Patent ID: 7346534

Claim:
A method for coordinating production by a supplier with requirements of one or more customers, comprising the steps of: determining a first delivery forecast schedule for a first product for a plurality of preselected future periods of time, said first delivery forecast schedule defining an estimated number of units of said first product required by said first customer for each one of said plurality of preselected future periods of time; making said first delivery forecast schedule available to said first customer on the internet; permitting said first customer to create an amended first delivery forecast schedule by amending said number of units associated with one or more of said plurality of preselected future periods of time of said first delivery forecast schedule; accessing said amended first delivery forecast schedule subsequent to said permitting step; scheduling production of said first product by said supplier as a function of said amended first delivery forecast schedule; determining a second delivery forecast schedule for a second product for said plurality of preselected future periods of time, said second delivery forecast schedule defining an estimated number of units of said second product required by said first customer for each one of said plurality of preselected future periods of time; making said second delivery forecast schedule available to said first customer on the internet; permitting said first customer to create an amended second delivery forecast schedule by amending said number of units associated with one or more of said plurality of preselected future periods of time of said second delivery forecast schedule; accessing said amended second delivery forecast schedule subsequent to said permitting step; and scheduling production of said second product by said supplier as a function of said amended second delivery forecast schedule.