Patent ID: 8671024

Claim:
A computer-based method for processing e-commerce information in a distributed virtual enterprise (DVE) by a business entity and within the business entity, the method comprising: based on an internal user's command, a processor interacting with a software application retrieves from memory a DVE project model that represents an object-oriented project model for a product or service for sale by the business entity, wherein the DVE project model comprises one or more DVE processes linked to one or more DVE objects that specify one or more dependency relationships derived from e-commerce agreements, stored in the memory, such that the dependency relationships constrain modifications of the DVE project model with respect to specific parameters; the software application receiving via the processor a first user input to modify a cost dependency relationship within the DVE project model, wherein the cost dependency relationship is presented as a DVE object; the software application manipulating via the processor the cost dependency relationship within the DVE project model based on the received first user input and the one or more DVE processes linked to one or more DVE objects, while constraining the first user input to ensure that the first user input is consistent with e-commerce agreements to which the business entity has committed itself to; the software application determining via the processor that the first user input is incompatible with another type of dependency relationship; and responsive to the determination that the first user input is incompatible, the software application receiving via the processor a second user input to change another type of dependency relationship in order to incorporate the first user input into the DVE project model for modifications to the cost dependency relationship.