Unified master report generator

• US 9,959,329 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Guisado, Victor Silva
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Khanh B
• Application Number:
  US13/934,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 707603
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums are provided for generating master reports. For example, a request to generate a master report may be received from a client device. Release data that includes a list of programs being developed is obtained from a program repository tool. Programs from the list of programs matching the search criteria are then identified. Business case data is then obtained from a business case tool for each matching program. Program process data is also obtained from a product and production tool for each matching program. Using an integrity rule, issues in the release data, the business case data, and the program process data are detected. The master report is generated such that the master report includes the release data, the business case data, the program process data, and the detected issues. The master report is then communicated to the client device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a master report analyzer executed by one or more processors, from a client device, a request to generate a master report that combines data from a program repository tool, a business case tool, and a product and production management tool, the request including filtering criteria to filter programs by one or more attributes associated with a development lifecycle of a program and execution options specifying at least one of a type of master report or data to be included within the master report;

by the master report analyzer,

obtaining, from the program repository tool, a list of programs that have been previously approved for development;

identifying, from the list of programs, programs that match the filtering criteria;

obtaining release data, from the program repository tool, for each matching program;

obtaining business case data, from the business case tool, for each matching program;

obtaining program process data, from the product and production tool, for each matching program;

using the one or more processors, analyzing data fields across the program repository tool, business case tool, and product and production tool based on comparison with one or more integrity rules defining conditions triggering identification of an issue and a manner of resolving the identified issue to detect data-integrity issues in the release data, the business case data, and the program process data, the data-integrity issues comprising one or more data fields that are empty, inconsistent, or include invalid data and that can be updated to resolve the data-integrity issues, at least some of the data-integrity issues resulting from inconsistencies between data stored by the repository tool, business case tool, and product and production tool; and

generating a master report, in accordance with the execution options, that includes the release data, the business case data, the program process data ad the detected issues; and

communicating the master report to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering criteria includes at least one of:

a user identifier, a role for personnel assigned to a program, a delivery unit, a time period, a program status, or a program phase.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the program process data includes data specifying a business process that includes one or more tasks involved in completing a development phase in a program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the business case data includes at least one of a program scope, an expected investment, or an expected return.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a visual depiction of the process data for addition to the master report responsive to the execution options.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected issues include issues of different levels of severity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the different levels of severity are represented by different colors being applied to portions of the release data, the business case data, and the program process data that cause the detected issues.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, from the program repository tool, an action log for each matching program, the action logs each specifying status changes for the corresponding program; and

based on the action log, clustering the matching programs based on the status changes occurring within a time period specified by the filtering criteria for addition of the clustered matching programs in the master report responsive to the execution options.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, based on the action log, clustering the matching programs further based on the status changes occurring within a determinable time period beyond the time period specified by the filtering criteria.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the master report comprises:

obtaining, from the program repository tool, milestone data for each matching program, the milestone data each specifying scheduled events within the product development for the corresponding program; and

determining, for each of the matching programs, whether the program includes a scheduled event within a time period specified by the filtering criteria for addition of the milestone data and the business case data to the master report responsive to the execution options and to determining that the program includes the scheduled event within the time period specified by the filtering criteria.

11. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor; and

one or more tangible machine-readable media storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor, the instructions grouped into;

a selection criteria interface configured to receive, from a client device, a request to generate a master report that combines data from a program repository tool, a business case tool, and a product and production management tool, the request including filtering criteria to filter programs by one or more attributes associated with a development lifecycle of a program and execution options specifying at least one of a type of master report or data to be included within the master report;

a master report generator configured to;

obtain, from the program repository tool, a list of programs that have been previously approved for development;

identify, from the list of programs, programs that match the filtering criteria;

obtain release data, from the program repository tool, for each matching program;

obtain business case data, from the business case tool, for each matching program;

obtain program process data, from the product and production tool, for each matching program;

analyze data fields across the program repository tool, business case tool, and product and production tool based on comparison with one or more integrity rules defining conditions triggering identification of an issue and a manner of resolving the identified issue to detect data-integrity issues in the release data, the business case data, and the program process data, the data-integrity issues comprising one or more data fields that are empty, inconsistent, or include invalid data and that can be updated to resolve the data-integrity issues, at least some of the data-integrity issues resulting from inconsistencies between data stored by the repository tool, business case tool, and product and production tool;

generate a master report, in accordance with the execution options, that includes the release data, the business case data, the program process data, and the detected issues; and

a report interface configured to communicate the master report to the client device.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the filtering criteria includes at least one of:

a user identifier, a role for personnel assigned to a program, a delivery unit, a time period, a program status, or a program phase.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program process data includes data specifying a business process that includes one or more tasks involved in completing a development phase in a program.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the business case data includes at least one of a program scope, an expected investment, or an expected return.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the master report generator is further configured to generate a visual depiction of the process data for addition to the master report responsive to the execution options.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the detected issues include issues of different levels of severity.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the different levels of severity are represented by different colors being applied to portions of the release data, the business case data, and the program process data that cause the detected issues.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the master plan generator is further configured to:

obtain, from the program repository tool, an action log for each matching program, the action logs each specifying status changes for the corresponding program; and

based on the action log, cluster the matching programs based on the status changes occurring within a time period specified by the filtering criteria for addition of the clustered matching programs in the master report responsive to the execution options.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the master report generator is further configured to, based on the action log, cluster the matching programs further based on the status changes occurring within a determinable time period beyond the time period specified by the filtering criteria.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for causing a processor to implement operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from a client device, a request to generate a master report that combines data from a program repository tool, a business case tool, and a product and production management tool, the request including filtering criteria to filter program by one or more attributes associated with a development lifecycle of a program and execution options specifying at least one of a type of master report or data to be included within the master report;

obtaining, from an interface provided by the program repository tool, a list of programs being developed;

identifying, from the list of programs, programs that match the filtering criteria;

obtaining release data, from the program repository tool, for each matching program;

obtaining business case data, from the business case tool, for each matching program;

obtaining program process data, from the product and production tool, for each matching program;

analyzing data fields across the program repository tool, business case tool, and product and production tool based on comparison with one or more integrity rules defining conditions triggering identification of an issue and a manner of resolving the identified issue to detect data-integrity issues in the release data, the business case data, and the program process data, the data-integrity issues comprising one or more data fields that are empty, inconsistent, or include invalid data and that can be updated to resolve the data-integrity issues, at least some of the data-integrity issues resulting from inconsistencies between data stored by the repository tool, business case tool, and product and production tool;

generating a master report that combines the release data, the business case data, and the program process data, and the detected issues; and

communicating the master report to the client device.