Architectural design for manual invoicing application software

• US 8,321,308 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Podhajsky, Georg, Franke, Stefan, Sudbrack, Andrea, Nowotny, Dietmar, Schlappner, Klaus, Hoffmann, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obaid, Fateh M
• Application Number:
  US12/327,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20100138255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing manual invoicing. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include a Customer Invoice Processing process component, a Due Item Processing process component, a Payment Processing process component, an Accounting process component, a Project Processing process component, and a Balance of Foreign Payment Management process component.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising application software encoded on a non-transitory, tangible machine readable information carrier, the application software being structured as process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, the software comprising:

a plurality of process components, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component via at least one service interface, the plurality of process components including;

a due item processing process component that collects, manages, and monitors trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a project processing process component that structures, plans, and executes simple, short-term measures and complex projects;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that collects, processes, and reports receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations to create a balance of payments of a country;

a payment processing process component that processes and manages payments and conducts communications with financial institutions;

a customer invoice processing process component that processes invoicing of customers for delivery of goods or provision of services; and

an accounting process component that processes business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis; and

a plurality of service interfaces, each service interface associated with exactly one process component and comprising at least one operation, each operation being implemented for exactly one process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the passing of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message based pair wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between;

the due item processing process component and a due item processing at business partner process component;

an accounting coding block distribution processing process component and the project processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the accounting coding block distribution processing process component and the project processing process component includes the transmission of;

an accounting object check request message from the accounting coding block distribution processing process component to the project processing process component the accounting object check request message requesting a status check for tasks associated with the existence and availability for expense or resource assignment in accounting; and

an accounting object check confirmation message from the project processing process component to the accounting coding block distribution processing process component the accounting object check confirmation message providing a confirmation of the existence of at least one accounting object and whether the at least one accounting object is permitted for assignment in accounting;

the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component includes the transmission of;

a clearing request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing request message requesting the clearing of payments within the due item processing process component;

a clearing cancellation request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing cancellation request message requesting cancellation of a previously sent clearing request; and

a clearing confirmation message from the due item processing process component to the payment processing process component, the clearing confirmation message providing a confirmation or rejection to the payment processing process component in response to a clearing request or clearing cancellation request message;

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of;

an invoice accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component, the invoice accounting notification message requesting the accounting process component to create an accounting document based on invoice data received from the customer invoice processing process component;

an invoice cancellation accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component, the invoice cancellation accounting notification message requesting the accounting process component to cancel an existing accounting document based on cancellation data received from the customer invoice processing process component; and

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message notifying the accounting process component about the creation, change, or cancellation of a customer invoice request;

a bank statement creation at bank process component and the payment processing process component;

the due item processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the due item processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component includes the transmission of;

a due clearing notification message from the due item processing process component to the customer invoice processing process component, the due clearing notification message notifying the customer invoice processing process component about clearing of trade receivables at the due item processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component includes the transmission of;

a foreign receivable payable notification message from the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, the foreign receivable payable notification message notifying the balance of foreign payment management process component about an invoice in order to track a receivable from or a payable to a non-resident business partner; and

a foreign receivable payable cancellation notification message from the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, the foreign receivable payable cancellation notification message notifying the balance of foreign payment management process component about the cancellation of a previously posted supplier invoice;

the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;

the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of process components is assigned to no more than one deployment unit among multiple deployment units, and each deployment unit is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit; and

all interaction between a process component in one deployment unit and any other process component in any other deployment unit takes place through the respective service interfaces of the two process components.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the deployment units comprise:

a financials deployment that includes the accounting process component, the due item processing process component, the payment processing process component, and the balance of foreign payment management process component;

a project management deployment unit that includes the project processing component; and

a customer invoicing deployment unit that includes the customer invoice processing process component.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the process components includes at least one business object; and

none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

5. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the business objects comprise a business process object.

6. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, the inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from the inbound operation, the outbound process agent being operable to cause the outbound operation to send a message, and each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the inbound process agents comprise a first inbound process agent operable to start the execution of a step requested in a first inbound message by creating or updating at least one business object instance.

9. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the outbound process agents comprise a first asynchronous outbound process agent that is called after a business object that is associated with the first outbound process agent changes.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise synchronous and asynchronous operations.

11. A system, comprising:

a computer system comprising at least one hardware platform configured with a computer software application, the computer software application being structured as a plurality of process components interacting with each other through service interfaces;

each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component via at least one service interface, the plurality of process components including;

a due item processing process component that collects, manages, and monitors trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a project processing process component that structures, plans, and executes simple, short-term measures and complex projects;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that collects, processes, and reports receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations to create a balance of payments of a country;

a payment processing process component that processes and manages payments and conducts communications with financial institutions;

a customer invoice processing process component that processes invoicing of customers for delivery of goods or provision of services; and

an accounting process component that processes business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis; and

a plurality of service interfaces, each service interface associated with exactly one process component and comprising at least one operation, each operation being implemented exactly one process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the passing of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message based pair wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between;

the due item processing process component and a due item processing at business partner process component;

an accounting coding block distribution processing process component and the project processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the accounting coding block distribution processing process component and the project processing process component includes the transmission of;

an accounting object check request message from the accounting coding block distribution processing process component to the project processing process component, the accounting object check request message requesting a status check for tasks associated with the existence and availability for expense or resource assignment in accounting; and

an accounting object check confirmation message from the project processing process component to the accounting coding block distribution processing process component, the accounting object check confirmation message providing a confirmation of the existence of at least one accounting object and whether the at least one accounting object is permitted for assignment in accounting;

the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component includes the transmission of;

a clearing request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing request message requesting the clearing of payments within the due item processing process component;

a clearing cancellation request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing cancellation request message requesting cancellation of a previously sent clearing request; and

a clearing confirmation message from the due item processing process component to the payment processing process component, the clearing confirmation message providing a confirmation or rejection to the payment processing process component in response to a clearing request or clearing cancellation request message;

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of;

an invoice accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component, the invoice accounting notification message requesting the accounting process component to create an accounting document based on invoice data received from the customer invoice processing process component;

an invoice cancellation accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component, the invoice cancellation accounting notification message requesting the accounting process component to cancel an existing accounting document based on cancellation data received from the customer invoice processing process component; and

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message notifying the accounting process component about the creation, change, or cancellation of a customer invoice request;

a bank statement creation at bank process component and the payment processing process component;

the due item processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the due item processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component includes the transmission of;

a due clearing notification message from the due item processing process component to the customer invoice processing process component, the due clearing notification message notifying the customer invoice processing process component about clearing of trade receivables at the due item processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component includes the transmission of;

a foreign receivable payable notification message from the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, the foreign receivable payable notification message notifying the balance of foreign payment management process component about an invoice in order to track a receivable from or a payable to a non-resident business partner; and

a foreign receivable payable cancellation notification message from the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, the foreign receivable payable cancellation notification message notifying the balance of foreign payment management process component about the cancellation of a previously posted supplier invoice;

the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;

the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

each of the process components includes at least one business object; and

none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, the inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from the inbound operation, the outbound process agent being operable to cause the outbound operation to send a message, and each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

15. The system of claim 11, the system comprising multiple hardware platforms, wherein:

the accounting process component, the due item processing process component, the payment processing process component, and the balance of foreign payment management process component are deployed on a first hardware platform;

the project processing process component is deployed on a second hardware platform; and

the customer invoice processing process component is deployed on a third hardware platform.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the first through the third hardware platforms is distinct and separate from each other.

17. A computer-implemented method for developing a computer software application, the method comprising the following steps performed by at least one processor:

obtaining, in a programmable computer system having at least one processor, a storage medium, and an interface, digital data representing an architectural design for a set of processes implementing an end-to-end application process, the design specifying a process component for each process in the set of processes, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable software implementing a respective and distinct process, the design further specifying a set of process component interactions based on messages transmitted between two or more process components, wherein

the specified process components include;

a due item processing process component that collects, manages, and monitors trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a project processing process component that structures, plans, and executes simple, short-term measures and complex projects;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that collects, processes, and reports receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations to create a balance of payments of a country;

a payment processing process component that processes and manages payments and conducts communications with financial institutions;

a customer invoice processing process component that processes invoicing of customers for delivery of goods or provision of services; and

an accounting process component that processes business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis; and

the process component interactions include interactions between;

the due item processing process component and a due item processing at business partner process component;

an accounting coding block distribution processing process component and the project processing process component, where the interaction between the accounting coding block distribution processing process component and the project processing process component includes the transmission of;

an accounting object check request message from the accounting coding block distribution processing process component to the project processing process component the accounting object check request message requesting a status check for tasks associated with the existence and availability for expense or resource assignment in accounting; and

an accounting object check confirmation message from the project processing process component to the accounting coding block distribution processing process component the accounting object check confirmation message providing a confirmation of the existence of at least one accounting object and whether the at least one accounting object is permitted for assignment in accounting;

the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component where the interaction between the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component includes the transmission of;

a clearing request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing request message requesting the clearing of payments within the due item processing process component;

a clearing cancellation request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing cancellation request message requesting cancellation of a previously sent clearing request; and

a clearing confirmation message from the due item processing process component to the payment processing process component, the clearing confirmation message providing a confirmation or rejection to the payment processing process component in response to a clearing request or clearing cancellation request message;

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component, where the interaction between the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of;

an invoice accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component the invoice accounting notification message requesting the accounting process component to create an accounting document based on invoice data received from the customer invoice processing process component;

an invoice cancellation accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component the invoice cancellation accounting notification message requesting the accounting process component to cancel an existing accounting document based on cancellation data received from the customer invoice processing process component; and

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the customer invoice processing process component to the accounting process component the sales and purchasing accounting notification message notifying the accounting process component about the creation change or cancellation of a customer invoice request;

a bank statement creation at bank process component and the payment processing process component;

the due item processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component, where the interaction between the due item processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component includes the transmission of;

a due clearing notification message from the due item processing process component to the customer invoice processing process component the due clearing notification message notifying the customer invoice processing process component about clearing of trade receivables at the due item processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component, where the interaction between the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component includes the transmission of;

a foreign receivable payable notification message from the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component the foreign receivable payable notification message notifying the balance of foreign payment management process component about an invoice in order to track a receivable from or a payable to a non-resident business partner; and

a foreign receivable payable cancellation notification message from the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component the foreign receivable payable cancellation notification message notifying the balance of foreign payment management process component about the cancellation of a previously posted supplier invoice;

the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;

the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component; and

generating, using the at least one processor on the computer system, a computer software application to perform the set of processes based on the obtained design including the specified process components and specified process component interactions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each process in the set of processes is a business process transforming a defined business input into a defined business outcome.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein obtaining digital data representing the architectural design further comprises editing the design before generating the computer software application.