Efficient handling of address data in business transaction documents

• US 8,930,363 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Bettin, Andreas, Neumann, Andreas, Grossmann, Toralf, Wolf, Timo, Ritter, Gerd M.
• Primary Examiner(s): OWYANG, MICHELLE N
• Application Number:
  US13/336,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20130166500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present disclosure involves computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for efficiently handling address data in business transaction documents. A computer-implemented method includes receiving a modification to address data associated with an existing address instance, receiving, using at least one computer, an indication of a modification type, creating a new snapshot instance, associating the modified address data with the new snapshot instance, retrieving a unique reference value for the new address snapshot instance, and associating the unique reference value identifying the new address snapshot instance with the address instance.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for distinguishing between a correction and a change in address data, comprising:

receiving a modification to address data associated with an existing address instance, resulting in modified address data, wherein the existing address instance is associated with an address snapshot instance and a master data object instance;

receiving a modification type indicator associated with the received modification;

creating a new address snapshot instance to associate with the modified address data;

associating the modified address data with the new address snapshot instance, wherein the new address snapshot instance becomes read-only after creation;

retrieving a unique reference value for the new address snapshot instance;

associating the unique reference value identifying the new address snapshot instance with the existing address instance; and

determining, by a computer using the received modification type indicator, whether the modification to the address data is a correction or a change, wherein;

upon a determination that the modification to the address data is a change, informing a business transaction document user of an address change associated with the master data object instance, and

upon a determination that the modification to the address data is a correction, updating any corresponding address instance that refers to the address snapshot instance prior to the modification to refer to the new address snapshot instance.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the new address snapshot instance is a copy of an existing address snapshot instance associated with the existing address instance.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a business transaction document is associated with the existing address instance.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique reference value is retrieved from the new address snapshot instance.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the business transaction document user is a user of the business transaction document.

6. A computer-accessible, non-transitory, storage medium encoded with computer-readable instructions configured to cause one or more data processing apparatus to:

receive a modification to address data associated with an existing address instance, resulting in modified address data, wherein the existing address instance is associated with an address snapshot instance and a master data object instance;

receive a modification type indicator associated with the received modification;

create a new address snapshot instance to associate with the modified address data;

associate the modified address data with the new address snapshot instance, wherein the new address snapshot instance becomes read-only after creation;

retrieve a unique reference value for the new address snapshot instance;

associate the unique reference value identifying the new address snapshot instance with the existing address instance; and

determine using the received modification type indicator, whether the modification to the address data is a correction or a change, wherein;

upon a determination that the modification to the address data is a change, informing a business transaction document user of an address change associated with the master data object instance, and

upon a determination that the modification to the address data is a correction, updating any corresponding address instance that refers to the address snapshot instance prior to the modification to refer to the new address snapshot instance.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the new address snapshot instance is a copy of an existing address snapshot instance associated with the existing address instance.

8. The medium of claim 6, wherein a business transaction document is associated with the existing address instance.

9. The medium of claim 6, wherein the unique reference value is retrieved from the new address snapshot instance.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the business transaction document user is a user of the business transaction document.

11. A system for distinguishing between a correction and a change in address data, comprising:

memory configured to store at least a master data object instance; and

at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive a modification to address data associated with an existing address instance, resulting in modified address data, wherein the existing address instance is associated with an address snapshot instance and a master data object instance;

receive a modification type indicator associated with the received modification;

create a new address snapshot instance to associate with the modified address data;

associate the modified address data with the new address snapshot instance, wherein the new address snapshot instance becomes read-only after creation;

retrieve a unique reference value for the new address snapshot instance;

associate the unique reference value identifying the new address snapshot instance with the existing address instance; and

determine using the received modification type indicator, whether the modification to the address data is a correction or a change, wherein;

upon a determination that the modification to the address data is a change, informing a business transaction document user of an address change associated with the master data object instance, and

upon a determination that the modification to the address data is a correction, updating any corresponding address instance that refers to the address snapshot instance prior to the modification to refer to the new address snapshot instance.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the new address snapshot instance is a copy of an existing address snapshot instance associated with the existing address instance.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a business transaction document is associated with the existing address instance.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the unique reference value is retrieved from the new address snapshot instance.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the business transaction document user is a user of the business transaction document.