Patent Publication Number: US-2006010165-A1

Title: Collaboration via spreadsheets for planning

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      The present invention relates generally to the area of software and more specifically to the integration and collaboration of information.  
      Currently, problems arise in maintaining effective records of planning information. For example, with volumes of planning information, it is easy to overlook certain missing information, such as with an example of the planning information being sales information, sales information from a specific salesperson for a specific sales items may be accidentally omitted. In the example of sales teams with multiple sales associates, team members may be at different physical locations or in transit, and not in a central workplace. Gathering information from individual team members therefore requires more communications and reminders and required information input may be easily overlooked. Also, it may be extremely time consuming to actively and manually track and remember each team member&#39;s input. Incomplete information prevents a system from generating effective sales models and properly assessing the activities and efficiencies of the sales staff, as well as the status of product lines being sold.  
      One common approach to tracking sales data is entering the sales information in a standard spreadsheet application. This approach typically entails multiple steps to coordinate the requested data and provides limited usefulness with the acquired data. Even though current techniques utilize electronic forms to acquire the information, the current systems fail to integrate the acquired data for providing the acquired data for various modeling operations.  
      A common approach includes assembling and documenting prior years&#39; sales figures. These sales figures are then entered into a recording device, such as the spreadsheet application. Moreover, when dealing with previous generation spreadsheet applications, the tracking of sales updates may need to be done manually. Furthermore, previous generation spreadsheet applications may not enable users to pre-define logical connections between information from a database, which should be populated in the spreadsheet. Discussions take place with each salesperson or sales team to determine sales goals for an upcoming period. The projected sales numbers are then also entered into the recording device, such as the same spreadsheet application. After a period of time, current sales numbers are collected and once again entered into the spreadsheet application.  
      Therefore, the spreadsheet application includes multiple columns of data representing historic, planned, actual and/or forecasted numbers. Within the application, previous sales information can be visually compared with the projected sales data and the current sales data. This approach is limited since all of the above collection efforts and data entry are limited to the specific spreadsheet application. Under current approaches, if a user attempts to perform further analysis of the information, the user must manually re-enter the information into another spreadsheet application or import this information into a database or application which uses a database. This approach is thereupon error prone due to the potential of improper data re-entry. As collaboration with the spreadsheet is performed on an ad-hoc basis and changes are manually tracked, this approach is also error prone.  
      Other problems arise regarding the access to data for data input and review. Different systems operate on different platforms, which require aggregation of information from different applicant databases for interoperability. For example, one system may include financial data for previous sales data and customer resource management may contain the projected sales information. A database application which aggregates required data from multiple databases or information sources may be needed to aggregate the data between the software applications. Therefore, a user may be required to purchase and operate all the different software applications to achieve sales information collaboration, based on varying levels of interoperability and compatibility. The user may also be required to define one or more queries/rules used to extract the appropriate data from the one or multiple databases or information sources. Even though the sales information collaboration is across multiple platforms, needing translation for usability requires extra software applications just for comparing the data. These systems have limited interactivity and require the user to directly access the specific application, preventing offline activity. Therefore problems arise in sales data collection. Other drawbacks of prior implementations include requiring all team participants to login and navigate to an appropriate place in the application to input information, which may require multiple menus and/or submenus. The user may not successfully navigate to the correct place in the application to input data, or they may not understand the application user interface. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a system for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a portion of one embodiment of a system for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of another portion of one embodiment of a system for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of another embodiment of a system for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of the steps of one embodiment of a method for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a flowchart of the steps of another embodiment of a method for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a flowchart of the steps of another embodiment of a method for collaborating information;  
       FIG. 8  illustrates a flowchart of the steps of another embodiment of a method for collaborating information; and  
       FIG. 9  illustrates a flowchart of the steps of another embodiment of a method for collaborating information. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The collaboration of information, such as planning information, allows for a greater degree of accessibility and usability of the information. Through the integration of information storage systems, data retrieval systems and data acquisition systems, the breadth and completeness of planning information may be improved. Through the use of a collaborative workspace environment, data acquisition is simplified and streamlined, where the collaborative workspace is a central user interface allowing for multi-user access to multiple levels of information. Using the collaborative workspaces allows multi-user access and the multiple levels of information from varying protocols or formats. Furthermore, users are allowed to utilize a portable and document-based application and using the application for processing activities, such as calculations, formatting and planning activities. Moreover, the document-based application provides embedded descriptions of the data to be populated into the cells of the spreadsheet, such as metadata. These embedded descriptions may not be visible to the user, but allow for backend support for various data manipulation operations, including database querying. The document-based application may also provide for defining cell attributes, which would allow for resizing of columns, fonts and other visible attributes to aid in readability and printing of subsequent documentation.  
      In one exemplary embodiment, the planning information may be directed to sales information, wherein the collaboration allows for the automatic generation of notifications to team members based on various predefined rules. These notifications, may then be submitted to the parties having the sales information, through any suitable communication format such as but not limited to electronic mail, instant messaging, telephony and other communication channels available from the collaborative workspace. The information collaboration is further assisted through the direct integration of updated sales information using the missing sales data forms. Although, the planning information may be directed to any suitable type of information used for planning purposes including multiple users providing varying input data factors across a central collaborative workspace, such as but not limited to product planning and procurement planning.  
      The collaboration of sales information not only thereby allows for easier management of the sales information, but also allows quick and direct access to the sales information. Whereas prior systems included sales information stored in different systems, requiring the end user to physically aggregate the information if the systems were not compatible, the sales information collaboration of the present invention allows for automatic assembly of information. The information acquired from the database may include metadata defining particular fields, where the meta-data may be formatted in an extensible mark-up language. Moreover, through searching and filtering functions, specific sales information may be extracted for data analysis, seamlessly using all different types of sales information from different sources through a central processing system.  
      More specifically,  FIG. 1  illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a system  100  providing for the collaboration of information using the exemplary embodiment of sales information. The system  100  includes an input device  102 , a processing device  104 , a planning information database  106 , an electronic mail delivery system  108  and a display  110 . The input device  102  may be any suitable device, such as, but not limited to, a keyboard, a keypad, a touch screen, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computing device or a networked computing device operative to provide an input signal  112 .  
      The processing device  104  operates in response to executable instructions, providing the collaborative workspace in response to the associated programming instructions. The collaborative workspace allows multi-user access to planning information through a central processing device or system executing processing instructions. The collaborative workspace allows for the interaction of various forms and data between different users and platforms. In other words, a collaborative workspace may be a central access software application allowing multiple users to access one or more databases of information, where the collaborative workspace further includes instructions to perform data manipulation operations on the data passed therethrough, for data retrieval and data entry operations. In one embodiment, the collaborative workspace may be the NetWeaver Collaborative Rooms available from SAP. The collaborative workspace allows for, in one embodiment, the publication of information, tracking changes made to the information and assigning responsibility for the data entry of the information.  
      The processing device  104  may be, but not limited to, a single processor, a plurality of processors, a DSP, a microprocessor, an ASIC, a state machine, or any other implementation capable of processing and executing software. The term processing device should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software and may implicitly include DSP hardware, ROM for storing software, RAM, and any other volatile or non-volatile storage medium. The planning information database  106  may be any suitable memory or storage location operative to store sales information or any other suitable information therein including, but not limited to, a single memory, a plurality of memory locations, shared memory, CD, DVD, ROM, RAM, EEPROM, optical storage, microcode, or any other non-volatile storage capable of storing information.  
      In the exemplary embodiment of the planning information database and information collaboration being direct to sales information, previous sales data is stored in the planning information database  106 . The previous sales data may be, but not limited to, pricing, quantity, date(s) of sale, buyer, salesperson, delivery date(s) or any other suitable data relating to sales as recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art.  
      In one embodiment, the processing device  104  may request the previous planning data, which in the exemplary embodiment of sales data may be previous sales data, from the planning information database  106  using a data retrieval request  116 . For example, the data retrieval request  116  may be an SQL search request accessing the planning information database  106 . In response thereto, requested previous sales data  118  is received by the processing device  104 , wherein the request  116  and the data  118  may be transmitted using any suitable data transmission technique across any suitable network, such as but not limited to a local area network, a wireless network, a secured internet-based network connection or a proprietary network. The previous planning data may be any historical data used for planning purposes. Moreover, the requested previous sales data  118  may also include embedded meta-data that may be used to describe the contents of data fields.  
      The processing device  104  receives the requested previous sales data  118 . Thereupon, the processing device  104  providing the collaborative workspace thereon, performs a data manipulation operation. The data manipulation operation may include a filtering operation, a masking operation, a security operation, a data modeling operation or any other suitable data manipulation operation as recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art.  
      The processing device  104  performs the data manipulation operation on the previous sales data to generate output planning data, wherein within the exemplary embodiment of sales data, the output planning data may be output sales data. The output sales data may be the resultant of the data manipulation operation, such as in one exemplary embodiment, filtering the previous sales data based on a particular date range. The output sales data would then be the previous sales data falling within the prescribed date range.  
      In one embodiment, the processing device  104  may thereupon convert the output sales data into a viewable data signal  120  to be provided to the display  110 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the display  110  may include a data form  122  having viewable data of the viewable data signal  120  displayed therein. For example, the data form  122  may be a screen on a computer monitor and the output sales data populates corresponding data fields, as discussed in further detail with respect to  FIG. 2 .  
      In one embodiment, the processing device  104  may also convert the output sales data into transmittable data  124  to be provided to the electronic mail delivery system. While the typical electronic mail delivery system  108  includes electronic mail (email), the electronic mail delivery system  108  may also include, but not limited to, messaging systems such as short messaging systems (SMS), extended messaging systems (EMS), multi-modal messaging systems (MMS), paging systems, cellular and other wireless communication systems.  
      The electronic mail delivery system  108  may transmit the output sales data in accordance with known electronic message techniques. In one embodiment, the processing device  104  may convert the output sales data into a format consistent with the electronic mail delivery system  108  such that the output sales data may be embedded within a message. In another embodiment, the processing device  104  may convert the output sales data into a format independent of the electronic mail delivery system  108  such that the output sales data is transmitted as an attachment to an electronic transmission.  
      As such, the system of  FIG. 1  allows for improved usability of the sales data stored in the planning information database  106 . Through the processing device  104 , data manipulation operations can be performed on the requested sales data  116 . As discussed in further detail below, the method and apparatus for sales data collaboration further allows for increased usability of sales data with respect to all other forms of sales data, using the collaborative workspace operating on the processing device  104 .  
       FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment including the input device  102 , the processing device  104 , the planning information database  106  and the display  110 . Similar to the above description of  FIG. 1 , the processing device  104  receives the input signal  112  and the previous sales data  118  and outputs the viewable data signal  120  to the display  110  using the collaborative workspace operating on the processing device  104 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , on the display  110  includes exemplary output display fields for different types of sales data. For example, a first column  130  displays previous planning data, a second column  132  displays current planning data and a third column  134  displays forecasted planning data. In the embodiment where the planning data is sales data, the columns may include previous sales data, current sales data and forecasted sales data.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary output using the planning information database  106  and the exemplary embodiment of sales information disposed therein. For example, the display  110  may include data populated into the fields of columns  130  and  134  with the current sales information column  132  left empty. As recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, any other suitable data manipulation operation may be performed on the sales information by the processing device  104 . Thereupon, the system of  FIG. 2  allows for the active display of varying degrees of sales information in a convenient output format dependent upon user data manipulation requests, through the collaborative workspace.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment including the input device  102 , the processing device  104 , the planning information database  106  and the display  110 . Similar to the above-description of  FIG. 1 , the processing device  104  receives the input signal  112  and the previous sales data  118  and outputs the viewable data signal  120  to the display  110 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , on the display  110  includes an exemplary display of a missing planning data form  140 . This form  140  may be generated using any known data requesting techniques. Although, the present invention provides for the input information to be portable for other applications or other data manipulation operations.  
      In one embodiment, this form  140  includes data entry fields for the input of sales information, where the data entry fields include embedded meta-data descriptors relating to the anticipated data entry. The input information may be any suitable sales information, such as current sales information, unrecorded previous sales information and forecasted sales information. In one embodiment, a user may enter the sales information into the form  140  using the input device  102  with updates reflected back to the display  110 .  
      In another embodiment, this form  140  may be transformed, as described above in  FIG. 1 , and transmitted to a sales person for data collection. The fields may be populated with sales data offline and the form provided back to the processing device  104  such that the sales information is stored in the planning information database  106 . In another embodiment, a notification may be sent to a user or group of user (e.g. salespersons) indicating that a form is available on the collaborative workspace awaiting their data entry.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a further embodiment including the processing device  104 , the planning information database  106  and the electronic mail delivery system  108 . The processing device  104  is operative to convert information into recognizable formatting usable and/or transmittable by the electronic mail delivery system  108 . The electronic mail delivery system  108  is further in operative communication with a terminal device  156  which may be any suitable device operative to communicate with the electronic mail delivery system  108  using any suitable communication technique including wired or wireless communication with any suitable corresponding communication protocols.  
      In one embodiment, the terminal device  156  includes an input device  158  for generating input information  160 , a processor  161  in operative communication with the input device  158  to receive the input information  160  and a display  162  to receive display information  164  from the processor  160 . As recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, many known elements within the terminal device  156  have been omitted for clarity purposes only.  
      In one embodiment, the electronic mail delivery system  108  receives a planning data form  166  from the processing device  104 . The form  166  may be encoded to be included within an electronic mail communication or may be encoded to be attached to an electronic mail communication. For the form  166  to be included, the form  166  is encoded consistent with native encoding requirements of the electronic mail delivery system  108 . For the form  166  to be attached, the form  166  may be encoded in any suitable format independent of the encoding of the electronic mail delivery system  108 .  
      The terminal device  156  is operative to receive the form and output the form on the display  162 . An end user may thereupon enter specific information using the input device  158 . The processor  161  may thereupon allow for the form, or at least the entered data, to be transmitted back to the processing device  104  through the electronic mail delivery system  108 . The data entry into the form using the terminal device  156  may be performed when the terminal device  156  is in direct communication (online) with the electronic mail delivery system  108  and may also be performed when the terminal device  156  is not connected (offline) with the electronic mail delivery system  108 . When online, the input information may be transmitted as it is being entered, upon completion of the form  166 , or in any other suitable manner. When offline, the completed form may be transmitted when the terminal device  156  becomes online.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates one embodiment of a method for collaborating information. A first step, step  200 , is retrieving previous planning data from a planning information database. As discussed above, the planning information database  106  includes previous planning data and in the exemplary embodiment of planning data, the previous planning data may be previous planning data. The next step, step  202 , is performing a data manipulation operation on the previous planning data to generate output planning data. This step may be performed by the processing device  104  operating the collaborative workspace thereon, in response to a user-input command selecting a data manipulation operation, whereas in the exemplary embodiment of planning data, the output planning data may be output planning data.  
      The next step, step  204 , is determining if there is missing planning data. This missing information may be missing from the planning information database  106  or from any other storage location. Missing planning information may be determined by any suitable means, including but not limited to cross-referencing previous forecasted planning data with current planning information, scanning the planning database for missing data fields or checking a user data collection list to determine if any user has yet submitted planning information. In other embodiments, notifications may be generated where the notifications are provided to team members for data input.  
      The next step, step  206 , is generating a missing planning data form. The missing planning data form may be any suitable form denoting the missing planning information, such as the form  140  illustrated in the display  110  of  FIG. 3 . In the event specific components of planning information are missing, individual data requests may be generated or the data entry form may be populated with known data fields. Step  208  is providing the missing planning data form to an end user using an electronic mail delivery system using the collaborative workspace. This step may be performed similar to the discussion above relating to  FIG. 3 . In another embodiment, the spreadsheet itself may be disposed or readily accessible through the collaborative workspace such that users may directly access the spreadsheet and enter the updated information thereon.  
      The next step, step  210 , is receiving the missing planning data form from the end user via the electronic mail delivery system. In one embodiment, the missing planning data form may be completed using the terminal device ( 156  of  FIG. 3 ) and transmitted back to the processing device ( 104  of  FIG. 3 ). In one embodiment, between steps  208  and  210 , an end user may enter the missing planning data into the form. The data entry may be performed with any suitable input technique, such as but not limited to the exemplary embodiment of the terminal device described above in  FIG. 4 . Step  212  is integrating the missing planning data with the previous planning data in the planning information database. This step may be performed by the processing device ( 104  of  FIG. 3 ).  
      The next step, step  214 , is generating an output form including the output planning data and the missing planning data. This step may be performed similar to the discussion above regarding  FIG. 1 , including a user-input data manipulation command or providing all planning information to the display  110 , being performed within and through the collaborative workspace running on the processing device  104 . Therefore, one embodiment of the method for collaborating planning information is complete.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of a method for collaborating information using planning data. The method begins by retrieving previous planning data from a planning information database, step  220 . The next step, step  222 , is performing a data manipulation operation on the previous planning data to generate output planning data. In one embodiment, the steps  220  and  222  are similar to the steps  200  and  202  of the method of  FIG. 5 .  
      The next step, step  224 , is generating a forecasting planning data form. This forecasting planning data form may include multiple data entry fields for planning information, such as the form  140  illustrated on the display  110  of  FIG. 3 . The form includes multiple fields for data entry of projected planning information. As recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, the form may include any suitable number of data entry fields similar to or different from a previous planning form, such that planning projections and forecasting operations may be performed.  
      The next step, step  226 , is providing the forecasting planning data form to an end user using an electronic mail delivery system through the collaborative workspace. This step may be performed similar to the above discussion regarding  FIG. 3 . Step  228  is receiving the forecasted planning data form from the end user from the electronic mail delivery system. Similar to the embodiment discussed above in  FIG. 5  with the missing planning data form, the forecasted planning data form may be encoded within or attached to an electronic mail message. In one embodiment, between steps  226  and  228 , an end user may enter the forecasting planning data into the form. The data entry may be performed with any suitable input technique, such as but not limited to the exemplary embodiment of the terminal device described above in  FIG. 4 .  
      Step  230  is using the collaborative workspace to integrate the forecasted planning data with the previous planning data in the planning information database. The integration of step  230  may be performed by the processing device  104  and the integrated data stored in the planning information database  106 . Step  232  is generating an output form including the output planning and the forecasted planning data. This step may be performed similar to the discussion above regarding  FIG. 1 , including a user-input data manipulation command or providing all planning information to the display  110  through the collaborative workspace  114 . Therefore, one embodiment of the method for collaborating planning information is complete.  
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a method for collaborating information using the planning data. The method begins by retrieving previous planning data from a planning information database, step  240 . The next step, step  242 , is performing a data manipulation operation on the previous planning data to generate output planning data. In one embodiment, the steps  240  and  242  are similar to the steps  200  and  202  of the method of  FIG. 5 .  
      The next step, step  244 , is generating a current planning data form on a collaborative workspace. This current planning data form may include multiple data entry fields for planning information, such as the form illustrated on the display  110  of  FIG. 3 . The form includes multiple fields for data entry of projected current information. As recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, the form may include any suitable number of data entry fields similar to or different from the previous planning form and the forecasted planning data form, such that current planning data may be obtained.  
      The next step, step  246 , is providing the current planning data form to an end user using an electronic mail delivery system through the collaborative workspace. This step may be performed similar to the above discussion regarding  FIG. 3 . Step  248  is receiving the current planning data form from the end user from the electronic mail delivery system. Similar to the embodiment discussed above in  FIG. 5  with the missing planning data form, the current planning data form may be encoded within or attached to an electronic mail message. In one embodiment, between steps  246  and  248 , an end user may enter the current planning data into the form. The data entry may be performed with any suitable input technique, such as but not limited to the exemplary embodiment of the terminal device described above in  FIG. 4 .  
      Step  250  is using the collaborative workspace to integrate the current planning data with the previous planning data in the planning information database. The integration of step  250  may be performed by the processing device  104  and the integrated data stored in the planning information database  106 . Step  252  is generating an output form including the output planning and the current planning data through the collaborative workspace. This step may be performed similar to the discussion above regarding  FIG. 1 , including a user-input data manipulation command or providing all planning information to the display  110 . Therefore, one embodiment of the method for collaborating planning information is complete.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates another embodiment of a method for collaborating information. This embodiment of the method begins, step  260 , with receiving forecasted planning data. In one embodiment, the forecasted planning data may be received from any suitable source such as but not limited to the terminal device described above in  FIG. 4 . The next step, step  262 , is retrieving previous planning data from a planning information database, such as described above with respect to  FIG. 1  including the planning information database  106 .  
      The next step, step  264 , is performing at least one data manipulation operation on the forecasted planning data and the previous planning data to generate an output report. As discussed above, the data manipulation operation may be any operation allowing for more direct access and/or visibility of source data, such as filtering the data based on filter parameters. The next step, step  266 , is providing the output report to an output device through the collaborative workspace, including converting the output report for transmission using an electronic mail delivery system. The output device may be the terminal device  156  of  FIG. 4  accessible through the electronic mail delivery system  108 .  
      This embodiment of collaborating planning data provides for the receipt of planning information, generation of an output form including data subject to a data manipulation operation, and outputting the output data for an end user. As such, this embodiment is complete.  
       FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of collaborating data, such as the exemplary embodiment of sales data, including determining if the data is incomplete. The method begins by receiving forecasted sales data, step  280 , retrieving previous sales data from a planning information database, step  282 , and performing at least one data manipulation operation on the forecasted sales data and the previous sales data to generate an output report, step  284 . In this embodiment, steps  280 ,  282  and  284  may be similar to steps  260 ,  262  and  264  of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 .  
      The next step, step  286 , is determining if the previous sales data is complete. Similar to step  204  in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , this determination may be performed using any suitable technique. Whereupon, the next step, step  288 , is generating a missing sales data form, if the previous sales data is incomplete. This missing sales data form may be any suitable form, such that the form illustrated in the display  110  of  FIG. 3 . In another embodiment, rules may be configured using standard rules generating techniques in the collaborative workspace to track and visually indicate which team members have provided data entry during the data retrieval process.  
      The next step, step  290 , is querying a user through the collaborative workspace to input missing previous sales data including providing and receiving the missing sales data form across an electronic mail delivery system. In another embodiment, control mechanisms, such as header or data control mechanisms, associated with the missing sales data form may allow for sending just the sales data instead of the completed form. This step may include an email notification or other notification means. The notification may include a notice that a form is ready on the collaborative workspace for the input of requested information. Step  292  is integrating the missing previous sales data with the previous sales data in the sales information database. As discussed above with other embodiments, the missing previous sales data may be received across the electronic mail delivery system  108  and the sales information stored in the sales information database  106 . As such, the sales information database includes the forecasted sales information and complete previous sales information. This sales information may then be subject to one or more data manipulation operations, allowing for a high degree of flexibility with the sales information. Therefore, this embodiment of the method for collaborating sales information is complete.  
      As such, collaborating sales information provides greater user access and ability to more effectively utilize important sales information. Through central storage of sales information, form generation, and input reception of sales information, sales data may be readily used for analysis. The collaborative workspace provides a single resource for reporting, accessing and integrating the sales information data on a standard central platform. The central storage also allows for versioning of documents, access control and checking documents in and out. A system can quickly and effectively manipulate sales information, including previous, current and forecasted sales information. Through a processing device, gaps in the sales information may be detected and corrected. The missing sales information is updated to provide a broader scope of the sales data and a more accurate reflection of the status of sales. Moreover, through the central storage, redundant operations for data gathering may be eliminated and improvements in user efficiency may be realized through the data retrieval and storage process.  
      Although the preceding text sets forth a detailed description of various embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forth below. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment of the invention since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the invention.  
      It should be understood that there exists implementations of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects, as may be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and that the invention is not limited by specific embodiments described herein. For example, the sales information may contain varying data fields for varying types of items, such as tiered pricing structures, special order items, currency conversion fields, conditional sales fields or any other type of data structure allowing for collaboration of sales. It is therefore contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principals disclosed and claimed herein.