Administering a contract over a data network

Abstract

A method implements change orders over a data communications network for a construction contract. The method includes entering a new change order request at a user interface connected to the data communications network, the new change order request includes a description of at least one of additional work or additional materials and a corresponding scheduled value. The method further includes determining whether the at least one of addition work or additional materials is associated with an existing line item of a schedule of values previously stored in a database accessible over the communications network via a web server. The existing line item is included in the change order request when the work to be performed is determined to be associated with the existing line item. The new change order request is sent to the web server over the communications network for approval.

1 . A method of implementing change orders over a data communications network for a construction contract, the method comprising:
 entering a new change order request at a user interface connected to the data communications network, the new change order request comprising a description of at least one of additional work or additional materials and a corresponding scheduled value;   determining whether the at least one of addition work or additional materials is associated with an existing line item of a schedule of values previously stored in a database accessible over the communications network via a web server;   including the existing line item in the change order request when the work to be performed is determined to be associated with the existing line item; and   sending the new change order request to the web server over the communications network for approval.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when the at least one of addition work or additional materials is not associated with an existing line item, creating a new line item corresponding to the new change order request and including the new line item in the change order request.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving a previous change order from the database;   determining whether the previous change order has been approved or rejected;   when the previous change order has not yet been approved or rejected, revising the previous change order to include the new change order; and   submitting the revised new change order request to the web server over the communications network for approval.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically generating and sending an email notifying an approving party of the submission of the new change order request, wherein the approving party accesses the web server to obtain the change order request.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing the database over the communications network to determine whether the new change order request has been approved or rejected.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 revising the new change order request to change at least one of the description of the work to be performed and the corresponding scheduled value when it is determined that the new change order request has not yet been approved or rejected.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 when the new change order request is approved, updating the existing line item of the previously stored schedule of values to include the scheduled value of the new change order request.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an email from the approving party over the communications network indicating when the new change order request has been approved or rejected.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new change order request is included in a request for payment submitted to the web server for approval. 
     
     
         10 . A method of implementing change orders over a data communications network for a construction contract, the method comprising:
 retrieving a new change order request of a subcontractor from a web server accessible through the data communications network, the new change order request comprising a scheduled change order value, a subcontractor line item and a description of at least one of additional work and additional materials;   associating the subcontractor line item with a general contractor line item;   generating a general contractor change order request comprising the general contractor line item, a general contractor scheduled value based on the scheduled change order value and a mark-up percentage, and the description of the at least one of the additional work and the additional materials;   sending the general contractor change order request to the web server over the communications network for approval; and   automatically generating a notification to an approving party of the submission of the general contractor change order request, wherein the approving party accesses the web server to obtain the change order request.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein associating the subcontractor line item with the general contractor line item comprises:
 determining whether the additional work or the additional materials is associated with an existing general contractor line item of a general contractor schedule of values previously stored in a database accessible through the data communications network;   including the existing general contractor line item in the general contractor change order request when the additional work or the additional materials is determined to be associated with the existing general contractor line item; and   creating a new general contractor line item corresponding to the general contractor change order request when the work to be performed is not associated with an existing line item, and including the new general contractor line item in the general contractor change order request.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the general contractor change order request comprises a plurality of subcontractor change order requests, including the new subcontractor change order request. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 accessing a database over the communications network to determine whether the general contractor change order request has been approved or rejected.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 when the general contractor change order request is approved, approving the new subcontractor change order request and updating the general contractor line item of the previously stored schedule of values to include the scheduled value of the general contractor change order request.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 automatically generating and sending a notification to the subcontractor to inform the subcontractor that the new subcontractor change order request has been approved.   
     
     
         16 . A computer readable medium, storing a program executable by a computer connected to a data communications network, for implementing change orders over the data communications network for a construction contract, the computer readable medium comprising:
 a retrieving code segment for retrieving a new subcontractor change order request from a web server accessible through the data communications network, the new change order request comprising a scheduled change order value, a subcontractor line item and a description of at least one of additional work and additional materials, the subcontractor line item being associated with a general contractor line item of a previously stored schedule of values;   a generating code segment for generating a general contractor change order request comprising the general contractor line item, a general contractor scheduled value based on the scheduled change order value and a mark-up percentage, and the description of the at least one of additional work and additional materials;   a submitting code segment for causing the general contractor change order request to be sent to a web server over the communications network requesting approval; and   a notification code segment for automatically generating and sending an electronic notification to an approving party of the submission of the general contractor change order request, wherein the approving party accesses the web server to obtain the general contractor change order request.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein when the additional work or the additional materials is determined to be associated with the existing general contractor line item, the existing general contractor line item is included in the general contractor change order request; and
 wherein when the additional work or additional materials is not associated with an existing line number, a new general contractor line item corresponding to the general contractor change order request is created and included the new general contractor line item in the change order request.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the general contractor change order request is included in a subsequent request for payment sent to the web server for approval. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an updating code segment for updating the general contractor line item of the previously stored schedule of values to include the scheduled value of the general contractor change order request when the general contractor change order request is approved,   wherein the new subcontractor change order request is approved after the general contractor line item has been updated.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the email code segment automatically generates and sends an email to the subcontractor notifying the subcontractor that the new subcontractor change order request has been approved.