System and method for performing a business process in a multi-enterprise, collaborating network

A method for performing a business process, comprising:

• at a first client, determining a first version identifier associated with a first version of a business application used by the first client to perform the business process;
• at the first client, determining a second version identifier associated with a second version of the business application used by a second client to perform the business process;
• at the first client, exercising control over execution of the business process if the first version is higher than the second version;
• and
• at the first client, allowing the second version of the business application to exercise control over execution of the business process if the second version is higher than the first version,
• further comprising communicating a status message from the first client to the second client according to a status message protocol supported by the first version of the business application and the second version of the business application, the status message indicating the presence of a business message associated with the business process at the first client.

Software for performing a business process, the software being encoded on a computer-readable medium and when executed operable to:

• at a first client, determine a first version identifier associated with a first version of a business application used by the first client to perform the business process;
• at the first client, determine a second version identifier associated with a second version of the business application used by a second client to perform the business process;
• at the first client, exercise control over execution of the business process if the first version is higher than the second version;
• and
• at the first client, allow the second version of the business application to exercise control over execution of the business process if the second version is higher than the first version,
• wherein the first version of the business application exhibits backward compatibility with the second version of the business application, the first version of the business application being capable of performing the business process according to either the first version or the second version.

A computer-implemented system for performing a business, process comprising one or more processing units and one or more memory units, the system comprising:

• means for, at a first client, determining a first version identifier associated with a first version of a business application used by the first client to perform the business process;
• means for, at the first client, determining a second version identifier associated with a second version of the business application used by a second client to perform the business process;
• and
• means for, at the first client, exercising control over execution of the business process if the first version is higher than the second version;
• means for, at the first client, allowing the second version of the business application to exercise control over execution of the business process if the second version is higher than the first version;
• and
• means for communicating a status message from the first client to the second client according to a status message protocol supported by the first version of the business application and the second version of the business application, the status message indicating the presence of a business message associated with the business process at the first client.