SOLUTION PACKAGES INCLUDING SEGMENTS OF A PROCESS CHAIN

• US 20120072250A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Hoff, Roland, Hartenstein, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

In one general aspect, a computer system can include an existing process chain module configured to receive a plurality of segment definitions representing a plurality of existing segments defining an existing process chain implemented in a target system. The computer system can include a proposed process chain module configured to select, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with an existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments. The computer system can include an operational relationship module configured to define an option for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the proposed process chain.

Claims

1. A computer system including instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer system comprising:

an existing process chain module configured to receive a plurality of segment definitions representing a plurality of existing segments defining an existing process chain implemented in a target system;

a proposed process chain module configured to select, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a first proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with an existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and select, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a second proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments; and

an operational relationship module configured to define an option for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain, and define a prerequisite for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first proposed process chain and the second proposed process each define an end-to-end process chain that is a superset of the plurality of existing segments defining the existing process chain.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the option is related to an interface configured to trigger at least a portion of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain, the interface is included in at least one of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain or the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

a solution package generator configured to receive an indicator that the option has been selected for the operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain, and configured to produce a solution package that includes an implementation of the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain, an implementation of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain, and excludes the plurality of existing segments defining the existing process chain.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the prerequisite is related to an upgrade to a program version of the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments of the existing process chain, the upgrade to the program version corresponds with a program version of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain includes a process step configured to trigger a first process step included in the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments defining the existing process chain, the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments includes a second process step configured to trigger a process step included in the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of existing segments including the existing segment and at least a portion of the first proposed process chain including the first proposed segment collectively define an end-to-end process that is different than an end-to-end process collectively defined by the at least the portion of the plurality of existing segments including the existing segment and at least a portion of the second proposed process chain including the second proposed segment.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein each of the existing segments from the plurality of existing segments is included in a first end-to-end process chain associated with the first proposed process chain and included in a second end-to-end process chain associated with the second proposed process chain

9. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

a solution package generator configured to produce a solution package that includes an interface common to the operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain, and to the operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain.

10. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the existing segment from the plurality of segments includes an enterprise process with an external interface to an external application independent from an application implementing the existing process chain, the first proposed process chain, and the second proposed process chain.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the segment from the plurality of segments includes a variant of an existing enterprise process including an optional process step bound to a mandatory process step.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein a combination of the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain and the existing segment collectively define at least a portion of a first model process chain, and a combination of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain and the existing segment collectively define at least a portion of a second model process chain,

the computer system further comprising:

a solution package generator configured to produce a single solution package for the first model process chain and the second model process chain.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein a combination of the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain and the existing segment collectively define at least a portion of a first model process chain, and a combination of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain and the existing segment collectively define at least a portion of a second model process chain, the existing segment is common to the first model process chain and the second model process chain.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of existing segments is a first plurality of existing segments,

the existing process chain module is configured to select a second plurality of existing segments defining an existing process chain different from the existing process chain defined by the first plurality of existing segments,

the computer system further comprising:

a solution package generator configured to produce a solution package that includes an implementation of the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain, an implementation of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain, and an implementation of a proposed segment of a third proposed process chain that has an operational relationship with the second plurality of existing segments, but does not have an operational relationship with the first plurality of existing segments.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing code representing instructions that when executed are configured to cause a processor to perform a process, the code comprising code to:

receive a plurality of segment definitions representing a plurality of existing segments defining an existing process chain implemented in a target system;

select, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a first proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with an existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments;

select, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a second proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments;

define an option for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain; and

define a prerequisite for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first proposed process chain and the second proposed process each define an end-to-end process chain that is a superset of the plurality of existing segments defining the existing process chain.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the option is related to an interface configured to trigger at least a portion of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain, the interface is included in at least one of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain or the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising code to:

receive an indicator that the option has been selected for the operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain; and

produce a solution package that includes an implementation of the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain, an implementation of the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain, and excludes the plurality of existing segments defining the existing process chain.

19. A method including executing instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage media using at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of segment definitions representing a plurality of existing segments defining an existing process chain implemented in a target system;

selecting, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a first proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with an existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments;

selecting, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a second proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments;

defining an option for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the first proposed process chain; and

defining a prerequisite for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the second proposed process chain.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first proposed process chain and the second proposed process each define an end-to-end process chain that is a superset of the plurality of existing segments defining the existing process chain.