Architectural design for customer returns handling application software

A system, comprising:

• a computer system comprising at least one hardware platform for executing computer instructions, the computer instructions structured as a plurality of process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, each hardware platform including at least one processor for executing the computer instructions;
• at least one memory storing a plurality of process components executable by the respective processor of the particular hardware platform, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable granular software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component via at least one service interface, the plurality of process components including:
• a site logistics processing process component that handles the preparation, physical execution, and confirmation of logistics processes within a site, the logistics processes being based on site logistics process models and including picking, packing, shipping, receiving, and value added services;
• an inbound delivery processing process component that handles the management and processing of the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor, the process component combining document-based tasks for the inbound delivery process and enabling communications regarding the originating document and invoicing with the vendor;
• an inventory processing process component that handles the management of inventory and recording of inventory changes, providing services to maintain current stock, content and structure of logistic units and allocations;
• a supply and demand matching process component that handles the management of all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;
• a customer return processing process component that handles the processing of requests made by customers to a seller to take back goods that were delivered, and to reverse a sale;
• a sales order processing process component that handles the processing of customers' requests to seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;
• and
• an accounting process component that represents relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;
• and
• the memory further storing a plurality of service interfaces, each service interface associated with exactly one process component and comprising at least one operation, each operation being implemented for exactly one 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 sending and receiving 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 site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component includes the transmission of:
• a logistics confirmation inventory change notification message from the site logistics processing process component to the supply and demand matching process component, the logistics confirmation inventory change notification message comprising a notification of one or more confirmed logistics process changes resulting from execution of a site logistics process at a specific time;
• the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component includes the transmission of:
• a planning view of inventory reconciliation notification message from the inventory processing process component to the supply and demand matching process component, the planning view of inventory reconciliation notification message comprising an inventory reconciliation update to the supply and demand matching process component;
• the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of:
• a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the customer return processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting regarding creation, change, or cancellation of a customer return;
• the inbound delivery processing process component and the customer return processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of:
• a customer return execution request message from the inbound delivery processing process component to the customer return processing process component, the customer return execution request message comprising a request made by a customer for a seller to take back goods that have been delivered and to cancel a sale;
• and
• the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of:
• an inventory change and activity confirmation accounting notification message from the site logistics processing process component to the accounting process component, the inventory change and activity confirmation accounting notification message comprising a notification of confirmed logistics process changes resulting from execution of a site logistics process at a specific time;
• and
• an inventory change and activity confirmation cancellation accounting notification message from the site logistics processing process component to the accounting process component, the inventory change and activity confirmation cancellation accounting notification message comprising notification of a cancelled inventory change and activity confirmation accounting notification message.

A method for developing a computer software application, comprising:

• obtaining in a programmable computer system having at least one processor, a storage medium, and an interface, 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, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable granular software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component, and the design further specifying a set of process component interactions based on messages transmitted between two or more of the process components, wherein:
• the specified process components include:
• a site logistics processing process component, executed by a computer, that handles the preparation, physical execution, and confirmation of logistics processes within a site, the logistics processes being based on site logistics process models and including picking, packing, shipping, receiving, and value-added services;
• an inbound delivery processing process component, executed by a computer, that handles the management and processing of the inbound delivery requirements for received goods from a vendor, the process component combining document-based tasks for the inbound delivery process and enabling communications regarding the originating document and invoicing with the vendor;
• an inventory processing process component, executed by a computer, that handles the management of inventory and recording of inventory changes, providing services to maintain current stock, content and structure of logistic units and allocations;
• a supply and demand matching process component, executed by a computer, that handles the management of all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account;
• a customer return processing process component, executed by a computer, that handles the processing of requests made by customers to a seller to take back goods that were delivered, and to reverse a sale;
• a sales order processing process component, executed by a computer, that handles the processing of customers' requests to a seller for the delivery of goods, on a specific date, for a specific quantity, and for a specific price;
• and
• an accounting process component, executed by a computer, that represents relevant business transactions for valuation and profitability analysis;
• and
• the process component interactions include interactions between:
• the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the site logistics processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component includes the transmission of:
• a logistics confirmation inventory change notification message from the site logistics processing process component to the supply and demand matching process component, the logistics confirmation inventory change notification message comprising a notification of one or more confirmed logistics process changes resulting from execution of a site logistics process at a specific time;
• the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the inventory processing process component and the supply and demand matching process component includes the transmission of:
• a planning view of inventory reconciliation notification message from the inventory processing process component to the supply and demand matching process component, the planning view of inventory reconciliation notification message comprising an inventory reconciliation update to the supply and demand matching process component;
• the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of:
• a sales and purchasing accounting notification message from the customer return processing process component to the accounting process component, the sales and purchasing accounting notification message comprising a notification to accounting regarding creation, change, or cancellation of a customer return;
• the inbound delivery processing process component and the customer return processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the customer return processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of:
• a customer return execution request message from the inbound delivery processing process component to the customer return processing process component, the customer return execution request message comprising a request made by a customer for a seller to take back goods that have been delivered and to cancel a sale;
• and
• the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the site logistics processing process component and the accounting process component includes the transmission of:
• an inventory change and activity confirmation accounting notification message from the site logistics processing process component to the accounting process component, the inventory change and activity confirmation accounting notification message comprising a notification of confirmed logistics process changes resulting from execution of a site logistics process at a specific time;
• and
• an inventory change and activity confirmation cancellation accounting notification message from the site logistics processing process component to the accounting process component, the inventory change and activity confirmation cancellation accounting notification message comprising notification of a cancelled inventory change and activity confirmation accounting notification message;
• and
• generating, by using the at least one processor on the computer system, a computer software application to perform the set of processes based on the obtained design including the specified process components and the specified process component interactions.