System and Method for Bill-of-Materials Low-Level Code Harmonization

• US 20140244019A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Zhang, Eryi, Drouin, Philippe, Frankenhauser, Uwe, Stier, Andreas, Thierer, Jochen
• Application Number:
  US13/773,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

Techniques for bill of material (BOM) low-level code harmonization are disclosed. The BOMs from different sources for each product are ranked according to corresponding low-level codes of the end product. The BOMs are scanned in order to determine the lowest low-level code for all BOMs for a particular product. The BOMs for the particular product are then associated with the lowest low-level code. Once all the BOMs for each product are assigned the lowest low-level code for that product, then the BOMs are rescanned in the ranked order to determine the lowest low-level code associated with each end product in BOMs in which the end products are included as components. Each BOM for each end product is then associated with lowest low-level code from the BOM in which the end product is listed as a component. The harmonized low-level codes are used for determination of eligibility for preferential customs duties.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, in a computer system, a plurality of bills of materials (BOMs), wherein the plurality of BOMs are associated with a plurality of corresponding products and a plurality of corresponding low-level codes;

wherein the low-level codes classify the plurality of products according to a plurality of manufacturing levels;

sorting, in the computer system, the BOMs according to the plurality of corresponding low-level codes into an order;

scanning, in the computer system, through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a first portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with a first product in the plurality of products;

determining, in the computer system, a first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the first portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining, in the computer system, a lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating, in the computer system, the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

scanning, in the computer system, through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with second product in the plurality of products;

determining, in the computer system, a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining, in the computer system, a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating, in the computer system, the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the second portion of the plurality of BOMs.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

scanning, in the computer system, through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs having the first product in the plurality of products as a component;

determining, in the computer system, a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining, in the computer system, a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating, in the computer system, the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the order ascends from a low manufacturing level value to a high manufacturing level value.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes is used for determination of eligibility for preferential customs duty for the first product or another product in the plurality of products.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of BOMs are received from a plurality of different sources, and wherein the plurality of manufacturing levels differ from one another according to the different sources.

7. A method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of BOMS associated with a first corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products comprises a second corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products as a component.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed, control a computer processor to be configured for:

receiving a plurality of bills of materials (BOMs), wherein the plurality of BOMs are associated with a plurality of corresponding products and a plurality of corresponding low-level codes;

wherein the low-level codes classify the plurality of products according to a plurality of manufacturing levels;

sorting the BOMs according to the plurality of corresponding low-level codes into an order;

scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a first portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with a first product in the plurality of products;

determining a first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the first portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining a lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further containing instructions that, when executed, control the computer processor to be configured for:

scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with second product in the plurality of products;

determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the second portion of the plurality of BOMs.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further containing instructions that, when executed, control the computer processor to be configured for:

scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs having the first product in the plurality of products as a component;

determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the order ascends from a low manufacturing level value to a high manufacturing level value.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes is used for determination of preferential customs duty for the first product or another product in the plurality of products.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the plurality of BOMs are received from a plurality of different sources, and wherein the plurality of manufacturing levels differ from one another according to the different sources.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of BOMS associated with a first corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products comprises a second corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products as a component.

15. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for;

receiving a plurality of bills of materials (BOMs), wherein the plurality of BOMs are associated with a plurality of corresponding products and a plurality of corresponding low-level codes;

wherein the low-level codes classify the plurality of products according to a plurality of manufacturing levels;

sorting the BOMs according to the plurality of corresponding low-level codes into an order;

scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a first portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with a first product in the plurality of products;

determining a first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the first portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining a lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further contains instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for:

scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with second product in the plurality of products;

determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the second portion of the plurality of BOMs.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further contains instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for:

scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs having the first product in the plurality of products as a component;

determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;

determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and

associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the order ascends from a low manufacturing level value to a high manufacturing level value.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes is used for determination of eligibility for preferential customs duty for the first product or another product in the plurality of products.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of BOMs are received from a plurality of different sources, and wherein the plurality of manufacturing levels differ from one another according to the different sources.