Inventory location common object

• US 8,489,470 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kahlon, Paramjit, Catahan, Nardo B. Jr., Garg, Shailendra, Barnes-Leon, Maria Theresa
• Primary Examiner(s): OBEID, FAHD A
• Application Number:
  US10/696,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,549 Days
• Field of Search: 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Stored inventory location information in a first format for use by a first computerized system is transformed to readily make the stored inventory location information available for use in a second computerized system that utilizes a second format in a cost-efficient and time-efficient manner.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

synchronizing existing target inventory location information with source inventory location information, wherein

the existing target inventory location information is stored in a target inventory location record at a target system,

the source inventory location information is stored at a plurality of source systems,

the plurality of source systems are ones of a plurality of computer systems,

the target system is another of the plurality of computer systems,

the synchronizing is performed using an integration server, and

the synchronizing comprises

extracting the source inventory location information from a plurality of source inventory location records, wherein

at least one of the plurality of source inventory location records is extracted from a first source system,

at least one of the plurality of source inventory location records is extracted from a second source system,

the source inventory location information from each of the plurality of source inventory location records is in one of a plurality of source formats, and

each one of the plurality of source formats corresponds to at least one of the plurality of source systems,

generating intermediate source inventory location information by converting the source inventory location information into an intermediate format, wherein

the converting the source inventory location information into the intermediate format comprises

 

determining whether an intermediate record exists, wherein

 

the intermediate record is associated with the source inventory location information,

 

if the intermediate record exists, accessing a common object, wherein

 

the common object is associated with the intermediate record,

 

if the intermediate record does not exists, creating the intermediate record and the common object, and

 

mapping the source inventory location information to the common object, and

after the converting, the common object comprises the intermediate source inventory location information,

converting the intermediate source inventory location information into target inventory location information, wherein

the target inventory location information is in a target format, and

the target format corresponds to the target system, and

updating the target inventory location record using the target inventory location information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the target inventory location information in the target format to

create a target inventory location record in the target system if the target inventory location record does not exist.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting inventory location information in a second source format that is associated with a second source system that is distinct from the first source system, wherein

the second source system is one of the plurality of source systems;

converting the inventory location information in the second source format into inventory location information that is in the intermediate format;

converting the inventory location information in the intermediate format into inventory location information in the target format; and

using the inventory location information in the target format to perform at least one computer-implemented act from a set of computer-implemented acts comprising;

creating a new inventory location record in the target computerized inventory management system; and

updating an existing inventory location record in the target computerized inventory management system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

from the at least one of the plurality of source inventory location records from the first source system, the extracting extracts less than all first source system inventory location information, and

from the at least one of the plurality of source inventory location records from the second source system, the extracting extracts less than all second source system inventory location information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the intermediate format comprises a list of inventory locations class with a hierarchy of data elements,

the hierarchy of data elements comprises a plurality of inventory location elements, and

each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises:

an identifier for identifying the inventory location element,

a base data element for defining;

a location description,

a location name, and

a location type code,

a list of addresses element for defining a plurality of address elements from a party class,

a list of related business units elements for defining a plurality of business units associated with the inventory, and wherein each of the plurality of business units associated with the inventory comprises an identifier element,

a list of related inventory locations for defining a plurality of related inventory locations, and

a custom data element for defining customized attributes for the inventory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of address elements comprises:

an address identifier element;

an address base data element, wherein

the address data cleansing data element comprises a disable cleansing flag element;

an address data cleansing data element;

an address relationship data element; and

an address custom data element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the address relationship data element comprises:

an address effective end date element;

an address occupancy type code element;

an address effective start date element;

an address type code element; and

an address list of roles element.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of related inventory locations comprises a related inventory location identifier element and a related inventory location type code element.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein

the synchronizing is performed in response to a trigger received by the integration server, and

the trigger indicates that at least one of the plurality of source systems has indicated that the synchronizing should be performed.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting comprises:

generating updated target inventory location information by updating the target inventory location record using the target inventory location information, wherein

the updating comprises

causing the integration server to push the target inventory location information to the target system.

29. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to the creation of the target inventory location record in the target system, transmitting an update message, wherein

the update message is configured to update the record associated with the source inventory location information.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

in response to receiving the update message, updating a source inventory location record, wherein

the source inventory location record is associated with the source inventory location information, and

the updating causes the source inventory location record to indicate the target inventory location record.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for managing inventory, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

synchronizing existing target inventory location information with source inventory location information, wherein

the existing target inventory location information is stored in a target inventory location record at a target system,

the source inventory location information is stored at a plurality of source systems,

the plurality of source systems are ones of a plurality of computer systems,

the target system is another of the plurality of computer systems,

the synchronizing is performed using an integration server, and

the synchronizing comprises

extracting the source inventory location information from a plurality of source inventory location records, wherein

at least one of the plurality of source inventory location records is extracted from a first source system,

at least one of the plurality of source inventory location records is extracted from a second source system,

the source inventory location information from each of the plurality of source inventory location records is in one of a plurality of source formats, and

each one of the plurality of source formats corresponds to at least one of the plurality of source systems,

generating intermediate source inventory location information by converting the source inventory location information into an intermediate format, wherein

the converting the source inventory location information into the intermediate format comprises

 

determining whether an intermediate record exists, wherein

 

the intermediate record is associated with the source inventory location information,

 

if the intermediate record exists, accessing a common object, wherein

 

the common object is associated with the intermediate record,

 

if the intermediate record does not exists, creating the intermediate record and the common object, and

 

mapping the source inventory location information to the common object, and

after the converting, the common object comprises the intermediate source inventory location information,

converting the intermediate source inventory location information into target inventory location information, wherein

the target inventory location information is in a target format, and

the target format corresponds to the target system, and

updating the target inventory location record using the target inventory location information.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

using the target inventory location information in the target format to

create the target inventory location record in the target system if the target inventory location record does not exist.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

extracting inventory location information in a second source format that is associated with a second source system that is distinct from the first source system, wherein

the second source system is one of the plurality of source systems;

converting the inventory location information in the second source format into inventory location information that is in the intermediate format;

converting the inventory location information in the intermediate format into inventory location information in the target format; and

using the inventory location information in the target format to perform at least one computer-implemented act from a set of computer-implemented acts comprising;

creating a new inventory location record in the target computerized inventory management system; and

updating an existing inventory location record in the target computerized inventory management system.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the intermediate format comprises a list of inventory locations class with a hierarchy of data elements.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the hierarchy of data elements comprises a plurality of inventory location elements comprising additional elements.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises an identifier for identifying the inventory location element.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises a base data element for defining:

a location description;

a location name; and

a location type code.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises a list of addresses element for defining a plurality of address elements from a party class.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises a list of related business units elements for defining a plurality of business units associated with the inventory.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises a list of related inventory locations for defining a plurality of related inventory locations.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of inventory location elements comprises a custom data element for defining customized attributes for the inventory.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of address elements comprises:

an address identifier element;

an address base data element;

an address data cleansing data element;

an address relationship data element; and

an address custom data element.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the address data cleansing data element comprises a disable cleansing flag element.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the address relationship data element comprises:

an address effective end date element;

an address occupancy type code element;

an address effective start date element;

an address type code element; and

an address list of roles element.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of business units associated with the inventory comprises an identifier element.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of related inventory locations comprise a related inventory location identifier element and a related inventory location type code element.

25. A computer-implemented method comprising:

synchronizing target inventory location information with source inventory location information, wherein

the synchronizing is performed using an integration server, and

the synchronizing comprises

extracting each of a plurality of source inventory location objects from a corresponding one of a plurality of source inventory location systems, wherein

the source inventory location objects comprise the source inventory location information,

at least one of the plurality of source inventory location objects is extracted from a first source system of the plurality of source inventory location systems,

at least one of the plurality of source inventory location objects is extracted from a second source system of the plurality of source inventory location systems,

each of the plurality of source inventory location systems employs a corresponding one of a plurality of source formats,

each of the plurality of source inventory location objects is stored in a source format of the source formats employed by the corresponding one of the plurality of source inventory location systems, and

the plurality of source systems are ones of a plurality of computer systems,

generating intermediate source inventory location information, wherein

the intermediate source inventory location information is in an intermediate format,

the generating comprises

 

converting the each of the source inventory location objects into a corresponding one of the plurality of common objects, wherein

 

the converting the each of the source inventory location objects into the corresponding one of the plurality of common objects comprises

 

determining whether each corresponding intermediate record exists, wherein

 

the each corresponding intermediate record is associated with the each of the source inventory location objects,

 

if the each corresponding intermediate record exists, accessing each corresponding common object out of the plurality of common objects, wherein

 

the each corresponding common object is associated with the each corresponding intermediate record,

 

if the each corresponding intermediate record does not exists, creating the each corresponding intermediate record and the each corresponding common object, and

 

mapping the each of a plurality of source inventory location objects to the each common object, wherein

 

the plurality of common objects comprise the intermediate source inventory location information, and

after the converting, each of the plurality of common objects corresponds to a source inventory location object of the plurality of source inventory location objects, and

converting the intermediate source inventory location information into the target inventory location information, wherein

the target inventory location information is in the target format,

determining whether a target inventory location record exists at a target system,

if the target inventory location record exists at the target system, updating the inventory location record using the target inventory location information, and

if the target inventory location record does not exist at the target system,

creating the target inventory location record at the target system.

26. The method of claim 25,

wherein

the target system is another of the plurality of computer systems,

the target inventory location record is in the target format,

the updating is performed by the integration server, and

the updating comprises

causing the integration server to push the target inventory location information to the target system, and

further comprising, if the target inventory location record does not exist at the target system,

storing the target inventory location information in the target inventory location record.