Custom product estimating and order processing system

A method of ordering the manufacture of an item, comprising the steps of:

• selecting the item to be manufactured from a plurality of items characterized by respective sets of parameters stored in a memory device using a first computer, at least one of said sets of parameters being different from the other said sets of parameters;
• generating a specification for the item using said first computer by entering data relating to said set of parameters corresponding to the item to be manufactured using a first input device;
• transmitting the specification to a second computer which is configured to maintain a substantially centralized database comprising pricing data;
• generating estimate data using said second computer in accordance with said specification;
• transmitting said estimate data to said first computer;
• generating a first production order using said first computer in accordance with said specification and said estimate data;
• transmitting said first production order to said second computer;
• transmitting said first production order to a third computer at a manufacturing plant, said second computer being located at a corporate office and said first computer being located at a sales site remotely located from the corporate office;
• and
• reviewing said first production order at said corporate office.

A method of ordering the manufacture of an item, comprising the steps of:

• selecting the item to be manufactured from a plurality of items characterized by respective sets of parameters stored in a memory device using a first computer, at least one of said sets of parameters being different from the other said sets of parameters;
• generating a specification for the item using said first computer by entering data relating to said set of parameters corresponding to the item to be manufactured using a first input device;
• transmitting the specification to a second computer which is configured to maintain a substantially centralized database comprising pricing data;
• generating estimate data using said second computer in accordance with said specification;
• transmitting said estimate data to said first computer;
• generating a first production order using said first computer in accordance with said specification and said estimate data;
• transmitting said first production order to said second computer;
• transmitting said first production order to a third computer at a manufacturing plant, said second computer being located at a corporate office and said first computer being located at a sales site remotely located from the corporate office;
• and
• reviewing said first production order at said manufacturing plant and fulfilling said first production order if it is determined to be acceptable, and notifying said first computer if said first production order is determined to be unacceptable.

A method of ordering the manufacture of an item, comprising the steps of:

• selecting the item to be manufactured from a plurality of items characterized by respective sets of parameters stored in a memory device using a first computer, at least one of said sets of parameters being different from the other said sets of parameters;
• generating a specification for the item using said first computer by entering data relating to said set of parameters corresponding to the item to be manufactured using a first input device;
• transmitting the specification to a second computer which is configured to maintain a substantially centralized database comprising pricing data;
• generating estimate data using said second computer in accordance with said specification, said generating step comprising the step of determining pricing data from at least one table of data stored in a memory device that is accessible by said second computer, said pricing data comprising data that is specific to a particular customer with whom a contractual agreement is established and for which said table is modified in accordance with the terms of the contractual agreement;
• and
• transmitting said estimate data to said first computer.