JP7665564B2 - PROGRAM, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a program, an information processing device, and a method.

Recently, cashless payments have become more common, where various payments are made using means other than cash, such as electronic money, which is electronic information that has the same value as currency. In addition, payments using cryptocurrencies using blockchain technology are also becoming more common as a cashless payment method.

This type of cashless payment is becoming more common not only when individuals purchase goods at stores, but also in the field of e-commerce between businesses, including companies and sole proprietors.

As a technology for supporting electronic commerce between businesses, Patent Document 1 discloses technology for a system that supports transactions using credit virtual currency.

Special Publication No. 2020-505657

However, in the case of transactions between businesses, even if one wishes to use a payment method that suits one's own convenience, it is not easy to switch to cashless payment, as the convenience of the other party also matters. In addition, there are a wide variety of cashless payment methods, and it is not easy to grasp the method that the other party prefers.

Therefore, this disclosure describes technology that makes it easy to select a payment method, including cashless payment, in transactions between businesses, and allows the payment method to be set for each business partner and for each transaction.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a program is provided to be executed by a computer having a processor and a memory. The memory stores first information for identifying one or more payment methods set by a user (a business owner) as a means to be used in transactions with other business owners. The program causes the processor to execute the steps of: presenting to the user a workflow that manages information related to the user's transactions with other business owners; presenting to the user one or more pieces of first information stored in the workflow; accepting selection of one piece of first information in transactions with other business owners presented in the workflow; outputting payment data for settling the amount of the transaction according to each means based on the accepted one piece of first information; and generating accounting data corresponding to the payment means in the accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data.

This disclosure makes it easier to select a payment method, including cashless payment, for transactions between businesses. It also makes it possible to set a payment method for each business partner and for each transaction.

A diagram showing the overall configuration of a transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. A block diagram showing the functional configuration of a terminal device 10 that constitutes the transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. A diagram showing the functional configuration of a server 20 that constitutes a transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. A figure showing an example of the data structure of a user business database 2021 stored in a server 20 constituting a transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. A figure showing an example of the data structure of a transaction database 2022 stored in the server 20 constituting the transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. A figure showing an example of the data structure of an accounting database 2023 stored in the server 20 constituting the transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of transaction information registration processing performed by the transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of payment method registration processing by the transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of settlement processing by the transaction management system 1 of embodiment 1. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a workflow screen displayed on a terminal device 10. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of transaction information displayed on the terminal device 10. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a payment method selection screen displayed on the terminal device 10.

Below, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, identical parts are given the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated.

＜Overview＞
The transaction management system according to the present disclosure will be described below. The transaction management system according to the present disclosure is a system for managing information on transactions between users who are business operators. In general, when transactions such as ordering, receiving, and purchasing goods and services are carried out between businesses or individual business owners, the processes of quotation, ordering, receiving, delivery, billing, and payment are often carried out. For example, when placing an order or receiving an order for a transaction between businesses, the ordering company asks the receiving company to submit a quotation, and when an agreement is reached on the conditions such as the amount stated in the quotation, the receiving company asks the receiving company to submit a purchase order, the receiving company provides the goods or service, the receiving company asks the receiving company to submit an invoice for the payment of the cost of the service, and the amount stated in the invoice is actually paid. In this way, the transaction management system according to the present disclosure accepts access from the business operators who are the parties to the transaction, manages the processes such as quotation, ordering, receiving, delivery, billing, and payment in the transaction as a workflow, shares information between the businesses involved in the transaction, and manages these processes by accepting updates of status information such as creating, waiting, checking, and approved. The transaction management system according to the present disclosure is a system provided as a Web service, for example, by a cloud server or the like, a so-called SaaS (Software as a Service).

Here, the concept of a business operator includes not only legal entities such as companies, but also sole proprietors. Note that the transaction management system according to the present disclosure is not limited to the function of managing transactions as described above, but may also be a system that provides general accounting processing services related to the user, the business operator. For example, the input transaction information may be used as deposit and withdrawal information, and further the input of financial information such as owned assets may be accepted, and accounting processing services for the user's company or sole proprietorship may be provided.

However, even in such transactions between businesses, cashless payments, in which various payments are made using means other than cash, such as electronic money, are becoming more common. Here, electronic money refers to monetary value that can be used by unspecified persons to pay for the purchase of goods or the provision of services, and is transferable through electronic information processing. In addition, payments using crypto assets using blockchain technology are becoming more common as a cashless payment method. Such cashless payments have the advantage that they are easy to manage as electronic information and reduce the risk of loss, etc., so there is a demand for them to be used in transactions between businesses. However, in the case of transactions between businesses, even if one wishes to make payments using a payment method that suits one's own convenience, it is not easy to switch to cashless payments due to the convenience of the other party to the transaction.

The transaction management system according to the present disclosure presents a workflow for a transaction when accessed by a business operator, presents multiple payment methods for the transaction, including cashless payment, and accepts the selection of the payment method for each transaction. When an agreement is reached between the businesses involved in the transaction to use the selected payment method, the system outputs payment data to make the payment using that payment method and generates accounting data.

The above-mentioned configuration makes it possible to respond to the diversification of payment methods by providing the most suitable payment method for the business operator, while minimizing the burden on the accounting department and other personnel at the business operator.

<First embodiment>
The following describes the transaction management system 1. In the following description, for example, when the terminal device 10 accesses the server 20, the server 20 responds with information for generating a screen on the terminal device 10. The terminal device 10 generates and displays a screen based on the information received from the server 20.

<1 Overall configuration of transaction management system 1>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a transaction management system 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the transaction management system 1 includes a plurality of terminal devices (terminal device 10A and terminal device 10B are shown in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, they may be collectively referred to as "terminal device 10"), a server 20, and an external server 30. The terminal device 10, the server 20, and the external server 30 are connected to each other via a network 80 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The network 80 is configured as a wired or wireless network. In this embodiment, the server 20 is a web server (including a cloud server), and exchanges information with the terminal device 10 via web pages. In addition, a web page browser for viewing web pages is installed in the terminal device 10, but a dedicated application for providing the services of the server 20 may also be installed and configured to be viewable by the dedicated application.

The terminal device 10 is a device operated by each user. Here, a user is a person who uses the terminal device 10 to register and update transaction information, selection of a payment method related to a transaction, and transaction status information, which are functions of the transaction management system 1, and is, for example, a person in charge of a company that is a business conducting a transaction, or a sole proprietor. The terminal device 10 is realized by a stationary PC (Personal Computer), a laptop PC, etc. Alternatively, the terminal device 10 may be, for example, a tablet compatible with a mobile communication system, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, etc.

The terminal device 10 is connected to the server 20 via a network 80 so as to be able to communicate with the server 20. The terminal device 10 is connected to the network 80 by communicating with communication devices such as a wireless base station 81 that supports communication standards such as 4G, 5G, and LTE (Long Term Evolution), and a wireless LAN router 82 that supports wireless LAN (Local Area Network) standards such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11. As shown as the terminal device 10B in FIG. 1, the terminal device 10 includes a communication IF (Interface) 12, an input device 13, an output device 14, a memory 15, a storage unit 16, and a processor 19.

The communication IF 12 is an interface for inputting and outputting signals so that the terminal device 10 can communicate with external devices. The input device 13 is an input device (e.g., a keyboard, a touch panel, a touch pad, a pointing device such as a mouse, etc.) for receiving input operations from a user. The output device 14 is an output device (a display, a speaker, etc.) for presenting information to a user. The memory 15 is for temporarily storing programs and data processed by the programs, etc., and is a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). The storage unit 16 is a storage device for saving data, such as a flash memory or a HDD (Hard Disc Drive). The processor 19 is hardware for executing an instruction set described in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, a register, peripheral circuits, etc.

The server 20 is a device that manages information about the business user, transaction information, selection of payment method related to the transaction, and transaction status information. The server 20 accepts registration of transaction information from the business user, and presents selectable payment methods related to the transaction and accepts the selection. The server 20 also outputs payment data related to the transaction in order to make payment using the payment method, outputs report data related to the transaction as necessary, and generates accounting data.

The server 20 is a computer connected to the network 80. The server 20 includes a communication IF 22, an input/output IF 23, a memory 25, a storage 26, and a processor 29.

The communication IF 22 is an interface for inputting and outputting signals so that the server 20 can communicate with external devices. The input/output IF 23 functions as an interface with an input device for accepting input operations from the user and an output device for presenting information to the user. The memory 25 is for temporarily storing programs and data processed by the programs, etc., and is a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). The storage 26 is a storage device for saving data, such as a flash memory or a HDD (Hard Disc Drive). The processor 29 is hardware for executing a set of instructions written in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, registers, peripheral circuits, etc.

The external server 30 is a server device provided by a financial institution such as a bank, or a server device provided by a payment agent that manages electronic money, and manages various data related to the bank accounts or electronic money accounts used by businesses and employees. When the external server 30 receives payment data, for example via a specified API, it performs a specified authentication, and if the data is legitimate, it performs a transfer process to the account of the business of the corresponding transaction partner, or transfers monetary value to the electronic money account. The external server 30 is a computer connected to the network 80.

<1.1 Configuration of terminal device 10>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the terminal device 10 constituting the transaction management system 1 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal device 10 includes a plurality of antennas (antenna 111, antenna 112), wireless communication units (first wireless communication unit 121, second wireless communication unit 122) corresponding to each antenna, an operation reception unit 130 (including a keyboard 131 and a mouse 132), a voice processing unit 140, a microphone 141, a speaker 142, a display 150, a storage unit 160, and a control unit 170. The terminal device 10 also has functions and configurations (e.g., a battery for storing power, a power supply circuit for controlling the supply of power from the battery to each circuit, etc.) that are not particularly shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, each block included in the terminal device 10 is electrically connected by a bus or the like. The terminal device 10 shown in FIG. 2 will be described as a mobile terminal such as a tablet or a smartphone compatible with a mobile communication system, but may be a stationary PC (Personal Computer) or a laptop PC.

The antenna 111 emits the signal emitted by the terminal device 10 as a radio wave. The antenna 111 also receives the radio wave from space and provides the received signal to the first wireless communication unit 121.

The antenna 112 emits the signal emitted by the terminal device 10 as a radio wave. The antenna 112 also receives the radio wave from space and provides the received signal to the second wireless communication unit 122.

The first wireless communication unit 121 performs modulation and demodulation processing and the like for transmitting and receiving signals via the antenna 111 so that the terminal device 10 can communicate with other wireless devices. The second wireless communication unit 122 performs modulation and demodulation processing and the like for transmitting and receiving signals via the antenna 112 so that the terminal device 10 can communicate with other wireless devices. The first wireless communication unit 121 and the second wireless communication unit 122 are communication modules including a tuner, an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) calculation circuit, a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) calculation circuit, a high-frequency circuit, and the like. The first wireless communication unit 121 and the second wireless communication unit 122 perform modulation and demodulation and frequency conversion of wireless signals transmitted and received by the terminal device 10, and provide the received signals to the control unit 170.

The operation reception unit 130 has a mechanism for receiving input operations from the user. Specifically, the operation reception unit 130 includes a keyboard 131 and a mouse 132. Note that the operation reception unit 130 may be configured as a touch screen that detects the user's contact position on the touch panel, for example, by using a capacitive touch panel.

The keyboard 131 accepts input operations by the user of the terminal device 10. The keyboard 131 is a device for inputting characters, and outputs the input character information to the control unit 170 as an input signal.

The mouse 132 accepts input operations by the user of the terminal device 10. The mouse 132 is a pointing device for selecting an object displayed on the display 150, and outputs position information of the object selected on the screen and information indicating that a button has been pressed as input signals to the control unit 170.

The audio processing unit 140 modulates and demodulates audio signals. The audio processing unit 140 modulates a signal provided by the microphone 141 and provides the modulated signal to the control unit 170. The audio processing unit 140 also provides the audio signal to the speaker 142. The audio processing unit 140 is realized, for example, by a processor for audio processing. The microphone 141 accepts audio input and provides an audio signal corresponding to the audio input to the audio processing unit 140. The speaker 142 converts the audio signal provided by the audio processing unit 140 into audio and outputs the audio to the outside of the terminal device 10.

The display 150 displays data such as images, videos, and text in response to the control of the control unit 170. The display 150 is realized, for example, by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display.

The storage unit 160 is composed of a memory 15, such as a flash memory, and a storage unit 16, and stores data and programs used by the terminal device 10. In one aspect, the storage unit 160 stores user information 161.

User information 161 is information about a user who uses the terminal device 10 to register and update transaction information, which is a function of the transaction management system 1, selection information of a payment method related to a transaction, and transaction status information. User information includes information that identifies the business (business ID), the name of the business, selectable payment methods, etc.

The control unit 170 is, for example, configured by the processor 19, and controls the operation of the terminal device 10 by reading a program stored in the storage unit 160 and executing instructions contained in the program. The control unit 170 performs the functions of an input operation reception unit 171, a transmission/reception unit 172, a data processing unit 173, and a notification control unit 174 by operating according to a program (not shown) that is, for example, an application that is stored in advance in the storage unit 160 of the terminal device 10 and installed.

The input operation reception unit 171 performs processing to receive user input operations on an input device such as the keyboard 131.

The transmission/reception unit 172 performs processing for the terminal device 10 to transmit and receive data to and from external devices such as the server 20 in accordance with a communication protocol.

The data processing unit 173 performs calculations on the data received by the terminal device 10 according to a program, and outputs the calculation results to a memory or the like.

The notification control unit 174 performs processing to present information to the user. The notification control unit 174 performs processing to display a display image on the display 150, output audio to the speaker 142, etc.

<1.2 Functional configuration of server 20>
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 20 constituting the transaction management system 1 of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the server 20 performs the functions of a communication unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a control unit 203.

The communication unit 201 performs processing for the server 20 to communicate with external devices.

The memory unit 202 is composed of, for example, a memory 25 and a storage 26, and stores data and programs used by the server 20. The memory unit 202 stores a user business database 2021, a transaction database 2022, an accounting database 2023, etc.

The user business database 2021 is a database for holding information on business operators that are the subjects of transactions by the transaction management system 1 and that are subject to management by the transaction management system 1, specifically, information that identifies the business operator (business operator ID), the name of the business operator, selectable payment methods, etc. Details will be described later.

The transaction database 2022 is a database for holding various information related to transactions managed by the transaction management system 1, specifically, the business entity that is the transaction subject, the transaction amount, the workflow of the transaction, status information for each process, and the payment method of the transaction. Details will be described later.

The accounting database 2023 is a database for storing accounting information related to the business's accounting processes. Details will be described later.

The control unit 203 performs the functions shown in various modules, such as a receiving control module 2031, a sending control module 2032, a transaction information receiving module 2033, a workflow presentation module 2034, a payment method information presentation module 2035, a payment method selection receiving module 2036, a payment data output module 2037, a report data output module 2038, and an accounting data output module 2039, by the processor 29 of the server 20 performing processing according to a program.

The reception control module 2031 controls the process in which the server 20 receives signals from external devices according to a communication protocol.

The transmission control module 2032 controls the process in which the server 20 transmits signals to external devices according to a communication protocol.

The transaction information reception module 2033 controls the process of receiving input of transaction details with other businesses from users in the workflow managed by the transaction management system 1. The transaction details received by the transaction information reception module 2033 include, for example, information on the parties involved in the transaction, such as the orderer, the order recipient, the purchaser, etc., information on the case, delivery date, amount, etc., and may include deliverables and deliverables if the deliverables and deliverables can be managed as electronic information, such as reports and design documents. The business that inputs the transaction details into the transaction information reception module 2033 may be either a corporation or an individual, as long as it is a party involved in the transaction, such as the orderer, the order recipient, the purchaser, etc., but it must be registered as a user in the transaction management system 1. If not registered, registration is performed in advance, and an ID and password are issued and a predetermined authentication is performed.

The information about the entities involved in the transaction that is accepted by the transaction information acceptance module 2033 includes information such as the company or individual name, trade name, contact information (telephone number, email address, and account information for users registered in the transaction management system 1). The entities involved in the transaction may be any entity involved in the transaction, such as the orderer, order recipient, or purchaser, and specifically may be two or more entities (two companies), or three or more entities (three companies), and may include those who pay the fees for the transaction and those who receive the fees, but may also include those who are not involved in the payment of fees (such as simple advisors or auditors). Information about the case includes the name of the case, such as "Writing an article for Company X".

The transaction information reception module 2033 registers and stores information on the contents of the received transaction in the transaction database 2022.

The workflow presentation module 2034 controls the process of transmitting a workflow that manages information about transactions between the user and other businesses to the terminal device 10 and presenting it to the user, in response to the user's operation of the terminal device 10. Specifically, the workflow presentation module 2034 presents processes in a transaction, such as quotation, ordering, receiving an order, delivery, billing, and payment, as a workflow, and presents status information for these processes, such as creating, waiting, checking, and approved. The workflow presentation module 2034 shares such a workflow by presenting it to multiple businesses involved in the transaction.

The payment method information presentation module 2035 controls the process of transmitting information (first information) specifying one or more payment methods set as a means to be used with other businesses in a transaction, which is stored as user setting information, to the terminal device 10 and presenting it to the user for the workflow related to the transaction. The payment method information presentation module 2035 reads and acquires the payment methods selectable for each user stored in the user business database 2021, presents one or more payment methods set by the user as a payment method for the transaction, and accepts the selection of the payment method to be used for each transaction as described below. Here, the payment method includes not only cash payment and account transfer by issuance of an invoice, but also payment by credit card, cashless payment by electronic money as described above, and payment by cryptocurrency. Examples of electronic money include prepaid payment (including transportation IC cards and QR code (registered trademark) settlement) in which cash is charged in advance and used, and postpay payment in which payment is made by a financial institution or credit card company after payment, and includes payment by card and payment by mobile terminal, etc.

In addition, when presenting information specifying a payment method to a user, the payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend information specifying one (or more) payment methods based on the contents of the transaction accepted by the transaction information acceptance module 2033. The payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend a payment method set by a business as a payment method to be used for a specific transaction content (goods handled, deliveries, services, etc.) when the transaction content is newly accepted. In addition, the payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend a payment method set by a business as a payment method to be used for a business that is a specific transaction partner when the transaction content is newly accepted. In this case, if a certain condition is set for the payment method to be used for a business that is a specific transaction partner, the payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend a payment method that meets the condition when the transaction content is newly accepted. Here, the specified conditions may be, for example, conditions regarding specific transaction contents (goods handled, deliveries, services, etc.) (e.g., preferring a specific payment method for specific products) or conditions regarding the transaction amount (e.g., preferring a specific payment method for transactions above a specified amount).

In addition, the payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend a payment method used in a transaction with a specific business partner, when the transaction details are newly accepted, based on information on the business's past transaction history with other businesses. At this time, the payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend based on a machine learning model generated from information on the past transaction history with other businesses. This machine learning model may be generated by machine learning performed as a function of the control unit 203, or a machine learning model generated as a result of machine learning performed by another device may be obtained. The machine learning performed to generate the machine learning model may be supervised machine learning using predetermined teacher data, unsupervised machine learning, or deep learning. Furthermore, an aggregation process may be performed in which the evaluation result by the machine learning model is later compared with the result by the user's input, and the learning result by further machine learning is merged. When the payment method information presentation module 2035 uses a machine learning model, the machine learning model is stored in the storage unit 202.

The payment method selection acceptance module 2036 controls the process of accepting the selection of information (first information) that identifies a payment method presented by the payment method information presentation module 2035 in a transaction with another business that is a trading partner and that is presented by the workflow presentation module 2034. The payment method selection acceptance module 2036 accepts, for example, an input by the user operating the terminal device 10 to select one payment method from the information that identifies the payment method displayed on the terminal device 10.

The payment method selection acceptance module 2036 registers and stores information identifying the accepted payment method in the transaction database 2022.

The payment data output module 2037 controls the process of outputting payment data for settling the amount of a transaction stored in the transaction database 2022, based on information identifying the payment method accepted by the payment method selection acceptance module 2036. Specifically, the payment data output module 2037 generates payment data according to the payment method used for each transaction, such as account transfer, credit card payment, cashless payment, or payment by cryptocurrency. In addition, the payment data output module 2037 transmits the generated payment data to the external server 30 of the financial institution or payment agent corresponding to each payment method in accordance with a specified communication protocol.

When the payment data output module 2037 outputs the payment data, it updates and stores the status information in the transaction database 2022.

The form data output module 2038 controls the process of outputting form data relating to transactions stored in the transaction database 2022, with contents that differ depending on the payment method, based on information identifying the selected payment method. Specifically, for forms created in the billing process in the workflow, the form data output module 2038 generates invoice form data and enters the transfer account information when the payment method is direct deposit. On the other hand, the form data output module 2038 generates receipt form data when the payment method is credit card payment (because payment has been completed).

The report data output module 2038 also determines whether output of the report data is omissible for a transaction stored in the transaction database 2022 based on information identifying the selected payment method, and presents the result of the determination to the user. If output of the report data for the transaction is omissible, the report data output module 2038 does not output the report data for the transaction. In the above example, when the payment method is credit card payment (because payment has been completed), there is no need to issue an invoice, so the report data output module 2038 determines that output of the invoice report data is omissible, transmits information to that effect to the terminal device 10 and presents it to the user, and does not output the invoice report data for the transaction.

The accounting data output module 2039 controls the process of generating accounting data corresponding to the payment method in the accounting system used by the user, based on the payment data output by the payment data output module 2037. Since accounting rules require different accounting entries to be made for the payment data of a transaction, the accounting data output module 2039 generates accounting data for the accounting entries corresponding to each payment method.

When the accounting data output module 2039 outputs the accounting data, it stores it in the accounting database 2023.

<2 Data Structure>
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the user business database 2021 stored by the server 20 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the transaction database 2022 stored by the server 20 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the accounting database 2023 stored by the server 20 in Fig. 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, each record in the user business database 2021 includes an item "Business ID" and an item "Business details information", etc.

The item "Business ID" is information that identifies each business that is the subject of a transaction by the transaction management system 1 and is managed by the transaction management system 1.

The "Business details" item is detailed information for each business of users managed by the transaction management system 1, and specifically includes the items "Business name", "Corporate/individual", "Account name", "Contact information for person in charge", "Payment method", and "Payment method conditions", etc.

The "Business Name" item is information that indicates the corporate name or individual name of the business identified by the "Business ID" item.

The "Corporate/Individual" item is information that indicates whether the business identified in the "Business ID" item is a corporation or an individual.

The "Account Name" item is information that indicates the name of the account used within the transaction management system 1 for the business identified by the "Business ID" item.

The "Contact information for person in charge" field is information that indicates the contact information for the person in charge of the transaction at the business identified by the "Business ID" field.

The "Account Name" and "Contact Details" items may be used to obtain multiple accounts within the same business, as in the example shown in Figure 4 where the "Business ID" item is "#0102," or, for example, different accounts may be obtained for each department to manage transactions.

The "Payment method" item is information that specifies the payment method to be used for a transaction at the business identified by the "Business ID" item. As shown in the example in Figure 4, multiple "Payment methods" may be registered within the same business or for the same account. This is because the payment method information presentation module 2035 presents the user with information that specifies multiple payment methods, and allows the user to select the desired payment method from among them.

The item "Payment method conditions" is information indicating specific conditions for using the payment method in the item "Payment method" at the business identified by the item "Business ID". The item "Payment method conditions" is set in association with the item "Payment method", as in the example shown in FIG. 4. In the example shown in FIG. 4, conditions to be used for a specific business may be set, as in the example where the item "Business ID" is "#0101", or conditions regarding the transaction amount may be set, as in the example where the item "Business ID" is "#0102". The payment method information presentation module 2035 recommends information that identifies a payment method according to the conditions stored in the item.

When a business accepts registration as a user of the transaction management system 1, the server 20 adds a record to the user business database 2021.

As shown in FIG. 5, each record in the transaction database 2022 includes an item "transaction ID," an item "project name," an item "order/receive," an item "transaction amount," an item "payment method," an item "transaction history information," etc.

The item "Transaction ID" is information that identifies each transaction between businesses managed by the transaction management system 1.

The "Project Name" item is the name of a transaction between businesses identified by the "Transaction ID" item, and stores specific project names such as "Article writing for Company X" or "Website construction for Company ◇△".

The item "Order/Receipt" is information that identifies each of the parties involved in a transaction between businesses identified by the item "Transaction ID", and stores, for example, identification information corresponding to the item "Business ID" in the user business database 2021 that is registered as information that identifies the orderer and the recipient.

The "Transaction Amount" item is information that indicates the amount of a transaction between businesses identified by the "Transaction ID" item.

The item "Payment method" is information that specifies the payment method to be used in a transaction between businesses identified by the item "Transaction ID", and stores information on the payment method that corresponds to the item "Payment method" in the user business database 2021.

The "Transaction History Information" item is information that indicates the status of the transaction process in a transaction between businesses identified by the "Transaction ID" item, and specifically includes the "Transaction History ID" item, the "Date" item, the "Process" item, etc.

The item "Transaction History ID" is information that identifies each transaction process in a transaction between businesses identified by the item "Transaction ID", and is configured so that it can be linked to the item "Transaction ID" (for example, so that the top five digits are the same value).

The "Date" item is information about the date when the transaction process identified by the "Transaction History ID" item was updated.

The "Process" item is information about the transaction process identified by the "Transaction History ID" item.

The "Date" and "Process" items are information that shows the status of the transaction process in chronological order, and for example, for each "Date" item, the items are stored in that order.

The transaction information receiving module 2033 of the server 20 adds records to the transaction database 2022 as it receives input of transaction information from the user.

As shown in FIG. 6, each record in the accounting database 2023 includes an item "business ID," an item "business name," an item "journal entry data details," etc.

The item "Business ID" is information that identifies each business that is the subject of a transaction by the transaction management system 1 and is managed by the transaction management system 1, and corresponds to the item "Business ID" in the user business database 2021.

The item "Business name" is information indicating the corporate name or individual name of the business identified by the item "Business ID" and corresponds to the item "Business name" in the user business database 2021.

The item "Journal entry data details" is information registered by registering (bookkeeping) accounting information using an accounting system linked to the transaction management system 1, and specifically includes the items "Date", "Debit/Credit", "Summary", and "Amount". This item "Journal entry data details" is configured so that when accounting information is registered (bookkeeping) using an accounting system linked to the transaction management system 1, the latest information is added as a record in chronological order, for example, by the item "Date".

The "Date" item is information that indicates the date on which the business's accounting information was registered in the accounting system.

The "Debit/Credit" item indicates whether the accounting information entered into the accounting system is a debit or credit in the ledger.

The "Summary" item is information that indicates the account item recorded in the ledger in the accounting information entered into the accounting system.

The "Amount" item is the amount recorded in the ledger in the accounting information entered into the accounting system.

The accounting data output module 2039 of the server 20 adds a record to the "Journal entry data details" item of the accounting database 2023 when outputting the business's accounting data.

<3 Operation>
The salary receipt setting process and salary payment process performed by the transaction management system 1 in embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 7 to 9.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of performing transaction information registration processing by the transaction management system 1 of Figure 1.

In step S111, the input operation reception unit 171 of the terminal device 10 receives an operation from the user (business operator) to input a user ID and password for the authentication required to use the services of the transaction management system 1. The transmission/reception unit 172 transmits the received user ID, password, and user information to the server 20. The transmission/reception unit 172 of the terminal device 10 receives authentication completion information and initial screen display information transmitted from the server 20. The notification control unit 174 causes the display 150 to display the received initial screen display information.

In step S121, the server 20 accepts the user ID and password via the communication unit 201, verifies that the user ID and password of the user are valid, and performs a predetermined authentication. If they are valid, the server 20 transmits authentication completion information and display information of the initial screen to the terminal device 10 via the communication unit 201.

In step S112, the input operation reception unit 171 of the terminal device 10 receives input of the details of a new transaction with another business operator through operation by the user from the initial screen displayed on the display 150. The transmission/reception unit 172 transmits information on the entered transaction details to the server 20.

In step S122, the transaction information reception module 2033 of the server 20 receives the information on the content of the transaction sent from the terminal device 10 via the communication unit 201. The transaction information reception module 2033 registers and stores the received information on the content of the transaction in the transaction database 2022.

For example, in step S122, new identification information is assigned to the item "Transaction ID," as in the example stored in the transaction database 2022 shown in FIG. 5, and information corresponding to the items "Project name," "Order/Order received," and "Transaction amount" contained in the input information received from the user is stored. In addition, process information indicating that new transaction information has been input is stored in the item "Transaction history information," and is thereafter managed as a workflow. At this stage, no information is stored in the item "Payment method."

As described above, the transaction management system 1 accepts information on the contents of a transaction as input from the user, who is a business operator. This information is used in the initial payment registration process.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of performing payment method registration processing by the transaction management system 1 of Figure 1.

In step S211, the terminal device 10 performs processing similar to that of step S111 in FIG. 7, and causes the display information of the initial screen transmitted from the server 20 to be displayed on the display 150.

In step S221, the server 20 performs the same process as step S121 in FIG. 7, and transmits authentication completion information and display information for the initial screen to the terminal device 10 via the communication unit 201.

In step S212, the input operation reception unit 171 of the terminal device 10 receives input of a transaction ID that identifies information about the user's transactions with other businesses through operation by the user from the initial screen displayed on the display 150. The transmission/reception unit 172 transmits the input transaction ID information to the server 20. The transmission/reception unit 172 of the terminal device 10 receives workflow information that manages information about transactions, transmitted from the server 20. The notification control unit 174 causes the display 150 to display the received workflow information.

In step S222, the workflow presentation module 2034 of the server 20 accepts the transaction ID information sent from the terminal device 10 via the communication unit 201. The workflow presentation module 2034 reads the transaction information stored in the transaction database 2022 from the accepted transaction ID information, and acquires workflow information that manages the transaction information. The workflow presentation module 2034 also transmits the acquired workflow information that manages the transaction information to the terminal device 10.

For example, in step S222, information on the items "Transaction ID," "Item Name," "Order/Order," and "Transaction Amount" is acquired, as in the example stored in the transaction database 2022 shown in FIG. 5. Information on the item "Transaction History Information" is also acquired as a workflow. For example, since transaction history information is stored in chronological order, such as in the item "Transaction History ID" in FIG. 5 being "#020101" and "#020102," this information is acquired as a workflow.

In step S223, the payment method information presentation module 2035 of the server 20 reads the user business database 2021 to obtain information (first information) that identifies one or more payment methods that are set as payment methods to be used between the user and other businesses for the workflow obtained in step S222. The payment method information presentation module 2035 also transmits the obtained information that identifies the payment method to the terminal device 10.

For example, in step S223, information on the items "Payment method" and "Payment method conditions" linked to the item "Business ID" that identifies the business that is the user is obtained, as in the example stored in the user business database 2021 shown in FIG. 4. Since multiple pieces of payment method information may be set, for example, the item "Business ID" in FIG. 4 is set to "#0101," information on all payment methods is obtained.

In step S223, the payment method information presentation module 2035 may recommend information identifying one (or more) payment methods based on the contents of the transaction accepted in step S222 as described above. For example, when the "Business ID" item in FIG. 4 is "#0101" and the transaction partner is "#0103" in the "Business ID" item, only "〇◇Pay" may be recommended. Also, when the "Business ID" item in FIG. 4 is "#0102" and the "Account Name" is "Hishigata_Koubai", if the transaction amount is less than 100,000 yen, only "Credit (Vi)" may be recommended.

In step S213, the transmission/reception unit 172 of the terminal device 10 receives information identifying the payment method transmitted from the server 20. The notification control unit 174 causes the display 150 to display the received information identifying the payment method as a payment method selectable for the transaction of the displayed workflow.

In step S214, the input operation reception unit 171 of the terminal device 10 receives an input by the user to select one payment method from the selectable payment methods displayed on the display 150. The transmission/reception unit 172 transmits information identifying the entered payment method to the server 20.

The timing of steps S213 and S214, in which the payment method for the transaction is displayed and an input to select the payment method is received from the user, is not limited to the time when the transaction information is registered. For example, the timing of the process may be when the user, who is the contractor of the transaction, creates an invoice, by displaying the payment methods selectable by the contractor and receiving an input to select the payment method from the contractor, or the user, who is the contractor of the transaction, may register multiple payment methods in advance and receive an input to select the desired payment method from among the registered payment methods from the user, who is the purchaser.

In step S224, the payment method selection acceptance module 2036 of the server 20 accepts the information specifying the payment method transmitted from the terminal device 10 via the communication unit 201. The payment method selection acceptance module 2036 registers and stores the accepted information specifying the payment method in the transaction database 2022.

For example, in step S224, information identifying the accepted payment method is stored in the "Payment Method" field, as in the example stored in the transaction database 2022 shown in FIG. 5.

As described above, the transaction management system 1 presents the workflow related to the accepted transaction to the user, presents one or more payment methods that have been set as the payment method for the user's transaction, and accepts the selection of the payment method to be used for the transaction. This makes it possible for the user (business operator) to select the most suitable payment method.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of payment processing by the transaction management system 1 of Figure 1.

In step S311, the payment data output module 2037 of the server 20 outputs payment data for settling the amount of a transaction stored in the transaction database 2022, based on the information identifying the payment method accepted in step S224. In addition, when the payment data output module 2037 outputs the payment data, it updates and stores the process information in the transaction database 2022.

In step S312, the report data output module 2038 of the server 20 outputs report data relating to transactions stored in the transaction database 2022, the data relating to which differs depending on the payment method, based on information identifying the payment method stored in the transaction database 2022.

In step S313, the accounting data output module 2039 of the server 20 generates accounting data corresponding to the payment method in the accounting system used by the user based on the payment data output in step S311.

For example, in step S313, payment data related to the transaction is generated, as in the example shown in FIG. 5 where the item "Transaction ID" in the transaction database 2022 is "#0201". Then, when a payment is made for the item "Transaction amount" of 200,000 (yen), as in the example shown in FIG. 6 where the item "Business ID" in the accounting database 2023 is "#0101", an entry for the amount of 200,000 yen (e.g., an account receivable entry) is made.

As described above, in the transaction management system 1, payment data for settling the transaction amount is generated based on the selected payment method, and report data relating to the transaction with different details depending on the payment method is output. In addition, based on the generated payment data, accounting data corresponding to the payment method is generated in the accounting system used by the user. As a result, payment data, report data, and accounting data are generated automatically, making it possible to prevent the work of personnel in the accounting department, etc. of the business from becoming cumbersome.

<4 Screen example>
Below, examples of screens for the payment method registration process by the transaction management system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 12.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of a workflow screen displayed on the terminal device 10. The example screen in Figure 10 shows an example of a screen in which workflow information for managing transaction information sent by the workflow presentation module 2034 of the server 20 is displayed in response to a user's operation of the terminal device 10. This corresponds to step S212 in Figure 8.

As shown in FIG. 10, the display 150 of the terminal device 10 displays a process display field 1031a that shows the process in the workflow, status display fields 1031b, 1031c, and 1031d that show the status of the process displayed in the process display field 1031a, a case name display field 1031e that shows the case name of the transaction, and a transaction details display field 1031f that shows the contents of the transaction.

In the process display field 1031a, for example, the contents of the latest item "Process" in the item "Transaction History Information" of the transaction database 2022 shown in FIG. 5 are displayed, and the status information of the process is displayed in the status display fields 1031b, 1031c, and 1031d. In the case name display field 1031e, for example, the contents of the item "Case Name" of the transaction database 2022 shown in FIG. 5 are displayed, and in the transaction details display field 1031f, the details and breakdown of the contents of the transaction, including the contents of the item "Transaction Amount" of the transaction database 2022, are displayed. As a result, information about the transaction is displayed as a workflow, it is possible to grasp the information about the transaction.

Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of transaction information displayed on the terminal device 10. The example screen of Figure 11 shows an example of a display screen of transaction information displayed to update the status state from the workflow shown in Figure 10. This corresponds to step S212 in Figure 8.

As shown in FIG. 11, the display 150 of the terminal device 10 displays a case name display field 1032a showing the case name of the transaction, and a transaction details display field 1032b showing the contents of the transaction. This display screen also has a payment method selection button 1032c for allowing the payment method set for each user by the payment method information presentation module 2035 to be selected. The case name display field 1032a and the transaction details display field 1032b display the same contents as the case name display field 1031e and the transaction details display field 1031f shown in FIG. 10. When the user selects a payment method, a list of payment methods is displayed by clicking the payment method selection button 1032c with the mouse 132, etc. This allows the user to select the most suitable payment method.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of transaction information displayed on the terminal device 10. The example screen of Figure 12 shows an example of a payment method selection screen displayed for selecting a payment method, which is transitioned to when the payment method selection button 1032c shown in Figure 11 is pressed. This corresponds to step S213 in Figure 8.

As shown in FIG. 12, the display 150 of the terminal device 10 displays a case name display field 1033a showing the case name of the transaction, and a transaction amount display field 1033b showing the amount of the transaction. This display screen also displays a payment method display field 1033c showing a list of selectable payment methods, and each display has a selection radio button 1033d for selecting one payment method from the multiple payment methods. This allows the user to select the most suitable payment method and use it for the actual payment.

<Summary>
As described above, according to this embodiment, the user (business operator) inputs information on the details of a transaction from a terminal device, and the input information on the details of the transaction is accepted. A workflow related to the accepted transaction is presented to the user, and one or more payment methods set as the payment method for the user's transaction are presented to the user. Then, the user inputs a selection of the payment method to be used in the transaction, and the input selection of the payment method is accepted as the payment method to be used in the transaction. This makes it possible to select the most suitable payment method for the user (business operator).

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, payment data for settling the amount of the transaction is generated based on the payment method selected by the user. Report data relating to the transaction with different contents depending on the payment method selected by the user is output. Furthermore, based on the generated payment data, accounting data corresponding to the payment method selected by the user is generated in the accounting system used by the user. As a result, payment data, report data, and accounting data related to the transaction and corresponding to the payment method selected by the user are automatically generated, making it possible to prevent the work of personnel in the accounting department, etc. of the business from becoming cumbersome.

Although the disclosed embodiments have been described above, they can be embodied in various other forms and can be implemented with various omissions, substitutions, and modifications. These embodiments and variations, as well as omissions, substitutions, and modifications, are included in the technical scope of the claims and their equivalents.

<Additional Notes>
The matters described in the above embodiments will be supplemented below.

(Note 1) A program to be executed by a computer having a processor 29 and a memory 25, the memory 25 storing first information (2021) for identifying one or more payment methods set by a user who is a business operator as a means to be used in transactions with other business operators, the program causing the processor 29 to execute the steps of: presenting to the user a workflow for managing information regarding the user's transactions with other business operators (S222); presenting to the user one or more pieces of first information stored in the workflow (S223); accepting selection of one piece of first information in transactions with other business operators presented in the workflow (S224); outputting payment data for settling the transaction amount according to each means based on the accepted one piece of first information (S311); and generating accounting data according to the payment means in the accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data (S313).

(Appendix 2) The program described in (Appendix 1) further executes, in the workflow, a step (S122) of accepting input of details of a transaction with another business from a user, and a step (S223) of recommending one piece of first information to the user based on the accepted details of the transaction in the step of presenting the first information.

(Appendix 3) The program described in (Appendix 2), in which the memory stores information (2021) about other businesses, and in the step of presenting the first information, the program recommends one piece of first information to a user based on information for identifying the information about the other businesses.

(Appendix 4) The program described in (Appendix 3), in which the information about other businesses includes information about the terms of transactions with other businesses, and in the step of presenting the first information, one piece of first information is recommended to the user based on the information about the terms of transactions with other businesses.

(Appendix 5) A program described in any one of (Appendix 1) to (Appendix 4), in which the memory stores information (2022) on a past transaction history with other businesses, and in the step of presenting the first information, the program recommends one piece of first information to a user based on the information on the past transaction history with other businesses.

(Appendix 6) The program described in (Appendix 5), in which, in the step of presenting the first information, the first information 1 is recommended to the user based on a machine learning model generated from information on past transaction history with other businesses.

(Appendix 7) The program described in (Appendix 6) further executes a step (S312) of outputting report data relating to a transaction having different contents depending on one payment method based on information relating to a transaction with another business operator and the received first information.

(Appendix 8) A program as described in (Appendix 7), in which, in the step of outputting the report data relating to the transaction, it is determined whether or not the output of the report data relating to the transaction can be omitted based on the received first information 1, and the result of the determination is presented to the user, and if the output of the report data relating to the transaction can be omitted, the report data relating to the transaction is not output.

(Appendix 9) A program as described in (Appendix 8), in which in the step of generating accounting data, accounting data for different account items is generated for each received piece of first information.

(Appendix 10) An information processing device including a control unit 203 and a storage unit 202, the storage unit 202 storing first information (2021) for identifying one or more payment means set by a user who is a business operator as a means to be used in transactions with other business operators, the control unit 203 executing the steps of: presenting to the user a workflow for managing information regarding the user's transactions with other business operators (S222); presenting to the user one or more pieces of first information stored in the workflow (S223); accepting selection of one piece of first information in transactions with other business operators presented in the workflow (S224); outputting payment data for settling the transaction amount according to each means based on the accepted one piece of first information (S311); and generating accounting data according to the payment means in an accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data (S313).

(Appendix 11) A method to be executed by a computer having a processor 29 and a memory 25, the memory 25 storing first information (2021) for identifying one or more payment means set by a user who is a business operator as a means to be used in transactions with other business operators, the method comprising the steps of: the processor 29 presenting to the user a workflow for managing information regarding the user's transactions with other business operators (S222); presenting to the user one or more pieces of first information stored in the workflow (S223); accepting selection of one piece of first information in transactions with other business operators presented in the workflow (S224); outputting payment data for settling the amount of the transaction according to each means based on the accepted one piece of first information (S311); and generating accounting data corresponding to the payment means in the accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data (S313).

1: Transaction management system 10: Terminal device 10A: Terminal device 10B: Terminal device 13: Input device 14: Output device 15: Memory 16: Storage unit 19: Processor 20: Server 25: Memory 26: Storage 29: Processor 30: External server 80: Network 81: Wireless base station 82: Wireless LAN router 111: Antenna 112: Antenna 121: First wireless communication unit 122: Second wireless communication unit 130: Operation reception unit 131: Keyboard 132: Mouse 140: Audio processing unit 141: Microphone 142: Speaker 150: Display 160: Storage unit 161: User information 170: Control unit 171: Input operation reception unit 172: Transmission/reception unit 173: Data processing unit 174: Notification control unit 201: Communication unit 202: Storage unit 203 : Control unit 2021 : User business database 2022 : Transaction database 2023 : Accounting database 2031 : Reception control module 2032 : Transmission control module 2033 : Transaction information reception module 2034 : Workflow presentation module 2035 : Payment method information presentation module 2036 : Payment method selection reception module 2037 : Payment data output module 2038 : Report data output module 2039 : Accounting data output module

Claims (9)

A program to be executed by a computer having a processor and a memory,
The memory stores first information for identifying one or more payment methods set by the user, who is a business operator, as a means to be used in transactions with other business operators;
The program causes the processor to:
presenting to the user a workflow for managing information regarding transactions between the user and the other business;
presenting the stored one or more pieces of first information to the user in the workflow;
receiving a selection of one of the first information in a transaction with the other business entity presented in the workflow;
outputting settlement data for settling the amount of the transaction according to each means based on the received first information;
generating accounting data corresponding to the payment method in the accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data;
The program further comprises:
Executing a step of outputting, based on information on the transaction with the other business and the one of the first information received, form data related to the transaction having different contents by one of the payment means ;
A program that , in the step of generating accounting data, generates the accounting data for a different account item for each of the received first information . The program further comprises:
receiving, in the workflow, from the user, an input of details of a transaction with the other business;
The program according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of presenting the first information, a step of recommending one piece of the first information to the user is executed based on the content of the accepted transaction. The memory stores information about the other business operators,
The program according to claim 2 , wherein in the step of presenting the first information, one piece of the first information is recommended to the user based on information for identifying information relating to the other business operators. The information about the other business includes information about terms of transactions with the other business,
The program according to claim 3 , wherein in the step of presenting the first information, one piece of the first information is recommended to the user based on information regarding terms of a transaction with the other business. The memory stores information on a history of past transactions with the other business operators,
The program according to claim 2 , wherein in the step of presenting the first information, one piece of the first information is recommended to the user based on information of the past transaction history with other businesses. The program according to claim 5, wherein in the step of presenting the first information, one piece of the first information is recommended to the user based on a machine learning model generated from information on the past transaction history with other businesses. The program according to claim 1, wherein in the step of outputting the report data relating to the transaction, it is determined whether or not the output of the report data relating to the transaction can be omitted based on the received first information of the one, and the result of the determination is presented to the user, and when the output of the report data relating to the transaction can be omitted, the output of the report data relating to the transaction is not performed. An information processing device including a control unit and a storage unit,
The storage unit stores first information for identifying one or more payment methods set by the user, who is a business operator, as a means to be used in transactions with other business operators;
The control unit is
presenting to the user a workflow for managing information regarding transactions between the user and the other business;
presenting the stored one or more pieces of first information to the user in the workflow;
receiving a selection of one of the first information in a transaction with the other business entity presented in the workflow;
outputting settlement data for settling the amount of the transaction according to each means based on the received first information;
generating accounting data corresponding to the payment method in the accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data;
The control unit further includes:
Executing a step of outputting document data relating to the transaction having different contents according to one of the payment means based on information relating to the transaction with the other business operator and the one of the first information received;
An information processing device , in the step of generating accounting data, which generates the accounting data for a different account item for each of the received first information . 1. A method for performing a process on a computer having a processor and a memory, comprising:
The memory stores first information for identifying one or more payment methods set by the user, who is a business operator, as a means to be used in transactions with other business operators;
The method further comprises the processor:
presenting to the user a workflow for managing information regarding transactions between the user and the other business;
presenting the stored one or more pieces of first information to the user in the workflow;
receiving a selection of one of the first information in a transaction with the other business entity presented in the workflow;
outputting settlement data for settling the amount of the transaction according to each means based on the received first information;
generating accounting data corresponding to the payment method in the accounting system used by the user based on the output payment data;
The processor further comprises:
The method includes a step of outputting report data relating to the transaction having different contents depending on one of the payment means based on information regarding the transaction with the other business operator and the first information received.