Business unit outsourcing model

A method for configuring an enterprise application to account for business unit functions, the method comprising:

• generating, with one or more processors of one or more computer systems, a user interface of a first application to facilitate user-selectable options to configure the enterprise application to operate in accordance with specified relationships of business units in a structural hierarchy of an organization and of business functions specified for the business units;
• receiving, at the one or more computer systems, first input indicating characteristics of the business units and provided via a first subset of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the first application having access to a database storing data structures used by the enterprise application to process transactions, each business unit in the business units being a discrete entity within a business, the first application different from the enterprise application, where the first input comprises indications of:
• a first business unit of the business units and a first geographical location corresponding to the first business unit;
• and
• a second business unit of the business units and a second geographical location corresponding to the second business unit;
• receiving, at the one or more computer systems, second input defining-business functions and provided via a second subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, each business function in the business functions corresponding to a business unit in the business units and being a set of one or more tasks performed by the corresponding business unit, where the second input comprises indication of a first business function specified for the first business unit;
• receiving, at the one or more computer systems, third input defining a first business function agency relationship and provided via a third subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the first business function agency relationship specifying a first client relationship between the first business function of the first business unit and a third business unit of the business units so that the first business unit performs the first business function on behalf of the third business unit;
• receiving, at the one or more computer systems, fourth input defining a second business function agency relationship and provided via a fourth subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the second business function agency relationship specifying a second client relationship between a second business function of the business functions of the second business unit and the third business unit so that the second business unit performs the second business function on behalf of the third business unit;
• receiving, at the one or more computer systems, fifth input indicating one or both of a first control and a second control that respectively limit application of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, where the one or both of the first control and the second control corresponds to a service level agreement that limits application of one or both of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, the fifth input comprising submission of a document via the user interface;
• parsing, with the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, the document to ascertain one or more requirements for the enterprise application to operate in accordance with one or both of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, the one or more requirements comprising one or a combination of a first requirement requiring performance of the first business function or the second business function on behalf of the third business unit within a first time, a second requirement requiring performance of the first business function or the second business function on behalf of the third business unit in a specified manner, and a third requirement requiring automatic reporting of the first control or the second control;
• customizing, with the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, the enterprise application using the first application to operate in accordance with the first business function agency relationship and the first control limiting application of the first business function agency relationship between the first business unit and the third business unit, and the second business function agency relationship and the second control limiting the application of the second business function agency relationship between the second business unit and the third business unit, the customizing the enterprise application comprising:
• configuring a set of one or more database tables of the data structures, based on the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, with customization data specifying the first client relationship and the second client relationship;
• and
• configuring the enterprise application to process a transaction based on retrieving the customization data to selectively route the transaction based on the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship and the first control and the second control;
• and
• subsequent to the customizing the enterprise application, operating, by the one or more computer systems, the enterprise application in accordance with the first business function agency relationship, the second business function agency relationship, and the one or more requirements, the operating the enterprise application comprising:
• recognizing that the first business function agency relationship and the one or more requirements govern a first transaction, and, consequently:
• routing the first transaction to the first business unit for performance of the first business function on behalf of the third business unit, and
• implementing the one or more requirements of the first control with respect to the performance of the first business function;
• and
• recognizing that the second business function agency relationship governs a second transaction, and, consequently routing the second transaction to the second business unit.

A computer system, comprising:

• one or more hardware processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory, computer readable media having encoded thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising:
• instructions for generating a user interface of a first application to facilitate user-selectable options to configure an enterprise application to operate in accordance with specified relationships of business units in a structural hierarchy of an organization and of business functions specified for the business units;
• instructions for receiving first input indicating characteristics of the business units and provided via a first subset of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the first application having access to a database storing data structures used by the enterprise application to process transactions, each business unit in the business units being a discrete entity within a business, the first application different from the enterprise application, where the first input comprises indications of:
• a first business unit of the business units and a first geographical location corresponding to the first business unit;
• and
• a second business unit of the business units and a second geographical location corresponding to the second business unit;
• instructions for receiving second input defining business functions and provided via a second subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, each business function in the business functions corresponding to a business unit in the business units and being a set of one or more tasks performed by the corresponding business unit, where the second input comprises indication of a first business function specified for the first business unit;
• instructions for receiving third input defining a first business function agency relationship and provided via a third subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the first business function agency relationship specifying a first client relationship between the first business function of the first business unit and a third business unit of the business units so that the first business unit performs the first business function on behalf of the third business unit;
• instructions for receiving fourth input defining a second business function agency relationship and provided via a fourth subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the second business function agency relationship specifying a second client relationship between a second business function of the business functions of the second business unit and the third business unit so that the second business unit performs the second business function on behalf of the third business unit;
• instructions for receiving fifth input indicating one or both of a first control and a second control that respectively limit application of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, where the one or both of the first control and the second control corresponds to a service level agreement that limits application of one or both of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, the fifth input comprising submission of a document via the user interface;
• instructions for parsing the document to ascertain one or more requirements for the enterprise application to operate in accordance with one or both of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, the one or more requirements comprising one or a combination of a first requirement requiring performance of the first business function or the second business function on behalf of the third business unit within a first time, a second requirement requiring performance of the first business function or the second business function on behalf of the third business unit in a specified manner, and a third requirement requiring automatic reporting of the first control or the second control;
• instructions for customizing the enterprise application using the first application to operate in accordance with the one or more requirements, the first business function agency relationship and the first control limiting the application of the first business function agency relationship between the first business unit and the third business unit and the second business function agency relationship and the second control limiting the application of the second business function agency relationship between the second business unit and the third business unit, the customizing the enterprise application comprising:
• configuring a set of one or more database tables of the data structures, based on the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, with customization data specifying the first client relationship and the second client relationship;
• and
• configuring the enterprise application to process a transaction based on retrieving the customization data to selectively route the transaction based on the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship and the first control and the second control;
• and
• subsequent to the customizing the enterprise application, operating, by the one or more computer systems, the enterprise application in accordance with the first business function agency relationship, the second business function agency relationship, and the one or more requirements, the operating the enterprise application comprising:
• recognizing that the first business function agency relationship and the one or more requirements govern a first transaction, and, consequently:
• routing the first transaction to the first business unit for performance of the first business function on behalf of the third business unit, and
• implementing the one or more requirements of the first control with respect to the performance of the first business function;
• and
• recognizing that the second business function agency relationship governs a second transaction, and, consequently routing the second transaction to the second business unit.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions executable by a processor of a computer system, the non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising:

• instructions for generating a user interface of a first application to facilitate user-selectable options to configure an enterprise application to operate in accordance with specified relationships of business units in a structural hierarchy of an organization and of business functions specified for the business units;
• instructions for receiving first input indicating characteristics of the business units and provided via a first subset of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the first application having access to a database storing data structures used by the enterprise application to process transactions, each business unit in the business units being a discrete entity within a business, the first application different from the enterprise application, where the first input comprises indications of:
• a first business unit of the business units and a first geographical location corresponding to the first business unit;
• and
• a second business unit of the business units and a second geographical location corresponding to the second business unit;
• instructions for receiving second input defining business functions and provided via a second subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, each business function in the business functions corresponding to a business unit in the business units and being a set of one or more tasks performed by the corresponding business unit, where the second input comprises indication of a first business function specified for the first business unit;
• instructions for receiving third input defining a first business function agency relationship and provided via a third subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the first business function agency relationship specifying a first client relationship between the first business function of the first business unit and a third business unit of the business units so that the first business unit performs the first business function on behalf of the third business unit;
• instructions for receiving fourth input defining a second business function agency relationship and provided via a fourth subset of the one or more of the user-selectable options of the user interface of the first application, the second business function agency relationship specifying a second client relationship between a second business function of the business functions of the second business unit and the third business unit of the business units so that the second business unit performs the second business function on behalf of the third business unit;
• instructions for receiving fifth input indicating one or both of a first control and a second control that respectively limit application of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, where the one or both of the first control and the second control corresponds to a service level agreement that limits application of one or both of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, the fifth input comprising submission of a document via the user interface;
• instructions for parsing the document to ascertain one or more requirements for the enterprise application to operate in accordance with one or both of the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, the one or more requirements comprising one or a combination of a first requirement requiring performance of the first business function or the second business function on behalf of the third business unit within a first time, a second requirement requiring performance of the first business function or the second business function on behalf of the third business unit in a specified manner, and a third requirement requiring automatic reporting of the first control or the second control;
• instructions for customizing the enterprise application using the first application to operate in accordance with the one or more requirements, the first business function agency relationship and the first control limiting the application of the first business function agency relationship between the first business unit and the third business unit and the second business function agency relationship and the second control limiting the application of the second business function agency relationship between the second business unit and the third business unit, the customizing the enterprise application comprising:
• configuring a set of one or more database tables of the data structures, based on the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship, with customization data specifying the first client relationship and the second client relationship;
• and
• configuring the enterprise application to process a transaction based on retrieving the customization data to selectively route the transaction based on the first business function agency relationship and the second business function agency relationship and the first control and the second control;
• and
• subsequent to the customizing the enterprise application, operating, by the computer system, the enterprise application in accordance with the first business function agency relationship, the second business function agency relationship, and the one or more requirements, the operating the enterprise application comprising:
• recognizing that the first business function agency relationship and the one or more requirements govern a first transaction, and, consequently:
• routing the first transaction to the first business unit for performance of the first business function on behalf of the third business unit, and
• implementing the one or more requirements of the first control with respect to the performance of the first business function;
• and
• recognizing that the second business function agency relationship governs a second transaction, and, consequently routing the second transaction to the second business unit.