Architectural design for make-to-specification application software

A system, comprising:

• a computer system comprising one or more hardware platforms for executing a computer software application;
• a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including:
• a purchase request processing process component that creates, changes, and processes purchase requests to locate appropriate external sources of supply;
• a purchase order processing process component that creates and maintains purchase orders and purchase order confirmations;
• a supplier invoice processing process component that manages and volume processes of supplier invoices, including exception handling and approval;
• a supply and demand matching process component that manages all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;
• a customer requirement processing process component that controls customer requirements in the supply chain;
• a logistics execution control process component that creates, controls, and monitors the supply chain execution activities that are necessary for the fulfillment of an order on a macro-logistics level;
• an external procurement trigger and response process component that manages all the tasks necessary for processing procurement planning and procurement release orders, and the interface to purchasing, accounting, supplier invoicing, outbound delivery, and the supplier from a supply planning and control perspective;
• a production process component that executes production on the shop floor and comprises the preparation, execution, confirmation, and completion as well as the more general functions such as scheduling, and monitoring;
• a site logistics processing process component that prepares, physically executes, and confirms logistics processes within a site;
• an outbound delivery processing process component that manages and processes the outbound delivery requirements for shipping goods to a product recipient;
• an inventory processing process component that manages inventory and records inventory changes;
• an inbound delivery processing process component that manages and processes the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor;
• a due item processing process component that collects, manages, and monitors trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;
• a payment processing process component that processes and manages all payments;
• an accounting process component that represents all relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;
• a customer quote processing process component that processes quotes to customers offering the delivery of goods according to specific terms;
• a customer invoice processing process component that invoices customers for the delivery of goods or the provision of services;
• a productions trigger and response process component that interfaces between planning and production;
• and
• a sales order processing process component that processes customers' requests to the seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;
• and
• a plurality of service operations, each service operation being implemented for a respective process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the passing of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message-based pair-wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between:
• the external procurement trigger and response process component and the purchase request processing process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and the supplier invoice processing process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and a sales order processing at supplier process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and the external procurement trigger and response process component;
• the supplier invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the inbound delivery processing process component and the supplier invoice processing process component;
• the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;
• the customer quote processing process component and the customer requirement processing process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the customer requirement processing process component;
• the logistics execution control process component and the outbound delivery processing process component;
• the logistics execution control process component and the inbound delivery processing process component;
• the production trigger and response process component and the production process component;
• the production process component and the accounting process component;
• the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the outbound delivery processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;
• the inventory processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the customer quote processing process component and the due item processing process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and a sales order processing at supplier process component;
• the customer quote processing process component and a RFQ processing at customer process component;
• the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component;
• the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component;
• the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the due item processing process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;
• the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component;
• the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;
• and
• the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component.

A method for developing a computer software application, comprising:

• obtaining in a computer system digital data representing an architectural design for a set of processes implementing an end-to-end application process, the design specifying a process component for each process in the set of processes, the design specifying further specifying a set of process component interactions, wherein:
• the specified process components include:
• a purchase request processing process component that creates, changes, and processes purchase requests to locate appropriate external sources of supply;
• a purchase order processing process component that creates and maintains purchase orders and purchase order confirmations;
• a supplier invoice processing process component that manages and volume processes of supplier invoices, including exception handling and approval;
• a supply and demand matching process component that manages all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;
• a customer requirement processing process component that controls customer requirements in the supply chain;
• a logistics execution control process component that creates, controls, and monitors the supply chain execution activities that are necessary for the fulfillment of an order on a macro-logistics level;
• an external procurement trigger and response process component that manages all the tasks necessary for processing procurement planning and procurement release orders, and the interface to purchasing, accounting, supplier invoicing, outbound delivery, and the supplier from a supply planning and control perspective;
• a production process component that executes production on the shop floor and comprises the preparation, execution, confirmation, and completion as well as the more general functions such as scheduling, and monitoring;
• a site logistics processing process component that prepares, physically executes, and confirms logistics processes within a site;
• an outbound delivery processing process component that manages and processes the outbound delivery requirements for shipping goods to a product recipient;
• an inventory processing process component that manages inventory and records inventory changes;
• an inbound delivery processing process component that manages and processes the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor;
• a due item processing process component that collects, manages, and monitors trade receivables or payables and corresponding sales tax or withholding tax;
• a payment processing process component that processes and manages all payments;
• an accounting process component that represents all relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;
• a customer quote processing process component that processes quotes to customers offering the delivery of goods according to specific terms;
• a customer invoice processing process component that invoices customers for the delivery of goods or the provision of services;
• a productions trigger and response process component that interfaces between planning and production;
• and
• a sales order processing process component that processes customers' requests to the seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;
• and
• the process component interactions include interactions between:
• the external procurement trigger and response process component and the purchase request processing process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and the supplier invoice processing process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and a sales order processing at supplier process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and the external procurement trigger and response process component;
• the supplier invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the inbound delivery processing process component and the supplier invoice processing process component;
• the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component;
• the customer quote processing process component and the customer requirement processing process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the customer requirement processing process component;
• the logistics execution control process component and the outbound delivery processing process component;
• the logistics execution control process component and the inbound delivery processing process component;
• the production trigger and response process component and the production process component;
• the production process component and the accounting process component;
• the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the outbound delivery processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;
• the inventory processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the customer quote processing process component and the due item processing process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the accounting process component;
• the purchase order processing process component and a sales order processing at supplier process component;
• the customer quote processing process component and a RFQ processing at customer process component;
• the payment processing process component and a payment order processing at house bank process component;
• the customer invoice processing process component and a supplier invoice processing at customer process component;
• the payment processing process component and a payment processing at business partner process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the due item processing process component;
• the sales order processing process component and the customer invoice processing process component;
• the payment processing process component and the due item processing process component;
• the customer invoice processing process component and the accounting process component;
• and
• the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component.;
• and
• using the design including the specified process components and the specified process component interactions to develop a computer software application to perform the set of processes.