Patent ID: 7035821

Claim:
A method for processing cash advance requests using a process management and workflow system coupled to a data repository, the process management and workflow system connected to an accounting system by a communications link, said method comprising the steps of: generating a financial report using the accounting system wherein the financial report includes current collateral information for a customer, the current collateral information includes information relating to the customer's accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory; receiving the financial report at the process management and workflow system from the accounting system of the customer via an electronic data interchange; converting the financial report from a received document format to a predetermined document format by determining whether preprocessing of the financial report is needed, determining whether segmentation of the financial report is needed wherein segmentation includes identifying a location of data within the financial report and relocating data within the financial report such that the report is recognizable, performing a document recognition process, and performing a mapping and translation process on the financial report; extracting current collateral information from the converted financial report; storing the current collateral information in the data repository; receiving from the customer a cash advance request at the process management and workflow system; operating the process management and workflow system to record the cash advance request; evaluating the current, customer collateral information through the process management and workflow system; evaluating a current credit status of the customer through the process management and workflow system including an analysis of at least one of the customer's business performance, dilution, and advance rate; and determining, through the process management and workflow system, to at least one of approve the customer's cash advance request, deny the customer's cash advance request, and initiate a manual review of the customer collateral information.