Patent ID: 8112317

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: at a server system hosting an electronic procurement system, the server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs, the one or more processors executing the one or more programs to perform the operations of: receiving a request from a user of a client to view a catalog of items; selecting a plurality of items from the catalog of items based on purchasing permissions associated with the user, the purchasing permissions specifying permissible items that the user may view and purchase; sending the plurality of items to the client for display; in response to a user selection of a first item in the plurality of items, identifying a second available item corresponding to the first item when the first item is unavailable, wherein the second item is a permissible item specified in the purchasing permissions associated with the user; sending the second available item to the client for display; receiving a request to purchase the second available item; and generating a purchase order for the second available item, wherein the purchase order is distinct from the purchasing permissions associated with the user.