FRAMEWORK FOR AD-HOC PROCESS FLEXIBILITY

• US 20120030573A1
• Filed: 08/02/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Balko, Soeren, Jann, Annette, Holz, Sabine, Moeller, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/735
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4486 Formation of subprogram jump address

Abstract

The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing a unified runtime framework and graphical, process-centric user interface for ad-hoc business process flexibility. One process includes operations for providing process instances of one or more business processes in a process visualization user interface. A request to initiate an ad-hoc change of a selected process instance is received from the client, and client user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change are provided to the client. A selection of a particular user interaction option for implementing the ad-hoc change is received from the client, and the ad-hoc change is implemented.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method performed by one or more processors for providing user interaction options for making ad-hoc changes of process instances at runtime, the method comprising the following operations:

providing process instances of one or more business processes to a client across a network in a process visualization user interface;

receiving a request from the client to initiate an ad-hoc change of a selected process instance;

providing user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change to the client, the user interaction options provided in the process visualization user interface;

receiving a selection of a particular user interaction option for implementing the ad-hoc change from the client; and

implementing the ad-hoc change of the selected process instance at runtime.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the process instances are associated with a particular Business Process Management Suite (BPMS) system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change comprises aggregating pre-existing options available from runtime frameworks associated with an underlying Business Process Management Suite (BPMS) system and presenting the pre-existing options in the process visualization user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change further comprises:

identifying a process extension of the selected process instance for replacement, the process extension associated with a particular interface;

identifying a replacement process extension associated with an interface compatible with the particular interface; and

presenting an option of replacing the process extension of the selected process instance with the replacement process extension.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selection of a particular user interaction option for implementing the ad-hoc change is a selection to replace the process extension with the replacement process extension.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the ad-hoc change of the process instance at runtime further comprises:

determining that the selection of the particular user interaction option is a selection of an option requiring modification of an existing process model associated with the selected process instance;

generating a new process model based on definitions associated with the process model, the new process model further including changes associated with the selection of the particular user interaction option; and

migrating the selected process instance from the existing process model to the new process model at runtime.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change further comprises applying a set of constraints to the user interaction options provided to the client, the set of constraints prohibiting an ad-hoc change contrary to a business intent of the selected process instance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the client user interaction options are selected based at least in part on a business context associated with the selected process instance.

9. A computer program product encoded on a tangible storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

providing process instances of one or more business processes to a client across a network in a process visualization user interface;

receiving a request from the client to initiate an ad-hoc change of a selected process instance;

providing user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change to the client, the user interaction options provided in the process visualization user interface;

receiving a selection of a particular user interaction option for implementing the ad-hoc change from the client; and

implementing the ad-hoc change of the selected process instance at runtime.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change comprises aggregating pre-existing options available from runtime frameworks associated with an underlying Business Process Management Suite (BPMS) system and presenting the pre-existing options in the process visualization user interface.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change further comprises:

identifying a process extension of the selected process instance for replacement, the process extension associated with a particular interface;

identifying a replacement process extension associated with an interface compatible with the particular interface; and

presenting an option of replacing the process extension of the selected process instance with the replacement process extension.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the selection of a particular user interaction option for implementing the ad-hoc change is a selection to replace the process extension with the replacement process extension.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein implementing the ad-hoc change of the process instance at runtime further comprises:

determining that the selection of the particular user interaction option is a selection of an option requiring modification of an existing process model associated with the selected process instance;

generating a new process model based on definitions associated with the process model, the new process model further including changes associated with the selection of the particular user interaction option; and

migrating the selected process instance from the existing process model to the new process model at runtime.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change further comprises applying a set of constraints to the user interaction options provided to the client, the set of constraints prohibiting an ad-hoc change contrary to a business intent of the selected process instance.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the client user interaction options are selected based at least in part on a business context associated with the selected process instance

16. A system, comprising:

memory operable to store information associated with process instances of one or more business processes; and

one or more processors operable to;

provide process instances of one or more business processes to a client across a network in a process visualization user interface;

receive a request from the client to initiate an ad-hoc change of a selected process instance;

provide user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change to the client, the user interaction options provided in the process visualization user interface;

receive a selection of a particular user interaction option for implementing the ad-hoc change from the client; and

implement the ad-hoc change of the selected process instance at runtime.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein providing the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change comprises aggregating pre-existing options available from runtime frameworks associated with an underlying Business Process Management Suite (BPMS) system and presenting the pre-existing options in the process visualization user interface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein to provide the user interaction options for implementing the ad-hoc change, the one or more processors are further operable to:

identify a process extension of the selected process instance for replacement, the process extension associated with a particular interface;

identify a replacement process extension associated with an interface compatible with the particular interface; and

present an option of replacing the process extension of the selected process instance with the replacement process extension.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein to implement the ad-hoc change of the process instance at runtime, the one or more processors are further operable to:

determine that the selection of the particular user interaction option is a selection of an option requiring modification of an existing process model associated with the selected process instance;

generate a new process model based on definitions associated with the process model, the new process model further including changes associated with the selection of the particular user interaction option; and

migrate the selected process instance from the existing process model to the new process model at runtime.