Patent ID: 7451107

Claim:
A system for facilitating chemical supplier transactions comprising: a network coupled to a plurality of member businesses; a clearinghouse computer server associated with the member businesses and coupled to the member businesses through the network, the clearinghouse computer server configured to receive and forward electronic messages transmitted between at least two of the plurality of member businesses, the messages corresponding to communications in a chemical supplier transaction that relate to initiation of the chemical supplier transaction, and at least one of order fulfillment for the chemical supplier transaction and payment processing for the chemical supplier transaction; a web browser associated with at least one trading member, wherein the web browser is configured to allow the trading member to generate data and transmit the data through the web browser to the clearinghouse computer server in an original format compatible with a clearinghouse format; an enterprise resource planning system configured to manage resources of at least another trading member, including product supply chain management; and a translation server coupled to the enterprise resource planning system and to the clearinghouse computer server, the translation server configured to convert data in a format of the enterprise resource planning system into a converted format of the clearinghouse computer server and forward the converted data to the clearinghouse computer server, wherein the converted data and the original format data correspond to communications between a first trading member and a second trading member that relate to initiation of a chemical supplier transaction, order fulfillment for the chemical supplier transaction, and payment processing for the chemical supplier transaction.