Portable Application Configuration System for ERP Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Configuring large software systems, such as ERP systems, is a complex and time-consuming process that often requires highly trained individuals to travel, leading to productivity losses and delays, which can be costly and unresponsive to immediate needs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows storing and modifying application configuration and transaction datasets on a portable computing device, enabling configuration of applications while not connected to the application or configuration environment, using a configuration scoping application that presents scoping questions linked to adaptation catalog entries and rules to determine necessary configuration settings, and deploying these settings to an application execution environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If configuration personnel travel to customer sites to perform system configuration, then they can directly access and configure the system, but productivity is reduced due to travel time and delays occur in delivering configuration services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables configuration personnel to copy the application configuration environment to a portable computing device, allowing them to perform configuration tasks remotely without traveling to customer sites. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining configuration service quality while eliminating travel time that reduces productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows configuration personnel to perform configuration actions in advance while traveling or before reaching the customer site, by accessing and modifying configuration datasets on portable devices. This preliminary action ensures configuration services are delivered without delays while maintaining personnel productivity.
2Productivity
If configuration personnel remain at a fixed location to perform configuration tasks, then productivity is maximized, but responsiveness to immediate needs of sales leads or system repairs is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables configuration personnel to dynamically work from any location by accessing the application configuration environment on portable computing devices. This dynamic capability allows them to maintain high productivity at fixed locations while also being responsive to immediate needs when traveling or remotely deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides universal access to configuration capabilities across multiple devices and locations. Configuration personnel can perform the same configuration tasks whether at a fixed office or traveling, making the configuration service adaptable to various situations while maintaining consistent productivity levels.
3Productivity
If system configuration is performed on portable devices while traveling, then travel time is utilized productively and responsiveness increases, but system complexity and data synchronization requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that manages configuration datasets and handles synchronization between portable devices and the central system. This intermediary approach enables productive work during travel while the server manages the complexity of data consistency and system integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of configuration datasets on portable devices, allowing configuration personnel to work offline during travel. The copying mechanism enables productive configuration tasks while traveling, with the central system managing synchronization to handle the complexity of maintaining data consistency across multiple locations.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein relate to configuring computer systems. Some embodiments include storing, on a computing device, at least a subset of an application configuration dataset of a target application, and storing, on the computing device, at least a subset of an application transaction dataset of the target application. Some embodiments also include providing a configuration application on the computing device to receive data and data modifications within the configuration dataset and the transaction dataset of the target application and uploading received data modifications of the configuration dataset and the transaction dataset to an application configuration environment of the target application. These and other embodiments provide the ability to copy an application configuration, or a configuration of an application to be deployed, on to a portable computing device and configure an application while not connected to the application or an application configuration environment.