Consistent set of interfaces derived from a business object model

• US 8,606,723 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Seubert, Michael, Rasch, Jochen, Kuehl, Axel, Adelmann, Stefan, Alvarez, Gabriel, Biehler, Markus, Bock, Daniel, Bold, Andreas, Brossler, Andreas, Buchmann, Daniel, Colle, Renzo, Doerner, Robert, Elfner, Stefan, Franke, Stefan, Gnan, Werner, Gross, Antonia, Gross, Patrick, Grossmann, Toralf, Gschwender, Gerhard, Hendricks, Joerg, Hengevoss, Wolf, Hetzer, Stephan, Hofmann, Christine, Jaeck, Volker, Kelnberger, Bernhard, Kemmer, Johann, Kenntner, Joachim, Kiwon, Adam, Koetter, Karsten, Kraehmer, Thilo, Kuster, Corinne, Lehner, Christoph, Liebold, Werner, Maag, Thomas, Makris, Otto, Morsch, Andreas, Nieswand, Wolfgang, Nitschke, Thomas, Nowotny, Dietmar, Peter, Markus, Podhajsky, Georg, Poetschke, Dominic, Pyka, Uwe, Radcke, Ruediger, Reinemuth, Frank, Ripp, Volker, Ritter, Gerd, Sala, Paola, Schapler, Daniela, Schmitt, Matthias, Schneider, Andreas, Schueler, Armulf, Schultze, Dagmar, Seyler, Reiner, Sievers, Ralf, Stuhec, Gunther, Thome, Frank, Wagner, Andre, Winkel, Rudolf, Yu, Tao, Zachmann, Jens, Zimmerman, Theo, Zoeller, Michael, Rieken, Gregor, Zadro, Renato
• Primary Examiner(s): AMELUNXEN, BARBARA J
• Application Number:
  US11/166,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,091 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/35, 705/348, 705/30, 705/7.11, 705/26.1, 1/1, 719/320
• US Class Current: 705/348
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a data processing system having a business object model reflecting the data used during a business transaction. Consistent interfaces are generated from the business object model. These interfaces are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for exchanging forecasts of future product sales or demand, the medium comprising:

program code for receiving via a 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, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for providing a notification regarding future product sales and demand that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as;

a product forecast notification message entity; and

a product forecast package comprising a product forecast entity and an item package, where the item package includes at least one item entity and a product information package, where the product information package includes a product entity; and

program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model; and

program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the product information entity further comprises at least one of the following:

an internal ID, a standard ID, a buyer ID, a vendor ID, and a package quantity.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the item entity further includes at least one of the following:

a sales forecast time series, a promotion sales forecast time series, an order forecast time series, and a promotion forecast time series.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, the derived message-based interfaces further including:

an order identification (id) assignment notification interface, a product demand influencing event notification interface, a product forecast revision notification interface, a replenishment order confirmation interface, a purchase requirement request interface, a purchase requirement confirmation interface, a source of supply notification interface, a purchase order request interface, a purchase order change request interface, a purchase order cancellation request interface, a purchase order confirmation interface, a service acknowledgement request interface, a service acknowledgement confirmation interface, a request for quote (RFQ) request interface, an RFQ change request interface, an RFQ cancellation request interface, an RFQ result notification interface, a quote notification interface, a catalogue update notification interface, a catalogue publication request interface, a catalogue publication transmission package notification interface, a catalogue publication confirmation interface, a catalogue publication transmission cancellation request interface, a catalogue publication transmission cancellation confirmation interface, a catalogue publication transmission item lock request interface, a catalogue publication transmission item lock confirmation interface, a purchase order information interface, a tax due notification interface, a delivery information interface, a personnel time sheet information interface, a credit worthiness query interface, a credit worthiness response interface, a credit agency report query interface, a credit agency report response interface, an invoice accounting cancellation request interface, an inventory change accounting cancellation request interface, a billing due notification interface, an invoicing due notification interface, an inventory change notification interface, an inventory change accounting notification interface, a sales order fulfillment request interface, a sales order fulfillment confirmation interface, a dispatched delivery notification interface, a received delivery notification interface, an invoice accounting notification interface, a delivery execution request interface, a delivery schedule notification interface, an invoice issued information interface, a product activity notification interface, and a payment due notification interface.

6. The distributed system of claim 4, wherein the first memory is remote from the graphical user interface.

7. The distributed system of claim 4, wherein the first memory is remote from the second memory.

5. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for providing a notification regarding future product sales and demand using a request;

a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as;

a product forecast notification message entity; and

a product forecast package comprising a product forecast entity and an item package, where the item package includes at least one item entity and a product information package, and where the product information package includes a product entity; and

a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the message package based on the common business object model.

8. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for transmitting replenishment orders planned for a customer and to confirm fulfillment of replenishment orders, the medium comprising:

program code for receiving via a 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, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for transmitting a replenishment order planned for a customer to trigger further processing for the order and prepare outbound delivery that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as;

a replenishment order notification message entity; and

a replenishment order package comprising a replenishment order entity and an item package, where the item package includes at least one item entity, a location package, a product information package, and a schedule line package, where the replenishment order entity includes an ID and a creation date time, where each item entity includes an ID, where the location package includes a ship from location and a ship to location, where the product information package includes a product entity, and where the schedule line package includes at least one schedule line entity, and where each schedule line entity includes a quantity; and

program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model; and

program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the replenishment order package further comprises at least one of the following:

a party package, a delivery information package, and a payment information package.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the item entity further includes at least one of the following:

an action code, an acceptance status code, a completed indicator, a consignment indicator, a third party deal indicator, a cancelled indicator, and a cancellation reason code.

11. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for transmitting a replenishment order planned for a customer to trigger further processing for the order and prepare outbound delivery using a request;

a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as;

a replenishment order notification message entity; and

a replenishment order package comprising a replenishment order entity and an item package, where the item package includes at least one item entity, a location package, a product information package, and a schedule line package, where the replenishment order entity includes an ID and a creation date time, where each item entity includes an ID, where the location package includes a ship from location and a ship to location, where the product information package includes a product entity, and where the schedule line package includes at least one schedule line entity, and where each schedule line entity includes a quantity; and

a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the message package based on the common business object model.

12. The distributed system of claim 11, wherein the first memory is remote from the graphical user interface.

13. The distributed system of claim 11, wherein the first memory is remote from the second memory.

14. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for exchanging information regarding vendor generated replenishment orders and corresponding customer generated purchase orders, the medium comprising:

program code for receiving via a 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, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for informing customers of a vendor-planned and initiated replenishment order to be associated with the future creation of a customer generated purchase order that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as;

a vendor generated order notification message entity; and

an order package comprising a vendor generated order entity and an item package, where the vendor generated order entity includes a creation date time, where the item package includes at least one item entity, a product information package, and a schedule line package, where the product information package includes a product entity, and where the schedule line package includes at least one schedule line entity, and further where each schedule line entity includes a quantity; and

program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model; and

program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the item package further comprises at least one of the following:

a business transaction document reference package, a location package, and a promotion package.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the order package further includes at least one of the following:

a party package and a handling unit package.

17. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for informing customers of a vendor-planned and initiated replenishment order to be associated with the future creation of a customer generated purchase order using a request;

a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as;

a vendor generated order notification message entity; and

an order package comprising a vendor generated order entity and an item package, where the vendor generated order entity includes a creation date time, where the item package includes at least one item entity, a product information package, and a schedule line package, where the product information package includes a product entity, and where the schedule line package includes at least one schedule line entity, and further where each schedule line entity includes a quantity; and

a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the message package based on the common business object model.

18. The distributed system of claim 17, wherein the first memory is remote from the graphical user interface.

19. The distributed system of claim 17, wherein the first memory is remote from the second memory.

20. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for exchanging sales orders and availability confirmation between a selling component and a procurement planning component, the medium comprising:

program code for receiving via a 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, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting from a selling component to a procuring component to fulfill a set of logistical requirements associated with a sales order that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as;

a sales order fulfillment request message entity; and

a sales order fulfillment package comprising a sales order fulfillment entity and a party package, where the sales order fulfillment entity includes an ID, where the party package includes a buyer party entity and a seller party entity, and further where the buyer party entity includes an internal ID; and

program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model; and

program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sales order fulfillment package further comprises at least one of the following:

a location package, a delivery information package, an attachment package, a description package, a follow up package, and a sales order fulfillment item package.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sales order fulfillment entity further includes at least one of the following:

a base business transaction document ID, a base business transaction document type code, an action code, an item list complete transmission indicator, a creation date time, a last change date time, and an acceptance status code.

23. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for requesting a procuring component to fulfill a set of logistical requirements associated with a sales order using a request;

a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as;

a sales order fulfillment request message entity; and

a sales order fulfillment package comprising a sales order fulfillment entity and a party package, where the sales order fulfillment entity includes an ID, where the party package includes a buyer party entity and a seller party entity, and further where the buyer party entity includes an internal ID; and

a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the message package based on the common business object model.

24. The distributed system of claim 23, wherein the first memory is remote from the graphical user interface.

25. The distributed system of claim 23, wherein the first memory is remote from the second memory.

26. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for exchanging instructions and messages regarding the creation, change, and execution status of a delivery, the medium comprising:

program code for receiving via a 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, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting a warehouse or supply chain execution to prepare and execute an outbound delivery of goods or the acceptance of an expected or announced inbound delivery that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as;

a delivery execution request message entity; and

a delivery execution request package comprising a delivery execution request entity and a delivery request item, where the delivery execution request entity includes a base business transaction document ID and a base business transaction document type code, where the delivery request item includes at least one item entity, where each item entity includes a base business transaction document item ID, a base business transaction document item type code, a product information package, and a schedule line package, where the product information package includes a product entity, and where the schedule line package includes at least one schedule line entity; and

program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model; and

program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the delivery request item package further comprises at least one of the following:

a batch package, a party package, a location package, a delivery information package, an attachment package, and a description package.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the delivery execution request package further includes at least one of the following:

a party package, a location package, a delivery information package, a follow up message package, an attachment package, and a description package.

29. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for requesting a warehouse or supply chain execution to prepare and execute an outbound delivery of goods or the acceptance of an expected or announced inbound delivery using a request;

a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as;

a delivery execution request message entity; and

a delivery execution request package comprising a delivery execution request entity and a delivery request item, where the delivery execution request entity includes a base business transaction document ID and a base business transaction document type code, where the delivery request item includes at least one item entity, where each item entity includes a base business transaction document item ID, a base business transaction document item type code, a product information package, and a schedule line package, where the product information package includes a product entity, and where the schedule line package includes at least one schedule line entity; and

a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the message package based on the common business object model.

30. The distributed system of claim 29, wherein the first memory is remote from the graphical user interface.

31. The distributed system of claim 29, wherein the first memory is remote from the second memory.