Patent ID: 6954736

Claim:
A method for order confirmation in a supply chain management system generating alerts for the purpose of managing a franchise supply chain, comprising: a) an independent supply chain manager receiving an authorization to negotiate prices for the provision of products by distributors to independent stores in the franchise supply chain; b) the independent supply chain manager negotiating with a distributor a mark up amount to be added to a cost of products obtained from a supplier; c) the independent supply chain management system collecting sales data from a plurality of independent stores of a supply chain utilizing a network on at least a daily basis, the data relating to the sale of goods by the independent stores; d)allowing access to the data utilizing a network-based interface; e)electronically tracking the sales data against forecasted sales; f) generating a first alert if a deviation of the sales data relative to the forecasted sales exceeds a threshold; g) the independent supply chain management system generating and then sending out directly or indirectly via at least one of the independent stores to a distributor an electronic order form to be fulfilled to the at least one of the independent stores based on the sales data relating to multiple completed sales of goods by the at least one independent store of the supply chain, the electronic order form requesting a confirmation of the receipt of the electronic order form to be sent upon receipt of and prior to fulfillment of the order; h) determining whether the confirmation of the receipt of the electronic order form is received by the independent supply chain management system from the distributor; i) the independent supply chain management system generating a second alert upon determining that the independent supply chain management system did not receive the confirmation of the receipt of the electronic order form from the distributor; j) the independent supply chain management system determining a mark up added to the products delivered to one of the independent stores; k) the independent supply chain management system comparing the mark up added to the mark up negotiated by the independent supply chain manager; and l) generating a third alert if a discrepancy in the mark is found.