CENTRALIZED ELECTRONIC INVOICE SYSTEM

Abstract

An illustrated view of an exemplary centralized electronic invoice/payment system for providing efficiency of invoicing and payment is presented. The centralized electronic invoice/payment system is useful for conveniently receiving all invoices in a timely manner and in one location for review. The centralized electronic invoice/payment system is useful for eliminating redundancy of invoice payments by paying multiple invoices with a single click. The centralized electronic invoice/payment system is further useful for retaining electronic proof of payment indefinitely.

Claims

1. A method for providing centralized invoice payments, the method comprising: receiving a new login at a backend server; computing a unique billing identifier for the new login; reviewing one or more invoices; selecting one or more invoices from the reviewed invoices for payment; selecting a payment method for use; processing the selected invoices for payment; and navigating archives to retrieve proof of payment after the selected invoices have been paid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein computing a unique billing identifier further comprising storing the unique billing identifier at a storage apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein computing a unique billing identifier further comprising: sending the unique billing identifier to a logged in user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein computing a unique billing identifier further comprising: sending the unique billing identifier to a merchant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment method being a default payment method.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment method being updated to a second payment method.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected invoices being an aggregate of more than one invoice.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprising: inputting a new invoice.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the new invoice having the unique billing identifier.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the new invoice being stored at the storage apparatus.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment method being a bank check.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment method being a bank wire transfer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is an illustrated view of an exemplary centralized electronic invoice/payment system.

[0018] FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart for the centralized electronic invoice/payment system shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list.

[0020] “Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,” “by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,” “in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,” “of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,” “preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,” “substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,” “to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise.

[0021] Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, an illustrated view of an exemplary centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100 for providing efficiency of invoicing and payment is presented. The centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100 is useful for conveniently receiving all invoices timely and in one location for review. The centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100 is useful for eliminating redundancy of invoice payments by paying multiple invoices with a single click. The centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100 is further useful for retaining electronic proof of payment indefinitely.

[0023] The centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100 has a user interface 110, a backend server 120, a communication path 140 and a storage apparatus 150. The backend server 120 has computer software 121, a hard disk drive 122, a central processing unit (CPU) 123 and a communication device 124.

[0024] One or more service providers use a computing device 200, 201, 202 to access a first internet network 210. The computing devices 200, 201, 202 access a software package 125 installed on the computing devices 200, 201, 202 or navigate to a website to access a portal into a billing system to submit invoices for services rendered. The computing devices 200, 201, 202 can be any device which allows the service providers to access the centralized invoice/payment system 100. The computing devices 200, 201, 202 are preferably laptop computers 203, however other electronic means are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, smart phones 204, tablets, desktop computers, etc.

[0025] The service providers, once the software package 125 has been activated, login into the backend service 120 of the centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100. The backend service 120 receives the login credentials of the service provider and assigns a unique identifier 101 to each service provider.

[0026] The CPU 123 receives the login information and credentials and invoice information. The invoice information including, but not limited to, payment methods, charges for payment, merchant, etc. The CPU 123 stores login information, unique identifier 101, invoice 102 and credentials, with a timestamp, with all other previously stored login information, credentials and invoice information 310 at the storage apparatus 150.

[0027] The invoice information and unique identifier are stored by the CPU 123 at the storage apparatus 150 in which the merchants may access to see all outstanding invoice information and aggregate the invoice information to be paid at a single time.

[0028] The CPU 123 then directs the invoice information with the unique identifier to a specified merchant 300, 301, 302 on the invoice information for scheduling for payment by storing the login information at the storage apparatus 150 for access of the invoices applying to each of the merchants 300, 301, 302 and aggregating the invoice information 310 for ease of review and processing. All previous and the current invoice information is captured and calculated together to remit one payment, thus one check or wire transfer, to the service provider eliminating overhead and costs with multiple payments to a single service provider.

[0029] Moving now to FIG. 2, an exemplary flowchart 500 for the centralized electronic invoice/payment system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is presented.

[0030] Prior to the activity of the flowchart 500, one of the service providers accesses a computing device 200, 201, 202 and logs into the software package 125 for accessing a user interface of the centralized invoice/payment system 100.

[0031] At 501, if the service provider is a new user to the system, then upon verifying credentials, the backend server 120 obtains a unique identifier 101 for the service provider, at 502, and stores the unique identifier 101 at the storage apparatus 150 at 503.

[0032] At 504, the backend server 120 utilizes the communication device 124 to send the unique billing identifier to the merchants 300, 301, 302.

[0033] At 505, it is determined if an invoice 102 is also included by the service provider. If an invoice 102 is included by the service provider, then the invoice 102 is stored with the unique billing identifier 101 at the storage apparatus 150.

[0034] At 507, if an invoice 102 is not received, at 505, or after the received invoice 102 has been stored at the storage apparatus 150, at 506, the service provider accesses the storage apparatus 150 to review stored invoices 125 associated with their unique billing identifier 101.

[0035] At 508, the stored invoices 102 may be reviewed to see a payment history or to check on a status of a particular invoice 125 or invoices. If the user has completed their activity, then they may log out at 509.

[0036] When reviewing the stored invoices 125 at the storage apparatus 150, the user may select one or more of the invoices 125 to be processed for payment, at 510. At 511 after selecting the invoices for payment, at 510, the user then selects either a default payment method or may specify or select a predetermined payment method, such as by bank check, bank wire transfer, etc.

[0037] Once the payment method has been selected at 511, at 512, the selected invoices 102 are sent to the merchants 300, 301, 302 for payment. Once the user has completed all of the tasks they have set forth, then the user logs out at 509.

[0038] In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to which they refer or other features described above.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

[0040] The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features of other embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0041] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.