System, device, method, and medium for processing sales and non-monetary transfers

Abstract

A system is described that processes transactions as sales and non-monetary transfers. Processing occurs in a cycle where at a single prompt, a transaction is identified as a sale or a non-monetary transfer. A good that is the subject of the transaction is also identified. The good, and either a sales price or cost price, depending on whether the transaction is a sale or a non-monetary transfer, respectively, is displayed. A record of the transaction, including whether the transaction is a sale or a non-monetary transfer and the sales price or cost price, respectively, is created and stored. An inventory count record is adjusted to reflect an adjustment to inventory based on the occurrence of the transaction. The system that processes transactions as sales and non-monetary transfers may include multiple devices in a server/client architecture or may include a single device. A corresponding method and storage medium are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a server device, including a server processor, a server memory, a server input, and a server display; and   a point-of-transaction (POT) client device including a client processor, a client memory, a client input, and a client display,   the POT client device being connected over a network with the server device, and   the server device and the POT client device implementing a transaction cycle that includes
 the POT client device accepting through the client input an identification of a transaction as a sale or as a non-monetary transfer; 
 the POT client device accepting through the client input, an identification of a good that is a subject of the transaction, the good to be delivered out of an inventory of a first entity to a second entity upon completion of processing of the transaction; 
 the server device communicating a sales price, stored in the server memory, to the POT client device when the transaction is identified as a sale, the POT client device then displaying on the client display a first indication of the good along with a sales price of the good; 
 the server device communicating a cost price of the good, reflecting a cost of the first entity to obtain the good for the inventory, to the POT client device when the transaction is identified as a non-monetary transfer, the POT client device then displaying on the client display a second indication of the good along with the cost price of the good; 
   the server device creating and storing in the server memory a record of the transaction including whether the transaction is the sale or the non-monetary transfer of the good and the sales price or the cost price, respectively; and
 the server device adjusting an inventory count record, being representative of the number of units of the good on hand in the inventory and stored in the server memory, based on the occurrence of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further wherein:
 after the POT client device displays the first indication or the second indication, and prior to the server creating and storing the record and adjusting the inventory count record,   the POT client device further implements a settlement cycle including:
 accepting at the client input an identification of a manner of payment of the sales price when the transaction has been identified as a sale, and 
 accepting at the client input an identification of an entity to whom the cost price can be attributed when the transaction has been identified as a non-monetary transfer, 
 and communicating to the server either the manner of payment or the identification of the entity to whom the cost price will be attributed, the server further including the manner of payment or the identification of the entity in the record of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the manner of payment includes one of a cash/credit card option and a deferred invoice option.   
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the server device and the POT client device implementing the transaction cycle and the settlement cycle for a plurality of transactions, and   the server device, based on records created and stored in the server memory during each transaction cycle and settlement cycle for the plurality of transactions, calculates
 a total value of all cash and credit card sales resulting from the plurality of transactions, 
 a total amount of all deferred invoice sales resulting from the plurality of transactions, and 
 a total amount of all non-monetary transfers, given by a total of a cost price for each non-monetary transfer, resulting from the plurality of transactions. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the server device or the POT client device
 displays, on the server display or client display, respectively, or 
 causes a printer to print 
   the total value of all cash and credit card sales, the total amount of all deferred invoice sales, and the total amount of all non-monetary transfers.   
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the server device and the POT client device perform the transaction cycle for a plurality of transactions; and   the server device or the POT client device
 displays, on the server display or client display, respectively, or 
 causes a printer to print 
   an inventory summary indicating the inventory count record for each good in the inventory.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the server device or the POT client device
 displays, on the server display or the client display, respectively, or 
 causes a printer to print 
   the record of the transaction as a receipt of the transaction.   
     
     
         8 . A method, implemented by a computer, comprising:
 performing, by the computer, a transaction cycle including
 in response to
 an identification of a transaction as either a sale or a non-monetary transfer, and 
 an identification of a good that is a subject of the transaction, the good to be delivered out of an inventory of a first entity to a second entity upon completion of the transaction, 
 
 displaying, or causing to be displayed by another computer,
 a first indication of the good and a sales price of the good stored in the computer, when the transaction is identified as a sale and 
 a second indication of the good and a cost price of the good stored in the computer, the cost price reflecting a cost of the first entity to obtain the good for the inventory, when the transaction is identified as a non-monetary transfer; 
 
 creating and storing a record of the transaction including whether the transaction is the sale or the non-monetary transfer of the good and the sales price or the cost price, respectively; and 
 adjusting an inventory count record stored in the computer, the inventory count record being representative of the number of units of the good on hand in the inventory based on the occurrence of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 after displaying, or causing to be displayed in another computer, the first indication or the second indication, and prior to creating and storing the record and adjusting the inventory count record,   performing, by the computer a settlement cycle, including:
 receiving an identification of a manner of payment of the sales price when the transaction has been identified as a sale, 
 receiving an identification of an entity to whom the cost price will be attributed when the transaction has been identified as a non-monetary transfer, 
 storing the manner of payment or the identification of the entity to whom the cost price will be attributed, and 
 including the manner of payment or the identification of the entity in the record of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the manner of payment includes one of a cash/credit card option and a deferred invoice option.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 performing, by the computer, the transaction cycle and settlement cycle for a plurality of transactions; and   based on records created for the plurality of transactions, calculating by the computer
 a total value of all cash and credit card sales resulting from the plurality of transactions, 
 a total amount of all deferred invoice sales resulting from the plurality of transactions, and 
 a total amount of all non-monetary transfers, given by a total of the cost price for each non-monetary transfer, resulting from the plurality of transactions. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 displaying or printing by the computer, or causing to be displayed or printed by another computer,   the total value of all cash/credit card sales, the total amount of all deferred invoice sales, and the total amount of all non-monetary transfers to be displayed or printed.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 performing, by the computer, the transaction cycle for a plurality of transactions; and   displaying or printing by the computer, or causing to be displayed or printed by another computer,   an inventory summary indicating an inventory count record for each good in the inventory to be displayed or printed.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 displaying or printing by the computer, or causing to be displayed or printed by another computer,   the record of the transaction as a receipt of the transaction.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method comprising:
 a transaction cycle including
 in response to
 an identification of a transaction as either a sale or a non-monetary transfer, and 
 an identification of a good that is a subject of the transaction, the good to be delivered out of an inventory of a first entity to a second entity upon completion of the transaction, 
 
 displaying, or causing to be displayed by another computer,
 a first indication of the good and a sales price of the good stored in the computer, when the transaction is identified as a sale and 
 a second indication of the good and a cost price of the good stored in the computer, the cost price reflecting a cost of the first entity to obtain the good for the inventory, when the transaction is identified as a non-monetary transfer; 
 
 creating and storing in the computer, a record of the transaction including whether the transaction is the sale or the non-monetary transfer of the good and the sales price or the cost price, respectively; and 
 adjusting an inventory count record stored in the computer, the inventory count record being representative of the number of units of the good on hand in the inventory based on the occurrence of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 after displaying, or causing to be displayed in another computer, the first indication or the second indication, and prior to creating and storing the record and adjusting the inventory count record,   performing a settlement cycle, including:
 receiving an identification of a manner of payment of the sales price when the transaction has been identified as a sale, 
 receiving an identification of an entity to whom the cost price will be attributed when the transaction has been identified as a non-monetary transfer, 
 storing the manner of payment or the identification of the entity to whom the cost price will be attributed, such that the manner of payment or the identification of the entity are included in the record of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the manner of payment includes one of a cash/credit card option and a deferred invoice option.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
 performing the transaction cycle and the settlement cycle for a plurality of transactions; and   based on records created for the plurality of transactions, calculating
 a total value of all cash and credit card sales resulting from the plurality of transactions, 
 a total amount of all deferred invoice sales resulting from the plurality of transactions, and 
 a total amount of all non-monetary transfers, given by a total of the cost price for each non-monetary transfer, resulting from the plurality of transactions. 
   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
 displaying or printing, or causing to be displayed or printed by another computer,   the total value of all cash/credit card sales, the total amount of all deferred invoice sales, and the total amount of all non-monetary transfers.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 performing the transaction cycle for a plurality of transactions; and   displaying or printing, or causing to be displayed or printed by another computer,   an inventory summary indicating an inventory count record for each good in the inventory.