Patent ID: 6862577

Claim:
A method for electronically acquiring request and authorization information and documentation for the shipping of material, comprising: providing an electronic database adapted to receive a shipping instruction from a requester; electronically verifying said requester against said electronic database to ensure a proper requester; providing fields in said electronic database for approvals of said shipping instruction; notifying electronically said requester's approving manager or, approving manager designee of said request for an initial approval; verifying electronically said approving manager or said approving manager designee against an electronic manager delegation database to ensure a proper authorization; providing electronically for a document link within said electronic database to view said request; prompting electronically said approving manager or said approving manager designee to assign a status for said request; notifying electronically a requester's manager when said approving manager designee provides authorizations; determining electronically from said request which next required approving manager or next required approving manager designee should be notified for awareness documentation, or approval; notifying electronically said next required approving manager or said next required approving manager designee after said initial approval; prompting electronically said requester to prepare documents for moving goods and materials to a designated shipping location; notifying electronically said requester continuously via electronic mail of the status of said request; notifying electronically said requester of approved request after all approvals have been granted; generating electronically shipping documentation at said requester's initiation; and storing in a database information for tracking said shipment material and auditing said method.