Method for automatically invoking a software module in response to an internal or external event affecting the procurement of an item

A method using a computer system, which includes a data mart with internal data from one or more data sources and external data from one or more data sources, and a plurality of software modules, the method automatically invoking one or more software modules as a response to one or more internal events and/or external events that affect or potentially affect business operations associated with procurement, sourcing, and/or strategic sourcing of one or more items in an enterprise, and comprising the steps of:

• extracting, via one or more software modules, first information regarding one or more internal events from one or more data sources and/or one or more external events from one or more data sources, wherein the first information is potentially relevant to the business operations associated with the procurement, sourcing, and/or strategic sourcing of the one or more items in the enterprise;
• loading the first information into the datamart;
• determining, via one or more software modules, relevance of the first information to the business operations associated with the procurement, sourcing, and/or strategic sourcing of the one or more items in the enterprise;
• analyzing, via one or more software modules, an impact of the first information on the business operations associated with the procurement, sourcing, and/or strategic sourcing of the one or more items in the enterprise;
• triggering automatically one or more software modules to alert the user that one or more software modules are acting to resolve the impact of the first information on the business operations in the enterprise regarding the procurement, sourcing, and/or strategic sourcing of the one or more items;
• and
• invoking one or more software modules to provide actions to resolve the impact of the first information on the business operations in the enterprise regarding the procurement, sourcing, and/or strategic sourcing of the one or more items.

A method using a computer system and a plurality of software modules for assisting users in the procurement of a particular item used in the business activities of an enterprise, the method comprising the step of:

• receiving, via one or more software modules, external data, wherein the external data relates to an external event corresponding to the particular item of the enterprise and is received from a source external to the enterprise;
• analyzing, via one or more of the software modules, the external data, wherein an analysis is made of a predicted impact of the external event on an expected ability of the enterprise to procure the particular item after the external event;
• alerting, via one or more of the software modules, a user of the external event and the predicted impact of the external event on the expected ability of the enterprise to procure the particular item after the external event;
• recommending, via one or more of the software modules, one or more proposed actions to the user, wherein the one or more proposed actions correspond to procurement of the particular item and mitigate potential impact of the external event on the enterprise.

A method using a computer system and a plurality of software modules for assisting users in the procurement of a particular item used in the business activities of an enterprise, the method comprising the step of:

• receiving, via one or more software modules, internal data, wherein the internal data relates to an internal event corresponding to the particular item of the enterprise and is received from a source internal to the enterprise;
• analyzing, via one or more of the software modules, the external data, wherein an analysis is made of a predicted impact of the external event on an expected ability of the enterprise to procure the particular item after the external event;
• alerting, via one or more of the software modules, a user of the external event and the predicted impact of the external event on the expected ability of the enterprise to procure the particular item after the external event;
• recommending, via one or more of the software modules, one or more proposed actions to the user, wherein the one or more proposed actions correspond to procurement of the particular item and mitigate potential impact of the external event on the enterprise.