A resource control system

Claim 1

A resource control system (1) comprising a mainframe computer (2) connected to a memory device (6) and to a plurality of user interface devices (9), the control system (1) being for reception and storage of resource data including values of resource parameters relating to work of staff and administration for a contract, sorting of the received data and processing of documents and reports relating to the data received, characterised in that, the mainframe computer (2) comprises means for reception and storage in the memory device (6) of values (20) from staff of expenses incurred for contracts, time spent working on contracts and fee invoices to be issued for contracts; of values (21) for cash received in payment of invoices, administration expenses incurred, and indications of staff classifications; and of resource planning values (22) from managers including budgeted time to be spent by staff working on contracts, and of budgeted levels of fees to be invoiced for a pre-determined time period; the mainframe computer (2) includes a processing circuit comprising:- means (30) for retrieving from the memory device received information relating to each individual staff member and storing the information in staff files on the memory device; means (31) for subsequently retrieving from the memory device received information relating to each contract and storing the retrieved information in contract files on the memory device; means (32) for subsequently retrieving from the memory device received information relating to each manager and storing the retrieved information in manager files on the memory device; means (33) for subsequently retrieving from the memory device received information relating to staff classifications and storing the information in staff classification files on the memory device; means (34) for subsequently retrieving information received during a next previous relatively short cycle time period from each of the staff, contract, manager and classification files and storing the retrieved information in a cycle file on the memory device; means (35,36) for subsequently merging a plurality of stored cycle files to create a period file on the memory device containing information relating to an intermediate time period; means (37,38) for subsequently merging a plurality of period files to create an annual file on the memory device containing information occurring during the previous year; the mainframe computer includes an output interface circuit for generation of reports (24) including information from the staff, contract, manager and classification files; and the resource control system further comprises a word processor and the mainframe computer is arranged to direct issuance of fee invoices (25) at the word processor based on contract files stored in the memory device.