System and method of rule-based control over transportation plan in case of order changes

• US 20070050224A1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Malitski, Konstantin
• Application Number:
  US11/213,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method and system for rule-based control of order changes in transportation planning. An effect of an order change received is evaluated to identify if the effect on the transportation plan retained in persistent memory exceeds a threshold. The transportation plan is maintained unaffected if the effect does not exceed the threshold.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving an order change for an order forming at least part of a transportation plan;

evaluating an effect of the order change on the transportation plan; and

adjusting the transportation plan only if the effect exceeds a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating comprises:

applying a set of conditional rules to the order change to determine if the order change affects a key parameter by at least a predefined amount.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein applying comprises:

prioritizing rules within the set; and

evaluating the rules in order of priority.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting comprises one of:

invalidating a shipment; and

unplanning the order.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein unplanning comprises:

sending a cancellation message to a carrier if the shipment has been tendered;

removing the order from transportation plan; and

setting a status of all shipments of the order to an invalid state.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein invalidating comprises:

sending a cancellation message to a carrier if the shipment has been tendered; and

setting a status of the shipment to an invalid state.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

changing the status of the shipment to valid; and

replanning the shipment.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing one of total weight and volume of a shipment without changing the transportation plan.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

writing an alert to a database if the effect does not exceed the threshold.

10. A system comprising:

a persistent storage unit to retain a transportation plan;

logic to identify if an incoming order as part of the transportation plan;

a rule engine to evaluate if the transportation plan should be modified in response to the incoming order.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

invalidation logic responsive to the rule engine to invalidate a shipment in the transportation plan if defined criteria are met.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

variance logic to change a value in a planned shipment without invalidating any portion of the transportation plan.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a data structure of rules accessible by the rule engine for application to the incoming order.

14. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions that when executed cause a machine to:

receive an order change for an order forming at least part of a transportation plan;

evaluate an effect of the order change on the transportation plan; and

adjust the transportation plan only if the effect exceeds a threshold.

15. The machine accessible median of claim 14, wherein the instructions to cause the machine to evaluate include instructions to cause the machine to:

apply a set of conditional rules to the order change to determine if the order change effects a key parameter by at least a predefined amount.

16. The machine accessible median of claim 15, wherein the instructions to cause the machine to apply include instructions to cause the machine to:

prioritize rules within the set; and

apply the rules in order of priority.

17. The machine accessible median of claim 14, wherein the instructions to cause the machine to adjust include instructions to cause the machine to:

invalidate a shipment; and

unplan the order.

18. The machine accessible median of claim 17, wherein the instructions to cause the machine to unplan include instructions to cause the machine to:

send a cancellation message to a carrier if the shipment has been tendered;

remove the order from transportation plan; and

set a status of all shipments of the order to an invalid state.

19. The machine accessible median of claim 17, wherein instructions to cause the machine to unplan include instructions to cause the machine to:

send a cancellation message to a carrier if the shipment has been tendered; and

set a status of the shipment to an invalid state.

20. The machine accessible median of claim 19, wherein instructions further cause the machine to:

change the status of the shipment to valid; and

replan the shipment.

21. The machine accessible median of claim 14, wherein instructions further cause the machine to:

change one of total weight and volume of a shipment without changing the transportation plan.

22. The machine accessible median of claim 14, wherein instructions further cause the machine to:

write an alert to a database if the effect does not exceed the threshold.