Interface for an enterprise resource planning program

• US 7,197,741 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Stapf, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US09/291,535
• Time in Patent Office: 2,904 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 717/9, 717/102, 709/203, 709/205, 709/300, 709/224, 709/104, 709/328, 707/3, 707/102, 707/203, 707/630, 740/270, 395/594, 395/661, 395/744, 395/746, 395/630
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method for interfacing with an enterprise resource planning system is provided. The method includes providing a file containing data to be loaded into the enterprise planning system (the “data file”). A file containing at least one parameter (the “parameter file”) is created. The parameter file maps data from the data file to screens of the enterprise resource planning system. Each record in the data file is processed according to the parameters in the parameter file to execute screens of the enterprise resource planning system so as to provide the data from the data file to the enterprise resource planning system.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing with an enterprise resource planning system, the method comprising:

providing a file containing data to be loaded into the enterprise planning system (the “

data file”

);

creating a file containing at least one parameter (the “

parameter file”

), wherein the parameter file maps data from the data file to screens of the enterprise resource planning system; and

processing each record in the data file according to the parameters in the parameter file to execute screens of the enterprise resource planning system so as to provide the data from the data file to the enterprise resource planning system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the file containing data comprises extracting the data from an legacy system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a file containing at least one parameter includes creating a file that also includes conditional logic associated with the parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a file containing at least one parameter comprises creating a file with a text editor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a file containing at least one parameter comprises creating a file with at least one parameter that includes a transaction code, a screen identification code, a screen number, and a field name associated with the enterprise resource planning system and a field location value and a field length associated with the data file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein processing each record in the data file comprises:

retrieving a record from the data file;

retrieving parameters from the parameter file;

creating commands for the enterprise resource planning system based on the parameters and the data in the retrieved record; and

executing screens of the enterprise resource planning system based on the created commands.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving parameters includes retrieving conditional logic parameters.

8. The method of claim 1, and further recording errors when executing screens of the enterprise resource planning system.

9. The method of claim 1, and further recording in an audit file a result for each record of the data file.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising transmitting results of a run of the method to at least one e-mail address.

11. The method of claim 1, and further selectively ceasing processing the records in the data file.

12. The method of claim 1, and further comprising restarting the processing of records in the data file at a point in the data file corresponding to a last record processed during a prior execution of the method with the data file.

13. A method for providing data to an Enterprise Resource Planning system, the method comprising:

opening a parameter file containing a plurality of parameters;

opening an associated data file containing a plurality of records;

wherein the parameter file maps data from the data file to screens of the Enterprise Resource Planning system;

for each record in the data file, creating commands based on the plurality of parameters; and

executing the commands to provide the data from the data file to the Enterprise Resource Planning system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein opening a parameter file comprises opening a parameter file that includes conditional parameters.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein opening a parameter file comprises opening a parameter file that includes a restart option.

16. The method of claim 13, and further recording in an audit file a result for each record of the data file.

17. The method of claim 13, and further comprising transmitting processing results to at least one e-mail address.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein creating commands based on the plurality of parameters comprises creating commands based on the plurality of parameters and at least two associated records.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein opening a parameter file comprises opening a parameter file that includes parameters that each have a transaction code, a screen identification code, a screen number, and a field name associated with the enterprise resource planning system and a field location value and a field length associated with the data file.

20. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising:

opening a parameter file containing a plurality of parameters;

opening an associated data file containing a plurality of records;

for each record in the data file, creating commands based on the plurality of parameters; and

executing the commands to provide the data from the data file to an Enterprise Resource Planning system.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein opening a parameter file comprises opening a parameter file that includes conditional parameters.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein opening a parameter file comprises opening a parameter file that includes a restart option.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 20, and further recording in an audit file a result for each record of the data file.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 20, and further comprising transmitting processing results to at least one e-mail address.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein creating commands based on the plurality of parameters comprises creating commands based on the plurality of parameters and at least two associated records.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein opening a parameter file comprises opening a parameter file that includes parameters that each have a transaction code, a screen identification code, a screen number, and a field name associated with the enterprise resource planning system and a field location value and a field length associated with the data file.