System and method of updating related documents

1. A computer-implemented method performed by at least one processor, the method comprising the following operations:

generating, during a first phase in a business process, a predecessor document based on a request;

releasing the predecessor document to a second phase in the business process;

while maintaining the predecessor document, generating, during the second phase in the business process, a successor document based on information included in the predecessor document, wherein the predecessor document and the successor document are separate and different types of documents and are populated at different stages in a business process;

receiving, from a previous stage in the business process, a notification of a potential update to the predecessor document in the business process prior to receiving a specific update to the predecessor document;

in response to at least the potential-update notification, identifying the successor document in the business process, wherein the successor document depends on information at least identified by the predecessor document, and the successor document was generated, prior to receiving the notification of the potential update;

substantially preventing release of the successor document in response to the notification of the potential update to the predecessor document;

receiving a specific update to the predecessor document from the previous stage in the business process;

updating the successor document based on the received update; and

releasing the updated successor document.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a successor enterprise receives the notification from a predecessor enterprise different from the successor enterprise.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a corresponding business object represents the successor document, the received notification includes an update to a status variable for the successor document, the method further comprising updating the corresponding business object for the successor document with the update to the status variable, wherein the update to the status variable indicates an update to the predecessor document is expected.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting, to a user, a notification identifying the specific update to the predecessor document.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising receiving a selection whether to accept or reject an update to the successor document based on the specific update to the predecessor document.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the predecessor document including data associated with the business process; and

populating the successor document with data based, at least in part, on the data in the predecessor document.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the successor document comprises a first successor document, further comprising transmitting a notification of an update of the first successor document to an enterprise processing a second successor document, wherein the second successor documents depends on data identified by the first successor document.

8. A computer program product encoded on a non-transitory, tangible storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

generating, during a first phase in a business process, a predecessor document based on a request;

releasing the predecessor document to a second phase in the business process;

while maintaining the predecessor document, generating, during the second phase in the business process, a successor document based on information included in the predecessor document, wherein the predecessor document and the successor document are separate and different types of documents and are populated at different stages in a business process;

receiving, from a previous stage in the business process, a notification of a potential update to the predecessor document in the business process prior to receiving a specific update to the predecessor document;

in response to at least the potential-update notification, identifying the successor document in the business process, wherein the successor document depends on information at least identified by the predecessor document, and the successor document was generated, prior to receiving the notification of the potential update;

substantially preventing release of the successor document in response to the notification of the potential update to the predecessor document;

receiving a specific update to the predecessor document from the previous stage in the business process;

updating the successor document based on the received update; and

releasing the updated successor document.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein a successor enterprise receives the notification from a predecessor enterprise different from the successor enterprise.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein a corresponding business object represents the successor document, the received notification includes an update to a status variable for the successor document, the operations further comprising updating the corresponding business object for the successor document with the update to the status variable, wherein the update to the status variable indicates an update to the predecessor document is expected.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , the operations further comprising presenting, to a user, a notification identifying the specific update to the predecessor document.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , the operations further comprising receiving a selection whether to accept or reject an update to the successor document based on the specific update to the predecessor document.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:

receiving the predecessor document including data associated with the business process; and

populating the successor document with data based, at least in part, on the data in the predecessor document.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the successor document comprises a first successor document, the operations further comprising transmitting a notification of an update of the first successor document to an enterprise processing a second successor document, wherein the second successor documents depends on data identified by the first successor document.

15. A system comprising:

memory for storing a set of objects associated with the system; and

at least one processor operable to:

generate, during a first phase in a business process, a predecessor document based on a request;

release the predecessor document to a second phase in the business process;

while maintaining the predecessor document, generate, during the second phase in the business process, a successor document based on information included in the predecessor document, wherein the predecessor document and the successor document are separate and different types of documents and are populated at different stages in a business process;

receive, from a previous stage in the business process, a notification of a potential update to the predecessor document in the business process prior to receiving a specific update to the predecessor document;

in response to at least the potential-update notification, identify the successor document in the business process, wherein the successor document depends on information at least identified by the predecessor document, and the successor document was generated, prior to receiving the notification of the potential update;

substantially prevent release of the successor document in response to the notification of the potential update to the predecessor document;

receive a specific update to the predecessor document from the previous stage in the business process;

update the successor document based on the received update; and

release the updated successor document.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein a successor enterprise receives the notification from a predecessor enterprise different from the successor enterprise.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein a corresponding business object represents the successor document, the received notification includes an update to a status variable for the predecessor document, the processors further operable to update the corresponding business object for the successor document with the update to the status variable, wherein the update to the status variable indicates an update to the predecessor document is expected.

18. The system of claim 15 , the processors further operable to present, to a user, a notification identifying the specific update to the predecessor document.

19. The system of claim 18 , the processors further operable to receive a selection whether to accept or reject an update to the successor document based on the specific update to the predecessor document.

20. The system of claim 15 , the processors further operable to:

receive the predecessor document including data associated with the business process; and

populate the successor document with data based, at least in part, on the data in the predecessor document.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the successor document comprises a first successor document, the processors further operable to transmitting a notification of an update of the first successor document to an enterprise processing a second successor document, wherein the second successor documents depends on data identified by the first successor document.