Sell from Stock Software Architecture via Segmented Process Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Enterprise software systems are complex and require a scalable architecture that effectively integrates multiple components across different hardware platforms, but existing solutions struggle to provide a reliable and cost-effective design for processing quotations, orders, delivery, invoicing, and payment management.

Innovation Solution

A software architecture design that implements sell-from-stock functionality by structuring the system as multiple process components interacting through service operations, allowing for deployment on separate hardware platforms and enabling scalable interactions between components, including Accounting, Financial Accounting Master Data Management, Outbound Delivery Processing, and Payment Processing, among others.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If enterprise software systems integrate multiple components across different hardware platforms, then the system's functionality and versatility are improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem functionalityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The software system is divided into discrete process components (PCs) that can be independently developed, deployed, and maintained. Each PC encapsulates specific business logic (e.g., quotation processing, order management, invoicing) and communicates through well-defined service interfaces, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining functionality across multiple hardware platforms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The architecture employs universal deployment units that can host multiple process components across different hardware platforms. Service interfaces provide standardized communication mechanisms that work consistently across diverse platforms, enabling the system to maintain versatility without proportionally increasing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If the software architecture supports deployment on separate hardware platforms, then the system's scalability is improved, but the integration reliability becomes more difficult to ensure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem scalabilityVSAvoidintegration reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Service interfaces act as intermediaries between process components deployed on separate hardware platforms. These standardized interfaces abstract the communication complexity and provide consistent interaction patterns, enabling scalable deployment while maintaining integration reliability through well-defined contracts and protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The architecture allows process components to be configured and deployed with different parameters across various hardware platforms. Deployment units can be instantiated with specific platform characteristics while maintaining functional equivalence, enabling scalability without compromising integration reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of repair

If multiple process components interact through service operations, then the system's maintainability is improved, but the communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem maintainabilityVSAvoidcommunication overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the system into modular process components with clear boundaries and responsibilities, maintenance tasks can be isolated to specific components without affecting the entire system. Service operations provide targeted communication between components, reducing unnecessary communication overhead while improving maintainability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8321250B2Architectural design for sell from stock application software

Publication Date: 2012.11.27 SAP SE

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing sell from stock software useful to process quotations, capture orders, process delivery and invoice. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include an Accounting process component; a Financial Accounting Master Data Management process component; an Outbound Delivery Processing process component; a Site Logistics Processing process component; an Inventory Processing process component; a Customer Requirement Processing process component; a Supply and Demand Matching process component; a Logistics Execution Control process component; a Due Item Processing process component; a Balance of Foreign Payment Management process component; a Payment Processing process component; a Customer Invoice Processing process component; a Customer Quote Processing process component; and a Sales Order Processing process component.