Abstract: The present provides a standard text method, system, and program product for configuring blocks of text and for defining the circumstances under which the blocks of text are to be displayed to users by multiple applications. The method comprises: providing a block of text to be published; selecting at least one application that will use the block of text; defining at least one business entity to which the block of text pertains; defining criteria under which the block of text will be used by each selected application; and repeating the above steps for each additional block of text to be published.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting a document to a user. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of documents having one or more language translations; specifying a preferred order of languages for the user; and when the user requests a search term, searching the plurality of documents for those that contain the search term. The method comprises the further steps of matching the language translations of the documents containing the search term with the preferred order of languages for the user; and delivering, for each of the documents containing the search term, a best match language translation to the user.

Abstract: A routing method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system data associated with a business. The data includes a first list of authorization roles and a second list including locations. The computing system associates at least one authorization role of the authorization roles with each location of the locations. The computing system receives transaction documents associated with the business. The computing system receives a selection for a location of the locations. The computing system receives a selection for a transaction document of the transaction documents. The transaction document is associated with a specified authorization role of the authorization roles. The computing system determines if the specified authorization role is associated with the location.

Abstract: A system and associated method for dynamically building a web interface per data collecting rules. An interface module receives a request to perform a business transaction from a caller application. The interface module determines a series of interface screens pursuant to data collecting rules associated with the requested business transaction. The series of interface screens have a subsection which enables a user of the caller application to provide a value of an attribute component of the subsection. The value provided by the user is employed in performing the business transaction. A result of the business transaction is produced to the caller application.

Abstract: A method and system for recovering data from an aborted session via a rule application. A first session having a first document ID is initiated. After an interruption of the first session, a second session having a second document ID is initiated. The first and second document IDs are determined to be identical. The first session is determined to be open in a callee application after the interruption. A rule that associates a recovery action with a data item of the first document is applied by detecting the data item of the first document and selecting the recovery action from multiple predefined recovery actions. The data item of the first document is an identification of a calling application that provides the first and second documents or a value entered by a user of the calling application. The callee application performs the selected recovery action.

Abstract: A validation method and system. The method includes receiving, by a computing system, accounting data and an associated purchasing document. The computing system receives a request for validating the accounting data. The computing system determines a purchasing scenario associated with the purchasing document. The computing system receives a configuration table and validation algorithms. The configuration table comprises accounting elements each comprising parameters. The computing system selects relevant accounting elements from the configuration table. The computing system selects relevant algorithms of the validation algorithms. The computing system executes each relevant algorithm of the validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of the parameters. The computing system generates validation statuses for the relevant accounting elements. The computing system transmits validation statuses to a calling system.

Abstract: A system and associated method for web service data for a web service transaction are disclosed. A client program that employs the web service transaction invokes a pair of web service calls to transfer the web service data to and from a web service program that executes the web service transaction. The web service program establishes a user session between the web service program and a web interface program. During the user session, the web service transaction is performed as a user of the client program directly interacts with the web service program through the web interface program. When the user session is completed, the client program retrieves the web service data resulting from the web service transaction from the web service program.

Abstract: A method and a system for identifying screen flows. An instance of an application utilized by a first entity locates a first key in a first table to identify a first procedure. The same instance of the application utilized by a second entity locates a second key in the first table to identify a second procedure. Using the first procedure, a method and a parameter set based on rules of the first entity are located in a second table. Using the second procedure, the method and a parameter set based on rules of the second entity are located in the second table. The method is executed with each of the parameter sets to identify a first screen flow for the first entity and a second screen flow for the second entity. The first screen flow includes data elements that are different from data elements included in the second screen flow.

Abstract: A method and system for satisfying rules through a configuration of list processing methods. A document received from a calling application includes items being processed. A procedure for satisfying rules is identified by matching, via a database, a combination of values to the procedure. The combination of values includes attributes of the calling application and the document. Steps included in the procedure are determined by matching, via the database, the procedure to the steps. The order for executing the steps is determined by identifying, via the database, predecessor and successor steps. Sets of one or more list processing methods are determined and associated with each step. The order for executing each set of list processing methods is determined. The steps are executed. A selection list of elements is displayed to facilitate a selection of an element to characterize an item included in the document.

Abstract: A method and system for transforming a starting list into a selection list by employing a configurable rule. Parameters of an item being processed by an application are received. A starting list of elements is generated. Each starting list element specifies a corresponding function performed by the application. A rule set of a set of rule sets stored in a rule set table is identified. The rule set table associates the rule set with values that specify corresponding functions performed by the software application. The rule set is identified by a determination that the associated values comprise a maximal subset of the starting list elements. A rule stored in a rule database table is identified based on the rule set and the parameters. The rule is applied to generate a selection list comprising a proper subset of the starting list. The selection list is displayed on a display device.

Abstract: A system and associated method for looking up a best-fit record identified by a multi-field key. The multi-field key comprises multiple fields that are hierarchically organized in an order of significance in identifying a record. The system generates a set of key values that is used for a best-fit lookup of a search key value. Each value in the set of key values is specified in contiguous fields from the most significant field to a distinctive respective field. In looking up a record for the search key value, the most specific key value in the set is first compared with the search key value, and one-level less specific in the least significant field is next compared with the search key value, until the best-fit record for the search key value is found.

Abstract: A method and system for sharing data between a calling application and a callee application. A callee application receives a request for processing data owned and stored by the calling application in a data table. The callee application receives a document to which containers that include data elements from the data table are attached in a predefined order. The callee application identifies element types corresponding to the containers based on a mapping interface table. The callee application unloads data elements from the containers into a data store via the predefined order and associates the data elements with the corresponding element types. The callee application processes the data according to the request. The processing includes applying a business rule to a data element based on the business rule being associated with an element type of the data element. Only the callee application has knowledge of the applied business rule.

Abstract: A system and associated method for interfacing between caller applications and a shared service module. Upon receiving a request for a transaction, the shared service module creates a separate data structure per request from a caller application and configures a caller identifier to uniquely identify the caller application. The separate data structure per request can be extended by the shared service module with additional attributes that may be used, without impacting the service application data model, in the request to support servicing the request. The shared service module generates a generic service document to return the result after servicing the request to the caller application.

Abstract: Under the present invention, when a requestor submits a request for an item, a single, appropriate back-end system for processing the request is identified. Typically, the back-end system is identified based on the item requested and a location setting within the requestor's profile. The location setting generally indicates the requestor's geographic location and their job responsibility. Once a particular back-end system is identified, subsequent requests in the same order are limited to items that are associated with the identified back-end system. If the requester attempts to request an item that is not available via the identified back-end system, an error message is displayed.

Abstract: An accounting method and system. The method includes determining by a computing system, that a second entity is dependent on a first entity for a specified time period. The computing system generates a first list comprising initially allowable purchase types list for items available for purchase by a user. The computing system generates a modified list from the first list. The computing system receives from the user, a selection for a purchase type from the modified list. The computing system presents an accounting data input form to the user. The computing system places the purchase type, a selected general ledger account, and a selected organization into the accounting data input form. The computing system stores the accounting data input form that includes the purchase type, the selected general ledger account, and the selected organization.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for configurable articulation of criteria for period archival, deletion, or movement of data from one data storage system to another. A consistent method for executing programs which manage specific data uses criteria articulated to identify sets of data and the rules associated with the data entities being process by the programs. Data entities may have different controlling rules and policies such as required by different countries, companies, or contractual arrangements. Data entities are associated with rules and policies that define durations for storage, frequency of archival, retention periods, or the like. As a result a consistent process may be achieved that captures an organization's retention policy and that be administered over a variety of application systems.

Abstract: A mapping method and system. The method includes receiving from a computing system, a selection of a first candidate skill from a list of candidate skills. The computing system receives a selection of a first work location of associated with a first skill. The computing system determines a first geographical location identifier identifying a first area comprising the first work location. The computing system determines a first work region comprising the first area and the first work location. The computing system selects a first group of suppliers associated the first work region. The computing system generates a candidate request document comprising the first candidate skill, the first work region, and the first work location. The computing system transmits to the first group of suppliers the candidate request document.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting a document to a user. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of documents having one or more language translations; specifying a preferred order of languages for the user; and when the user requests a search term, searching the plurality of documents for those that contain the search term. The method comprises the further steps of matching the language translations of the documents containing the search term with the preferred order of languages for the user; and delivering, for each of the documents containing the search term, a best match language translation to the user.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for modeling a relational database. The method comprises the steps of defining a set of data tables to accommodate any number of levels of a business hierarchy and using these tables as a generic data model to handle various levels of requirements of the business hierarchy. This set of tables include a first control table, a second table containing hierarchy nodes in a flattened format, a third table storing unique hierarchy node names, and a fourth table describing the hierarchy nodes in one or more languages. For example, this business hierarchy may be a commodity hierarchy, a geography hierarchy and a client organization hierarchy. Also, in the preferred embodiment, no new tables are needed when a new hierarchy is introduced, and the generic data model supports different numbers of reporting levels from one hierarchy to the next hierarchy.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting a document to a user. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of documents having one or more language translations; specifying a preferred order of languages for the user; and when the user requests a search term, searching the plurality of documents for those that contain the search term. The method comprises the further steps of matching the language translations of the documents containing the search term with the preferred order of languages for the user; and delivering, for each of the documents containing the search term, a best match language translation to the user.