Managing consistent interfaces for purchase order business objects across heterogeneous systems

• US 8,606,639 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Sun, Hua, Doeppenschmidt, Astrid, Wolf, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALAVECINO, KATHLEEN GAGE
• Application Number:
  US11/864,871
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. Specifically, example business objects include PurchaseOrder ERP and PurchaseRequest ERP.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing the ability to create, change, or read purchase orders or create purchase order item acknowledgements, the method steps performed by a processor and comprising:

generating a first message by a first application, the first application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services via message-based interfaces, wherein the first message comprises an inquiry to return a list of purchase orders for certain selection criteria and includes a first message package structured by a first message-based interface associated with the first application, the first message-based interface derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, and where the first message package is hierarchically organized in memory as;

a purchase order by seller and product and organizational data query message entity; and

a selection package including a purchase order selection by seller and product and organizational data entity;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a second message received from a heterogeneous second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package via a second message-based interface derived from the common business object model, where processing the first message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model, the second application executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, wherein the second message comprises a response to the inquiry to return a list of purchase orders for certain selection criteria and includes a second message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model, and where the second message package is hierarchically organized in memory as;

a purchase order by seller and product and organizational data response message entity; and

a purchase order package including at least one purchase order entity, each purchase order entity including an ID, a processing type code, a purchase order date, a creation date, a creation user account ID, a party package, and at least one item package;

generating a third message by the first application, wherein the third message comprises an inquiry to return purchase orders for a purchase order ID and a purchase order item ID and includes a third message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a selection package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a fourth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the third message via the second message-based interface, where processing the third message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the third message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the fourth message comprises a response to the inquiry to return purchase orders for a purchase order ID and a purchase order item ID and includes a fourth message package comprising a purchase order package;

generating a fifth message by the first application, wherein the fifth message comprises a request to create a purchase order and includes a fifth message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase order package that includes a party package and an item package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a sixth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the fifth message via the second message-based interface, where processing the sixth message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the fifth message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the sixth message comprises a confirmation concerning the request to create a purchase order and includes a sixth message package comprising a purchase order package that includes a party package and an item package;

generating a seventh message by the first application, wherein the seventh message comprises a request to change a purchase order and includes a seventh message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase order package that includes an item package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, an eighth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the seventh message via the second message-based interface, where processing the seventh message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the seventh message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the eighth message comprises a confirmation concerning the request to change a purchase order and includes an eighth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase order package that includes a party package and an item package;

generating a ninth message by the first application, wherein the ninth message comprises a request to create a confirmation for a purchase order item and includes a ninth message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase order package that includes an item package, the item package further including a confirmation package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a tenth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the ninth message via the second message-based interface, where processing the ninth message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the ninth message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the tenth message comprises a confirmation concerning the request to create a confirmation for a purchase order and includes a tenth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase order package that includes an item package, the item package including a confirmation package;

generating an eleventh message by the first application, wherein the eleventh message comprises an inquiry to return a list of purchase order items for certain accounting data selection criteria and includes an eleventh message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a selection package; and

processing, via the first message-based interface, a twelfth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the eleventh message via the second message-based interface, where processing the eleventh message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the eleventh message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the twelfth message comprises a response to the inquiry to return a list of purchase order items for certain accounting data selection criteria and includes a twelfth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase order package.

2. A computer-implemented method for providing the ability to create, change, or read purchase requests, the method steps performed by a processor and comprising:

generating a first message by a first application, the first application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services via message-based interfaces, wherein the first message comprises an inquiry to return purchase requests for the release information and includes a first message package structured by a first message-based interface associated with the first application, the first message-based interface derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, and where the first message package is hierarchically organized in memory as;

a purchase request by release information query message entity; and

a selection package including a purchase request selection by release information entity, the purchase request selection by release information entity including a purchase request release group ID, a purchase request purchasing release approver code, and a purchase request released indicator;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a second message received from a heterogeneous second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package via a second message-based interface derived from the common business object model, where processing the first message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model, the second application executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, wherein the second message comprises a response to the inquiry to return purchase requests for the release information and includes a second message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model, and where the second message package is hierarchically organized in memory as;

a purchase request by release information response message entity; and

at least one purchase request package, each purchase request package including a purchase request entity and at least one item package, the purchase and a processing type code, and each item package including an item entity, the item entity including an ID, a creation user account ID, a requested quantity, an ordered quantity, a plant ID, a purchase request date, a delivery date, and a description;

generating a third message by the first application, wherein the third message comprises an inquiry to return purchase request items regarding product and organization data, and includes a third message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a selection package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a fourth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the third message via the second message-based interface, where processing the third message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the third message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the fourth message comprises a response to the inquiry to return purchase request items regarding product and organization data and includes a fourth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package;

generating a fifth message by the first application, wherein the fifth message comprises an inquiry to return purchase requests for the purchase request ID and includes a fifth rues sage package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a selection package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a sixth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the fifth message via the second message-based interface, where processing the fifth message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the fifth message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the sixth message comprises a response to the inquiry to return purchase requests for the purchase request ID and includes a sixth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package;

generating a seventh message by the first application, wherein the seventh message comprises a request to create a purchase request and includes a seventh message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package that includes an item package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, an eighth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the seventh message via the second message-based interface, where processing the seventh message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the seventh message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the eighth message comprises a confirmation concerning the request to create a purchase request and includes an eighth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package that includes an item package;

generating a ninth message by the first application, wherein the ninth message comprises a request to change a purchase request and includes a ninth message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package that includes an item package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a tenth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the ninth message via the second message-based interface, where processing the ninth message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the ninth message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the tenth message comprises a confirmation concerning the request to change a purchase request and includes a tenth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package that includes an item package;

generating an eleventh message by the first application, wherein the eleventh message comprises a request to release a purchase request or a purchase request item and includes an eleventh message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a purchase request package that includes a release information package;

processing, via the first message-based interface, a twelfth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the eleventh message via the second message-based interface, where processing the eleventh message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the eleventh message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the twelfth message comprises a confirmation concerning the request to release a purchase request or a purchase request item and includes a twelfth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model;

generating a thirteenth message by the first application, wherein the thirteenth message comprises an inquiry for purchase request items for account assignment information and includes a thirteenth message package structured by the first message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprising a selection package; and

processing, via the first message-based interface, a fourteenth message received from the second application in response to the second application'"'"'s processing of the thirteenth message via the second message-based interface, where processing the thirteenth message by the second message-based interface includes unpacking the thirteenth message package based on the common business object model, and, wherein the fourteenth message comprises a response to the inquiry for purchase request items for account assignment information and includes a fourteenth message package structured by the second message-based interface derived from the common business object model and comprises a purchase request package.