related to the number of users within the financial service client. Often the rate structures can be a flat monthly fee for a user. Alternatively, a flat fee for the company may be charged (in which case the present system is useful for providing an automated method of posting charge-backs to the department or user), or a fee per request or for line usage time may be used. Finally, tiered pricing schedules and volume or other discounts need to be tracked. 
     In many of the large financial institutions, a typical vendor&#39;s printed invoice may be an inch thick and contain thousands of line items. Since services and entitlements may be charged based on a monthly fee, for example, often when additions or deletions of users are made to an account, such changes appear on the following month invoice as a series of debits and credits. For example, if a bank deletes an entitlement in the middle of March for one user, the monthly invoice for that service will typically include a charge for one month&#39;s usage by the user. The remaining days in March not actually used are then credited on the April invoice. 
     Because of the extensive amount of data required in tracking individual user entitlements and reviewing the hundreds of monthly invoices, typically a financial service company can only conduct a summary review of the invoices. In general, if an invoice remained fairly constant on a month-to-month basis, it is generally paid without any further detailed reconcilement. For an invoice that is more than marginally different from the month-to-month average, a firm can spend up to three to four weeks per month reconciling and charging back these invoices. 
     In addition to invoice reconcilement and billing, there is a need within the financial institutions for managing the related functions of procurement and contract management for the market data services; hardware and software inventory control, and help desk support; managing moves and changes among users and among user entitlements; and managing internal departmental charge backs where the fees for the market data services are apportioned to the appropriate department or user. In the current state of affairs for typical financial institutions, disparate manual and automated systems are used for one or another of these various functions and often cause duplicate processing and data entry throughout the various responsible areas within the financial institution. 
     What is desired is a system and method that can track vendors and contract related data, including costs for every type of service provided by the vendors. The system should maintain complete information on market data service contracts, with on-line update of service terms and usage. The system preferably tracks vendors, contracts, products, services, various vendor pricing methodologies, delivery and third-party billing information. 
     It is also desirable for the system to process and reconcile invoices from the vendors. For example, the system should reconcile vendor invoices against individual usage data. It would be most desirable for the system to receive electronic invoices for direct import into the system from the market information service vendors. The system then automatically calculates costs based on an inventory of actual requests for information, and calculates unit costs for services based on the various vendor pricing methodologies. The system should automate the reconciliation of charges against usage data and provide appropriate charge back reports. 
     It is desired to provide an internal charge back processing function which can allocate monthly market data costs back to the financial service institution user or department. Unit costs for all services are calculated at various levels and pricing methodologies and include an appropriate allocation for direct usage charges, shared account level charges and company site license type allocations. In the past, this function has been a manually intensive, imprecise and incomplete process. 
     The system desirably contains a real-time inventory of locations, hardware, software and entitlements for users or employees. Historical usage information should also be maintained by the system to verify new charges and credits with the vendors. 
     The system should manage help desk functions, such as moving a user or changing a user&#39;s entitlements. Preferably, the system can create “tickets” for repairs and work orders covering equipment, market data services, and general hardware or software help. The system should desirably also track calls to a help desk and record completion of help desk requests. 
     The system should also have the capability of planning and implementing both small and large-scale moves of multiple employees or users, entitlements and equipment from one seat to another. Employees, entitlement and equipment should be able to be moved independently from one another. Once a particular move is planned, the system generates and tracks the individual “tickets” or work orders which are needed to perform the move. Work orders are then routed automatically to the appropriate department, vendors and contractors who will be performing the individual tasks. 
     The system and method of the present invention satisfies all of the above needs and advantageously provides a complete integrated solution to meet the disparate requirements of the various departments that manage, use and implement market information and data services. It eliminates duplicate efforts and the intensive manual processing of invoices, move processing and work order tracking. The system and method is able to monitor and prevent duplicate services from being received at certain seats where multiple vendors are providing the same data to the user. The system and method is able to reconcile and uncover discrepancies between line item totals and invoice amounts relative to the entitlements of individual users. The system and method of the present invention can enable a financial institution to perform a complete line-by-line audit of every vendor invoice which will allow reconciliation of every line item and every mid-month credit and charge. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a system and method for reconciling vendor invoices for products and services with actual usage by individual users within a company. More particularly, the present invention is a computerized system and method for receiving invoices from vendors and tracking the amounts in the invoices against a database containing information about the vendor service contracts, user entitlements to that service, and actual usage of the service. The system also includes functions for automated tracking and inputting or changing user information, vendor service contract changes, and help desk requests related to the hardware or software used to acquire the data from the vendor products and services. 
     The system of the invention processes accounts payable in the back office of, for example, the trading floor of a bank or other financial institution. In a particular embodiment of the invention, various traders or other users order on-line market information services, magazines and other information for the purposes of carrying out their job and analyzing the market. Determinations are made whether those products and services are authorized to be purchased, and then they are entered into the system, processed and paid. The system receives invoices from vendors in electronic form, and facilitates reconciling and processing so that the accounts payable department can pay the invoices. 
     The system of the invention is a fully integrated expense control system and is capable of doing a profit and loss analysis based on the vendor products and services charged for, and the revenue generated by the users requiring those services. The system tracks inventory, reconciles invoices and is capable of educating the business people by generating various reports. 
     The system and method of the invention is capable of providing a return on investment analysis as well. For example, many of the services from market information providers include a one-month free trial. The system would enable the manager running the department interested in the trial to determine if adding the trial service as an entitlement to the department users would enhance the performance of those receiving that particular service, and thus the manager can evaluate whether the service should be purchased beyond the trial month. Additionally, if different vendors provide similar services, an analysis can be made of which one costs less. The system provides profit and loss accountability allowing business managers the opportunity to determine the actual value of vendor products and services. 
     In accordance with the invention, a system for managing product and service usage from vendors is provided. The system includes a database having contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for a product or service from a vendor made by a user. The requests for products and services from a vendor are generated by the user of the system. The requests are compared with the entitlement information for the requesting user and the contract information for the vendor that supplies the product or service to determine if the request is approved. If the request is approved, the system generates an associated billing item in the database for the request. The approved request is transmittable to the vendor. The system receives, from the vendor, an invoice of charges associated with the approved requests, and compares the invoice with the associated billing items for the approved requests. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the invention, a system for managing user requests for products and services from vendors is provided. The system includes a database for storing contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for products and services from a vendor. The system includes input/output means operable by a user for generating a request for products and services from a vendor and transmitting the request to the database. The request for products or services is compared to the entitlement information for the requesting user and the contract information for the vendor to determine if the request is approved. The system generates a billing item associated with approved requests and transmits the billing item to the database. The approved request is transmittable to the vendor. The system receives from the vendor an invoice of charges associated with the approved request and compares the invoice with the associated billing item for the approved request. 
     In accordance with the invention, a method for managing requests for products and services from vendors is provided. The method includes providing a database which stores contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for a product or service from a vendor. The method includes generating, by a user, a request for a product or service from a vendor, and comparing the request with the entitlement information for the user and the contract information for the vendor to determine if the request is approved. Approved requests are transmittable to the vendor. The method includes generating an associated billing item in the database for approved requests. The method includes receiving from the vendor an invoice of charges associated with approved requests, and comparing the invoice with the associated billing item for the approved request. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the invention, a method for managing user requests for products and services from vendors is provided. The method includes providing a database for storing contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for a product or service from a vendor. The method also includes generating, by a user, a request for a product or service from a vendor and transmitting the request to the database. The method compares the request for a product or service to entitlement information for the user and contract information for the vendor, and generates an approved request. The system generates a billing item associated with approved requests and transmits the billing item to the database. The approved request is transmittable to the vendor. The method includes receiving from the vendor an invoice of charges associated with the approved request and comparing the invoice with the associated billing item for the approved request. 
     An object of the invention is to provide on-line product and service request management between end users and vendors. 
     It is a further object to provide automation of invoice reconciliation for quantity and dollar amount of products and services used, against a database containing costs and other information for the products and services. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide automation of the invoice approval processes by accounts payable. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide end user charge notification by an on-line network system. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide automated accrual and financial management tools. 
     Still other objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, be apparent from the specification. 
     The invention, accordingly, comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the system embodying features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which are adapted to affect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a full understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an on-line service management system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an on-line service request management system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an automated invoice processing and payment authorization system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a monthly financial cycle accrual and allocation/direct charge system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the steps for adding a new desk in accordance with the system and method of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the steps for adding a new service in accordance with the system and method of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the steps for deleting a service from a desk in accordance with the system and method of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the steps for entering an invoice in accordance with the system and method of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a representation showing the steps for paying an invoice in accordance with the system and method of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The automated system and method of the invention allows, for example, a financial institution to manage a complex array of market data services effectively and efficiently. The system and method allows tracking of and maintaining of the details for the market data services and equipment contracts with the various market data service providers or vendors. The system allows a company, such as a financial institution or bank, to track and maintain vendor services for every user in the company. The system and method allows a manager to plan and execute user moves from seat to seat and the help-desk manager can move all or selected services and equipment for employees. 
     A database provided by the system is updated automatically when a move is completed. The system can create and track help desk work tickets for all help desk requests, including changes to market data service usage. The market data services database is updated automatically when the ticket is closed. 
     The system allows for review of service usage and can identify duplications, track monthly changes and costs by user, and perform various functions useful for business and planning. For example, the system of the invention can reconcile monthly vendor invoices against the market data service database of user requests. 
     FIG. 1 shows and on-line market data service management system in accordance with the invention. User information is generally tracked by a seat location. For a user, different entitlements to various market data service providers can be made. The entitlements may be grouped for particular departments and a user&#39;s entitlements may be based on a profile for that department. The information about a user profile  20  is entered into a database  24 . Database  24  constitutes the central repository for all information for managing on-line market data service requests and associated functions. 
     Database  24  also includes vendor contract information  28  which may generally include the time frame or period for which the contract is valid, and the cost and quantity of services available under the contract. Database  24  also includes additional information to be described below. 
     Requests for on-line market data are made by an end user  32 . End user  32  is identified by a seat location which should match the seat location for that user&#39;s entitlement information  20  as entered in database  24 . End user  32  will make an on-line market data service request  36 , which is judged against business criteria in an expert system  40 , which relies on information from database  24  as described below with reference to FIG.  2 . 
     In accordance with the comparison by expert system  40  against business criteria, on-line service request  36  may be rejected  44  and notification to end user  32  provided. Generally, however, end user  32  will make an on-line service request  36  for a market data service to which end user  32  is entitled, as reflected in end user&#39;s entitlement information  20  in database  24 . Therefore, on-line service request will typically be accepted  48  and the system will prepare a formatted request for information  52  which will include vendor information, service information, optionally an expense code, cost, and contract billing start date and period, all of which information can be retrieved from database  24  and vendor contract records  28 . 
     It is important to recognize that requests for information  36  in the context of the on-line market data service management system in accordance with the invention, can be actual user requests for market data information and can additionally be help desk requests for adding a user, deleting a user, or adding or deleting a service for any given user, all as described further below. 
     The formatted request for information  52  is transmitted to vendor  56  and vendor  56  will transmit a confirmation back to the system  60 , thus assuring that an accurate record of the request has been received by vendor  56  and database  24 . Once the formatted request for information  52  is confirmed  60  by vendor  56 , database  24  is updated  64  with information about the request. Therefore, database  24  also includes information about actual requests for market data information as well as accurate information for user  32 . 
     Information in database  24  can be used by business managers and planners to forecast charges for market data services and charging back actual costs of those services to the departments or even individual users. In addition, the information in database  24  can be used to reconcile invoices from vendors  56 . Vendors  56  prepare a invoice  68  which will include certain standardized fields such as account number and charges. Standardized invoice  68  is transmitted to the system for invoice reconciliation, payment authorization, accrual of charges, and end user charge notification, all indicated at  72 . Invoice reconciliation  72  collects reconciliation data  76  from database  24 . If invoice reconciliation  72  does not match information in database  24  with invoice  68 , the invoice is rejected  80  and sent back to vendor  56 . If invoice reconciliation matches information from database  24  with invoice  68 , invoice  68  is accepted  82  and the system sends the information to a payment authorization function  84  which prepares the appropriate routing slips and sends the correct forms to accounts payable  88 . Information from payment authorization  84  and from accounts payable  88  is transmitted to the accruals and general ledger function  92  which, along with receiving additional information from database  24 , provides the financial cycle information for the month and prepares monthly allocations and direct charges back  96  to departments. The monthly allocation and direct charges  96  are transmitted to end user  32  and the tracking and management of on-line market data is complete. 
     FIG. 2 shows in greater detail the on-line service request function of the system in accordance with the invention. As described above, end user  32  makes a market data information request  36  and the market data information request  36  is compared with business criteria in an expert system generally indicated at  40 . Expert system  40  includes a preliminary review  100  which checks the parameters  104  of information about the user in database  24  to generate an approval  108 , after which a formatted request for information  52  is prepared. 
     Preliminary review  100  may automatically reject  112  the request  36  for any number of reasons, such as end user  32  not being entitled to the requested service. In the case of a rejection  112 , end user  32  is notified. 
     Preliminary review  100  may marginally approve or reject request  36  and provide such information to a business manager approval function  116  which can reject the request  120 , notifying user  32 , or accept  124  request  36  and prepare the formatted request for information  52  depending on the particular business needs for the request. 
     As discussed above, formatted request for information  52  is transmitted to vendor  56  for an on-line confirmation  60 , and when received, updates  128  database  24 . 
     FIG. 3 shows in greater detail the automated invoice processing and payment authorization function of the system in accordance with the invention. Vendor  56  receives request for information (not shown) and prepares a standardized invoice  68  which includes certain necessary fields such as the account number, cost, vendor, service and the dates used. The invoice is sent to the system and a reformatted invoice  132  is generated. In order to provide a snapshot of the account information, an arbitrary cut-off date  136 , for example, the 15th of the month in the example is used. The standardized reformatted invoice  132  is sent to the automated reconciliation function  72 . 
     If standardized reformatting  132  does not find the necessary information, an exception  140  is made and vendor  56  notified. 
     Similarly, automated reconciliation  72  may reject an invoice and generate an exception  144  and vendor  56  so notified. Automated reconciliation  72  uses information from database  24  to reconcile the invoices. Automated reconciliation  72  also updates database  24  and prepares a valid invoice  152  for automated sign-off  156 . Automated sign-off  156  prepares an internal bill, checks the signatures and compliance and forwards the information to accounts payable  88  which also updates database  24 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the monthly financial cycle accruals and allocation of the direct charge function of the invention. An automated accrual function  92  can get information from database  24  in order to prepare a monthly expense report  160 . Since database  24  also contains current information on reconciled invoices, the amount of reconciled invoices  164  can be subtracted from the monthly expenses to determine the accruals for the month  168 . Accruals  168  can be reported by vendor, or account number or expense code as necessary. Information on the monthly accrual  168  can then be sent to the general ledger function  172  and expenses forecasted. Database  24  can also provide charge back and allocation information to the end users. Information from database  24  can be extracted and reported  176  and these reports sent as a notification to the end user  96  which may include allocations  180  or direct charges  184  for that user. 
     As described above, a user of the system in accordance with the invention is assigned a seat number which generally corresponds to a physical desk. When a new user is added to the system, a request to the help desk is made for adding a new desk. The help desk adds a new desk in accordance with the method shown in FIG.  5 . The new desk  501  is generated. It is determined whether a new expense code  502  is needed for this desk. If not, it is determined whether this new desk is physically at a new location  503 . If, on the other hand, a new expense code  502  is generated, an expense code is added  504  to the master tables and the new location is added  505 . Similarly, if it is not a new expense code  502  but it is a new location  503 , the new location is added  505  to master tables. Then, all required fields are updated  506  to the master tables. Also, if new location  503  is not required, then required fields are updated  506  in the master tables for the desk. 
     New services can be added to an existing seat or desk. The method for adding a new service is shown in FIG.  6 . For any new market data service vendor, for which an entitlement is to be given to a new desk, a ticket  601  is filled out for the help desk which will include information such as vendor name and account number, service name, user name desk at location, and the like. The service i.d. and desk i.d. codes are checked to see if they currently exist in the data base  602  and if not, new unique service or desk i.d.&#39;s are created  603 . If the service codes exist in the master data files, the current i.d.s are used  604 . In either case the master data tables are updated with the new information  605  and the new record is added to the database  606 . 
     Likewise, services may be deleted from a desk where a user&#39;s entitlement no longer includes that service. The method is shown in FIG. 7. A delete order  701  is filled out and transmitted to the help desk and the desk is removed by modifying the master table  702  by the help desk. 
     Invoices from vendors are entered into the system by the method shown in FIG. 8. A new invoice  801  is received and it is determined whether it is from a new vendor  802 . If it is not, it is determined whether it is a new contract  803 . On the other hand, if it is a new vendor  802 , then the new vendor name is added  804  to the vendor data in the master tables and new contract i.d. information is also added  805 . Likewise, if it is a new contract  803 , new contract information is added  805 . 
     However, if it is not a new vendor  802  and it is not from a new contract  803 , it is determined whether a new account is being invoiced  806 . If it is a new account  806 , the new account information is added  807  to the master table and the invoice is entered  808  into the database. Likewise, if it is not a new account, the invoice can also be added  808  directly to the database. 
     Once the invoice is in the system, the invoice payment process can occur as shown in FIG.  9 . The system looks up the total service count  901  and quantity  902  from the stored data information in the database. The quantity is reconciled  903  by comparing the total service count  901  with total service quantity  902 . If the reconciliation  903  is off, all desks are checked for outstanding service i.d. errors  904 . If, on the other hand, the reconciliation is within tolerances, the amount is reconciled  905  by comparing the total amount on the invoice  906  and the amount  907  from the database. Again, if the amount reconciled is off, data is sent to the accrual data base and the service i.d. is updated  908  or, if the reconciled amount  905  is correct, the system indicates that it is okay to pay  909 . 
     The system and method is preferably implemented by software on a computer and preferably takes the form of a graphic user interface application. Managers and users may have different functions available to them, depending on the configuration of the system. A “help desk” function is available to access the help desk ticket entry and move functions described above, and allows a manager to assign market data services to specific users. A market data function allows users or managers to access and request market data services. 
     The system of the invention in the preferred embodiment helps a financial institution manage market data services. The help desk has access to update the market data service master tables, and can define vendor products and services, track and maintain service usage, review service usage, import and reconcile vendor invoices, process data and run reports. 
     Different vendor products and services can have different charge back types, which determine how the cost of a service will be billed to users. Service types generally come in two predefined types, for example, and additional service types can be defined as needed. The pre-defined service types are individual services, that is the seat to which the service is assigned pays the full cost of use of that service. The other type of service is a shared account in which the total cost for all units of the service delivered to an account is shared among all seats receiving any service from that account. For example, if five units of the service are delivered to an account, and ten seats receive a service through that account, the cost of the five units is divided evenly among the ten seats. 
     A billing type is used to indicate how a service is billed by the vendor. Typical billing types include third-party billing in which a service is billed by the vendor originating the service (the third-party vendor) rather than the delivering vendor. Delivering vendor billing is where services are billed by the vendor delivering the service regardless of where the service originates. 
     Market information products and services are purchased from vendors. The vendor&#39;s product or service is listed in the vendor master tables. Vendor master tables include information for the vendor, vendor contacts, vendor products and vendor services. Basic name and address information for the market data information vendor can appear on a vendor data screen. Vendor products are defined on a products screen. Some vendors offer clearly defined products, such as Telerate&#39;s “digital fee.” Other vendors may offer only a single suite of services with no product name, or only individual services. Market data services received from the vendor are separately defined on a vendor services screen. Service codes for associated charges, such as site charges, that are billed monthly may be indicated in the vendor services screen. 
     Additionally a vendor service may include an indication if the service pricing is tiered. Tiered pricing is used to handle a number of pricing situations as described below. Additionally, a discount rate offer by the vendor, whether a discount applies, may be indicated. Finally, if the services are charged through a third-party vendor rather than the delivering vendor, another indication can be made. 
     Tiered pricing is used for certain pricing situations. Classic tiered pricing, such as when 1-4 units cost $100 per unit and 5-9 units cost $80 per unit and so on; first unit pricing, as when the first unit cost $50 and all additional units cost $10; tiered percentage discounts as when 1-4 units are not discounted and additional units receive a 10% discount and so on (mathematically equivalent to classic tiered pricing); and site fees. Preferably site fees can be handled in a different manner, but it is possible to include the site fee as part of the first unit cost. 
     Service usage is tracked in a service usage and invoice screen. On this screen a user can input account, contact and invoice data and can review data from vendors. When the user accesses the service usage and invoices screen, typically they will select a vendor name from a vendor name drop down box. Vendors can be added in the vendor data screen by the help desk. The user can enter or edit the number of units which are purchased in a month under the site license contract for the service. To add or edit other information, the user can go to other screens. 
     In most cases, one account number is associated with one account. If the contract covers five units of a service, the cost of those units is allocated among all seats that receive one or more individual services through that account. 
     The invoices function permits a manager to enter vendor invoices for reconciliation against market data information service provider invoices. The manager can view or edit invoices that have been imported electronically. Different vendors provide a different set of data fields in their invoices. However, it is preferable that at least certain data fields are in common. Typically the invoice records will include fields for vendor service, vendor service code, a start and end date of billing for this service, quantity of service billed, unit cost, charged amount, discount percent, discount amount, tax rate percent, tax amount and final cost. Once the invoices are in the system, the manager can access the reconcile function to go directly to the reconcile invoices screen. The currently selected invoice will be entered on that screen. 
     The system allows managers and the help desk to process the data and generate report files or compute cost per seat amounts and the allocation of vendor service cost to individual seats. For services defined as individual, non-licensed, and non-tiered priced, the process is simple. The unit cost of this service, after discounts and taxes, is charged to the seats receiving this service. For other services, the cost per seat depends on the number of seats receiving this service. This is true for licensed tiered price and shared account services. Computing these costs for the entire site has typically been a time consuming process. For that reason most marketing data service management system reports do not recompute cost per seat when they are run. Instead, they rely on figures generated by the reporting and history functions. 
     The help desk portion of the market data service management system allows a user to effect moves of a user or equivalent and services from one seat to another, or to add or delete services, equipment and network I.D. from a particular seat. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and system for tracking user requests for services and invoices from vendors in a comprehensive and efficient manner. The system and method are adaptable and useable with many different programs and activities. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the constructions set forth without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted in an illustrative sense and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of this scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.