Sap Ag

Sap Se

Roland Hoff

Roland Keil

Karsten Hartmann

Markus Wolf

Marcus Conrad Behrens

Jan Krieg

Bernhard Hartenstein

Viktor Folmer

Michael Welling

Werner Huff-Huebner

Thomas Ploski

Almer Podbicanin

Robert Bäthe

Andrens Schaefer

Peter Christiansen

Joachim Bugert

Robert Baethe

Almer Podbleanin

Configuration data characterizing configuration information of at least one application process executing on a target system is received. The configuration data includes at least one first table and at least one second table upon which the first table depends. The receiving is performed prior to transmission of the configuration data to the target system for application of the configuration data to the target system. At least one validation definition including a header and table elements specifying a dependency of the first table on the second table is determined using the configuration data. Whether to validate the configuration data to ensure consistency within the target system is determined using the at least one validation definition. The determining whether to validate includes determining to validate the configuration data in response to determining that the second table has been modified. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Processing consistency validations of configuration data

Configuration data is received characterizing configuration information of at least one application process executing on a target system. The configuration data includes a first table, a second table, and a third table. The first table includes a first conditional dependency on the second table and a second conditional dependency on the third table. The receiving is performed prior to transmission of the configuration data to the target system for application of the configuration data to the target system. At least one validation definition including a header and table elements specifying the first conditional dependency and the second conditional dependency is determined using the configuration data. Whether to validate the configuration data to ensure consistency within the target system is determined using the at least one validation definition. The determination of whether to validate the configuration data is provided. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Processing consistency validations of conditional foreign-key relations

User-generated input is received that triggers deletion of a configuration object used by a computing system. In response, all active processes using the configuration object are identified so that subsequently initiated processes are prevented from using the configuration object. It is then determined when all active processes using the configuration object have completed. In response to such determination, the configuration object is deleted. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Configuration object deletion manager

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for supporting the addition of new instances of database objects and relationships, for a relational database environment that can be partially represented as a graph of fields (columns) of database tables. For a new instance of a graph element (node or edge) to be spawned, the element is classified into one of several use cases. Each database table is analyzed based on its key and non-key fields, according to use-case-dependent rules, to determine whether it should be augmented with a new entry for the new element instance. If yes, then the database table can be augmented, or can be marked for augmentation upon a subsequent request for a new instance of the graph element. Efficient and reliable growth of large and complex relational databases is enabled. Examples are provided across a wide range of domains. Certain variants are also disclosed.

Augmenting relational databases via database structure graph

An inquiry handler may be configured to receive one or more customer inquiries in response to one or more pre-sales documents associated with a product. An opportunity parser may be configured to determine a sales opportunity associated with the one or more customer inquiries based on the pre-sales documents. An activity engine may be configured to track one or more sales activities performed with respect to the sales opportunity and in response to the one or more customer inquiries. A status engine may be configured to determine a status of each of the one or more customer inquiries based on the one or more sales activities. A report generator may be configured to generate one or more activity reports associated with the sales opportunity based on the one or more customer inquiries and including the status associated with each customer inquiry.

Management of sales opportunities

Systems and methods to provide generation of automated tests for business software solution packages are provided. In example embodiments, a user selection of a selection option that customizes a solution package for a process is received. A customized solution package is created based on the user selection of the selection option. An automated test comprising a predefined test unit assigned to the user selection of the selection option is generated. The automated test is executed to determine operability of the customized solution package.

Generation of automated tests for business software solution packages

Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method of managing customizing settings in a business structured interface is to be initiated. The method includes presenting a plurality of business process types to a user. Each of the business process types includes a plurality of business document types. First user input selecting a set of business process types is received. The first user input triggers for each selected business process type activation of features in an application program. In response to the first selection, the plurality of business document types associated with the selected business process type are presented. Second user input selecting a set of business document types is received. The second user input triggers activation of features in the application program. The application program is launched, wherein the features are activated and available during the operation of the application program.

Managing customizing settings in a business structured interface

Various embodiments of systems and methods for managing characteristics variations within solution packages are described herein. In one aspect, the method includes displaying one or more identifiers corresponding to one or more solution packages, receiving a user selection of the solution package, rendering industries and countries supported by the selected solution package, receiving a user selection of at least one of the countries and the industries, based upon the selection of at least one of the one or more countries and the one or more industries, identifying modeling element(s) associated with the solution package, receiving a user selection of the modeling element, and based upon the user selection, providing one or more configuration blocks for configuring the selected solution package by setting or configuring the corresponding one or more characteristics of the modeling element. The configuration may be for specifying applicable industries and/or countries for the modeling element.

Managing characteristics variation within software solution packages

In one general aspect, a computer system can include an existing process chain module configured to receive a plurality of segment definitions representing a plurality of existing segments defining an existing process chain implemented in a target system. The computer system can include a proposed process chain module configured to select, based on the plurality of segment definitions, a proposed process chain including a first proposed segment corresponding with an existing segment from the plurality of existing segments, and including a second proposed segment different from each existing segment from the plurality of existing segments. The computer system can include an operational relationship module configured to define an option for an operational relationship between the existing segment from the plurality of existing segments and the second proposed segment of the proposed process chain.

Solution packages including segments of a process chain

A computer system can include an enterprise process selection module configured to receive a plurality of enterprise process definitions representing a plurality of existing enterprise processes implemented on a target system. The computer system can include a proposed solution package manager configured to select, based on the plurality of enterprise process definitions, a proposed solution package including a new enterprise process, and to define an indicator of a mandatory operational relationship between the new enterprise process and a first existing enterprise process from the plurality of existing enterprise processes, and an indicator of an optional operational relationship between the new enterprise process and a second existing enterprise process from the plurality of existing enterprise processes. Also, a solution package generator can be configured to receive an indicator that the optional operational relationship has been selected for binding to the second existing enterprise process from the plurality of existing enterprise processes.

Management of integrated enterprise processes

A method can include receiving an indicator that an enterprise process has been selected from a plurality of enterprise processes, and receiving an enterprise process value defining at least a portion of a mandatory process step associated with a mandatory portion of the enterprise process, and an enterprise process parameter value defining at least a portion of an optional process step related to the mandatory process step. The method can include receiving an indicator that a filter from a set of filters has been selected, and defining a representation of the mandatory process step and a representation of the optional process step in response to the filter being selected. The method can also include receiving an indicator that the optional process step has been selected for binding to the mandatory portion of the enterprise process in a variant of the enterprise process.

Management of variants of an enterprise process

A value of a configuration setting contained within a selected content unit of an application may be used as input for a configuration check algorithm to calculate a control parameter output. The algorithm may include logical operators, conditional statements, mathematical logic, and mathematical functions. The algorithm may be used to verify the correctness of the value. Different control parameter output values may be associated with different options in the automated configuration verification program. The options may include, but are not limited to, modifying an unsupported configuration setting value to a supported value, updating configuration setting values in non-selected content units, exiting the automated program and switching to a manual configuration setting change mode, and automatically updating a configuration setting value to a supported value without further intervention.

Method for verifying user changeable configuration settings and selectively modifying non-supported setting values to supported setting values in user selected and non-selected content units

Results of an execution of a function including customizable steps, may be verified. Multiple of steps of the function, may be determined and may the customizable steps that have been customized. Results may be determined based on an execution of the function, wherein the execution uses values provided as inputs to the function. A result view for verifying the one or more results may be provided, the result view may include the steps of the function, the values corresponding to the inputs, and the results.

Customization verification

A plurality of functional steps corresponding to a functional module of a software application may be determined. Data fields associated with each of the functional steps may be determined. A cardinality associated with each functional step and corresponding to the data fields of the functional step may be determined. A logical sequence of the functional steps including data fields may be determined. A visual representation of the functional module based on the logical sequence may be generated including the functional steps, data fields and cardinality.

Representation of software application functionality

Which one of a plurality of customization levels of a customizable operation of a software application is to be provided to a customizing user of the customizable operation may be determined, wherein each of the plurality of customization levels represents a different level of customization abstraction for customizing the customizable operation at an associated level of complexity. A maintenance view including a visual representation of the customizable operation may be provided, the visual representation corresponding to the determined customization level. A customization to the customizable operation may be received and applied to the customization to the customizable operation to cause the software application to implement the customization during an execution thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Walldorf, Germany

Roland Hoff