Object tailoring

• US 20050071369A1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Lang, Peter, Ehrnsperger, Markus, Springborn, Steffen, Krisch, Dieter, Guth, Gertrude
• Application Number:
  US10/674,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented

Abstract

Systems and techniques for tailoring the storage of information. In one implementation, a computer program product is operable to cause data processing apparatus to create a framework of elements to present a user with a presentation of options for tailoring an object, receive user input for tailoring the object in response to the presentation of options, define the tailored object to include the first field and the second field, associate an identifier of the first participant with the first field to indicate that the first participant is to be excluded from a first activity performed with the first field, and associate an identifier of the second participant with the second field to indicate that the second participant is to be excluded from a second activity performed with the second field. The received user input can identify a first field to be included in the tailored object, a second field to be included in the tailored object, a first participant, and a second participant. The computer program product can be tangibly embodied in an information carrier.

Claims

1. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for tailoring the storage of information, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to create a framework of elements to:

present a user with a presentation of options for tailoring an object;

receive user input for tailoring the object in response to the presentation of options, the user input identifying

a first field to be included in the tailored object,

a second field to be included in the tailored object,

a first participant, and

a second participant;

define the tailored object to include the first field and the second field;

associate an identifier of the first participant with the first field to indicate that the first participant is to be excluded from a first activity performed with the first field; and

associate an identifier of the second participant with the second field to indicate that the second participant is to be excluded from a second activity performed with the second field.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to create a framework of elements to:

exclude the first participant from the first activity performed with the first field.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to receive user input identifying a roll that the first participant plays in an operation.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to associate an identifier of the roll with the first field.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to receive user input identifying a fieldgroup that includes the field.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to:

receive first user input identifying the first field and the second field from a first user; and

receive second user input identifying the first participant and the second participant from a second user.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to create a framework of elements to:

receive user input identifying the first activity from which the first user is excluded from performing with the first field.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to receive user input identifying an authorization level identifying the first activity from which the user is precluded.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to receive user input selecting the authorization level from a group of at least four authorization levels.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to create a framework of elements to:

identify a trigger; and

based upon the identification of the trigger, end the association of the identifier of the first participant with the first field to indicate that the first participant is no longer excluded from the first activity.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to create a framework of elements to:

receive user input identifying a noperation performed with the tailored object; and

associate an identifier of the operation, the identifier of the first participant, and the first field to indicate that the first participant is to be excluded from the first activity performed with the first field in the operation.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a framework of elements to receive user input identifying a collaboration of at least two parties.

13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to create a framework of elements to:

instantiate the defined tailored object.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the first activity comprises display of the first field; and

the second activity comprises display of the second field.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a graphical user interface to lead an untrained user through the tailoring.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to create the graphical user interface on an web browser.

17. A system comprising:

a data storage device including tailored data objects, the tailored data objects having user-defined data fields; and

a data processing device in data communication with the information storage device, the data processing device configured to perform data processing activities in accordance with a set of machine-readable instructions, the activities including

identifying a trigger;

changing a status of a field in a first tailored object based on the identification of the trigger, the status of the field identifying an activity performed with the field and a participant who is excluded from performing the activity with the field.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein changing the status of the field includes:

ending a preclusion of the identified participant from performance of the identified activity.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein changing the status of the field includes:

releasing a predefined field for display for all participants.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

operational instructions for the creation of a product.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the first tailored data object comprises:

structured elements hardcoded into the first tailored data object and hence not definable by a user; and

tailored elements including the user-defined data fields.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the standard elements comprise elements found in every member of a group of data objects that includes the first tailored data object.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the data processing device activities further include:

receiving user input identifying an operation performed with the tailored object, the operation including the activity performed with the field; and

associating an identifier of the operation with the status to indicate that the status is relevant to the operation.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the data processing device activity of receiving user input identifying the operation includes:

receiving user input identifying a collaboration of at least two parties.

25. A memory for storing data for access during performance of a set of machine-readable instructions for performing operations on a data processing system, comprising:

a data structure stored in the memory, the data structure including

a data structure identifier;

a collection of one or more hardcoded elements hardcoded into the data structure;

a collection of one or more tailored elements to fit a specific data processing activity of a user.

26. The memory of claim 25, wherein the data structure further comprises:

user identification information identifying a user; and

activity identification information identifying an activity from which the user is excluded.

27. The memory of claim 26, wherein:

the collection of tailored elements comprises a field to fit the specific data processing activity; and

the activity identification information identifies the activity according to the field in the collection of tailored elements.

28. The memory of claim 26, wherein the user identification information comprises an authorization level.

29. The memory of claim 28, wherein the user identification information comprises one of four or more authorization levels.

30. The memory of claim 25, further comprising an association identifying that the data structure is associated with a particular operation.

31. The memory of claim 25, wherein the data structure comprises an XML file.

32. The memory of claim 25, further comprising a communications application for exchange of the data structure with a remote system.

33. The memory of claim 32, wherein the communications application comprises a web service.