Consistency Checks For Business Process Data Using Master Data Vectors

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

defining a business process master data vector for a business process, the business process master data vector comprising master data coordinates corresponding to business object node fields of a plurality of business objects involved in the specific business process;

assigning a value to each master data coordinate to indicate whether its corresponding business object node field is mandatory for successful execution of the business process;

evaluating a plurality of master data instance vectors corresponding to the plurality of business objects, each master data instance vector comprising instance coordinates corresponding to the business object node fields in a corresponding business object of the plurality of business objects and to the master data coordinates in the business process master data vector, each instance coordinate indicating whether its corresponding business object node field contains a master data value; and

analyzing the business process using at least one of the business process master data vector and the master data instance vectors.

2 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the business process comprises assessing master data consistency for the business process by determining that a fraction of the plurality of business objects contain sufficient master data to run the business process.

3 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 2 , wherein the determining of the fraction comprises:

comparing the master data instance vectors with the business process master data vector to identify a first number, N match , of master data instance vectors having instance coordinates matching the master data coordinates indicating mandatory master data; and

calculating the master data consistency for the business process, C(bp 1 ), in accordance with the following:

C



(

bp

1

)

=

N

match

N

total

;

wherein N total is a total number of master data instance vectors.

4 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 3 , further comprising providing a feedback indicator to a user interface if C(bp 1 ) is less than a predetermined consistency threshold.

5 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 3 , further comprising executing the business process only if C(bp 1 ) is greater than a predetermined consistency threshold.

6 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, an update to master data in the plurality of business objects; and

providing feedback via the user interface in real time to indicate how the update affects the master data consistency.

7 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 2 , further comprising:

evaluating, for each second business process, a second plurality of master data instance vectors corresponding to a second plurality of business objects involved in the second business process, each second master data instance vector comprising second instance coordinates corresponding to second business object node fields in a corresponding second business object of the second plurality of business objects and to second master data coordinates in a second business process master data vector, each second instance coordinate indicating whether its corresponding second business object node field contains a second master data value;

assessing master data consistency for the second business process by determining that a second fraction of the second plurality of business objects contain sufficient master data to run the second business process; and

calculating a metric indicating a total fraction of the business processes of the organization have sufficient master data consistency to be executed.

8 . A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the business process comprises:

determining a scalar product between the business process master data vector, {right arrow over (m)}(bp 1 ), of the business process and a second business process master data vector, {right arrow over (m)}(bp 2 ), of a second business process, the scalar product, |s| 2 , being calculated in accordance with the following:

| s| 2 =|{right arrow over (m)} ( bp 1 )|·| {right arrow over (m)} ( bp 2 )|·cos α;

wherein α is an angle between the business process master data vector and the second business process master data vector; and

calculating a similarity metric equal to cos α that reflects a similarity between the business process and the second business process.

9 . A system comprising,

at least one data repository stored on at least one system comprising a computer-readable storage medium, the at least one data repository comprising a plurality of business subjects each comprising business object node fields comprising master data, the plurality of business objects being involved in execution of a business process of the organization;

at least one processor that implements a master data consistency module that performs operations comprising:

defining a business process master data vector for the business process, the business process master data vector comprising master data coordinates corresponding to business object node fields of the plurality of business objects;

assigning a value to each master data coordinate to indicate whether its corresponding business object node field is mandatory for successful execution of the business process;

evaluating a plurality of master data instance vectors corresponding to the plurality of business objects, each master data instance vector comprising instance coordinates corresponding to the business object node fields in a corresponding business object of the plurality of business objects and to the master data coordinates in the business process master data vector, each instance coordinate indicating whether its corresponding business object node field contains a master data value; and

analyzing the business process using at least one of the business process master data vector and the master data instance vectors.

10 . A system as in claim 9 , wherein the analyzing the business process comprises assessing master data consistency for the business process by determining that a fraction of the plurality of business objects contain sufficient master data to run the business process.

11 . A system as in claim 10 , wherein the determining of the fraction comprises:

comparing the master data instance vectors with the business process master data vector to identify a first number, N match , of master data instance vectors having instance coordinates matching the master data coordinates indicating mandatory master data; and

calculating the master data consistency for the business process, C(bp 1 ), in accordance with the following:

C



(

bp

1

)

=

N

match

N

total

;

wherein N total is a total number of master data instance vectors.

12 . A system as in claim 11 , wherein the operations performed by the master data consistency module further comprise providing a feedback indicator to a user interface at a client machine if C(bp 1 ) is less than a predetermined consistency threshold.

13 . A system as in claim 11 , wherein the operations performed by the master data consistency module further comprise executing the business process only if C(bp 1 ) is greater than a predetermined consistency threshold.

14 . A system as in claim 10 , wherein the operations performed by the master data consistency module further comprise:

receiving, via a user interface at a client machine, an update to at least one of the plurality of business objects stored in the at leas tone repository; and

providing feedback via the user interface in real time to indicate how the update affects the master data consistency for the business process.

15 . A system as in claim 9 , wherein the operations performed by the master data consistency module further comprise:

determining a scalar product between the business process master data vector, {right arrow over (m)}(bp 1 ), of the business process and a second business process master data vector, {right arrow over (m)}(bp 2 ), of a second business process, the scalar product, |s| 2 , being calculated in accordance with the following:

| s| 2 =|{right arrow over (m)} ( bp 2 )|·| {right arrow over (m)} ( bp 2 )|·cos α;

wherein α is an angle between the business process master data vector and the second business process master data vector; and

calculating a similarity metric equal to cos α that reflects a similarity between the business process and the second business process.

16 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

defining a business process master data vector for a business process, the business process master data vector comprising master data coordinates corresponding to business object node fields of a plurality of business objects involved in the business process;

assigning a value to each master data coordinate to indicate whether its corresponding business object node field is mandatory for successful execution of the business process;

evaluating a plurality of master data instance vectors corresponding to the plurality of business objects, each master data instance vector comprising instance coordinates corresponding to the business object node fields in a corresponding business object of the plurality of business objects and to the master data coordinates in the business process master data vector, each instance coordinate indicating whether its corresponding business object node field contains a master data value; and

analyzing the business process using at least one of the business process master data vector and the master data instance vectors.

17 . A computer-readable medium as in claim 16 , wherein analyzing the business process comprises assessing master data consistency for the business process by determining that a fraction of the plurality of business objects contain sufficient master data to run the business process.

18 . A computer-readable medium as in claim 17 , wherein the determining of the fraction comprises:

comparing the master data instance vectors with the business process master data vector to identify a first number, N match , of master data instance vectors having instance coordinates matching the master data coordinates indicating mandatory master data; and

calculating the master data consistency for the business process, C(bp 1 ), in accordance with the following:

C



(

bp

1

)

=

N

match

N

total

;

wherein N total is a total number of master data instance vectors.

19 . A computer-readable medium as in claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise providing a feedback indicator to a user if C(bp 1 ) is less than a predetermined consistency threshold.

20 . A computer-readable medium as in claim 17 , wherein the analyzing the business process comprises:

determining a scalar product between the business process master data vector, {right arrow over (m)}(bp 1 ), of the business process and a second business process master data vector, {right arrow over (m)}(bp 2 ), of a second business process, the scalar product, |s| 2 , being calculated in accordance with the following:

| s| 2 =|{right arrow over (m)} ( bp 1 )|·| {right arrow over (m)} ( bp 2 )|·cos α;

wherein α is an angle between the business process master data vector and the second business process master data vector; and

calculating a similarity metric equal to cos α that reflects a similarity between the business process and the second business process.