Managing consistent interfaces for supply chain management business objects across heterogeneous systems

• US 8,671,064 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schmitt, Torsten, Moussa, Ahmed Daddi, Dannat, Oliver, Fritz, Ruediger, Guillaume, Frank, Schoknecht, Andreas, Johann, Heidi, Cannone, Antonio, Tanaka, Klaas, Kraemer, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US12/147,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 705/330, 705/348, 705/1.1, 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 705/7.13, 705/7.16, 705/7.17, 705/7.22, 705/7.23, 705/7.25, 705/7.26, 705/7.36, 705/30, 705/29, 705/28, 705/334, 705/335, 705/336, 705/337, 709201-203, 709217-219, 709/249, 709/250, 707/635, 707/609, 707/610
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

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. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a freight request, a house shipment, a shipment request, a supplier freight invoice request, and/or a transportation booking request business object.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a freight request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing freight requests from an ordering party to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees;

program code for invoking a freight request business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing a request from an ordering party to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees, and comprises data logically organized as;

a freight request root node; and

a confirmation subordinate node and wherein the confirmation node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains;

a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node;

a shipment request subordinate node and wherein the shipment request node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a confirmation subordinate node and wherein the confirmation node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a total quantity subordinate node, a total amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a transportation service requirement subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node a party subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation stage subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information subordinate node, a package information subordinate node, and

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time period subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time period subordinate node, a product information subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the freight request business object, the message comprising a freight request request message entity, a message header package, and a freight request package.

2. The program code of claim 1, wherein processing includes at least one of creating, updating, and retrieving.

3. The program code of claim 1, wherein the element node of the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

4. The program code of claim 1, wherein:

the governmental procedure node of the confirmation node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

the party node of the confirmation node contains an amount subordinate node, a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

the transportation stage node of the confirmation node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

the transportation unit resource information node of the confirmation node contains a transportation stage assignment subordinate node, an attached equipment subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, and a dangerous goods subordinate node; and

the package information node of the confirmation node contains an item assignment subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a freight request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a freight request business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing a request from an ordering party to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees, and comprises data logically organized as;

a freight request root node; and

a confirmation subordinate node and wherein the confirmation node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains;

a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node;

a shipment request subordinate node and wherein the shipment request node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a confirmation subordinate node and wherein the confirmation node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a total quantity subordinate node, a total amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a transportation service requirement subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node a party subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation stage subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information subordinate node, a package information subordinate node, and

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time period subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time period subordinate node, a product information subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a freight request request message entity, a message header package, and a freight request package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked freight request business object and in response to the first message.

6. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving processing freight requests from an ordering party to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees and comprising:

at least one processor operable to execute computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media;

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects, wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object of a particular business object type and at least one of the business objects is for representing a request from an ordering party to a transportation service provider to ship goods from shippers to consignees, and comprises data logically organized as;

a freight request root node; and

a confirmation subordinate node and wherein the confirmation node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains;

a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a party subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node and a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node;

a shipment request subordinate node and wherein the shipment request node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node;

a confirmation subordinate node and wherein the confirmation node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a total quantity subordinate node, a total amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a transportation service requirement subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node a party subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a transportation stage subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information subordinate node, a package information subordinate node, and

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a governmental procedure subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time period subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time period subordinate node, a product information subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the freight request business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media and executable by the at least one processor.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a house shipment service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers;

program code for invoking a house shipment business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, and comprises data logically organized as;

a house shipment root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a

location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a

transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the house shipment business object, the message comprising a waybill notification message entity, a message header package, and a house shipment package.

8. The program code of claim 7, wherein the element node of the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a house shipment service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a house shipment business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, and comprises data logically organized as;

a house shipment root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains

a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a waybill notification message entity, a message header package, and a house shipment package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked house shipment business object and in response to the first message.

10. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving processing information for transportation services tendered between transportation service providers and comprising:

at least one processor operable to execute computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media;

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects, wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object of a particular business object type and at least one of the business objects is for representing transportation services tendered between transportation service providers, and comprises data logically organized as;

a house shipment root node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the house shipment business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media and executable by the at least one processor.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a shipment request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information used for exchange agreements and corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications on the transportation of goods from a single ship-from party to a single ship-to party between an ordering party and a transportation service provider;

program code for invoking a shipment request business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing exchange agreements and corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications on the transportation of goods from a single ship-from party to a single ship-to party between an ordering party and a transportation service provider, and comprises data logically organized as;

a shipment request root node;

a request subordinate node and wherein request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a measure subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node; and

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the part subordinate node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the shipment request business object, the message comprising a shipment request request message entity, a message header package, and a shipment request package.

12. The program code of claim 11, wherein the element node of the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a shipment request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a shipment request business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing exchange agreements and corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications on the transportation of goods from a single ship-from party to a single ship-to party between an ordering party and a transportation service provider, and comprises data logically organized as;

a shipment request root node;

a request subordinate node and wherein request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a measure subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node; and

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the part subordinate node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a shipment request request message entity, a message header package, and a shipment request package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked shipment request business object and in response to the first message.

14. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving processing information used for exchange agreements and corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications on the transportation of goods from a single ship-from party to a single ship-to party between an ordering party and a transportation service provider and comprising:

at least one processor operable to execute computer readable instructions embodied on tanible media;

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects, wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object of a particular business object type and at least one of the business objects is for exchange agreements and corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications on the transportation of goods from a single ship-from party to a single ship-to party between an ordering party and a transportation service provider, and comprises data logically organized as;

a shipment request root node;

a request subordinate node and wherein request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a location subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

an attached equipment subordinate node;

a measure subordinate node;

a seal subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains;

a contact information subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node; and

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein governmental procedure node contains a location subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the part subordinate node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node, and an element subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the shipment request business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media and executable by the at least one processor.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a supplier freight invoice request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information for supplier invoice processing, including calculated transportation charges and transportation data;

program code for invoking a supplier freight invoice request business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing supplier invoice processing, including calculated transportation charges and transportation data, and comprises data logically organized as;

a supplier freight invoice request root node; and

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a purchase business area subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a total quantity subordinate node, a total amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a transportation service requirement subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a transportation stage subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information subordinate node, a package information subordinate node, a transportation document information item subordinate node

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the supplier freight invoice request business object, the message comprising a supplier freight invoice request request message entity, a message header package, and a supplier freight invoice request package.

16. The program code of claim 15, wherein:

the transportation stage node of the item node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

the transportation unit resource information node of the item node contains a transportation document information transportation stage assignment subordinate node, an attached equipment subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a seal subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference subordinate node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a dangerous goods subordinate node;

the package information node of the item node contains a transportation document information item assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, and a quantity subordinate node

the transportation document information item subordinate node contains an amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a dangerous goods subordinate node, a transportation document information transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a transportation document information transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a product information subordinate node.

17. The program code of claim 15, wherein the element node of the transportation charges node of the transportation charges information node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a supplier freight invoice request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a supplier freight invoice request business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing supplier invoice processing, including calculated transportation charges and transportation data, and comprises data logically organized as;

a supplier freight invoice request root node; and

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a purchase business area subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a total quantity subordinate node, a total amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a transportation service requirement subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a transportation stage subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information subordinate node, a package information subordinate node, a transportation document information item subordinate node

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a supplier freight invoice request request message entity, a message header package, and a supplier freight invoice request package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked supplier freight invoice request business object and in response to the first message.

19. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving processing information for supplier invoice processing, including calculated transportation charges and transportation data, and comprising:

at least one processor operable to execute computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media;

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects, wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object of a particular business object type and at least one of the business objects is for representing supplier invoice processing, including calculated transportation charges and transportation data, and comprises data logically organized as;

a supplier freight invoice request root node; and

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a purchase business area subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a total quantity subordinate node, a total amount subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a transportation service requirement subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a nature of cargo subordinate node, a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, a transportation stage subordinate node, a transportation unit resource information subordinate node, a package information subordinate node, a transportation document information item subordinate node

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, an exchange rate subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a payment instruction subordinate node, a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the supplier freight invoice request business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media and executable by the at least one processor.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a transportation booking request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for receiving, from a service consumer, a first message for processing information used to exchange agreements and the corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications to provide transportation services from an ordering party to another party;

program code for invoking a transportation booking request business object, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information used to exchange agreements and the corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications to provide transportation services from an ordering party to another party, and comprises data logically organized as;

a transportation booking request root node;

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node; and

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on the data in the transportation booking request business object, the message comprising a transportation booking request request message entity, a message header package, and a transportation booking request package.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program code for providing a message-based interface for performing a transportation booking request service, the interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry, wherein upon execution the program code executes in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services and comprises:

program code for initiating transmission of a message to a heterogeneous second application, executing in the environment of computer systems providing message-based services, based on data in a transportation booking request business object invoked by the second application, wherein the business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object for representing information used to exchange agreements and the corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications to provide transportation services from an ordering party to another party, and comprises data logically organized as;

a transportation booking request root node;

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node; and

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

and the message comprising a transportation booking request request message entity, a message header package, and a transportation booking request package; and

program code for receiving a second message from the second application, the second message associated with the invoked transportation booking request business object and in response to the first message.

22. A distributed system operating in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services, the system processing business objects involving processing information used to exchange agreements and the corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications to provide transportation services from an ordering party to another party and comprising:

at least one processor operable to execute computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media;

memory storing a business object repository storing a plurality of business objects, wherein each business object is a logically centralized, semantically disjointed object of a particular business object type and at least one of the business objects is for representing information used to exchange agreements and the corresponding confirmations and receipt notifications to provide transportation services from an ordering party to another party, and comprises data logically organized as;

a transportation booking request root node;

a request subordinate node and wherein the request node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a total quantity subordinate node;

a total amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains;

a text collection subordinate node; and

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains;

a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a transportation stage subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node; and

a transportation service requirement subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information node contains;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node; and

a dangerous goods subordinate node and wherein the dangerous goods node contains a contact information subordinate node, and a text collection subordinate node; and

a package information subordinate node and wherein the package information node contains;

an item assignment subordinate node and wherein the item assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node, a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node, and a transportation goods identification subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node; and

a text collection subordinate node;

an item subordinate node and wherein the item node contains;

an amount subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a nature of cargo subordinate node;

a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node and wherein the business transaction document reference node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a transportation stage assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation stage assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a transportation unit resource information assignment subordinate node and wherein the transportation unit resource information assignment node contains a quantity subordinate node;

a governmental procedure subordinate node and wherein the governmental procedure node contains a text collection subordinate node, and a transportation document information subordinate node and wherein the transportation document information node contains a date time period subordinate node;

a party subordinate node and wherein the party node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a product information subordinate node; and

a transportation goods identification subordinate node; and

a transportation charges information subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges information node contains;

a transportation charges subordinate node and wherein the transportation charges node contains;

a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node;

a text collection subordinate node;

a currency subordinate node;

an exchange rate subordinate node;

a percent element subordinate node;

a date time period subordinate node;

a business transaction document reference subordinate node;

a tax detail subordinate node;

a payment instruction subordinate node;

a cash discount terms subordinate node; and

an element subordinate node and wherein the element node contains a location subordinate node and wherein the location node contains a date time periods subordinate node, a text collection subordinate node, a currency subordinate node, a rate element subordinate node, a percent element subordinate node, an amount element subordinate node and wherein the amount element node contains a rate element assignment subordinate node, a calculation base subordinate node, a tax detail subordinate node, a date time period subordinate node, and a cost distribution subordinate node; and

a graphical user interface remote from the memory for presenting data associated with an invoked instance of the transportation booking request business object, the interface comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible media and executable by the at least one processor.