Patent ID: 7464092

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing and reporting customer and product information over a network using a multi-functional management tool, comprising: accessing a customer database that includes a plurality of customer records, wherein each customer record in said customer database tracks a customer, where at least a plurality of different customers include unique records within said customer database; accessing a product database that includes a plurality of product records, wherein each product record tracks a product and also includes corresponding warranty information for at least plural of said products, where at least a plurality of different products include unique records within said product database; accessing a user database that includes a plurality of user records, wherein each user record tracks a user of said products, where at least a plurality of different users include unique records within said user database; receiving information from a customer, and base on said information, determining if a record exists for said customer, and creating a customer record associated with said customer if said determining determines that said customer record based on said information received from the customer to modify said customer record based on said information, where said customer record includes customer information and product information associated with said customer and where said customer record is updated based on said receiving; updating said product database based on information received from said customer to add or modify at least a product record and to maintain information for products defined by said product record; updating said user database based on interaction with said customer to modify at least a user record; responsive to a report request, accessing all of said customer database as updated with said customer information, said user database as updated based on said interaction with said customer, and also said product database as updated based on interaction with said customer, to acquire information, and using information from all of said customer database and said product database, user database to create an electronically-accessible report containing said information from all of said customer database, said user database, and said product database responsive to said request.