Visually exposing data services to analysts

• US 20080127052A1
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Rostoker, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and software of modifying, configuring, adapting, or otherwise developing one or more pre-constructed applications and business process components to meet a user'"'"'s needs or requirements of a particular business application. Each component or application includes one or more pre-constructed user interfaces and performs one or more predetermined functions, services, or queries. A non-technical user or business analyst may obtain an application and, thereafter, adapt or reconfigure the application to perform desired functions, thus creating a custom application. In some cases, the user may custom build a new application utilizing multiple components or applications. The creation, adaptation, and configuration of the application may be performed in an intuitive manner without exposing the user to the programming code or application model. Thus, the user can often easily create, adapt, and configure the application without the need for specialized information technology skills.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for developing an application comprising:

identifying one or more pre-constructed business process components using a third party portal; and

selecting at least one of the pre-constructed business process components to form at least a part of a particular application.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying one or more gaps existing between an operation of the one or more selected pre-constructed business process components and an operation of the particular application; and

filling the gaps existing between the operation of the one or more pre-constructed business process components and the operation of the particular application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein filling the gaps between the operation of the one or more pre-constructed business process components and the operation of the particular application comprises adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner is accomplished free from exposure to programming code of the one or more business process components.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner is accomplished free from exposure to an application model of the one or more business process components.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner comprises importing and configuring one or more additional pre-constructed business process components.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner comprises linking two or more pre-constructed business process components together.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying at least one pre-constructed application comprises requesting a search of a library of pre-constructed business process components through the third party portal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the search utilizes criteria comprising at least one user-defined term and at least one taxonomy term.

10. The method of claim 1, the particular application comprises an existing application operable to incorporate the selected business process component.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a processor to review and evaluate an appraisal report, the control logic comprising:

means for identifying one or more pre-constructed business process components using a third party portal; and

means for selecting one or more of the pre-constructed business process components to form at least a part of a particular application.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for identifying one or more gaps existing between an operation of the one or more selected pre-constructed business process components and an operation of the particular application; and

means for filling the gaps existing between the operation of the one or more pre-constructed business process components and the operation of the particular application.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the means for filling the gaps between the operation of the one or more pre-constructed business process components and the operation of the new application comprises means for adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the means for adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in the predetermined manner is operable free from exposing a user to programming code of the one or more business process components.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the means for adapting the one or more pre-constructed business process components to function in a predetermined manner is operable free from exposing a user to an application model of the one or more business process components.

16. Software for managing reusable business process components comprising computer readable instructions embodied on media and operable to:

identify a first business process component of a first type;

store the first business process component in a repository, the repository including a plurality of other business process components with at least a second business process component of a second type and at least a subset of the business process components comprising reusable components; and

present an interface to a business analyst, the interface operable to display information for at least the first and second business process components.

17. The software of claim 16, the interface presented in response to a request by the user and comprising a searching component, the software further operable to:

present the searching component to the business analyst;

select business process components based on a requested search from the business analyst; and

display information associated with at least a portion of the selected components.

18. The software of claim 17 further operable to:

receive a selection of at least one business process component; and

allow the business analyst to acquire the selected business process component.

19. The software of claim 18, wherein allowing the user to acquire the selected business process component comprises:

bill the business analyst based on associated costs for the selected business process component; and

allow the business analyst to download the business process component upon payment.

20. The software of claim 16, the repository comprising a first and second repository.

21. The software of claim 20, the first repository comprising a local repository and the second repository comprising a remote repository.

22. The software of claim 20, the first repository comprising a first type of repository and the second repository comprising a second type of repository.

23. The software of claim 16 further operable to allow the business analyst to execute an interactive trial of one of the business process components associated with the displayed information.

24. The software of claim 16 further operable to receive a tag for the first business process component to facilitate subsequent searches.

25. The software of claim 16, the repository further storing automatically identified information involving relationships among two or more business process components.

26. The software of claim 16, the interface further operable to display an expert locator, one or more discussion groups, and usage metrics.

27. The method of claim 16 further operable to authenticate the business analyst via the interface prior to displaying the information.

28. The software of claim 16 further operable to automatically filter the displayed information based on a role of the business analyst.