Patent ID: 8635138

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of evaluating a process for a sale of a business entity, comprising: (a) receiving data in a processor indicative of an audience targeted by a seller of the business entity; (b) calculating in the processor an audience score based on the data received in step (a); (c) applying in the processor a weighting factor to the audience score to define a weighted audience score; (d) receiving data in the processor indicative of information provided by the seller describing the business entity; (e) calculating in the processor an information score based on the data received in step (d); (f) applying a weighting factor in the processor to the information score that is less than the weighting factor of the audience score thereby defining a weighted information score; (g) receiving data in the processor indicative of time that had passed between steps during the process of the sale of the business entity; (h) calculating in the processor a time score based on the data received in step (g); (i) applying in the processor a weighting factor to the time score that is less than the weighting factor of the audience score thereby defining a weighted time score; (j) receiving in the processor data indicative of a transfer of the business entity from the seller of the business entity to a prospective purchaser of the business entity; (k) calculating in the processor a transfer score based on the data received in step (j); (l) applying in the processor a weighting factor to the transfer score that is the same as the weighting factor of the audience score thereby defining a weighted transfer score; (m) receiving in the processor data indicative of a negotiation and execution associated with the sale of the business entity; (n) calculating in the processor a negotiation and execution score based on the data received in step (m); (o) applying in the processor a weighting factor to the negotiation and execution score that is less than the weighting factor of the audience score thereby defining a weighted negotiation and execution score; (p) summing in the processor the weighted scores to define a total score; (q) comparing in the processor the total score to a designated threshold score that is accessible by the processor from a database connected to the processor; and (r) determining in the processor that the process for the sale of the entity was adequately exposed to a market of prospective purchasers if the total score exceeds the threshold score.