Order management system with decoupling of fulfillment flow from fulfillment topology

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• creating, by a processor, a fulfillment flow by combining one or more fulfillment patterns to generate fulfillment metadata, wherein each fulfillment pattern comprises one or more fulfillment functions and one or more dependencies, and wherein fulfillment topology information that comprises fulfillment provider information is hidden from the fulfillment flow;
• partitioning, by the processor, an order electronically received from an order capture system into one or more order components using a decomposition sequence, wherein the order comprises one or more order lines, wherein the decomposition sequence comprises one or more routing rules, wherein each routing rule comprises persistent logic that determines which order line of the order is applied to which fulfillment provider and further comprises fulfillment topology information that comprises fulfillment provider information, and wherein each routing rule determines a target fulfillment provider;
• wherein the partitioning the order into the one or more order components further comprises using the one or more routing rules to apply data corresponding to each order line of the order to an order component associated with a fulfillment provider;
• and
• generating, by the processor, an orchestration plan for the order by applying one or more dependencies of the fulfillment flow and the one or more routing rules to the one or more order components, wherein the orchestration plan comprises a metadata-driven executable process that comprises one or more steps for fulfilling the order and that executes on the one or more order components, and wherein the orchestration plan comprises the fulfillment topology information;
• wherein the routing rules associate a first plurality of order components of the order to a first fulfillment provider and associate a second plurality of order components of the order to a second fulfillment provider, different than the first fulfillment provider, while maintaining dependencies between the first plurality of order components and the second plurality of order components, the dependencies not requiring completion of all components by the first fulfillment provider or by the second fulfillment provider.

An order management system, comprising:

• a fulfillment flow creator that creates a fulfillment flow by combining one or more fulfillment patterns to generate fulfillment metadata, wherein each fulfillment pattern comprises one or more fulfillment functions and one or more dependencies, wherein fulfillment topology information that comprises fulfillment provider information is hidden from the fulfillment flow;
• a partitioning unit that partitions an order electronically received from an order capture system into one or more order components using a decomposition sequence, wherein the order comprises one or more order lines, wherein the decomposition sequence comprises one or more routing rules, wherein each routing rule comprises persistent logic that determines which order line of the order is applied to which fulfillment provider and further comprises fulfillment topology information that comprises fulfillment provider information, and wherein each routing rule determines a target fulfillment provider;
• wherein the partitioning unit further uses the one or more routing rules to apply data corresponding to each order line of the order to an order component associated with a fulfillment provider;
• and
• an orchestration plan generator that generates an orchestration plan for the order by applying one or more dependencies of the fulfillment flow and the one or more routing rules to the one or more order components, wherein the orchestration plan comprises a metadata-driven executable process that comprises one or more steps for fulfilling the order and that executes on the one or more order components, and wherein the orchestration plan comprises the fulfillment topology information;
• wherein the routing rules associate a first plurality of order components of the order to a first fulfillment provider and associate a second plurality of order components of the order to a second fulfillment provider, different than the first fulfillment provider, while maintaining dependencies between the first plurality of order components and the second plurality of order components, the dependencies not requiring completion of all components by the first fulfillment provider or by the second fulfillment provider.