Architectural design for selling standardized services application software

• US 8,738,476 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wocher, Berthold, Heun, Rainer, Nola, Nicola, Sudbrack, Andrea, Koegler, Alexander, Bach, Thomas, Breitling, Thomas, Hartig, Steffen, Kale, Uma, Gentner, Rudolf, Nitschke, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Candice D
• Application Number:
  US12/327,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20100138257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing selling standardized services. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include a Customer Quote Processing process component; a Sales Order Processing process component; a Service Confirmation Processing process component; a Financial Accounting Master Data Management processing component; a Customer Invoice Processing process component; an Accounting process component; a Balance of Foreign Payment Management process component; a Due Item Processing process component; and a Payment Processing process component.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising instructions encoded on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, the instructions being structured as process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, the instructions operable when executed by at least one processor to:

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

an accounting process component that handles the representation of relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;

a financial accounting master data management process component that handles the management of financial accounting master data that is used both for accounting and costing purposes;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that handles the collection, processing, and reporting of receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations that are used by the financial authority of a country;

a due item processing process component that handles the collection, management, and monitoring of trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a customer quote processing process component that handles the processing of quotes to customers offering the delivery of goods according to specific terms;

a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers'"'"' requests to a seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;

a service confirmation processing process component that handles the reporting back of actual times and quantities for services provided, and spare parts consumed related to the execution of a service order; and

a payment processing process component that handles the processing and management of payments, and is responsible for the associated communication with financial institutions; and

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

the sales order processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the sales order processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component includes the transmission of;

a product and resource valuation query message from the sales order processing process component to the financial accounting master data management process component, the product and resource valuation query message comprising a request for a product valuation, the product valuation associated with a valuation of one or more products or resources with internal valuation prices or internal cost rates; and

a product and resource valuation response message from the financial accounting master data management process component to the sales order processing process component, the product and resource valuation response message comprising a response to the product valuation request;

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

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the service confirmation processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting about the creation, change, or deletion of a service confirmation;

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

a request creditworthiness query message from the sales order processing process component to the due item processing process component, the request creditworthiness query message comprising a request to determine whether a particular sales order is covered by a current credit limit of a customer; and

a request creditworthiness response message from the due item processing process component to the sales order processing process component, the request creditworthiness response message comprising a response to the request creditworthiness query message and providing an update about the creditworthiness of the customer;

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

a credit worthiness query message from the customer quote processing process component to the due item processing process component, the credit worthiness query message comprising a request to verify the data or value of a current document against an actual credit standing of a customer; and

a credit worthiness response message from the due item processing process component to the customer quote processing process component, the credit worthiness response message comprising a response to the credit worthiness query message and providing an update regarding the creditworthiness of the customer;

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

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the sales order processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting when a service provision, included in a sales order, is created or cancelled;

the customer quote processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer quote processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component includes the transmission of;

a product and resource valuation query message from the customer quote processing process component to the financial accounting master data management process component, the product and resource valuation query message comprising a request for a product valuation for one or more products or resources with internal valuation prices or internal cost rates; and

a product and resource valuation response message from the financial accounting master data management process component to the customer quote processing process component, the product and resource valuation response message comprising a response to the product and resource valuation request; and

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

a clearing request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing request message comprising a request to clear payments within the due item processing process component based on a created payment allocation;

a clearing cancellation request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing cancellation request message comprising a request to cancel a previously sent clearing request by reference based on a cancelled payment allocation; and

a clearing confirmation message from the due item processing process component to the payment processing process component, the clearing confirmation message comprising a confirmation to the payment processing process component for a clearing request; and

store the defined process components and service interfaces in memory.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of process components further includes;

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

an expense and reimbursement management process component that handles the management and monitoring of expenses incurred by employees, and the reimbursement of such expenses to employees; and

the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components further include interactions between;

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

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

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

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

the sales order processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;

the service confirmation processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of process components is assigned to exactly one deployment unit among multiple deployment units, and each deployment unit is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit; and

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

4. The product of claim 3, wherein the deployment units comprise:

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

an expense and reimbursement deployment unit that includes the expense and reimbursement management process component;

a customer relationship management deployment unit that includes the customer quote processing process component, the sales order processing process component, and the service confirmation processing process component; and

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

5. The product of claim 1,wherein:

each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and

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

6. The product of claim 5, wherein the business objects comprise a business process object.

7. The product of claim 5, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

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

9. The product of claim 8, wherein each inbound process agent comprises a first inbound process agent operable to start an execution of a business process step requested in a first inbound message by creating or updating at least one business object instance.

10. The product of claim 8, wherein the outbound process agents comprise a first asynchronous outbound process agent that is called after a business object that is associated with the first outbound process agent changes.

11. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise synchronous and asynchronous operations.

12. A system, comprising:

a computer system comprising at least one hardware platform for executing computer instructions, the computer instructions structured as a plurality of process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, each hardware platform including at least one processor for executing the computer instructions;

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

an accounting process component that handles the representation of relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;

a financial accounting master data management process component that handles the management of financial accounting master data that is used both for accounting and costing purposes;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that handles the collection, processing, and reporting of receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations that are used by the financial authority of a country;

a due item processing process component that handles the collection, management, and monitoring of trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a customer quote processing process component that handles the processing of quotes to customers offering the delivery of goods according to specific terms;

a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers'"'"' requests to a seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;

a service confirmation processing process component that handles the reporting back of actual times and quantities for services provided, and spare parts consumed related to the execution of a service order; and

a payment processing process component that handles the processing and management of payments, and is responsible for the associated communication with financial institutions; and

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

the sales order processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the sales order processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component includes the transmission of;

a product and resource valuation query message from the sales order processing process component to the financial accounting master data management process component, the product and resource valuation query message comprising a request for a product valuation, the product valuation associated with a valuation of one or more products or resources with internal valuation prices or internal cost rates; and

a product and resource valuation response message from the financial accounting master data management process component to the sales order processing process component, the product and resource valuation response message comprising a response to the product valuation request;

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

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the service confirmation processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting about the creation, change, or deletion of a service confirmation;

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

a request creditworthiness query message from the sales order processing process component to the due item processing process component, the request creditworthiness query message comprising a request to determine whether a particular sales order is covered by a current credit limit of a customer; and

a request creditworthiness response message from the due item processing process component to the sales order processing process component, the request creditworthiness response message comprising a response to the request creditworthiness query message and providing an update about the creditworthiness of the customer;

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

a credit worthiness query message from the customer quote processing process component to the due item processing process component, the credit worthiness query message comprising a request to verify the data or value of a current document against an actual credit standing of a customer; and

a credit worthiness response message from the due item processing process component to the customer quote processing process component, the credit worthiness response message comprising a response to the credit worthiness query message and providing an update regarding the creditworthiness of the customer;

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

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the sales order processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting when a service provision, included in a sales order, is created or cancelled;

the customer quote processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer quote processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component includes the transmission of;

a product and resource valuation query message from the customer quote processing process component to the financial accounting master data management process component, the product and resource valuation query message comprising a request for a product valuation for one or more products or resources with internal valuation prices or internal cost rates; and

a product and resource valuation response message from the financial accounting master data management process component to the customer quote processing process component, the product and resource valuation response message comprising a response to the product and resource valuation request; and

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

a clearing request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing request message comprising a request to clear payments within the due item processing process component based on a created payment allocation;

a clearing cancellation request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing cancellation request message comprising a request to cancel a previously sent clearing request by reference based on a cancelled payment allocation; and

a clearing confirmation message from the due item processing process component to the payment processing process component, the clearing confirmation message comprising a confirmation to the payment processing process component for a clearing request.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of process components further includes;

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

an expense and reimbursement management process component that handles the management and monitoring of expenses incurred by employees, and the reimbursement of such expenses to employees; and

the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components include interactions between;

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

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

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

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

the sales order processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;

the service confirmation processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and

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

15. The system of claim 12, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, each inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from a corresponding inbound operation, each outbound process agent being operable to cause a corresponding outbound operation to send a message, each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

17. The system of claim 12, the system comprising multiple hardware platforms, wherein:

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

the expense and reimbursement management process component is deployed on a second hardware platform;

the customer quote processing process component, the sales order processing process component, and the service confirmation processing process component are deployed on a third hardware platform; and

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

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the first through the fifth hardware platforms are distinct and separate from each other.

19. A method for developing a computer software application, comprising:

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

the specified process components include;

an accounting process component that handles the representation of relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;

a financial accounting master data management process component that handles the management of financial accounting master data that is used both for accounting and costing purposes;

a balance of foreign payment management process component that handles the collection, processing, and reporting of receivables and payables according to foreign trade regulations that are used by the financial authority of a country;

a due item processing process component that handles the collection, management, and monitoring of trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;

a customer quote processing process component that handles the processing of quotes to customers offering the delivery of goods according to specific terms;

a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers'"'"' requests to a seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;

a service confirmation processing process component that handles the reporting back of actual times and quantities for services provided, and spare parts consumed related to the execution of a service order; and

a payment processing process component that handles the processing and management of payments, and is responsible for the associated communication with financial institutions; and

the process component interactions include interactions between;

the sales order processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the sales order processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component includes the transmission of;

a product and resource valuation query message from the sales order processing process component to the financial accounting master data management process component, the product and resource valuation query message comprising a request for a product valuation, the product valuation associated with a valuation of one or more products or resources with internal valuation prices or internal cost rates; and

a product and resource valuation response message from the financial accounting master data management process component to the sales order processing process component, the product and resource valuation response message comprising a response to the product valuation request;

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

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the service confirmation processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting about the creation, change, or deletion of a service confirmation;

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

a request creditworthiness query message from the sales order processing process component to the due item processing process component, the request creditworthiness query message comprising a request to determine whether a particular sales order is covered by a current credit limit of a customer; and

a request creditworthiness response message from the due item processing process component to the sales order processing process component, the request creditworthiness response message comprising a response to the request creditworthiness query message and providing an update about the creditworthiness of the customer;

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

a credit worthiness query message from the customer quote processing process component to the due item processing process component, the credit worthiness query message comprising a request to verify the data or value of a current document against an actual credit standing of a customer; and

a credit worthiness response message from the due item processing process component to the customer quote processing process component, the credit worthiness response message comprising a response to the credit worthiness query message and providing an update regarding the creditworthiness of the customer;

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

a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the sales order processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting when a service provision, included in a sales order, is created or cancelled;

the customer quote processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer quote processing process component and the financial accounting master data management process component includes the transmission of;

a product and resource valuation query message from the customer quote processing process component to the financial accounting master data management process component, the product and resource valuation query message comprising a request for a product valuation for one or more products or resources with internal valuation prices or internal cost rates; and

a product and resource valuation response message from the financial accounting master data management process component to the customer quote processing process component, the product and resource valuation response message comprising a response to the product and resource valuation request; and

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

a clearing request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing request message comprising a request to clear payments within the due item processing process component based on a created payment allocation;

a clearing cancellation request message from the payment processing process component to the due item processing process component, the clearing cancellation request message comprising a request to cancel a previously sent clearing request by reference based on a cancelled payment allocation; and

a clearing confirmation message from the due item processing process component to the payment processing process component, the clearing confirmation message comprising a confirmation to the payment processing process component for a clearing request; and

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

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the specified process components further include;

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

an expense and reimbursement management process component that handles the management and monitoring of expenses incurred by employees, and the reimbursement of such expenses to employees; and

the process component interactions further include interactions between;

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

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

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

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

the sales order processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;

the service confirmation processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;

the customer invoice processing process component and the balance of foreign payment management process component; and

the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein each process in the set of processes is a business process transforming a defined business input into a defined business outcome.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein obtaining digital data representing the architectural design further comprises editing the design before using the design.