Patent ID: 8069086

Claim:
A method for processing a product order, the method comprising: receiving a product order from a customer; determining, based on the received product order, at least one of a date on which the products should be available at a location and a date by which the products should be issued out of the location; calculating, based on at least one of the determined date on which the products should be available at the location and the determined date by which the products should be issued out of the location, a sourcing due date on which to determine at least one source from which the products may be obtained; comparing the sourcing due date to the date of processing the product order; performing, by using a processor, an availability check for the ordered products on the basis of the at least one determined date if the sourcing due date is earlier than the date of processing the product order; and performing, by using a processor, the availability check after the date of processing the product order if the sourcing due date is later than the date of processing the product order.