Patent ID: 7167844

Claim:
A method for completing a purchase order/invoice, comprising the steps of: allowing a buyer to select among a plurality of documents associated with a proposed transaction; allowing the buyer to indicate requirements of trade terms of an agreement relating to the documents selected, wherein the trade terms are presented to a seller on an electronic form via an electronic document platform, such that the electronic form includes a combined purchase order proforma invoice, an electronic transportation document, and an electronic shipping document, wherein the electronic shipping document includes one of an insurance certificate, an inspection certificate, a certificate of origin, an invoice/declaration, a counselor's invoice, a sanction and boycott declaration, a packing list, a weight list, a lab test report, and a beneficiary certificate; permitting the seller to amend the trade terms on the electronic form; creating a new version of the electronic form delineating the trade terms upon each amendment; allowing a negotiation of the trade terms between the buyer and the seller electronically; generating electronically and displaying the negotiated electronic form detailing the negotiation of the trade terms; permitting a digital signature of the electronic form detailing the negotiation of the trade terms; performing a compliance check, wherein the compliance check is triggered automatically in response to the digital signature of the electronic form, and wherein the compliance check includes both checking the combined purchase order proforma invoice against the electronic transportation document and checking the electronic transportation document against the electronic shipping document; and initiating payment to the seller only after receiving a verification of credit of the buyer.