Managing Consistent Interfaces for Business Objects Across Heterogeneous Systems

• US 20090327105A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Gupta, Abhishek, Fritz, Ruediger, Schmitt, Torsten, Paul, Elmar, Mallack, Steve, Kumar Reddy, Kallu Vinay, Moussa, Ahmed Daddi, Johann, Heidi, Dannat, Oliver, Schiebeler, Dirk, V, Shankar, Mohammed, Younus, Roesch, Thomas, Janssen, Martin, Schweitzer, Michael, Schoknecht, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a freight order, a maintenance plan, a maintenance task list, a request for supplier freight quote, and/or a supplier freight quote business object.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a freight order service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information representing an order to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees;

program code for invoking a freight order business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing an order to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees, and comprises data logically organized as;

a freight order root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a charge distribution subordinate node; and

a shipment order subordinate node and wherein the shipment order node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node; and

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains an amount subordinate node, a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains a location subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains a seal subordinate node and wherein the seal node contains a contact information subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains an item assignment subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a product information subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains a transportation charges subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the freight order business object, the message comprising a freight order execution request message entity, a message header package, and a freight order execution package.

16. The program code of claim 1, wherein processing includes creating, updating and/or retrieving.

17. The program code of claim 1, wherein the item assignment node of the package information node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node:

18. The program code of claim 1, wherein:

the dangerous goods node of the item node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit recourse information assignment subordinate node; and

the governmental procedure node of the item node contains a location subordinate node a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node.

19. The program code of claim 1, wherein the transportation charges node of the transportation charges information node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

2. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a freight order service, the software comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media, wherein upon execution the software executes in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a freight order business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing an order to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees and comprises data logically organized as;

a freight order root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a charge distribution subordinate node; and

a shipment order subordinate node and wherein the shipment order node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node; and

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains an amount subordinate node, a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains a location subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains a seal subordinate node and wherein the seal node contains a contact information subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains an item assignment subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a product information subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains a transportation charges subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a freight order execution request message entity, a message header package, and a freight order execution package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked freight order business object and in response to the first message.

3. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving a freight order and comprising:

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects;

wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object and at least one of the business objects is for representing an order to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees and comprises data logically organized as;

a freight order root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a charge distribution subordinate node; and

a shipment order subordinate node and wherein the shipment order node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node; and

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains an amount subordinate node, a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains a location subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains a seal subordinate node and wherein the seal node contains a contact information subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains an item assignment subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a product information subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains a transportation charges subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the freight order business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media.

4. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a maintenance plan service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing maintenance plans;

program code for invoking a maintenance plan business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information used to manage maintenance plans, and comprises data logically organized as;

a maintenance plan root node;

a scheduling terms subordinate node;

a cycles subordinate node;

a maintenance plan item subordinate node and wherein the maintenance plan item node contains;

an object reference subordinate node; and

an accounting coding block subordinate node; and

an item cycle group assignment subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the maintenance plan business object, the message comprising a maintenance plan create confirmation message entity, a message header package, a maintenance plan package, and a log package.

5. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a maintenance plan service, the software comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media, wherein upon execution the software executes in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a maintenance plan business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information used to manage maintenance plans and comprises data logically organized as;

a maintenance plan root node;

a scheduling terms subordinate node;

a cycles subordinate node;

a maintenance plan item subordinate node and wherein the maintenance plan item node contains;

an object reference subordinate node; and

an accounting coding block subordinate node; and

an item cycle group assignment subordinate node;

and the message comprising a maintenance plan create confirmation message entity, a message header package, a maintenance plan package, and a log package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked maintenance plan business object and in response to the first message.

6. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving a maintenance plan service and comprising:

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects;

wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object and at least one of the business objects is for representing information used to manage maintenance plans and comprises data logically organized as;

a maintenance plan root node;

a scheduling terms subordinate node;

a cycles subordinate node;

a maintenance plan item subordinate node and wherein the maintenance plan item node contains;

an object reference subordinate node; and

an accounting coding block subordinate node; and

an item cycle group assignment subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the maintenance plan business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media.

7. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a maintenance task list service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing maintenance task lists;

program code for invoking a maintenance task list business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information used to manage maintenance task lists, and comprises data logically organized as;

a maintenance task list root node; and

an operation subordinate node and wherein the operation node contains;

a relationship subordinate node; and

a material input subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the maintenance task list business object, the message comprising a maintenance task list simple by elements response message entity, a maintenance task list package, a processing conditions package, and a log package.

8. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a maintenance task list service, the software comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media, wherein upon execution the software executes in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a maintenance task list business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information used to manage maintenance task lists and comprises data logically organized as;

a maintenance task list root node; and

an operation subordinate node and wherein the operation node contains;

a relationship subordinate node; and

a material input subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a maintenance task list simple by elements response message entity, a maintenance task list package, a processing conditions package, and a log package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked maintenance task list business object and in response to the first message.

9. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving a maintenance task list service and comprising:

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects;

wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object and at least one of the business objects is for representing information used to manage maintenance task lists and comprises data logically organized as;

a maintenance task list root node; and

an operation subordinate node and wherein the operation node contains;

a relationship subordinate node; and

a material input subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the maintenance task list business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media.

10. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a request for supplier freight quote service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information for requesting a freight quote from a supplier, including terms and conditions of a transportation service and bidding rules of the tendering process;

program code for invoking a request for supplier freight quote business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information for requesting a freight quote from a supplier, including terms and conditions of a transportation service and bidding rules of the tendering process, and comprises data logically organized as;

a request for supplier freight quote root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a request for supplier shipment quote subordinate node and wherein the request for supplier shipment quote node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the request for supplier freight quote business object, the message comprising a request for supplier freight quote request message entity, a message header package, and a request for supplier freight quote package.

20. The program code of claim 10, wherein the element node of the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

11. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a request for supplier freight quote service, the software comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media, wherein upon execution the software executes in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a request for supplier freight quote business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information for requesting a freight quote from a supplier, including terms and conditions of a transportation service and bidding rules of the tendering process, and comprises data logically organized as;

a request for supplier freight quote root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a request for supplier shipment quote subordinate node and wherein the request for supplier shipment quote node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a request for supplier freight quote request message entity, a message header package, and a request for supplier freight quote package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked request for supplier freight quote business object and in response to the first message.

12. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving a request for supplier freight quote and comprising:

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects;

wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object and at least one of the business objects is for representing information for requesting a freight quote from a supplier and comprises data logically organized as;

a request for supplier freight quote root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a request for supplier shipment quote subordinate node and wherein the request for supplier shipment quote node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the request for supplier freight quote business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media.

13. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a supplier freight quote service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, including quoted services in response to a request for a supplier freight quote;

program code for invoking a supplier freight quote business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, including quoted services in response to a request for a supplier freight quote, and comprises data logically organized as;

a supplier freight quote root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains;

a date time period subordinate node; and

a request for supplier freight quote acceptance status subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a supplier shipment quote subordinate node and wherein the supplier shipment quote node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the supplier freight quote business object, the message comprising a supplier freight quote request message entity, a message header package, and a supplier freight quote package.

21. The program code of claim 13, wherein the element node of the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

14. A computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a supplier freight quote service, the software comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media, wherein upon execution the software executes in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a supplier freight quote business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, including quoted services in response to a request for a supplier freight quote and comprises data logically organized as;

a supplier freight quote root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains;

a date time period subordinate node; and

a request for supplier freight quote acceptance status subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a supplier shipment quote subordinate node and wherein the supplier shipment quote node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a supplier freight quote request message entity, a message header package, and a supplier freight quote package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked supplier freight quote business object and in response to the first message.

15. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving a supplier freight quote and comprising:

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects;

wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object and at least one of the business objects is for representing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, including quoted services in response to a request for a supplier freight quote and comprises data logically organized as;

a supplier freight quote root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains;

a date time period subordinate node; and

a request for supplier freight quote acceptance status subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate detail assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a supplier shipment quote subordinate node and wherein the supplier shipment quote node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the supplier freight quote business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media.