Machine change history tracking process for ERP applications

• US 8,918,360 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cordell, Edward, Honeck, Mark W., Lohmiller, Joachim, Merkle, Susan L., Nielsen, Jan, Noga, Paul, Reilly, William J., Roberts, John J., Sanders, Siegfried F., Schaefnner, Thomas, Waite, Debra Jean, Wessel, Dirdre Ann, Wingard, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): PYO, MONICA M
• Application Number:
  US13/650,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20140046918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 709/221, 709/226, 713/100, 718/104
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for recording, managing and tracking changes to objects in a computer system. A master record is created for the computer system; and, a transactional record is created for an object in the computer system. The master record includes the current status of the object and the current status for all objects associated to the object. The transactional record is updated in the electronic database; and, the master record is updated when the transactional record is updated. The master record is linked to all of the transactional records of the objects associated to the object with the processor. The master record is updated with the processor when a transactional record of the objects associated to the object is updated or added.

Claims

1. A system for recording, managing and tracking life cycle changes to objects in at least one computer system, the objects comprising hardware components of the computer system, said system comprising:

a records generator for creating a master record for the computer system and a transactional record,

the master record including a current status of the object and a current status for all objects associated to the object,

the transactional record including a status of an object in the computer system, the status of the object including one of;

ordered, shipped to the recipient, received by the recipient, installed on the computer system, removed from the computer system, deactivated, and lost on the computer system;

an electronic database connected to said records generator, said electronic database stores the master record and the transactional record, the transactional record being linked to the master record in said electronic database; and

a computer processor connected to said electronic database, said computer processor updates the transactional record and updates the master record when the transactional record is updated, wherein said computer processor;

deactivates the transactional record when an upgrade is installed on the object; and

activates a second transactional record for the object, the second transactional record indicating the installation of the upgrade, the transactional record being updated to change the status of the object to one of;

shipped to the recipient, received by the recipient, installed on the computer system, removed from the computer system, deactivated, and lost on the computer system,

said computer processor links the master record in said electronic database to all transactional records of objects associated to the object and updates the master record when a transactional record of the objects associated to the object is one of updated and added.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said computer processor:

deactivates the second transactional record of the object when a new upgrade is installed on the object; and

activates a third transactional record for the object, the third transactional record indicating the installation of the new upgrade.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the objects associated to the object comprise at least one of all objects that are connected to the object and all objects that are affected by a change to the object.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said computer processor:

links the master record to all master records of the objects associated to the object; and

updates the master record when a master record of the objects associated to the object is changed or added.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each transactional record in the master record represents a single upgrade to an object in the computer system, and wherein the transactional record includes a status of the upgrade.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said computer processor links object records to the master record, the object records including at least one of service contracts, capacity usage, technical documents, photographs, and warranty information.

7. A system for recording, managing and tracking life cycle changes to objects in at least one computer system, the objects comprising hardware components of the computer system, said system comprising:

a records generator for creating a master record for the computer system and a transactional record,

the master record including a current status of the object and a current status for all objects associated to the object, the objects associated to the object comprising at least one of all objects that are connected to the object and all objects that are affected by a change to the object,

the transactional record including a status of an object in the computer system, the status of the object including one of;

ordered, shipped to the recipient, received by the recipient, installed on the computer system, removed from the computer system, deactivated, and lost on the computer system;

an electronic database connected to said records generator, said electronic database stores the master record and the transactional record, the transactional record being linked to the master record in said electronic database; and

a computer processor connected to said electronic database, said computer processor updates the transactional record and updates the master record when the transactional record is updated, wherein said computer processor;

deactivates the transactional record when an upgrade is installed on the object; and

activates a second transactional record for the object, the second transactional record indicating the installation of the upgrade, the transactional record being updated to change the status of the object to one of;

shipped to the recipient, received by the recipient, installed on the computer system, removed from the computer system, deactivated, and lost on the computer system,

said computer processor links the master record in said electronic database to all transactional records of objects associated to the object and updates the master record when a transactional record of the objects associated to the object is one of updated and added.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said computer processor:

deactivates the second transactional record of the object when a new upgrade is installed on the object; and

activates a third transactional record for the object, the third transactional record indicating the installation of the new upgrade.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said computer processor:

links the master record to all master records of the objects associated to the object; and

updates the master record when a master record of the objects associated to the object is one of changed and added.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein each transactional record linked to the master record represents a single upgrade to an object in the computer system, and wherein the transactional record includes a status of the upgrade.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein said computer processor links object records to the master record, the object records including at least one of service contracts, capacity usage, technical documents, photographs, and warranty information.

12. A computer program product for recording, managing and tracking life cycle changes to objects in a computer system separate from said computer program product, the objects comprising hardware components of the computer system, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage device;

first program instructions to create a master record for a computer system;

second program instructions to create a transactional record in the master record, the transactional record being created for an object in the computer system, said creating of the transactional record including setting a status of the object;

third program instructions to store the master record and the transactional record in an electronic database;

fourth program instructions to update the transactional record in the electronic database, said updating of the transactional record including changing the status of the object;

fifth program instructions to update the master record when the transactional record is updated, the master record being updated in the electronic database with a processor, wherein said fifth program instructions;

deactivates the transactional record when an upgrade is installed on the object; and

activates a second transactional record for the object, the second transactional record indicating the installation of the upgrade;

sixth program instructions to link the master record to all transactional records of objects associated to the object with the processor; and

seventh program instructions to updating the master record with the processor when a transactional record of the objects associated to the object is one of updated and added,

said first program instructions, said second program instructions, said third program instructions, said fourth program instructions, said fifth program instructions, said sixth program instructions, and said seventh program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage medium.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein said fifth program instructions:

deactivates the second transactional record of the object when a new upgrade is installed on the object; and

activates a third transactional record for the object, the third transactional record indicating the installation of the new upgrade.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the objects associated to the object comprise at least one of all objects that are connected to the object and all objects that are affected by a change to the object.

15. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the master record includes a current status of the object and a current status for all objects associated to the object.

16. The computer program product according to claim 12, further comprising:

eighth program instructions to link the master record to all master records of the objects associated to the object; and

ninth program instructions to update the master record when a master record of the objects associated to the object is changed or added.