WO2007112951A2

WO2007112951A2 - Providing supply chain control software application as enterprise services

Info

Publication number: WO2007112951A2
Application number: PCT/EP2007/002837
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andreas Poth; Jochen Steinbach; Stephan Hetzer; Renzo Colle; Jochen Hirth; Achim Clemens; Martin Wilmes; Michael Wachter; Thorsten Kulick; Bernhard Lokowandt; André DÖRFLER; Anna Kabala; Stephan Otto; Thomas John; Claus Gsciermeister; Jochen Wickel; Michael Segler; Michael Hartel; Christian Fuhlbrügge; Doris Kabach
Original assignee: Sap Ag
Priority date: 2006-03-30
Filing date: 2007-03-29
Publication date: 2007-10-11

Description

PROVIDING SUPPLY CHAIN CONTROL SOFTWARE APPLICATION AS

ENTERPRISE SERVICES

BACKGROUND

This specification relates to data processing systems implemented on computers, and more particular to data processing systems providing services in the nature of web services.

Enterprise software systems are generally large and complex. Such systems can require many different components, distributed across many different hardware platforms, possibly in several different geographical locations. Thus, the architecture of a large software application, i.e., what its components are and how they fit together, is an important aspect of its design for a successful implementation.

Web services are one technology for making the functionality of software applications available to other software, including other applications. A web service is a standards-based way of encapsulating the functionality of an application that other applications can locate and access. A service-oriented architecture is a distributed software model within which functionality is defined as independent web services. Within a service-oriented architecture, web services can be used in defined sequences according to business logic to form applications that enable business processes.

SUMMARY

This specification describes a services architecture design that provides enterprise services having supply chain control functionality at the level of an enterprise application. Enterprise services are web services that have an enterprise-level business value. hi its various aspects, the invention can be embodied in systems, methods, and computer program products. For example, a system in one embodiment implements a services architecture design that provides enterprise services having supply chain control functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described.

The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. Effective use is made of process components as units of software reuse, to provide a design that can be implemented reliably in a cost effective way. Effective use is made of deployment units, each of which is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit, to provide a scalable design. Service interfaces of the process components define a pair- wise interaction between pairs of process components that are in different deployment units in a scalable way.

Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and in the description below. Further features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level view of a software architectural design and implementation of a suite enterprise software services having supply chain control functionality.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an External Procurement Trigger and Response process component.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a Customer Requirement Processing process component. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a Customer Requirement Processing process component.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are block diagrams collectively showing a Logistics Execution Control process component. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a Production Trigger and Response process component.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a Source of Supply Determination process component. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a Supply and Demand Matching process component. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a Demand Planning process component. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level view of a software architectural design, and of application software implementations of the design, that provides a suite enterprise service operation, which can be organized into interfaces, having supply chain control application functionality.

The elements of the architecture include the business object, the process component, the service operation (or simply, the operation), the service interface, the message, and the deployment unit. The elements can also include process agents and reuse service components. These will be generally described below.

In one implementation, the software is implemented to be deployed on an application platform that includes a foundation layer that contains all fundamental entities that can be used from multiple deployment units. These entities can be process components, business objects or reuse service components. A reuse service component is a piece of software that is reused in different transactions. A reuse service component is used by its defined interfaces, which can be, e.g., local APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) or service interfaces. The architectural design is a specification of a computer software application, and elements of the architectural design can be implemented to realize a software application that implements enterprise application service interfaces. The elements of the architecture are at times described in this specification as being contained or included in other elements; for example, a process component is described as being contained in a deployment unit. It should be understood, however, that such operational inclusion can be realized in a variety of ways and is not limited to a physical inclusion of the entirety of one element in another. The architectural elements include the business object. A business object is a representation of a type of a uniquely identifiable business entity (an object instance) described by a structural model. Processes operate on business objects.

A business object represents a specific view on some well-defined business content. A business object represents content, and instances of business objects include content, which a typical business user would expect and understand with little explanation. Whether an object as a type or an instance of an object is intended by the term is generally clear from the context, so the distinction will be made explicitly only when necessary. Properly implemented, business objects are implemented free of redundancies.

Business objects are further categorized as business process objects, master data objects, mass data run objects, dependent objects, and transformed objects. A master data object is an object that encapsulates master data (i.e., data that is valid for a period of time). A business process object, which is the kind of business object generally found in a process component, is an object that encapsulates transactional data (i.e., data that is valid for a point in time). A mass data run object is an application object that executes an algorithm for a particular mass data run. An instance of a mass data run object contains a particular set of selections and parameters. A mass data run object implements an algorithm that modifies, manages, and/or processes a large amount of data in multiple transactions, possibly but not necessarily with parallel processing. A dependent object is a business object used as a reuse part in another business object. A dependent object represents a concept that cannot stand by itself from a business point of view. Instances of dependent objects only occur in the context of a non-dependent business object. A transformed object is a transformation of multiple business objects for a well-defined purpose. It transforms the structure of multiple business objects into a common structure. A transformed object does not have its own persistency.

The architectural elements also include the process component. A process component is a software package that realizes a business process and generally exposes its functionality as services. The functionality contains business transactions. A process component contains one or more semantically related business objects. Any business object belongs to no more than one process component.

Process components are modular and context-independent. That they are context- independent means that a process component is not specific to any specific application and is reusable. The process component is the smallest (most granular) element of reuse in the architecture.

The architectural elements also include the operation. An operation belongs to exactly one process component. A process component generally has multiple operations. Operations can be synchronous or asynchronous, corresponding to synchronous or asynchronous process agents, which will be described below. An operation is the smallest, separately-callable function, described by a set of data types used as input, output, and fault parameters, or some combination of them, serving as a signature. For convenience in supporting use of the operations supported by a system implementing elements of the design, such a system can optionally include a repository of service descriptions that includes a standards-based description of each of the supported service operations.

The architectural elements also include the service interface, which may be referred to simply as an interface. An interface is a named group of operations. Each operation belongs to exactly one interface. An interface belongs to exactly one process component. A process component might contain multiple interfaces. In one implementation, an interface contains only inbound or outbound operations, but not a mixture of both. One interface can contain both synchronous and asynchronous operations. All operations of the same type (either inbound or outbound) which belong to the same message choreography will preferably belong to the same interface. Thus, generally, all outbound operations to the same other process component are in one interface.

The architectural elements also include the message. Operations transmit and receive messages. Any convenient messaging infrastructure can be used. A message is information conveyed from one process component instance to another, with the expectation that activity will ensue. An operation can use multiple message types for inbound, outbound, or error messages. When two process components are in different deployment units, invocation of an operation of one process component by the other process component is accomplished by an operation on the other process component sending a message to the first process component.

The architectural elements also include the process agent. Process agents do business processing that involves the sending or receiving of messages. Each operation will generally have at least one associated process agent. A process agent can be associated with one or more operations. Process agents can be either inbound or outbound, and either synchronous or asynchronous.

Asynchronous outbound process agents are called after a business object changes, e.g., after a create, update, or delete of a business object instance.

Synchronous outbound process agents are generally triggered directly by a business object.

An output process agent will generally perform some processing of the data of the business object instance whose change triggered the event. An outbound agent triggers subsequent business process steps by sending messages using well-defined outbound services to another process component, which generally will be in another deployment unit, or to an external system. An outbound process agent is linked to the one business object that triggers the agent, but it is sent not to another business object but rather to another process component. Thus, the outbound process agent can be implemented without knowledge of the exact business object design of the recipient process component.

Inbound process agents are called after a message has been received. Inbound process agents are used for the inbound part of a message-based communication. An inbound process agent starts the execution of the business process step requested in a message by creating or updating one or multiple business object instances. An inbound process agent is not the agent of a business object but of its process component. An inbound process agent can act on multiple business objects in a process component.

Synchronous agents are used when a process component requires a more or less immediate response from another process component, and is waiting for that response to continue its work. Operations and process components are described in this specification in terms of process agents. However, in alternative implementations, process components and operations can be implemented without use of agents using other conventional techniques to perform the functions described in this specification.

The architectural elements also include the deployment unit. A deployment unit includes one or more process components and, optionally, one or more business objects, that are deployed together on a single computer system platform. Conversely, separate deployment units can be deployed on separate physical computing systems. For this reason, a deployment unit boundary defines the limits of an application-defined transaction, i.e., a set of actions that have the ACID properties of atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability. To make use of database manager facilities, the architecture requires that all operations of such a transaction be performed on one physical database; as a consequence, the processes of such a transaction must be performed by the process components of one instance of one deployment unit.

The process components of one deployment unit interact with those of another deployment unit using messages passed through one or more data communication networks or other suitable communication channels. Thus, a deployment unit deployed on a platform belonging one business can interact with a deployment unit software entity deployed on a separate platform belonging to a different and unrelated business, allowing for business-to- business communication. More than one instance of a given deployment unit can execute at the same time, on the same computing system or on separate physical computing systems. This arrangement allows the functionality offered by a deployment unit to be scaled to meet demand by creating as many instances as needed.

Since interaction between deployment units is through service operations, a deployment unit can be replaced by other another deployment unit as long as the new deployment unit supports the operations depended upon by other deployment units. Thus, while deployment units can depend on the external interfaces of process components in other deployment units, deployment units are not dependent on process component interactions (i.e., interactions between process components involving their respective business objects, operations, interfaces, and messages) within other deployment units. Similarly, process components that interact with other process components or external systems only through messages, e.g., as sent and received by operations, can also be replaced as long as the replacement supports the operations of the original.

Interactions between process components that occur only within a deployment unit are not constrained to using service operations. These can be implemented in any convenient fashion.

In contrast to a deployment unit, the foundation layer does not define a limit for application-defined transactions. Deployment units communicate directly with entities in the foundation layer, which communication is typically not message based. The foundation layer is active in every system instance on which the application is deployed. Business objects in the foundation layer will generally be master data objects. In addition, the foundation layer will include some business process objects that are used by multiple deployment units. Master data objects and business process objects that should be specific to a deployment unit are assigned to their respective deployment unit. FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level view of a software architectural design and implementation of a suite enterprise software services having supply chain control functionality.

As shown in FIG. 1, a Supply Chain Control deployment unit 100 includes: a Supply and Demand Matching process component 102, a Customer Requirement Processing process component 104, a Production Trigger and Response process component 106, an In-House Requirement Processing process component 108, a Logistics Execution Control process component 110, a Demand Forecast Processing process component 112, and an External Procurement Trigger and Response process component 114. The Supply and Demand Matching process component 102 includes: a Supply

Planning Requirement business object 116, an Order Fulfillment Planning View business object 118, a Capacity Load Planning View business object 120, a Planning View on Inventory business object 122, a Planned Material Flow business object 124, a Planned Independent Requirement business object 126, a Production Planning Order business object 128, a Procurement Planning Order business object 130, a Supply Planning Exception business object 132, a Material Supply and Demand View business object 134, and a Material Requirements Planning Run master data object 136.

The Order Fulfillment Planning View business object 118 is a collection of those production planning orders and external procurement planning orders, which are planned to fulfill selected supply planning requirements, planned independent requirements, and production planning orders. Production planning orders and external procurement planning orders are collected across multiple bill of material levels and supply planning areas. The order fulfillment planning view also supports collecting those supply planning requirements and planned independent requirements, which consume a selected production planning order or a selected external procurement planning order. The order fulfillment planning view provides scheduling functions assisting the planner to create a production plan with minimal due date violations and short overall lead times.

The Capacity Load Planning View business object 120 is a view on the available capacity and the capacity load of a resource in supply planning. The capacity load of a resource originates from the operations of production planning orders currently scheduled on the resource. The Capacity Load Planning View supports rescheduling of the operations to a different period or to alternative resources.

The Material Supply and Demand View business object 134 shows and allows changes of the expected development of inventory levels per material, supply planning area and supply chain planning version. The planned inventory, surplus and deficit quantities, and the range of coverage are computed from the expected material supply and demand. The expected material supply and demand is collected from the business objects: Planned Production Order, Planned External Procurement Order, Supply Planning Requirement, Planned Independent Requirement, Planning View on Inventory, and Product Substitution Order.

The Material Requirements Planning Run master data object 136 creates material receipts to cover material shortages or to fill up inventory to a desired level. The material requirements planning run detects material shortages by comparing existing inventory and expected material receipts with expected material requirements. Expected material receipts include external procurement planning orders, production planning orders. Expected material requirements include supply planning requirements and planned independent requirements. In the case of a material shortage, the material requirements planning run creates production planning orders and external procurement planning orders. The material requirements planning run provides the functionality typically provided by MRP runs and DRP runs. The MDRO contains the selection and the parameters for the material requirements planning run. The Customer Requirement Processing process component 104 includes a Customer Requirement business object 140. The Production Trigger and Response process component 106 includes a Production Requisition business object 142. The Customer Requirement Processing process component 108 includes an In-House Requirement business object 144. The Logistics Execution Control process component 110 includes two business objects: a

Logistics Execution Requisition business object 146 and a Site Logistics Requisition business object 148. The Demand Forecast Processing process component 112 includes a Demand Forecast business object 150. The External Procurement Trigger and Response process component 114 includes two business objects: a Purchase Requisition business object 152 and a Planning View on Purchase Order business object 154. The Supply Chain control Deployment unit also includes three business process objects: a Request Production Run business process object 115, a Request Procurement Run business process object 117, and an Available to Promise Check Run business process object 119. The Request Production Run business process object 115 is a specification of an automated execution of Requesting Production in Supply Chain Control. The Request

Production Run selects Production Planning Orders inside the opening period and creates corresponding Production Requisitions. The Request Procurement Run business process object 117 Specification of an automated execution of requesting procurement in Supply Chain Control. The Request Procurement Run business process object 117 selects Procurement Planning Orders inside the opening period and creates corresponding Purchase Requisitions. This will eventually trigger the procurement process. The Request Procurement Run business process object 117 may be used for the maintenance and persistency of the selection criteria and the settings. The Available to Promise Check Run business process object 119 represents an automated availability check for a number of previously selected customer requirements in which the availability situation of the customer requirements is checked according to a previously set sequence.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the Project Processing process component 114 (FIG. 1). The Project Processing process component 114 is responsible for structuring, planning and execution of simple, short-term measures and complex projects. For convenience in describing this process component, a number of other process components are shown in the figure; these other process components are not part of the process component being described. These other process components are a Purchase Request Processing process component 202 and a Purchase Order Processing process component 204. These other process components are used to represent software external to the process component in describing its interactions with the external software; however, while the external software can be implemented as such process components, this is not required..

A Change Purchase Requisition Based on Purchase Request operation 206 is a confirmation of the buyer that informs the requester of the extent to which a requisition has been fulfilled (ordered and rejected quantities). The Change Purchase Requisition Based on Purchase Request operation 206 uses a Change Purchase Requisition Based on Purchase Request asynchronous inbound process agent 208 to update the Purchase Requisition business object 152, which may be a request or instruction to Purchasing to procure a quantity of a material or service so that it is available at a certain point in time. For example, the operation 206 can send a purchase request confirmation to update the Purchase Requisition business object 152 if input is received from the Purchase Request Processing process component 202.

A Maintain Planning View on Purchase Order operation 210 sends a notification from a purchaser about the planning relevant data of the Purchase Order. The Maintain Planning View on Purchase Order operation 210 uses a Maintain Planning View on Purchase Order asynchronous inbound process agent 212 to update the Purchase Requisition business object 152. For example, the operation 210 can send a purchase order notification to update the Purchase Requisition business object 152 if input is received from the Purchase Order Processing process component 204.

The Change Purchase Requisition Based on Purchase Request operation 206 and the Maintain Planning View on Purchase Order operation 210 are included in the Purchasing In asynchronous interface 214.The Purchase Requisition business object 152 can receive updated information and send the update into another component to perform further operations. A Request Purchasing from Purchase Requisition to Purchase Request Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 216 can receive information from the Purchase Requisition business object 152.

The Request Purchasing from Purchase Requisition to Purchase Request Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 216 invokes a Request Purchasing operation 218, which is a request from a supply planner asking a buyer to procure products and/or services. As an example, the operation 218 can then send a purchase request to a Purchase Request Processing process component 202.

The Planning View on Purchase Order business object 154 can receive updated information and send the update into another component to perform further operations. A Notify of Purchase Order Fulfillment from Planning View on Purchase Order to Purchase Order Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 220 can receive information from the Planning View on Purchase Order business object 154. The Planning View on Purchase Order business object 154 is an object that represents the purchase order from, for example, supply relationship management.

The Notify of Purchase Order Fulfillment from Planning View on Purchase Order to Purchase Order Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 220 invokes a Notify of Purchase Order Delivery Values operation 222, which is a notification from a planning system to a purchaser regarding a posting of a goods receipt (e.g. fulfillment of a Purchase Order). As an example, the operation 222 can then send a purchase request to a Purchase Order Processing process component 204.

The Request Purchasing operation 218 and the Notify of Purchase Order Delivery Values operation 222 are included in the Purchasing Out asynchronous interface 224.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the Customer Requirement Processing process component 108. The Customer Requirement Processing process component 108 combines the tasks required for processing customer requirements and provides an interface to supplier relationship management from a supply chain cockpit view. It collects all the customer (planned independent) requirements for which it triggers sourcing and substitution.

According to the results of these tasks, the requirements are passed on to Supply and Demand Matching as supply planning requirements. For convenience in describing this process component, a process component, which is not part of the process component being described, is shown in the figure. This other process component is an Internal Request Processing process component 302. This other process component is used to represent software external to the process component in describing its interactions with the external software; however, while the external software can be implemented as such process components, this is not required.

The Customer Requirement Processing process component 108 includes the Customer Requirement business object 144. The Customer Requirement business object 144 is a requirement object that expresses a demand from an internal customer from within the company. hi this example, a Maintain Customer Requirement operation 304 in an Internal Fulfillment In interface 306 can receive message from an external process component, such as the Internal Request Processing process component 302. The Maintain Customer Requirement operation 304 can update the Customer Requirement business object 144 using a Maintain Customer Requirement asynchronous inbound process agent 308. A Check Availability for Customer Request and Reserve operation 310 in the Internal Fulfillment hi interface 306 can also receives messages from the Internal Request Processing process component 302. The Check Availability for Customer Request and Reserve operation 310 then synchronously check availability for a Customer Request from the Customer Requirement business object 144 using a Check Availability synchronous inbound process agent 314. A Check Availability for Customer Request operation 316 in the Internal Fulfillment hi interface 306 can also receives messages from the Internal Request Processing process component 302. The Check Availability for Customer Request operation 310 then synchronously check availability for a Customer Request from the Customer Requirement business object 144 using the Check Availability synchronous inbound process agent 314. An update in the Customer Requirement business object 144 can trigger a Confirm Fulfillment from Customer Requirement to Internal Request Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 320 and a Notify of ATP Update from Customer Requirement to

Internal Request asynchronous outbound process agent 326. The Confirm Fulfillment from Customer Requirement to Internal Request Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 320 sends a fulfillment confirmation to a process component that requested the fulfillment, hi this example, the Confirm Fulfillment from Customer Requirement to Internal Request Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 320 invokes a Confirm Fulfillment operation 322 in a Internal Fulfillment Out interface 324 to notify the Internal Request Processing process component 302. The Notify of ATP Update from Customer Requirement to Internal Request asynchronous outbound process agent 326 can invoke a Notify of Availability Update operation 328 in the interface 324 to notify available update in the Customer Requirement business object 144.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the Customer Requirement Processing process component 104 (FIG. 1). The Customer Requirement Processing process component 104 combines the tasks required for processing customer requirements and provides an interface to presales, sales and services. It receives the customer requirements, prepares them and passes them on to Supply and Demand Matching as supply planning requirements. For convenience in describing this process component, a number of other process components are shown in the figure; these other process components are not part of the process component being described. These other process components are a Customer Quote Processing process component 402, a Purchase Order Processing process component 404, a process component 406, and a process component 408. These other process components are used to represent software external to the process component in describing its interactions with the external software; however, while the external software can be implemented as such process components, this is not required.

The Customer Requirement business object 140 is a requirement that is derived from a sales order or quotation and to which details on the anticipated availability date are added. It contains the quantities of products required at specific dates as well as information about which products will be available or delivered in which quantities at which dates.

As shown in FIG. 4, the Customer Requirement Processing process component 104 includes a Fulfillment hi interface 416 that includes a Maintain Customer Requirement operation 410 and a Delete Provisional Customer Requirement operation 414. Either the Maintain Customer Requirement operation 410 or the Delete Provisional Customer Requirement operation 414 can trigger a Maintain Customer Requirement asynchronous inbound process agent 412 to update the Customer Requirement business object 140.

The Fulfillment hi interface 416 also includes a Check Availability operation 418 and a Check Availability and Reserve operation 422. The Check Availability operation 418 checks the availability of certain amounts of materials at certain dates and sends this information back to the caller. The Check Availability and Reserve operation 422 checks the availability of certain amounts of certain materials and confirms this availability to the caller. An update or a creation of the Customer Requirement business object 140 may trigger the Confirm Customer Requirement asynchronous outbound process agent 426 to invoke a Notify of Availability Update operation 428 and a Confirm Fulfillment operation 430 in a Fulfillment Out interface 432. The Notify of Availability Update operation 428 notifies the creator of a customer requirement about an updated availability situation for the products requested within the customer requirement. The Confirm Fulfillment operation 430 sends Delivery Fulfillment Confirmation to, for example, Logistics Execution Control. FIGS. 5A and 5B are block diagrams collectively showing a Logistics Execution Control process component 110. The Logistics Execution Control process component 110 controls and monitors on a macro logistics level the supply chain execution activities necessary for the fulfillment of an order (e.g. sales order, purchase order). It sends information to Logistics Execution to trigger the necessary supply chain execution activities, receives information about the supply chain execution progress, and updates data relevant for both fulfillment and supply and demand planning. For convenience in describing this process component, a number of other process components are shown in the figure; these other process components are not part of the process component being described. These other process components are an Outbound Delivery Processing process component 502, an

Inbound Delivery Processing process component 504, a Site Logistics Processing process component 506, and a Supply Planning Requirement process component 508. These other process components are used to represent software external to the process component in describing its interactions with the external software; however, while the external software can be implemented as such process components, this is not required.

As shown in FIGS. 5 A and 5B, the Logistics Execution Control process component 110 includes the Logistics Execution Requisition business object 146 and the Site Logistics Requisition business object 148. The Logistics Execution Requisition business object 146 is an instruction sent to Logistics Execution, which supports the controlling, triggering and monitoring of supply chain execution activities (on a macro logistics level) necessary for the fulfillment of an order. The Site Logistics Requisition business object 148 is a request to complete a site logistics process (outbound-related, inbound-related, or internal) for a certain quantity of material, by a certain time.

In this example, the Logistics Execution Control process component 110 includes a Change Logistics Execution Requisition Based on Delivery Fulfillment Confirmation operation 510 in a Fulfillment In interface 512. The Change Logistics Execution Requisition Based on Delivery Fulfillment Confirmation operation 510 can trigger a Change Logistics Execution Requisition Based on Delivery Fulfillment Confirmation asynchronous inbound process agent 514 to update the Logistics Execution Requisition business object 146. A Change Logistics Execution Requisition Based on Delivery Planning Notification operation 516 in a Delivery Planning In interface 518 can also trigger a Change Logistics Execution Requisition Based on Delivery Planning Notification asynchronous inbound process agent 520 to send a notification about Planned Inbound Delivery to the Logistics Execution Requisition business object 146.

An update to the Logistics Execution Requisition business object 146 may trigger a Request Fulfillment from Logistics Execution requisition to Outbound Delivery Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 522 and/or a Request Fulfillment from Logistics Execution requisition to Inbound Delivery Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 528. If the Request Fulfillment from Logistics Execution requisition to Outbound Delivery Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 522 is triggered, the asynchronous outbound process agent 522 can invoke a Request Delivery Fulfillment operation 524 in a Fulfillment Out interface 526 to send a message in order to maintain a Delivery Request. If the Request Fulfillment from Logistics Execution requisition to Inbound Delivery Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 522 is triggered, the asynchronous outbound process agent 528 can invoke the Request Delivery Fulfillment operation to send a message in order to maintain a Delivery Request.

As shown in FIG. 5B, a Site Logistics Processing In interface 530 includes a Change Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics Request Confirmation operation 532 and a Change Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics Request Notification operation 534. The Change Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics Request Confirmation operation 532 receives confirmation data from the Site Logistics Processing process component 506. The Change Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics Request Notification operation 534 receives notification of inventory change from the Site Logistics Processing process component 506.

The operations 532, 534 can trigger a Maintain Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics inbound process agent 536. The Maintain Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics inbound process agent 536 then asynchronously updates the Site Logistics Requisition business object 148. The Maintain Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics inbound process agent 536 may also synchronously update the Procurement Planning Order business object 130, the Planning View on Inventory business object 122, and the Planned material Flow business object 124. Additionally, the Maintain Site Logistics Requisition Based on Site Logistics inbound process agent 536 can also synchronously send a message to the Supply Planning Requirement process component 508. An update of the Site Logistics Requisition business object 148 can trigger a Request

Site Logistics Processing from Site Logistics Requisition to Site Logistics Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 538. The Request Site Logistics Processing from Site Logistics Requisition to Site Logistics Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 538 can invoke a Request Site Logistics operation 548 to send a request to maintain a Site Logistics Request.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the Production Trigger and Response process component 106. The Production Trigger and Response process component 106 provides an interface to production from a supply planning perspective. It contains all the tasks necessary for creating and changing production requisitions. Furthermore, it receives information about the production progress from production and updates the production requisitions and stock data according to this information. For convenience in describing this process component, a process component, which is not part of the process component being described, is shown in the figure. This other process component is a Production process component 602. This other process component is used to represent software external to the process component in describing its interactions with the external software; however, while the external software can be implemented as such process components, this is not required.

As shown in FIG. 1, the Production Trigger and Response process component 106 includes the Production Requisition business object 142. The Production Requisition business object 142 is a request for the production of a certain quantity of a finished product to be completed by the requested due date. The production requisition also contains information on: - intermediate products required for the production of the requested quantity - accepted quantities and dates as confirmed by production - production progress and component consumption (product, quantity, time).

In this example, the Production Trigger and Response process component 106 includes a Change Production Requisition Based on Production Progress operation 604 and a Change Production Requisition Based on Production Request Confirmation operation 606 in a Producing In interface 608. The Change Production Requisition Based on Production Progress operation 604 can receive notification of inventory changes and fulfillment of a production request from the Production process component 602. The notification can also contain status information. The Change Production Requisition Based on Production

Request Confirmation operation 606 can receive confirmation of quantities and due dates of a production request from the Production process component 602. The confirmation can also contain status information. The operations 604, 606 then trigger a Maintain Production Requisition Based on Production asynchronous inbound process agent 610. The Maintain Production Requisition Based on Production asynchronous inbound process agent 610 then updates the Production Requisition business object 142, the Planning View on Inventory business object 122, the Planned Material Flow business object 124, and the Production Planning Order business object 128 in the Supply and Demand Matching process component 102. An update or a creation of the Production Requisition business object 142 may trigger a Request production from Production Requisition to Production asynchronous outbound process agent to invoke a Request Production operation 614 in a Producing Out interface 616. The Request Production operation 614 then sends a request to the Production process component to produce a certain quantity of a specific material by a requested due date. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a Source of Supply Determination process component.

The Source of Supply Determination process component is included in the Foundation Layer that enables maintenance and access to sources of supply and quota arrangements for external and internal procurement processes. The Source of Supply Determination process component includes a Supply Quota Arrangement business object 702 and a Source of Supply business object 704. The Supply Quota Arrangement business object 702 is a distribution of material requirements or goods to different sources of supply, business partners, or organizational units within one's own company. An example of the use of supply quota arrangements is the distribution of material requirements between Customer production and different sources for external procurement. A supply quota arrangement can also define the distribution of goods to customers in case of excess production or shortages. The Source of Supply business object 704 is an object that describes a logical link between a possible source of products and a possible target.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the Supply and Demand Matching process component 102. The Supply and Demand Matching process component 102 combines all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account. It collects all the various material demands from customer requirement processing, Customer requirement processing, demand forecast processing, and sales scheduling agreement processing. It tries to assign all the already- existing material receipts and plans the internal or external procurement of further material receipts where necessary. For convenience in describing this process component, a number of other process components are shown in the figure; these other process components are not part of the process component being described. These other process components are a Confirmation and Inventory process component 802 and a site Logistics Processing process component 804. These other process components are used to represent software external to the process component in describing its interactions with the external software; however, while the external software can be implemented as such process components, this is not required.

As shown, the Supply and Demand Matching process component 102 includes the Planning View on Inventory business object 122 and the Planned Material Flow business object 124. The Planning View on Inventory business object 122 is an object that represents the inventory object from Logistics Execution. The Planned Material Flow business object 124 is an object that defines the relationship between material receipt elements (stock, planned order, production order, purchase requisition, purchase order etc.) and material requirements elements (sales order, forecast demand, dependent demand, transfer demand) of a material within a location. Using the planned material flow the planner or an algorithm can define, which material requirement is covered by which material receipt. The Supply and Demand Matching process component 102 also includes business objects that may not have external interfaces. These business objects include: the Supply Planning Requirement business object 116, the Planned Independent Requirement business object 126, the Procurement Planning Order business object 130, the Production Planning Order business object 128, and the Supply Planning Exception business object 132. The Supply Planning Requirement business object 116 is a requirement object that is used as the target for the material requirements planning run and the availability check. It may originate from a sales order, an internal requirement or from a scheduling agreement delivery schedule. The Planned Independent Requirement business object 126 is a quantity for a finished product in a period of time. It is based on Demand Planning forecasts and not on individual sales orders. The Procurement Planning Order business object 130 defines the requested or expected material receipt in a specific quantity and at a specific availability date. The External Procurement Planning Order can be executed either using purchase requisitions, which are sent to supplier relation management or via purchase scheduling agreement requisitions, which are sent to the supplier directly. The Production Planning Order business object 128 is an object that defines the intended production of a material in a specific quantity and at a specific availability date. The planning order also carries the expected component demand and capacity consumption, which are typically determined by BOM and routing explosion. The requirement dates of components and capacities are determined via scheduling. The Supply Planning Exception business object 132 is a selected view of a Supply Planning Exceptions that contains both detailed and aggregated information. In this example, a Maintain Planning View on Inventory operation 806 in an Inventory Changing In interface 808 can receive inventory change planning notification from one or more external components. As an example, the Confirmation and Inventory process component may notify the Maintain Planning view on Inventory operation 806 to update the Planning view on Inventory business object 122 and the Planned Material Flow business object 124 using a Maintain Planning View on Inventory asynchronous inbound process agent 810. As another example, the Confirmation and Inventory process component and the Site Logistics Processing process component 804 may jointly notify the Maintain Planning view on Inventory operation 806 to update the Planning view on Inventory business object 122 and the Planned Material Flow business object 124 using the Maintain Planning View on Inventory asynchronous inbound process agent 810.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the Demand Planning process component 158. The Demand Planning process component 158 combines all the tasks required to anticipate future demand. This information is then used for supply and capacity planning. The Demand Planning process component 158 includes the Demand History business object 160 and the Demand Planning Forecast business object 162. The Demand History business object 160 is an object that contains historical demand data for a variable grouping of business items (product group, sales organization, for example). The Demand Planning Forecast business object 162 is an object that contains the forecast for a variable grouping of business items (product group, sales organization, for example. The Demand Planning Forecast business object 162 is released for subsequent processes.

An update or a creation of the Demand Planning Forecast business object 162 can trigger a Notify of Forecast from Demand Planning to Demand Forecast Processing asynchronous outbound process agent 902.

The subject matter described in this specification and all of the functional operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structural means disclosed in this specification and structural equivalents thereof, or in combinations of them. The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more computer programs tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data, in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub-programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry. To provide for interaction with a user, the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g. , visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component (e.g. , a data server), a middleware component (e.g., an application server), or a front-end component (e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the subject matter described herein), or any combination of such back-end, middleware, and front-end components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g. , a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network ("LAN") and a wide area network ("WAN"), e.g., the Internet.

The computing system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as an exemplification of preferred embodiments of the invention. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

The subject matter has been described in terms of particular variations, but other variations can be implemented and are within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. As one example, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In certain implementations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Other variations are within the scope of the following claims. What is claimed is:

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A system comprising: a computer system comprising one or more hardware platforms for executing computer software; computer software deployed on the computer system, the computer software implementing a plurality of service operations, the service operations comprising: a change purchase requisition based on purchase request operation operable to send a notification about the extent to which a requisition has been fulfilled; a maintain planning view on purchase order operation operable to send a notification about the planning relevant data of the purchase order; a request purchasing operation operable to send a notification to request a procurement of products or services; a notify of purchase order delivery values operation operable to send a notification about the posting of a goods receipt; a maintain customer requirement operation operable to send a notification to create or change a customer requirement; a delete provisional customer requirement operation operable to send a notification to delete provisional customer requirements that have been created by the "sync check availability and reserve" operation; a check availability operation operable to send a notification about the availability of certain amounts of materials at a certain date; a check availability and reserve operation operable to send a notification to confirm the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a notify of availability update operation operable to send a notification about the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a confirm fulfillment operation operable to send a notification to confirm the partial or complete fulfillment of a customer requirement; a change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation operation operable to send a notification to change the logistics execution requisition; a change logistics execution requisition based on delivery planning notification operation operable to send a notification to change the logistics execution requisition; a request delivery fulfillment operation operable to send a notification for a delivery fulfillment request; a change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation operation operable to send a confirmation data from site logistics; a change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request progress notification operation operable to request inventory changes from site logistics; a request site logistics operation operable to request the maintenance of a site logistics request; a change production requisition based on production process operation operable to send a notification about inventory changes and fulfillment and potentially status information of a production request; a change production requisition based on production request confirmation operation operable to send a notification about quantities and due dates and potentially status information of a production request; a request production operation operable to request production of a certain quantity of a specific material by a requested due date.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service operations further comprise: a maintain demand forecast operation operable to send a notification to create, update or delete the demand forecast object with the given forecast data; and a maintain planning view on inventory operation operable to send notification to change the inventory plan.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the service operations are grouped into service interfaces, the service interfaces comprising: a purchasing in interface that includes the change purchase requisition based on purchase request operation and the maintain planning view on purchase order operation; a purchasing out interface that includes the request purchasing operation and the notify of purchase order delivery values operation; a demand forecasting in interface that includes the maintain demand forecast operation; a fulfillment in interface that includes the maintain customer requirement operation and the delete provisional customer requirement operation; a fulfillment in interface that includes the check availability operation and the check availability and reserve operation; a fulfillment out interface that includes the notify of availability update operation and the confirm fulfillment operation; a fulfillment in interface that includes the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation operation; a delivery planning in interface that includes the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery planning notification operation; a fulfillment out interface that includes the request delivery fulfillment operation; a site logistics processing in interface that includes the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation operation and the change site log requisition based on site log request progress notification operation; a site logistics processing out interface that includes the request site logistics operation; a producing in interface that includes the change production requisition based on production progress operation and the change production requisition based on production request confirmation operation; a producing out interface that includes the request production operation; an internal fulfillment in interface that includes the check availability for customer request and reserve operation; an internal fulfillment in interface that includes the check availability for customer requisition operation; an internal fulfillment in interface that includes the maintain customer requirement operation; an internal fulfillment out interface that includes the confirm fulfillment operation; an internal fulfillment out interface that includes the notify of availability update operation; and an inventory changing in interface that includes the maintain planning view on inventory operation.

4. The system of anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the computer software implementing the request production operation, the change production requisition based on production progress operation, the change production requisition based on production request confirmation operation, the maintain planning view on inventory operation, the maintain planning view on inventory operation, the confirm fulfillment operation, the notify of availability update operation, the check availability operation, the check availability and reserve operation, the delete provisional customer requirement operation, the maintain customer requirement operation, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation operation, the change site log requisition based on site log request progress notification operation, the request site logistics operation, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery planning notification operation, the request delivery fulfillment operation, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation operation, the change purchase requisition based on purchase request operation, the maintain planning view on purchase order operation, the request purchasing operation, the notify of purchase order delivery values operation, and the maintain demand forecast operations is deployed on one hardware platform.

5. The system of anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the computer software implementing the request production operation, the change production requisition based on production progress operation, the change production requisition based on production request confirmation operation, the maintain planning view on inventory operation, the maintain planning view on inventory operation, the confirm fulfillment operation, the notify of availability update operation, the check availability operation, the check availability and reserve operation, the delete provisional customer requirement operation, the maintain customer requirement operation, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation operation, the change site log requisition based on site log request progress notification operation, the request site logistics operation, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery planning notification operation, the request delivery fulfillment operation, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation operation, the change purchase requisition based on purchase request operation, the maintain planning view on purchase order operation, the request purchasing operation, the notify of purchase order delivery values operation, and the maintain demand forecast operations is deployable on one hardware platform.

6. The system of anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the computer software deployed on the computer system comprises: a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software deployed and executing on the computer system and implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including: an external procurement trigger and response process component used to combine all the tasks necessary for processing due planned external procurement and to provide an interface to purchasing from a supply planning perspective; a demand forecast processing process component used to collect demand forecasts for further processing; a customer requirement processing process component used to combine the tasks required for processing customer requirements and to provide an interface to presales, sales and services; a logistics execution control process component used to control and to monitor on a macro logistics level the supply chain execution activities necessary for the fulfillment of an order; a production trigger and response process component used to provide an interface to production from a supply planning perspective; and a supply and demand matching process component used to combine all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account; and wherein: the external procurement trigger and response process component implements the change purchase requisition based on purchase request, the maintain planning view on purchase order, the request purchasing, and the notify of purchase order delivery values service operations; the logistics execution control process component implements the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation, the change logistics execution requisitions based on delivery planning notification, the request delivery fulfillment, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation, the change site log requisition based on site log request progress notification, and the request site logistics service operations; the production trigger and response process component implements the change production requisition based on production progress, the change production requisition based on production request confirmation, and the request production service operations; and the supply and demand matching process component implements the maintain planning view on inventory service operation.

7. The system of anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein the computer software deployed on the computer system comprises: a supply chain control deployment unit, the supply chain control deployment unit being a package of software packaged together to be deployed on a single physical hardware platform, the supply chain control deployment unit handling aspects of supply requisitioning, wherein: the supply chain control deployment unit implements the change purchase requisition based on purchase request, the maintain planning view on purchase order, the request purchasing, the notify of purchase order delivery values, the maintain demand forecast, the maintain customer requirement, the delete provisional customer requirement, the check availability, the check availability and reserve, the notify of availability update, the confirm fulfillment, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery planning notification, the request delivery fulfillment, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request progress notification, the request site logistics, the change production requisition based on production progress, the change production requisition based on production request confirmation, the request production, the check availability for customer request and reserve, the check availability for customer request, the maintain customer requirement, the confirm fulfillment, the notify of availability update, the maintain planning view on inventory, and the maintain planning view on inventory service operations.

8. The system of anyone of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: a repository of service descriptions, the repository including a standards-based description of each of the plurality of service operations.

9. A computer program product encoded on a tangible machine-readable information carrier for implementing a plurality of services, the product comprising computer software operable to implement on a computer system service operations, the service operations comprising: a change purchase requisition based on purchase request operation operable to send a notification about the extent to which a requisition has been fulfilled; a maintain planning view on purchase order operation operable to send a notification about the planning relevant data of the purchase order; a request purchasing operation operable to request the procurement of products or services; a notify of purchase order delivery values operation operable to send a notification about the posting of a goods receipt; a maintain customer requirement operation operable to send a notification to create or change a customer requirement; a delete provisional customer requirement operation operable to send a notification to delete provisional customer requirements that have been created by the "sync check availability and reserve" operation; a check availability operation operable to send a notification about the availability of certain amounts of materials at a certain date; a check availability and reserve operation operable to send a notification to confirm the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a notify of availability update operation operable to send a notification about the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a confirm fulfillment operation operable to send a notification to confirm the partial or complete fulfillment of a customer requirement; a change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation operation operable to send a notification to change the logistics execution requisition; a change logistics execution requisition based on delivery planning notification operation operable to send a notification to change the logistics execution requisition; a request delivery fulfillment operation operable to request to maintain a delivery request; a change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation operation operable to request confirmation data from site logistics; a change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request progress notification operation operable to request inventory changes from site logistics; a request site logistics operation operable to request the maintenance of a site logistics request; a change production requisition based on production process operation operable to send a notification about inventory changes and fulfillment and potentially status information of a production request; a change production requisition based on production request confirmation operation operable to send a notification about quantities and due dates and potentially status information of a production request; a request production operation operable to request production of a certain quantity of a specific material by a requested due date.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the service operations further comprise: a maintain demand forecast operation operable to send a notification to create, update or delete the demand forecast object with the given forecast data; and a maintain planning view on inventory operation operable to send notification to change the inventory plan.

11. The product of claim 9 or 10, wherein the computer software comprises: a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software deployed and executing on the computer system and implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including: an external procurement trigger and response component used to combine all the tasks necessary for processing due planned external procurement and to provide an interface to purchasing from a supply planning perspective; a demand forecast processing component used to collect demand forecasts for further processing; a customer requirement processing component used to combine the tasks required for processing customer requirements and to provide an interface to presales, sales and services; a logistics execution control component used to control and to monitor on a macro logistics level the supply chain execution activities necessary for the fulfillment of an order; a production trigger and response component used to provide an interface to production from a supply planning perspective; a customer requirement processing component used to combine the tasks required for processing customer requirements and to provide an interface to SRM from an SCC view; a supply and demand matching component used to combine all the tasks necessary to ensure that sufficient material receipt elements exist to cover material demand while taking available capacity into account; a demand planning component used to combine all the tasks required to anticipate future demand; and a source of supply determination component used to determine the source of supply; and wherein: the external procurement trigger and response component implements the change purchase requisition based on purchase request, the maintain planning view on purchase order, the request purchasing, and the notify of purchase order delivery values service operations; the demand forecast processing component implements the maintain demand forecast service operation; the customer requirement processing component implements the maintain customer requirement, the delete provisional customer requirement, the check availability, the check availability and reserve, the notify of availability update, and the confirm fulfillment service operations; the logistics execution control component implements the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation, the change logistics execution requisitions based on delivery planning notification, the request delivery fulfillment, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation, the change site log requisition based on site log request progress notification, and the request site logistics service operations; the production trigger and response component implements the change production requisition based on production progress, the change production requisition based on production request confirmation, and the request production service operations; and the supply and demand matching component implements the maintain planning view on inventory service operation.

12. The product of anyone of claims 9 to 1 1, wherein the computer software comprises: a deployment unit, the deployment unit being a package of software packaged together to be deployed on a single physical hardware platform, the deployment unit being a supply chain control deployment unit that includes a supply planning requirement, a order fulfillment planning view, a capacity load planning view, a planning view on inventory, a planned material flow, a planned independent requirement, a production planning order, a procurement planning order, a supply planning exception, a material supply and demand view, a material requirements planning run, a customer requirement, a production requisition, the customer requirement, a logistics execution requisition, a site logistics requisition, a demand forecast, a purchase requisition, a request production run, a request procurement run business process object, a available to promise check run business process object, and a planning view on purchase order business object; and wherein: the supply planning requirement business object is used as the target for the material requirements planning run and the availability check; the order fulfillment planning view business object is a collection of those production planning orders and external procurement planning orders, which are planned to fulfill selected supply planning requirements, planned independent requirements, and production planning orders; the capacity load planning view business object is a view on the available capacity and the capacity load of a resource in supply planning; the planning view on inventory business object represents the inventory object from logistics execution; the planned material flow business object defines the relationship between material receipt elements and material requirements elements of a material within a location; the planned independent requirement business object represents a quantity for a finished product in a period of time; the production planning order business object defines the intended production of a material in a specific quantity and at a specific availability date; the procurement planning order business object defines procurement plans; the supply planning exception business object represents an unsolved or incorrect planning situation; the material supply and demand view business object shows and allows changes of the expected development of inventory levels per material, supply planning area and supply chain planning version; the material requirements planning run business object creates material receipts to cover material shortages or to fill up inventory to a desired level; the customer requirement business object contains the quantities of products required at specific dates as well as information about which products will be available or delivered in which quantities at which dates; the production requisition business object is a request for the production of a certain quantity of a finished product to be completed by the requested due date; the customer requirement business object is a requirement object that expresses a demand from an internal customer from within the company; the logistics execution requisition business object supports the controlling, triggering and monitoring of supply chain execution activities necessary for the fulfillment of an order; the site logistics requisition business object is a request to complete a site logistics process for a certain quantity of material by a certain time; the demand forecast business object represents the released demand planning forecasts before they are converted into planned independent requirements; the purchase requisition business object is a request or instruction to procure a quantity of a material or service so that it is available at a certain point in time; and the planning view on purchase order business object represents the purchase order from supplier relationship management.

13. The product of claim 11, wherein: each of the plurality of process components is assigned to no more than one deployment unit among multiple deployment units, and each deployment unit is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit; and all interaction between a process component in one deployment unit and any other process component in any other deployment unit takes place through the respective service operations of the two process components.

14. The product of claim 13, wherein: a supply chain control deployment unit includes the supply and demand matching process component, the customer requirement processing process component, the production trigger and response process component, the customer requirement processing process component, the logistics execution control process component, the demand forecast processing process component, and the external procurement trigger and response process component.

15. The product of anyone of claims 9 to 14, further comprising: a supply chain control deployment unit that implements the change purchase requisition based on purchase request, the maintain planning view on purchase order, the request purchasing, the notify of purchase order, the maintain demand forecast, the maintain customer requirement, the delete provisional customer requirement, the check availability, the check availability and reserve, the notify of availability update, the confirm fulfillment, the change logistics execution requisition based on delivery fulfillment confirmation, the change logistics execution requisitions based on delivery planning notification, the request delivery fulfillment, the change site logistics requisition based on site logistics request confirmation, the change site log requisition based on site log request progress notification, the request site logistics, the change production requisition based on production progress, the change production requisition based on production request confirmation, the request production and the maintain planning view on inventory service operations.

16. The product of claim 11, wherein: the supply and demand matching process component includes a supply planning requirement, an order fulfillment planning view, a capacity load planning view, a planning view on inventory, a planned material flow, a planned independent requirement, a production planning order, a procurement planning order, a supply planning exception, a material supply and demand view, and a material requirements planning run business object, wherein: the supply planning requirement business object is used as the target for the material requirements planning run and the availability check; the order fulfillment planning view business object contains a collection of those production planning orders and external procurement planning orders, which are planned to fulfill selected supply planning requirements, planned independent requirements, and production planning orders; the capacity load planning view business object provides a view on the available capacity and the capacity load of a resource in supply planning; the planning view on inventory business object represents the inventory object from logistics execution; the planned material flow business object defines the relationship between material receipt elements and material requirements elements of a material within a location; the planned independent requirement business object contains a quantity for a finished product in a period of time; the production planning order business object defines the intended production of a material in a specific quantity and at a specific availability date; the procurement planning order business object defines the process of procuring items; the supply planning exception business object describes an unsolved or incorrect planning situation; the material supply and demand view business object shows and allows changes of the expected development of inventory levels per material, supply planning area and supply chain planning version; and the material requirements planning run business object creates material receipts to cover material shortages or to fill up inventory to a desired level; the customer requirement processing process component includes a customer requirement business object, wherein: the customer requirement business object determines the quantities of products required at specific dates as well as information about which products will be available or delivered in which quantities at which dates; the production trigger and response process component includes a production requisition business object, wherein: the production requisition business object handles a request for the production of a certain quantity of a finished product to be completed by the requested due date; the customer requirement processing process component includes a customer requirement business object, wherein: the customer requirement business object is handles any requirement object that expresses a demand from an internal customer from within the company; the logistics execution control process component includes a logistics execution requisition and a site logistics requisition business object, wherein: the logistics execution requisition business object handles controlling, triggering and monitoring of supply chain execution activities necessary for the fulfillment of an order; and the site logistics requisition business object sends a request to complete a site logistics process for a certain quantity of material by a certain time; the demand forecast processing process component includes a demand forecast business object, wherein: the demand forecast business object represents the released demand planning forecasts before they are converted into planned independent requirements; and the external procurement trigger and response process component includes a purchase requisition and a planning view on purchase order business object, wherein: the purchase requisition business object represents a request or instruction to procure a quantity of a material or service so that it is available at a certain point in time; and the planning view on purchase order business object represents a purchase order from an SRM application.

17. The product of claim 11, wherein: each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein the business objects comprise a business process object.

19. The product of claim 17 or 18, wherein: none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

20. The product of anyone of claims 9 to 19, further comprising: a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, an inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from an inbound operation, an outbound process agent being operable to cause an outbound operation to send a message, each process agent being associated with exactly one process component; the inbound process agents comprise a first inbound process agent operable to start the execution of step requested in a first inbound message by creating or updating one or more business object instances; and the outbound process agents comprise a first asynchronous outbound process agent that is called after a business object that is associated with the first outbound process agent changes.

21. A method for providing services from a computer system having logistics execution functionality, the method comprising: providing services through the sending of messages, the messages including: a notification about the extent to which a requisition has been fulfilled; a notification about the planning relevant data of the purchase order; a notification to request a procurement of products or services; a notification about the posting of a goods receipt; a notification to create or change a customer requirement; a notification to delete provisional customer requirements that have been created by the "synchronous check availability and reserve" operation; a notification about the availability of certain amounts of materials at a certain date; a notification to confirm the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a notification about the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a notification to confirm the partial or complete fulfillment of a customer requirement; a notification to change the logistics execution requisition; a notification to change the logistics execution requisition; a notification for a delivery fulfillment request; a notification for data from site logistics; a notification about a request for inventory changes from site logistics; a notification about a request for the maintenance of site logistics; a notification about inventory changes and fulfillment and potentially status information of a production request; a notification about quantities and due dates and potentially status information of a production request; a notification about a request for production of a certain quantity of a specific material by a requested due date; a notification to trigger updates of customer requirement objects; a notification to confirm the availability of certain amounts of certain materials; a notification about the availability of certain amounts of materials at a certain date; a notification to confirm the partial or complete fulfillment of an internal requirement; and a notification about the availability of certain amounts of certain materials in- house.