Methods and systems for electronic bill presentment and payment

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for processing bills for a customer. A request for master data of the customer is received from a first processing module by means of a second processing module having access to the master data of the customer and the master data comprising bill format information. The second processing module sends the requested master data to the first processing module and receives a bill in a format specified in the master data of the customer from the first processing module.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer system for bill review dispatching comprising:
 at least one processor;   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are operable to perform the following steps:
 receiving a consolidated bill comprising two or more itemized billing positions associated with one or more purchase orders between one or more billers and a customer; 
 presenting the two or more itemized billing positions to a bill dispatcher user; 
 receiving a first selection from the bill dispatcher user, wherein the first selection identifies one or more itemized billing positions within the consolidated bill; 
 receiving a second selection from the bill dispatcher user, wherein the second selection identifies one or more bill reviewer users; 
 associating the identified itemized billing positions with the identified bill reviewer users; and 
 dispatching review of the identified itemized billing positions to the associated bill reviewer users, wherein dispatching review comprises executing a series of steps for each identified itemized billing position:
 making the identified itemized billing position available for presentment to the associated bill reviewer users; and 
 receiving payment instructions for the identified itemized billing position from one of the associated bill reviewer users, wherein payment instructions include an internal account number to which at least a portion of the payment should be charged; and 
 
 initiating electronic payment of the identified itemized billing position consistent with the payment instructions. 
   
     
     
         22 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the step of initiating electronic payment of the identified itemized billing position consistent with the payment instructions further comprises the steps of:
 requesting that an electronic payment be made for the identified itemized billing position that an associated bill reviewer user instructed to pay;   communicating payment rejection of an identified itemized billing position that an associated bill reviewer user instructed not to pay; and   communicating payment dispute of an identified itemized billing position that an associated bill reviewer user instructed to dispute.   
     
     
         23 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the step of making the identified itemized billing position available for presentment further comprises the step of electronically notifying the associated bill reviewer user that the identified itemized billing position is available for review. 
     
     
         24 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the step of initiating electronic payment further comprises electronically notifying the bill dispatcher user that payment instructions have been received for the identified itemized billing position. 
     
     
         25 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the step of initiating electronic payment further comprises presenting the identified itemized billing position and payment instructions for the itemized billing position to the bill dispatcher user after payment instructions for the identified itemized billing position has been received. 
     
     
         26 . The computer system of  claim 23 , wherein the electronic notification comprises e-mail. 
     
     
         27 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the step of making the identified itemized billing position available for presentment further comprises authenticating the associated bill reviewer user prior to the associated bill reviewer user accessing the identified itemized billing position. 
     
     
         28 . The computer system of  claim 27 , wherein the step of authenticating the associated bill reviewer user uses secure sockets layer (SSL). 
     
     
         29 . The computer system of  claim 27 , wherein the step of authenticating the associated bill reviewer user comprises using a user-id and password mechanism. 
     
     
         30 . A tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, are operable to perform the following steps:
 receiving a consolidated bill comprising two or more itemized billing positions associated with one or more purchase orders between one or more billers and a customer;   presenting the two or more itemized billing positions to a bill dispatcher user;   receiving a first selection from the bill dispatcher user, wherein the first selection identifies one or more itemized billing positions within the consolidated bill;   receiving a second selection from the bill dispatcher user, wherein the second selection identifies one or more bill reviewer users;   associating the identified itemized billing positions with the identified bill reviewer users; and   dispatching review of the identified itemized billing positions to the associated bill reviewer users, wherein dispatching review comprises executing a series of steps for each identified itemized billing position:
 making the identified itemized billing position available for presentment to the associated bill reviewer users; and 
 receiving payment instructions for the identified itemized billing position from one of the associated bill reviewer users, wherein payment instructions include an internal account number to which at least a portion of the payment should be charged; and 
   initiating electronic payment of the identified itemized billing position consistent with the payment instructions.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the step of initiating electronic payment of the identified itemized billing position consistent with the payment instructions further comprises the steps of:
 requesting that an electronic payment be made for the identified itemized billing position that an associated bill reviewer user instructed to pay;   communicating payment rejection of an identified itemized billing position that an associated bill reviewer user instructed not to pay; and   communicating payment dispute of an identified itemized billing position that an associated bill reviewer user instructed to dispute.   
     
     
         32 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the step of making the identified itemized billing position available for presentment further comprises the step of electronically notifying the associated bill reviewer user that the identified itemized billing position is available for review. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the step of initiating electronic payment further comprises electronically notifying the bill dispatcher user that payment instructions have been received for the identified itemized billing position. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the step of initiating electronic payment further comprises presenting the identified itemized billing position and payment instructions for the itemized billing position to the bill dispatcher user after payment instructions for the identified itemized billing position has been received. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein the electronic notification comprises e-mail. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the step of making the identified itemized billing position available for presentment further comprises authenticating the associated bill reviewer user prior to the associated bill reviewer user accessing the identified itemized billing position. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the step of authenticating the associated bill reviewer user uses secure sockets layer (SSL). 
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the step of authenticating the associated bill reviewer user comprises using a user-id and password mechanism.