Condition data management

• US 8,762,293 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Weiler, Thomas, Lehmann, Achim, Wingert, Martina
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, George
• Application Number:
  US11/646,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,735 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705 711- 742, 705400-412
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of managing data includes identifying a plurality of conditions pertaining to a price or a maintenance condition and defining at least one condition selection variant, the condition selection variant representing a plurality of conditions. At least a first key field identifying an item to be associated with at least one of the conditions and is linked to at least a second key field identifying a variable corresponding to the condition. The second key field is displayed to enable data entry by a user to specify the variable corresponding to the price or the maintenance condition pertaining to the item identified in the first key field. The price or the maintenance condition of the item identified in the first key field is determined by processing each condition of the plurality of conditions associated with the condition variant.

Claims

1. A computer program product, the computer program product being tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to:

predetermine a plurality of conditions related to a transaction, each condition defining at least one component of a price for a product or service related to the transaction, each condition having a range of values that variably affect the price, and along with each component of the price, each condition having at least one variable related to a geographical application that variably affects the price;

assigning a hierarchy level to each condition;

associate each of the plurality of conditions to a condition variant, the condition variant being a variant from the range of values for each condition;

associate the condition variant to the product or service; and

determine the price of the product or service including processing each condition associated with the condition variant and in accordance with the hierarchy level assigned to each condition.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

link one or more key fields to each condition, each key field representing one or more variables including the at least one variable corresponding to each condition.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the one or more key fields include a date range application including an effective date.

4. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the one or more key fields include the geographical application.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

specify one or more key fields for each condition to display as data entry fields for input of data by a user.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

receive the data as input from the user corresponding to the one or more key fields being displayed.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

specify one or more key fields for each condition to display for purposes of data verification by a user.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

receive input from the user corresponding to the data relating to the one or more key fields being displayed for each condition.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

associate each condition of the plurality of conditions to a unique key, the unique key being different from unique keys of other conditions, but having at least one character corresponding to a condition type.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the price includes is a discount that variable affects the price.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the price includes a base price that variable affects the price.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the price includes an additional charge that variable affects the price.

13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the price includes a tax that variable affects the price.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the price includes a plurality of components of the price including one or more discounts, each of the discounts defined by a different variable of each condition.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

display each of the plurality of conditions in a table.

16. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

receive input from a user to specify each condition.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

establish a hierarchy of conditions, the price being determined by one or more higher-ranking conditions controlling in the event of conflicts with one or more lower-ranking conditions.

18. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to:

perform a plausibility check, each of the conditions applicable to the price of the product or service is compared to determine if there are any logical inconsistencies in applying each of the conditions to determine the price; and

notify a user if there are any logical inconsistencies determined with the plausibility check.

19. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conditions include a first condition and a second condition that is different than the first condition, the first condition having a higher-ranking hierarchy level than the second condition.

20. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of conditions related to a transaction, each condition defining at least one component of a price for a product or service related to the transaction, each condition having a range of values that variably affect the price, and along with each component of the price, each condition having at least one variable related to a geographical application that variably affects the price;

assigning a hierarchy level to each condition;

defining at least one condition selection variant for each of the plurality of conditions, the condition selection variant being a variant from the range of values;

linking at least one first key field identifying an item to be associated with at least one of the conditions and at least one second key field identifying the at least one variable corresponding to the at least one of the conditions;

on a display, displaying the at least one second key field to enable data entry by a user to specify the at least one variable corresponding to the price related to the item identified in the first key field; and

by a computer, determining the price of the item identified in the at least one first key field including processing each condition of the plurality of conditions associated with the condition selection variant and in accordance with the hierarchy level assigned to each condition.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of conditions include a first condition and a second condition that is different than the first condition, the first condition having a higher-ranking hierarchy level than the second condition.

22. A computer system including instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor, the system comprising:

a condition module configured to determine a plurality of conditions related to a transaction, each condition defining at least one component of a price for a product or service related to the transaction, each condition having a range of values that variably affect the price, and along with each component of the price, each condition having at least one variable related to a geographical application that variably affects the price;

a hierarchy module configured to assign a hierarchy level to each condition;

a variant module configured to associate each of the plurality of conditions to a condition variant, and associate the condition variant to the product or service, the condition variant being variant data relating to condition data for each condition which differs from standard condition data for each condition; and

a processing module configured to determine the price of the product or service including processing each condition associated with the condition variant and in accordance with the hierarchy level assigned to each condition.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of conditions include a first condition and a second condition that is different than the first condition, the first condition having a higher-ranking hierarchy level than the second condition.

24. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

predetermining a plurality of conditions related to a transaction, each condition defining at least one component of a price for a product or service related to the transaction, each condition having a range of values that variably affect the price, and along with each component of the price, each condition having at least one variable related to a geographical application that variably affects the price;

assigning a hierarchy level to each condition;

associating each of the plurality of conditions to a condition variant, the condition variant being a variant from the range of values for each condition;

associating the condition variant to the product or service; and

by a computer, determining the price of the product or service including processing each condition associated with the condition variant and in accordance with the hierarchy level assigned to each condition.

25. A computer system including instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor, the system comprising:

a condition module configured to identify a plurality of conditions related to a transaction, each condition defining at least one component of a price for a product or service related to the transaction, each condition having a range of values that variably affect the price, and along with each component of the price, each condition having at least one variable related to a geographical application that variably affects the price;

a hierarchy module configured to assign a hierarchy level to each condition;

a variant module configured to define at least one condition selection variant for each of the plurality of conditions, the condition selection variant being a variant from the range of values;

a key field module configured to link at least one first key field identifying an item to be associated with at least one of the conditions and at least one second key field identifying the at least one variable corresponding to the at least one of the conditions;

a display to display the at least one second key field to enable data entry by a user to specify the at least one variable corresponding to the price related to the item identified in the first key field; and

a processing module configured to determine the price of the item identified in the at least one first key field including processing each condition of the plurality of conditions associated with the condition selection variant and in accordance with the hierarchy level assigned to each condition.

26. A computer system including instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor, the system comprising:

means for predetermining a plurality of conditions related to a transaction, each condition defining at least one component of a price for a product or service related to the transaction, each condition having a range of values that variably affect the price, and along with each component of the price, each condition having at least one variable related to a geographical application that variably affects the price;

means for assigning a hierarchy level to each condition;

means for associating each of the plurality of conditions to a condition variant, the condition variant being a variant from the range of values for each condition;

means for associating the condition variant to the product or service; and

means for determining the price of the product or service including processing each condition associated with the condition variant and in accordance with the hierarchy level assigned to each condition.