Customizable state machine and state aggregation technique for processing collaborative and transactional business objects

Abstract

A computer-implemented state machine is provided for processing business objects representing collaborations between business entities. At least one business object represents a collaboration between business entities. A number of graphs represented in computer-readable media each correspond to a particular collaborating business entity. The graphs are generated using text files, at least a first text file including state information for the business object, at least a second text file including action information for the business object, and at least a third text file including transition information for the business object. A computer-implemented method is provided for aggregating state information associated with a composite business object representing at least one collaboration between business entities. The method includes retrieving the state information for the composite business object from a computer-readable medium and determining a state for the composite business object based on an assigned priority level for a state in a hierarchy of states associated with the composite business object, each state in the hierarchy of states having a corresponding assigned priority level.