Order document data management

• US 7,827,204 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Mayer, Thomas, Heinzel, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): LeRoux; Etienne P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cindy
• Application Number:
  US10/742,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/102, 705/9
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing order document data are provided. The order document data may be represented as an object, the object being configurable so as to comprise a predetermined number of core components, the core components being configurable in their content, and being hierarchically ordered in a corresponding number of levels. The object may comprise a number of extensions. The core components may comprise a header, at least one item, and/or schedule line. The header may comprise central information about an order.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing data for an order for products or services, the method comprising the steps performed by a computer of:

assigning an order data type to the order, wherein the order data type defines a structure for tables of a database;

storing, in the database, data for the order, wherein the data for the order is stored as a hierarchical object comprising a plurality of core component tables and one or more extension tables having pluralities of entries;

assigning at least one of the one or more extension tables to at least two of the core component tables, wherein each entry in the assigned extension table is assigned to one of the at least two of the core component tables; and

outputting, to a display device, the data for the order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of core component tables comprise an order header component table, an order item component table, and an order schedule line component table.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more extension tables include a standard key that identifies the order.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in the database, a reference that links two of the plurality of core component tables.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing additional orders of the same data order type in the tables of the database.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the order header component table comprises business partner information.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the order item component table comprises product information and delivery location.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the order schedule line component table comprises a quantity and a time stamp.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more extension tables comprise additional information relating to a corresponding assigned one of the plurality of core component tables.

10. A system for managing data for an order for products or services, the system comprising:

a memory storing program instructions; and

a processor for executing the program instructions to;

assign an order data type to the order, wherein the order data type defines a structure for tables of a database;

store, in the database, data for the order, wherein the data for the order is stored as a hierarchical object comprising a plurality of core component tables and one or more extension tables having pluralities of entries;

assign at least one of the one or more extension tables to at least two of the core component tables, wherein each entry in the assigned extension table is assigned to one of the at least two of the core component tables; and

output, to a display device, the data for the order.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of core component tables comprise an order header component table, an order item component table, and an order schedule line component table.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more extension tables include a standard key that identifies the order.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for storing, in the database, a reference that links two of the plurality of core component tables.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions for performing a method of managing data for an order for products or services, the method comprising:

assigning an order data type to the order, wherein the order data type defines a structure for tables of a database;

storing, in the database, data for the order, wherein the data for the order is stored as a hierarchical object comprising a plurality of core component tables and one or more extension tables having pluralities of entries;

assigning at least one of the one or more extension tables to at least two of the core component tables, wherein each entry in the assigned extension table is assigned to one of the at least two of the core component tables; and

outputting, to a display device, the data for the order.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the plurality of core component tables comprise an order header component table, an order item component table, and an order schedule line component table.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more extension tables include a standard key that identifies the order.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

storing, in the database, a reference that links two of the plurality of core component tables.