ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FOR CUSTOMER RETURNS HANDLING APPLICATION SOFTWARE

• US 20100070330A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Bach, Thomas, Nitschke, Thomas, Bock, Daniel, Kulkarni, Anoop, Marschall, Peer, Sudbrack, Andrea, Herrmann, Holger, Colle, Renzo, Hirth, Jochen, Hetzer, Stephan, Breitling, Thomas, Koegler, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/014 Providing recall services for goods or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing customer returns handling. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include an Accounting process component, a Customer Return Processing process component, a Sales Order Processing process component, a Customer Invoice Processing process component, a Due Item Processing process component, a Balance of Foreign Payment Management process component, a Payment Processing process component, a Supply and Demand Matching process component, an Inventory Processing process component, a Site Logistics Processing process component, and an Inbound Delivery Processing process component.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising application software encoded on a tangible machine-readable information carrier, the application software being structured as process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, the software comprising:

a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including;

a site logistics processing process component that handles the preparation, physical execution, and confirmation of logistics processes within a site, the logistics processes being based on site logistics process models and including picking, packing, shipping, receiving, and value added services;

an inbound delivery processing process component that handles the management and processing of the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor, the process component combining all document-based tasks for the inbound delivery process and enabling communication with the originating document, the vendor and invoicing;

an inventory processing process component that handles the management of inventory and recording of inventory changes, providing services to maintain current stock, content and structure of logistic units and allocations;

a supply and demand matching process component that handles the management of all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;

a customer return processing process component that handles the processing of requests made by customers to a seller to take back goods that were delivered, and to reverse a sale;

a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers'"'"' requests to seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price; and

an accounting process component that represents relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis; and

a plurality of service operations, each service operation being implemented for a respective process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the passing of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message-based pair-wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between;

the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;

the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;

the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component;

the inbound delivery processing process component and the customer return processing process component;

the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component; and

the site logistics processing process component and the site logistics processing process component.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of process components further includes;

a customer invoice processing process component that handles the invoicing of customers for the delivery of goods or the provision of services;

a due item processing process component that handles the collection, management, and monitoring of trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that handles the collection, processing and reporting of receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations that are required by the central banks to create the balance of payments of a country; and

a payment processing process component that handles the processing and management of all payments; and

the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components further include interactions between;

the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;

the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;

the due item processing process component and the payment processing process component;

the due item processing process component and the accounting process component;

the customer return processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component related to requesting the creation, update or cancellation of invoices;

the payment processing process component and the accounting process component;

the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component;

a bank statement creation at bank process component and the payment processing process component;

the customer return processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component related to requesting information about customer invoices;

the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the due item processing process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management due item processing process component.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of process components is assigned to exactly one deployment unit among multiple deployment units, and each deployment unit is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit; and

all interaction between a process component in one deployment unit and any other process component in any other deployment unit takes place through the respective service interfaces of the two process components.

4. The product of claim 3, wherein the deployment units comprise:

a production and site logistics execution deployment unit that includes the site logistics processing process component, the inbound delivery processing process component, and the inventory processing process component;

a supply chain control deployment unit that includes the supply and demand matching process component;

a customer relationship management deployment unit that includes the customer return processing process component and the sales order processing process component;

a customer invoicing deployment unit that includes the customer invoice processing process component;

a due item management deployment unit that includes the due item processing process component and a balance of foreign payment management process component;

a payment deployment unit that includes the payment processing process component; and

a financial accounting deployment unit that includes the accounting process component.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and

none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

6. The product of claim 5, wherein the business objects comprise a business process object.

7. The product of claim 5, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

8. The product of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, an inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from an inbound operation, an outbound process agent being operable to cause an outbound operation to send a message and each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

9. The product of claim 8, wherein the inbound process agents comprise a first inbound process agent operable to start the execution of a business process step requested in a first inbound message by creating or updating one or more business object instances.

10. The product of claim 8, wherein the outbound process agents comprise a first asynchronous outbound process agent that is called after a business object that is associated with the first outbound process agent changes.

11. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise synchronous and asynchronous operations.

12. A system, comprising:

a computer system comprising one or more hardware platforms for executing a computer software application;

a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including;

a site logistics processing process component that handles the preparation, physical execution, and confirmation of logistics processes within a site, the logistics processes being based on site logistics process models and including picking, packing, shipping, receiving, and value added services;

an inbound delivery processing process component that handles the management and processing of the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor, the process component combining all document-based tasks for the inbound delivery process and enabling communication with the originating document, the vendor and invoicing;

an inventory processing process component that handles the management of inventory and recording of inventory changes, providing services to maintain current stock, content and structure of logistic units and allocations;

a supply and demand matching process component that handles the management of all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;

a customer return processing process component that handles the processing of requests made by customers to a seller to take back goods that were delivered, and to reverse a sale;

a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers'"'"' requests to seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price; and

an accounting process component that represents relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis; and

a plurality of service operations, each service operation being implemented for a respective process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the passing of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message-based pair-wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between;

the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;

the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;

the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component;

the inbound delivery processing process component and the customer return processing process component;

the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component; and

the site logistics processing process component and the site logistics processing process component.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of process components further includes;

a customer invoice processing process component that handles the invoicing of customers for the delivery of goods or the provision of services;

a due item processing process component that handles the collection, management, and monitoring of trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that handles the collection, processing and reporting of receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations that are required by the central banks to create the balance of payments of a country; and

a payment processing process component that handles the processing and management of all payments; and

the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components include interactions between;

the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;

the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;

the due item processing process component and the payment processing process component;

the due item processing process component and the accounting process component;

the customer return processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component related to requesting the creation, update or cancellation of invoices;

the payment processing process component and the accounting process component;

the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component;

a bank statement creation at bank process component and the payment processing process component;

the customer return processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component related to requesting information about customer invoices;

the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the due item processing process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management due item processing process component.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and

none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprises a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, an inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from an inbound operation, an outbound process agent being operable to cause an outbound operation to send a message and each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

17. The system of claim 12, the system comprising multiple hardware platforms, wherein:

the site logistics processing process component, the inbound delivery processing process component, and the inventory processing process component are deployed on a first hardware platform;

the supply and demand matching process component is deployed on a second hardware platform;

the customer return processing process component and the sales order processing process component are deployed on a third hardware platform;

the customer invoice processing process component is deployed on a fourth hardware platform;

the due item processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component are deployed on a fifth hardware platform;

the payment processing process component is deployed on a sixth hardware platform; and

the accounting process component is deployed on a seventh hardware platform.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the first through the seventh hardware platforms are distinct and separate from each other.

19. A method for developing a computer software application, comprising:

obtaining in a computer system digital data representing an architectural design for a set of processes implementing an end-to-end application process, the design specifying a process component for each process in the set of processes and the design further specifying a set of process component interactions, wherein;

the specified process components include;

a site logistics processing process component that handles the preparation, physical execution, and confirmation of logistics processes within a site, the logistics processes being based on site logistics process models and including picking, packing, shipping, receiving, and value added services;

an inbound delivery processing process component that handles the management and processing of the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor, the process component combining all document-based tasks for the inbound delivery process and enabling communication with the originating document, the vendor and invoicing;

an inventory processing process component that handles the management of inventory and recording of inventory changes, providing services to maintain current stock, content and structure of logistic units and allocations;

a supply and demand matching process component that handles the management of all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;

a customer return processing process component that handles the processing of requests made by customers to a seller to take back goods that were delivered, and to reverse a sale;

a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers'"'"' requests to seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price; and

an accounting process component that represents relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis; and

the process component interactions include interactions between;

the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;

the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;

the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component;

the inbound delivery processing process component and the customer return processing process component;

the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component; and

the site logistics processing process component and the site logistics processing process component; and

using the design including the specified process components and the specified process component interactions to develop a computer software application to perform the set of processes.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the specified process components further include;

a customer invoice processing process component that handles the invoicing of customers for the delivery of goods or the provision of services;

a due item processing process component that handles the collection, management, and monitoring of trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that handles the collection, processing and reporting of receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations that are required by the central banks to create the balance of payments of a country; and

a payment processing process component that handles the processing and management of all payments; and

the process component interactions further include interactions between;

the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;

the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;

the due item processing process component and the payment processing process component;

the due item processing process component and the accounting process component;

the customer return processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component related to requesting the creation, update or cancellation of invoices;

the payment processing process component and the accounting process component;

the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component;

a bank statement creation at bank process component and the payment processing process component;

the customer return processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component related to requesting information about customer invoices;

the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the due item processing process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management due item processing process component.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein each process in the set of processes is a business process transforming a defined business input into a defined business outcome.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein obtaining digital data representing the architectural design further comprises editing the design before using the design.