APPLICATION INTEGRATION USING XML

• US 20070282866A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Knudsen, Bardur, Reitzel, Per, Veluswamy, Rajesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method and system for integrating form data in an ERP system with a target application are provided. The method includes receiving a first input from a user of an ERP system while a form is running on an application layer of the ERP system to initiate a data integration process. Next, a metadata form XML file is generated at an ERP platform layer from the form running on the application layer. Then, the metadata form XML file is sent from the ERP platform layer to the application layer for use by target applications in integrating data from the form into the target applications.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for implementing steps of a method comprising:

receiving a first input from a user of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system while a form is running on an application layer of the ERP system to initiate a data integration process;

generating a metadata form XML file at an ERP platform layer from the form running on the application layer; and

sending the metadata form XML file from the ERP platform layer to the application layer for use by target applications in integrating data from the form into the target applications.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

transforming the metadata form XML file into a target application XML file using a target application transformation engine and a first stylesheet at the application layer;

sending the target application XML file to the ERP platform layer;

launching the target application from the ERP platform layer using the target application XML file to provide integrated form data with the target application.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein transforming the metadata form XML file into the target application XML file using the target application transformation engine and the first stylesheet at the application layer further comprises:

generating a graphical user interface to query the user as to which style sheet to use;

receiving a stylesheet selecting input from the user; and

selecting the first stylesheet based on the stylesheet selecting input.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises automatically selecting a default stylesheet as the first stylesheet based upon which of multiple target applications are chosen by the user with the first input.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises displaying form data using the target application.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the metadata form XML file at the ERP platform layer further comprises:

extracting the form data from the form running on the application layer;

structuring the extracted form data into a form data structure in memory of the ERP platform layer; and

transforming the form data structure in memory of the ERP platform layer into the metadata XML file.

7. A computer-implemented method of integrating form data, in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, with a target application, the method comprising:

generating a metadata form XML file at an ERP platform layer from a form running on an application layer;

sending the metadata form XML file to the application layer;

transforming the metadata form XML file into a target application XML file at the application layer using a target application transformation engine and a first stylesheet;

sending the target application XML file to the ERP platform layer;

launching the target application from the ERP platform layer using the target application XML file to provide integrated form data with the target application.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, and further comprising displaying form data in the target application.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, and further comprising manipulating the displayed form data using the target application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein generating the metadata form XML file at the ERP platform layer further comprises:

extracting the form data from the form running on the application layer;

structuring the extracted form data into a form data structure in memory of the ERP platform layer; and

transforming the form data structure in memory of the ERP platform layer into the metadata XML file.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the steps of extracting the form data from the form and structuring the extracted form data into the form data structure further comprises:

extracting the form data from the form and structuring the extracted form data into the form data structure using a data extraction component running on the ERP platform layer.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein structuring the extracted form data into the form data structure in memory of the ERP platform layer further comprises structuring the extracted form data into the form data structure such that the form data structure contains information about form data controls.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, and before generating the metadata XML file at the ERP platform layer, further comprising initiating the generating step by selecting an input control displayed on a graphical user interface along with the form running on the application layer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, and before the step of transforming the metadata XML file into the target application XML file, further comprising selecting the first stylesheet using a graphical user interface.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, and further comprising automatically selecting a default stylesheet as the first stylesheet based upon which of multiple target applications are chosen during the initiating step.

16. An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system comprising:

a data extraction component configured to extract form data from a form running on an application layer of the ERP system and to structure the extracted form data into a form data structure in memory of an ERP platform layer;

a data XML transformation engine configured to transform the form data structure in the memory of the ERP platform layer into a metadata XML file;

wherein the ERP platform layer is configured to send the metadata XML file to the application layer for use by application programs.

17. The ERP system of claim 16, and further comprising a target application transformation engine running on the application layer and configured to use a first stylesheet to transform the metadata XML file into a target application XML file at the application layer.

18. The ERP system of claim 17, wherein the ERP application layer is configured to send the target application XML file to the ERP platform layer for launching of the target application to provide integrated form data with the target application.

19. The ERP system of claim 17, and further comprising a plurality of stylesheets, the first stylesheet being chosen from the plurality of stylesheets.

20. The ERP system of claim 16, wherein the data extraction component runs on the ERP platform layer.