Project Management System and Method

A computer readable medium operable in a processing device to manage inventories, the computer readable medium comprising:

• a first processing sequence for generating a user interface to select an approval chain and associate the approval chain with a chain identifier, the approval chain including a group of departments from a plurality of departments, each department being responsible for approving a link of the approval chain;
• a second processing sequence for selecting an item from a plurality of items based upon an item identifier, the item identifier being associated with the chain identifier so that selection of the item identifier automatically selects the approval chain for the item;
• a third processing sequence for selecting an unapproved link from the approval chain;
• a fourth processing sequence operable to send a first message to a first contact notifying the first contact that the unapproved link is awaiting an approval and to send a second message to the first contact after a predetermined time without receipt of the approval;
• and
• a fifth processing sequence operable to convert the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of the approval and to release control of the item when every link in the approval chain has been approved.

A method to manage approvals, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a computing system including a user interface for selecting an approval chain and associating the approval chain with a chain identifier, the approval chain including an approval order and a group of departments from a plurality of departments, each department being responsible for approving a link of the approval chain in the approval order;
• selecting an item identifier corresponding to an item from a plurality of items;
• associating the item identifier with the chain identifier using the user interface so that selection of the item identifier automatically selects the approval chain for the item;
• selecting an unapproved link from the approval chain, the unapproved link being the first unapproved link in the approval order;
• automatically sending a first message electronically to a first contact related to the unapproved link;
• and
• converting the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of an approval by changing a field in a data-structure provided to track each link in the approval chain.

A method to manage approvals, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a computing system including a user interface for selecting an approval chain and associating the approval chain with a chain identifier, the approval chain including a group of departments from a plurality of departments, each department being responsible for approving a link of the approval chain;
• selecting an item identifier corresponding to an item from a plurality of items;
• associating the item identifier with the chain identifier using the user interface so that selection of the item identifier automatically selects the approval chain for the item;
• selecting an unapproved link from the approval chain;
• automatically sending a first message electronically to a first contact related to the unapproved link;
• automatically sending a second message to the first contact after a predetermined time without receipt of the approval;
• and
• converting the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of an approval by changing a field in a data-structure provided to track each link in the approval chain.

A computing system to track the movement of inventory items, the computing system comprising:

• a processing device;
• a computer readable medium for storing a plurality of department identifiers corresponding to a plurality of departments, a plurality of contacts, a plurality of item identifiers corresponding to a plurality of items;
• and
• a plurality of processing sequences configured to release control of an item selected from the plurality of items, the plurality of processing sequences including:
• a first processing sequence for selecting an approval chain and associating the approval chain with a chain identifier, the approval chain including an approval order and a group of departments from the plurality of departments, each department being responsible for approving a link of the approval chain in the approval order;
• a second processing sequence for selecting the item based upon an item identifier selected from the plurality of item identifiers, the item identifier being associated with the chain identifier so that selection of the item identifier automatically selects the approval chain for the item;
• a third processing sequence for selecting an unapproved link from the approval chain, the unapproved link being the first unapproved link in the approval order;
• a fourth processing sequence operable to send a first message to a first contact notifying the first contact that the unapproved link is awaiting an approval and to send a second message to the first contact after a predetermined time without receipt of the approval;
• and
• a fifth processing sequence operable to convert the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of the approval and to release control of the item when every link in the approval chain has been approved.

A computing system to track the movement of inventory items, the computing system comprising:

• a processing device;
• a computer readable medium for storing a plurality of department identifiers corresponding to a plurality of departments, a plurality of contacts, a plurality of item identifiers corresponding to a plurality of items;
• and
• a plurality of processing sequences configured to release control of an item selected from the plurality of items, the plurality of processing sequences including:
• a first processing sequence for selecting an approval chain and associating the approval chain with a chain identifier, the approval chain including a group of departments from the plurality of departments, each department being responsible for approving a link of the approval chain;
• a second processing sequence for selecting the item based upon an item identifier, the item identifier being associated with the chain identifier so that selection of the item identifier automatically selects the approval chain for the item;
• a third processing sequence for selecting an unapproved link from the approval chain;
• a fourth processing sequence operable to send a first message to a first contact notifying the first contact that the unapproved link is awaiting an approval and to send a second message to the first contact after a predetermined time without receipt of the approval;
• and
• a fifth processing sequence operable to convert the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of the approval and to release control of the item when every link in the approval chain has been approved.

A computing system to track the movement of inventory items, the computer readable medium comprising:

• a processing device;
• a computer readable medium for storing a plurality of department identifiers corresponding to a plurality of departments, a plurality of contacts, a plurality of item identifiers corresponding to a plurality of items;
• and
• a software program embedded in the computer readable medium operable by the processing device to:
• select with a user interface an approval chain and associate the approval chain with a chain identifier, the approval chain including a group of departments from a plurality of departments, each department being responsible for approving a link of the approval chain;
• select an item identifier corresponding to an item from a plurality of items;
• associate the item identifier with the chain identifier using the user interface so that selection of the item identifier automatically selects the approval chain for the item;
• select an unapproved link from the approval chain;
• automatically send a first message electronically to a first contact related to the unapproved link;
• automatically send a second message to the first contact after a predetermined time without receipt of the approval;
• and
• convert the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of an approval by changing a field in a data-structure provided to track each link in the approval chain.

A method of managing an inventory, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to release control of an inventory item;
• using a user interface to select an approval chain comprising a plurality of links, each link associated with a contact responsible for approving the corresponding link;
• associating the inventory item with the approval chain;
• selecting an unapproved link from the approval chain in an approval order, the unapproved link being the first unapproved link in the approval order;
• sending a first message to a first contact notifying the first contact that the unapproved link is awaiting an approval and to send a second message to the first contact after a predetermined time without receipt of the approval;
• and
• converting the unapproved link into the approved link upon receipt of the approval;
• and
• releasing control of the inventory item when every link in the approval chain has been approved.