Custom application builder for supply chain management
Supply chain management is performed by building a user-defined custom application that uses supply chain data. The supply chain data is returned for display and/or use in the custom application based on metadata stored in a database that is arranged to store supply chain data. The metadata specifies a stored procedure that when called based on parameters in a request generated in response to a user selecting a custom application, returns the supply chain data that may be used in whole or in part in the custom application.
1. A computer-implemented method for generating a custom application, comprising:
storing application parameters of a custom application for displaying supply chain data stored in a database, the application parameters defining a user-customized order of actions to be performed on the supply chain data and a type of the custom application;
receiving a request for the supply chain data issued over a computer network by a trading partner in a supply chain network;
responsive to receiving the request for the supply chain data from the trading partner, automatically identifying a role of the trading partner in the supply chain network and generating at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner;
generating the custom application comprising one or more user interfaces based on the application parameters and the at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner; and
rendering for display to the trading partner the custom application based on a format for display described in the at least one application parameter.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
permitting the trading partner to perform the actions on the supply chain data based on the at least one application parameter.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the actions performed on the supply chain data by the trading partner comprise at least one of:
deleting data;
modifying data;
reorganizing data;
adding data;
searching data; and
calculating values based on the supply chain data.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
storing the custom application comprising one or more user interfaces based on the application parameters and the at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner, as a custom module in the database.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the custom module displays at least one of:
purchase order data stored in the database;
inventory data stored in the database;
invoice data stored in the database; and
management data stored in the database.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the trading partner configures at least one of:
a selection of columns of data displayed by the custom module;
names of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
widths of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
alignments of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
default sort criteria and sort direction of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
a selection of default search criteria of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
custom search criteria displayed by the custom module; and
names and functions of custom action buttons displayed by the custom module.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the custom module displays at least one of:
an identification number of an error associated with the supply chain data;
an identification of an application that reports a supply chain data error;
an identity of a first trading partner that experiences the supply chain data error;
a date and time of the supply chain data error;
an identification of a first custom module in which the supply chain data error occurs; and
whether the supply chain data error is recoverable.
8. A system for generating a custom supply chain management application, comprising:
an application customization engine tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and configured to receive application parameters for a custom application, the application parameters describing at least one user-customized display of supply chain data, and the application customization engine configured to:
store the application parameters for the custom application for displaying supply chain data stored in a database, the application parameters defining a user-customized order of actions to be performed on the supply chain data and a type of the custom application;
receive a request for the supply chain data issued over a computer network by a trading partner in a supply chain network;
automatically identify, in response to receiving the request for the supply chain data from the trading partner, a role of the trading partner in the supply chain network and generate at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner;
generate the custom application comprising one or more user interfaces based on the application parameters and the at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner; and
render for display to the trading partner the custom application based on a format for display described in the at least one application parameter.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the application customization engine is further configured to:
permit the trading partner to perform the actions on the supply chain data based on the at least one application parameter.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the actions performed on the supply chain data by the trading partner comprise at least one of:
deleting data;
modifying data;
reorganizing data;
adding data;
searching data; and
calculating values based on the supply chain data.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the application customization engine is further configured to:
store the custom application comprising one or more user interfaces based on the application parameters and the at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner, as a custom module in the database.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the custom module displays at least one of:
purchase order data stored in the database;
inventory data stored in the database;
invoice data stored in the database; and
management data stored in the database.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the trading partner configures at least one of:
a selection of columns of data displayed by the custom module;
names of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
widths of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
alignments of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
default sort criteria and sort direction of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
a selection of default search criteria of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
custom search criteria displayed by the custom module; and
names and functions of custom action buttons displayed by the custom module.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the custom module displays at least one of:
an identification number of an error associated with the supply chain data;
an identification of an application that reports a supply chain data error;
an identity of a first trading partner that experiences the supply chain data error;
a date and time of a supply chain data error;
an identification of a first custom module in which the supply chain data error occurs; and
whether the supply chain data error is recoverable.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodied with software for generating a customized application, the software when executed using a computer system configured to:
receive and store application parameters of a custom application for displaying supply chain data stored in a database, the application parameters defining a user-customized order of actions to be performed on the supply chain data and a type of the custom application;
receive a request for the supply chain data issued over a computer network by a trading partner in a supply chain network;
automatically identify, in response to receiving the request for the supply chain data from the trading partner, a role of the trading partner in the supply chain network and generate at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner;
generate the custom application comprising one or more user interfaces based on the application parameters and the at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner; and
render for display to the trading partner the custom application based on a format for display described in the at least one application parameter.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the software when executed using the computer system is further configured to:
permit the trading partner to perform the actions on the supply chain data based on the at least one application parameter.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the actions performed on the supply chain data by the trading partner comprise at least one of:
deleting data;
modifying data;
reorganizing data;
adding data;
searching data; and
calculating values based on the supply chain data.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the software when executed using the computer system is further configured to:
store the custom application comprising one or more user interfaces based on the application parameters and the at least one application parameter based on the role of the trading partner, as a custom module in the database.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the custom module displays at least one of:
purchase order data stored in the database;
inventory data stored in the database;
invoice data stored in the database; and
management data stored in the database.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the trading partner configures at least one of:
a selection of columns of data displayed by the custom module;
names of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
widths of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
alignments of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
default sort criteria and sort direction of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
a selection of default search criteria of the columns of data displayed by the custom module;
custom search criteria displayed by the custom module; and
names and functions of custom action buttons displayed by the custom module.