Patent Publication Number: US-8984050-B2

Title: Consistent interface for sales territory message type set 2

Description:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The subject matter described herein relates generally to the generation and use of consistent interfaces (or services) derived from a business object model. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to the generation and use of consistent interfaces or services that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Transactions are common among businesses and between business departments within a particular business. During any given transaction, these business entities exchange information. For example, during a sales transaction, numerous business entities may be involved, such as a sales entity that sells merchandise to a customer, a financial institution that handles the financial transaction, and a warehouse that sends the merchandise to the customer. The end-to-end business transaction may require a significant amount of information to be exchanged between the various business entities involved. For example, the customer may send a request for the merchandise as well as some form of payment authorization for the merchandise to the sales entity, and the sales entity may send the financial institution a request for a transfer of funds from the customer&#39;s account to the sales entity&#39;s account. 
     Exchanging information between different business entities is not a simple task. This is particularly true because the information used by different business entities is usually tightly tied to the business entity itself. Each business entity may have its own program for handling its part of the transaction. These programs differ from each other because they typically are created for different purposes and because each business entity may use semantics that differ from the other business entities. For example, one program may relate to accounting, another program may relate to manufacturing, and a third program may relate to inventory control. Similarly, one program may identify merchandise using the name of the product while another program may identify the same merchandise using its model number. Further, one business entity may use U.S. dollars to represent its currency while another business entity may use Japanese Yen. A simple difference in formatting, e.g., the use of upper-case lettering rather than lower-case or title-case, makes the exchange of information between businesses a difficult task. Unless the individual businesses agree upon particular semantics, human interaction typically is required to facilitate transactions between these businesses. Because these “heterogeneous” programs are used by different companies or by different business areas within a given company, a need exists for a consistent way to exchange information and perform a business transaction between the different business entities. 
     Currently, many standards exist that offer a variety of interfaces used to exchange business information. Most of these interfaces, however, apply to only one specific industry and are not consistent between the different standards. Moreover, a number of these interfaces are not consistent within an individual standard. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a first aspect, a tangible computer readable medium includes program code for providing a message-based interface for exchanging information about relations between sales territories and accounts. The medium comprises program code for receiving via a message-based interface derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting maintenance of one or more relations between sales territories and accounts that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as a sales territory bundle check maintain request message entity, a message header package comprising a basic message header entity, and a sales territory package comprising a sales territory entity. 
     The medium further comprises program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model. 
     The medium further comprises program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package. 
     Implementations can include the following. The sales territory entity further includes at least one of the following: a change state identifier (ID), an object node sender technical ID, a parent sales territory ID, a universally unique identifier (UUID), an external ID, an owner employee ID, a language dependent medium name, a sales territory level code and a date period. 
     In another aspect, a distributed system operates in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry. The system comprises a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for requesting maintenance of one or more relations between sales territories and accounts using a request. 
     The system further comprises a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as a sales territory bundle check maintain request message entity, a message header package comprising a basic message header entity, and a sales territory package comprising a sales territory entity. 
     The system further comprises a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model. 
     Implementations can include the following. The first memory is remote from the graphical user interface. 
     In another aspect, a tangible computer readable medium includes program code for providing a message-based interface for exchanging information about relations between sales territories and accounts. The medium comprises program code for receiving via a message-based interface derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, the message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting maintenance of one or more relations between sales territories and accounts that includes a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory as a sales territory bundle maintain request message entity, a message header package comprising a basic message header entity, and a sales territory package comprising a sales territory entity. 
     The medium further comprises program code for processing the first message according to the hierarchical organization of the first message package, where processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model. 
     The medium further comprises program code for sending a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package. 
     Implementations can include the following. The sales territory entity further includes at least one of the following: a change state identifier (ID), an object node sender technical ID, a parent sales territory ID, a universally unique identifier (UUID), an external ID, an owner employee ID, a language dependent medium name, a sales territory level code and a date period. 
     In another aspect, a distributed system operates in a landscape of computer systems providing message-based services defined in a service registry. The system comprises a graphical user interface comprising computer readable instructions, embedded on tangible media, for requesting maintenance of one or more relations between sales territories and accounts using a request. 
     The system further comprises a first memory storing a user interface controller for processing the request and involving a message including a message package derived from a common business object model, where the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based service interfaces and message packages, the message package hierarchically organized as a sales territory bundle maintain request message entity, a message header package comprising a basic message header entity, and a sales territory package comprising a sales territory entity. 
     The system further comprises a second memory, remote from the graphical user interface, storing a plurality of message-based service interfaces derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with messages derived from the common business object model, where one of the message-based service interfaces processes the message according to the hierarchical organization of the message package, where processing the message includes unpacking the first message package based on the common business object model. 
     Implementations can include the following. The first memory is remote from the graphical user interface. The first memory is remote from the second memory. 
     The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a flow diagram of the overall steps performed by methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a business document flow for an invoice request in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIGS. 3A-B  illustrate example environments implementing the transmission, receipt, and processing of data between heterogeneous applications in accordance with certain embodiments included in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example application implementing certain techniques and components in accordance with one embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5A  depicts an example development environment in accordance with one embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5B  depicts a simplified process for mapping a model representation to a runtime representation using the example development environment of  FIG. 5A  or some other development environment. 
         FIG. 6  depicts message categories in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 7  depicts an example of a package in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 8  depicts another example of a package in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 9  depicts a third example of a package in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 10  depicts a fourth example of a package in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 11  depicts the representation of a package in the XML schema in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 12  depicts a graphical representation of cardinalities between two entities in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 13  depicts an example of a composition in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 14  depicts an example of a hierarchical relationship in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 15  depicts an example of an aggregating relationship in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 16  depicts an example of an association in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 17  depicts an example of a specialization in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 18  depicts the categories of specializations in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 19  depicts an example of a hierarchy in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 20  depicts a graphical representation of a hierarchy in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIGS. 21A-B  depict a flow diagram of the steps performed to create a business object model in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIGS. 22A-F  depict a flow diagram of the steps performed to generate an interface from the business object model in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 23  depicts an example illustrating the transmittal of a business document in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 24  depicts an interface proxy in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 25  depicts an example illustrating the transmittal of a message using proxies in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 26A  depicts components of a message in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 26B  depicts IDs used in a message in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIGS. 27A-E  depict a hierarchization process in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein. 
         FIG. 28  illustrates an example method for service enabling in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 29  is a graphical illustration of an example business object and associated components as may be used in the enterprise service infrastructure system of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 30  illustrates an example method for managing a process agent framework in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 31  illustrates an example method for status and action management in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 32  depicts an example Sales Territory Object Model. 
         FIG. 33  depicts an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync Message Data Type. 
         FIG. 34  depicts an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync Element Structure. 
         FIG. 35  depicts an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync Message Data Type. 
         FIGS. 36-1  through  36 - 3  depict an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync Element Structure. 
         FIG. 37  depicts an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync Message Data Type. 
         FIG. 38  depicts an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync Element Structure. 
         FIG. 39  depicts an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync Message Data Type. 
         FIGS. 40-1  through  40 - 3  depict an example SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync Element Structure. 
         FIG. 41  depicts an example SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation Message Data Type. 
         FIGS. 42-1  through  42 - 2  depict an example SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation Element Structure. 
         FIG. 43  depicts an example SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest Message Data Type. 
         FIGS. 44-1  through  44 - 3  depict an example SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest Element Structure. 
         FIG. 45  depicts an example SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation Message Data Type. 
         FIGS. 46-1  through  46 - 2  depict an example SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation Element Structure. 
         FIG. 47  depicts an example SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest Message Data Type. 
         FIGS. 48-1  through  48 - 3  depict an example SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest Element Structure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A. Overview 
     Methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein facilitate e-commerce by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. To generate consistent interfaces, methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein utilize a business object model, which reflects the data that will be used during a given business transaction. An example of a business transaction is the exchange of purchase orders and order confirmations between a buyer and a seller. The business object model is generated in a hierarchical manner to ensure that the same type of data is represented the same way throughout the business object model. This ensures the consistency of the information in the business object model. Consistency is also reflected in the semantic meaning of the various structural elements. That is, each structural element has a consistent business meaning. For example, the location entity, regardless of in which package it is located, refers to a location. 
     From this business object model, various interfaces are derived to accomplish the functionality of the business transaction. Interfaces provide an entry point for components to access the functionality of an application. For example, the interface for a Purchase Order Request provides an entry point for components to access the functionality of a Purchase Order, in particular, to transmit and/or receive a Purchase Order Request. One skilled in the art will recognize that each of these interfaces may be provided, sold, distributed, utilized, or marketed as a separate product or as a major component of a separate product. Alternatively, a group of related interfaces may be provided, sold, distributed, utilized, or marketed as a product or as a major component of a separate product. Because the interfaces are generated from the business object model, the information in the interfaces is consistent, and the interfaces are consistent among the business entities. Such consistency facilitates heterogeneous business entities in cooperating to accomplish the business transaction. 
     Generally, the business object is a representation of a type of a uniquely identifiable business entity (an object instance) described by a structural model. In the architecture, processes may typically operate on business objects. Business objects represent a specific view on some well-defined business content. In other words, business objects represent content, which a typical business user would expect and understand with little explanation. Business objects are further categorized as business process objects and master data objects. A master data object is an object that encapsulates master data (i.e., data that is valid for a period of time). A business process object, which is the kind of business object generally found in a process component, is an object that encapsulates transactional data (i.e., data that is valid for a point in time). The term business object will be used generically to refer to a business process object and a master data object, unless the context requires otherwise. Properly implemented, business objects are implemented free of redundancies. 
     The architectural elements also include the process component. The process component is a software package that realizes a business process and generally exposes its functionality as services. The functionality contains business transactions. In general, the process component contains one or more semantically related business objects. Often, a particular business object belongs to no more than one process component. Interactions between process component pairs involving their respective business objects, process agents, operations, interfaces, and messages are described as process component interactions, which generally determine the interactions of a pair of process components across a deployment unit boundary. Interactions between process components within a deployment unit are typically not constrained by the architectural design and can be implemented in any convenient fashion. Process components may be modular and context-independent. In other words, process components may not be specific to any particular application and as such, may be reusable. In some implementations, the process component is the smallest (most granular) element of reuse in the architecture. An external process component is generally used to represent the external system in describing interactions with the external system; however, this should be understood to require no more of the external system than that able to produce and receive messages as required by the process component that interacts with the external system. For example, process components may include multiple operations that may provide interaction with the external system. Each operation generally belongs to one type of process component in the architecture. Operations can be synchronous or asynchronous, corresponding to synchronous or asynchronous process agents, which will be described below. The operation is often the smallest, separately-callable function, described by a set of data types used as input, output, and fault parameters serving as a signature. 
     The architectural elements may also include the service interface, referred to simply as the interface. The interface is a named group of operations. The interface often belongs to one process component and process component might contain multiple interfaces. In one implementation, the service interface contains only inbound or outbound operations, but not a mixture of both. One interface can contain both synchronous and asynchronous operations. Normally, operations of the same type (either inbound or outbound) which belong to the same message choreography will belong to the same interface. Thus, generally, all outbound operations to the same other process component are in one interface. 
     The architectural elements also include the message. Operations transmit and receive messages. Any convenient messaging infrastructure can be used. A message is information conveyed from one process component instance to another, with the expectation that activity will ensue. Operation can use multiple message types for inbound, outbound, or error messages. When two process components are in different deployment units, invocation of an operation of one process component by the other process component is accomplished by the operation on the other process component sending a message to the first process component. 
     The architectural elements may also include the process agent. Process agents do business processing that involves the sending or receiving of messages. Each operation normally has at least one associated process agent. Each process agent can be associated with one or more operations. Process agents can be either inbound or outbound and either synchronous or asynchronous. Asynchronous outbound process agents are called after a business object changes such as after a “create”, “update”, or “delete” of a business object instance. Synchronous outbound process agents are generally triggered directly by business object. An outbound process agent will generally perform some processing of the data of the business object instance whose change triggered the event. The outbound agent triggers subsequent business process steps by sending messages using well-defined outbound services to another process component, which generally will be in another deployment unit, or to an external system. The outbound process agent is linked to the one business object that triggers the agent, but it is sent not to another business object but rather to another process component. Thus, the outbound process agent can be implemented without knowledge of the exact business object design of the recipient process component. Alternatively, the process agent may be inbound. For example, inbound process agents may be used for the inbound part of a message-based communication. Inbound process agents are called after a message has been received. The inbound process agent starts the execution of the business process step requested in a message by creating or updating one or multiple business object instances. Inbound process agent is not generally the agent of business object but of its process component. Inbound process agent can act on multiple business objects in a process component. Regardless of whether the process agent is inbound or outbound, an agent may be synchronous if used when a process component requires a more or less immediate response from another process component, and is waiting for that response to continue its work. 
     The architectural elements also include the deployment unit. Each deployment unit may include one or more process components that are generally deployed together on a single computer system platform. Conversely, separate deployment units can be deployed on separate physical computing systems. The process components of one deployment unit can interact with those of another deployment unit using messages passed through one or more data communication networks or other suitable communication channels. Thus, a deployment unit deployed on a platform belonging to one business can interact with a deployment unit software entity deployed on a separate platform belonging to a different and unrelated business, allowing for business-to-business communication. More than one instance of a given deployment unit can execute at the same time, on the same computing system or on separate physical computing systems. This arrangement allows the functionality offered by the deployment unit to be scaled to meet demand by creating as many instances as needed. 
     Since interaction between deployment units is through process component operations, one deployment unit can be replaced by other another deployment unit as long as the new deployment unit supports the operations depended upon by other deployment units as appropriate. Thus, while deployment units can depend on the external interfaces of process components in other deployment units, deployment units are not dependent on process component interaction within other deployment units. Similarly, process components that interact with other process components or external systems only through messages, e.g., as sent and received by operations, can also be replaced as long as the replacement generally supports the operations of the original. 
     Services (or interfaces) may be provided in a flexible architecture to support varying criteria between services and systems. The flexible architecture may generally be provided by a service delivery business object. The system may be able to schedule a service asynchronously as necessary, or on a regular basis. Services may be planned according to a schedule manually or automatically. For example, a follow-up service may be scheduled automatically upon completing an initial service. In addition, flexible execution periods may be possible (e.g. hourly, daily, every three months, etc.). Each customer may plan the services on demand or reschedule service execution upon request. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a flow diagram  100  showing an example technique, perhaps implemented by systems similar to those disclosed herein. Initially, to generate the business object model, design engineers study the details of a business process, and model the business process using a “business scenario” (step  102 ). The business scenario identifies the steps performed by the different business entities during a business process. Thus, the business scenario is a complete representation of a clearly defined business process. 
     After creating the business scenario, the developers add details to each step of the business scenario (step  104 ). In particular, for each step of the business scenario, the developers identify the complete process steps performed by each business entity. A discrete portion of the business scenario reflects a “business transaction,” and each business entity is referred to as a “component” of the business transaction. The developers also identify the messages that are transmitted between the components. A “process interaction model” represents the complete process steps between two components. 
     After creating the process interaction model, the developers create a “message choreography” (step  106 ), which depicts the messages transmitted between the two components in the process interaction model. The developers then represent the transmission of the messages between the components during a business process in a “business document flow” (step  108 ). Thus, the business document flow illustrates the flow of information between the business entities during a business process. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an example business document flow  200  for the process of purchasing a product or service. The business entities involved with the illustrative purchase process include Accounting  202 , Payment  204 , Invoicing  206 , Supply Chain Execution (“SCE”)  208 , Supply Chain Planning (“SCP”)  210 , Fulfillment Coordination (“FC”)  212 , Supply Relationship Management (“SRM”)  214 , Supplier  216 , and Bank  218 . The business document flow  200  is divided into four different transactions: Preparation of Ordering (“Contract”)  220 , Ordering  222 , Goods Receiving (“Delivery”)  224 , and Billing/Payment  226 . In the business document flow, arrows  228  represent the transmittal of documents. Each document reflects a message transmitted between entities. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the messages transferred may be considered to be a communications protocol. The process flow follows the focus of control, which is depicted as a solid vertical line (e.g.,  229 ) when the step is required, and a dotted vertical line (e.g.,  230 ) when the step is optional. 
     During the Contract transaction  220 , the SRM  214  sends a Source of Supply Notification  232  to the SCP  210 . This step is optional, as illustrated by the optional control line  230  coupling this step to the remainder of the business document flow  200 . During the Ordering transaction  222 , the SCP  210  sends a Purchase Requirement Request  234  to the FC  212 , which forwards a Purchase Requirement Request  236  to the SRM  214 . The SRM  214  then sends a Purchase Requirement Confirmation  238  to the FC  212 , and the FC  212  sends a Purchase Requirement Confirmation  240  to the SCP  210 . The SRM  214  also sends a Purchase Order Request  242  to the Supplier  216 , and sends Purchase Order Information  244  to the FC  212 . The FC  212  then sends a Purchase Order Planning Notification  246  to the SCP  210 . The Supplier  216 , after receiving the Purchase Order Request  242 , sends a Purchase Order Confirmation  248  to the SRM  214 , which sends a Purchase Order Information confirmation message  254  to the FC  212 , which sends a message  256  confirming the Purchase Order Planning Notification to the SCP  210 . The SRM  214  then sends an Invoice Due Notification  258  to Invoicing  206 . 
     During the Delivery transaction  224 , the FC  212  sends a Delivery Execution Request  260  to the SCE  208 . The Supplier  216  could optionally (illustrated at control line  250 ) send a Dispatched Delivery Notification  252  to the SCE  208 . The SCE  208  then sends a message  262  to the FC  212  notifying the FC  212  that the request for the Delivery Information was created. The FC  212  then sends a message  264  notifying the SRM  214  that the request for the Delivery Information was created. The FC  212  also sends a message  266  notifying the SCP  210  that the request for the Delivery Information was created. The SCE  208  sends a message  268  to the FC  212  when the goods have been set aside for delivery. The FC  212  sends a message  270  to the SRM  214  when the goods have been set aside for delivery. The FC  212  also sends a message  272  to the SCP  210  when the goods have been set aside for delivery. 
     The SCE  208  sends a message  274  to the FC  212  when the goods have been delivered. The FC  212  then sends a message  276  to the SRM  214  indicating that the goods have been delivered, and sends a message  278  to the SCP  210  indicating that the goods have been delivered. The SCE  208  then sends an Inventory Change Accounting Notification  280  to Accounting  202 , and an Inventory Change Notification  282  to the SCP  210 . The FC  212  sends an Invoice Due Notification  284  to Invoicing  206 , and SCE  208  sends a Received Delivery Notification  286  to the Supplier  216 . 
     During the Billing/Payment transaction  226 , the Supplier  216  sends an Invoice Request  287  to Invoicing  206 . Invoicing  206  then sends a Payment Due Notification  288  to Payment  204 , a Tax Due Notification  289  to Payment  204 , an Invoice Confirmation  290  to the Supplier  216 , and an Invoice Accounting Notification  291  to Accounting  202 . Payment  204  sends a Payment Request  292  to the Bank  218 , and a Payment Requested Accounting Notification  293  to Accounting  202 . Bank  218  sends a Bank Statement Information  296  to Payment  204 . Payment  204  then sends a Payment Done Information  294  to Invoicing  206  and a Payment Done Accounting Notification  295  to Accounting  202 . 
     Within a business document flow, business documents having the same or similar structures are marked. For example, in the business document flow  200  depicted in  FIG. 2 , Purchase Requirement Requests  234 ,  236  and Purchase Requirement Confirmations  238 ,  240  have the same structures. Thus, each of these business documents is marked with an “O6.” Similarly, Purchase Order Request  242  and Purchase Order Confirmation  248  have the same structures. Thus, both documents are marked with an “O1.” Each business document or message is based on a message type. 
     From the business document flow, the developers identify the business documents having identical or similar structures, and use these business documents to create the business object model (step  110 ). The business object model includes the objects contained within the business documents. These objects are reflected as packages containing related information, and are arranged in a hierarchical structure within the business object model, as discussed below. 
     Methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein then generate interfaces from the business object model (step  112 ). The heterogeneous programs use instantiations of these interfaces (called “business document objects” below) to create messages (step  114 ), which are sent to complete the business transaction (step  116 ). Business entities use these messages to exchange information with other business entities during an end-to-end business transaction. Since the business object model is shared by heterogeneous programs, the interfaces are consistent among these programs. The heterogeneous programs use these consistent interfaces to communicate in a consistent manner, thus facilitating the business transactions. 
     Standardized Business-to-Business (“B2B”) messages are compliant with at least one of the e-business standards (i.e., they include the business-relevant fields of the standard). The e-business standards include, for example, RosettaNet for the high-tech industry, Chemical Industry Data Exchange (“CIDX”), Petroleum Industry Data Exchange (“PIDX”) for the oil industry, UCCnet for trade, PapiNet for the paper industry, Odette for the automotive industry, HR-XML for human resources, and XML Common Business Library (“xCBL”). Thus, B2B messages enable simple integration of components in heterogeneous system landscapes. Application-to-Application (“A2A”) messages often exceed the standards and thus may provide the benefit of the full functionality of application components. Although various steps of  FIG. 1  were described as being performed manually, one skilled in the art will appreciate that such steps could be computer-assisted or performed entirely by a computer, including being performed by either hardware, software, or any other combination thereof. 
     B. Implementation Details 
     As discussed above, methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein create consistent interfaces by generating the interfaces from a business object model. Details regarding the creation of the business object model, the generation of an interface from the business object model, and the use of an interface generated from the business object model are provided below. 
     Turning to the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 3A , environment  300  includes or is communicably coupled (such as via a one-, bi- or multi-directional link or network) with server  302 , one or more clients  304 , one or more or vendors  306 , one or more customers  308 , at least some of which communicate across network  312 . But, of course, this illustration is for example purposes only, and any distributed system or environment implementing one or more of the techniques described herein may be within the scope of this disclosure. Server  302  comprises an electronic computing device operable to receive, transmit, process and store data associated with environment  300 . Generally,  FIG. 3A  provides merely one example of computers that may be used with the disclosure. Each computer is generally intended to encompass any suitable processing device. For example, although  FIG. 3A  illustrates one server  302  that may be used with the disclosure, environment  300  can be implemented using computers other than servers, as well as a server pool. Indeed, server  302  may be any computer or processing device such as, for example, a blade server, general-purpose personal computer (PC), Macintosh, workstation, Unix-based computer, or any other suitable device. In other words, the present disclosure contemplates computers other than general purpose computers as well as computers without conventional operating systems. Server  302  may be adapted to execute any operating system including Linux, UNIX, Windows Server, or any other suitable operating system. According to one embodiment, server  302  may also include or be communicably coupled with a web server and/or a mail server. 
     As illustrated (but not required), the server  302  is communicably coupled with a relatively remote repository  335  over a portion of the network  312 . The repository  335  is any electronic storage facility, data processing center, or archive that may supplement or replace local memory (such as  327 ). The repository  335  may be a central database communicably coupled with the one or more servers  302  and the clients  304  via a virtual private network (VPN), SSH (Secure Shell) tunnel, or other secure network connection. The repository  335  may be physically or logically located at any appropriate location including in one of the example enterprises or off-shore, so long as it remains operable to store information associated with the environment  300  and communicate such data to the server  302  or at least a subset of plurality of the clients  304 . 
     Illustrated server  302  includes local memory  327 . Memory  327  may include any memory or database module and may take the form of volatile or non-volatile memory including, without limitation, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), removable media, or any other suitable local or remote memory component. Illustrated memory  327  includes an exchange infrastructure (“XI”)  314 , which is an infrastructure that supports the technical interaction of business processes across heterogeneous system environments. XI  314  centralizes the communication between components within a business entity and between different business entities. When appropriate, XI  314  carries out the mapping between the messages. XI  314  integrates different versions of systems implemented on different platforms (e.g., Java and ABAP). XI  314  is based on an open architecture, and makes use of open standards, such as eXtensible Markup Language (XML)™ and Java environments. XI  314  offers services that are useful in a heterogeneous and complex system landscape. In particular, XI  314  offers a runtime infrastructure for message exchange, configuration options for managing business processes and message flow, and options for transforming message contents between sender and receiver systems. 
     XI  314  stores data types  316 , a business object model  318 , and interfaces  320 . The details regarding the business object model are described below. Data types  316  are the building blocks for the business object model  318 . The business object model  318  is used to derive consistent interfaces  320 . XI  314  allows for the exchange of information from a first company having one computer system to a second company having a second computer system over network  312  by using the standardized interfaces  320 . 
     While not illustrated, memory  327  may also include business objects and any other appropriate data such as services, interfaces, VPN applications or services, firewall policies, a security or access log, print or other reporting files, HTML files or templates, data classes or object interfaces, child software applications or sub-systems, and others. This stored data may be stored in one or more logical or physical repositories. In some embodiments, the stored data (or pointers thereto) may be stored in one or more tables in a relational database described in terms of SQL statements or scripts. In the same or other embodiments, the stored data may also be formatted, stored, or defined as various data structures in text files, XML documents, Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) files, flat files, Btrieve files, comma-separated-value (CSV) files, internal variables, or one or more libraries. For example, a particular data service record may merely be a pointer to a particular piece of third party software stored remotely. In another example, a particular data service may be an internally stored software object usable by authenticated customers or internal development. In short, the stored data may comprise one table or file or a plurality of tables or files stored on one computer or across a plurality of computers in any appropriate format. Indeed, some or all of the stored data may be local or remote without departing from the scope of this disclosure and store any type of appropriate data. 
     Server  302  also includes processor  325 . Processor  325  executes instructions and manipulates data to perform the operations of server  302  such as, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a blade, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Although  FIG. 3A  illustrates a single processor  325  in server  302 , multiple processors  325  may be used according to particular needs and reference to processor  325  is meant to include multiple processors  325  where applicable. In the illustrated embodiment, processor  325  executes at least business application  330 . 
     At a high level, business application  330  is any application, program, module, process, or other software that utilizes or facilitates the exchange of information via messages (or services) or the use of business objects. For example, application  330  may implement, utilize or otherwise leverage an enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA), which may be considered a blueprint for an adaptable, flexible, and open IT architecture for developing services-based, enterprise-scale business solutions. This example enterprise service may be a series of web services combined with business logic that can be accessed and used repeatedly to support a particular business process. Aggregating web services into business-level enterprise services helps provide a more meaningful foundation for the task of automating enterprise-scale business scenarios Put simply, enterprise services help provide a holistic combination of actions that are semantically linked to complete the specific task, no matter how many cross-applications are involved. In certain cases, environment  300  may implement a composite application  330 , as described below in  FIG. 4 . Regardless of the particular implementation, “software” may include software, firmware, wired or programmed hardware, or any combination thereof as appropriate. Indeed, application  330  may be written or described in any appropriate computer language including C, C++, Java, Visual Basic, assembler, Perl, any suitable version of 4GL, as well as others. For example, returning to the above mentioned composite application, the composite application portions may be implemented as Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) or the design-time components may have the ability to generate run-time implementations into different platforms, such as J2EE (Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition), ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) objects, or Microsoft&#39;s .NET. It will be understood that while application  330  is illustrated in  FIG. 4  as including various sub-modules, application  330  may include numerous other sub-modules or may instead be a single multi-tasked module that implements the various features and functionality through various objects, methods, or other processes. Further, while illustrated as internal to server  302 , one or more processes associated with application  330  may be stored, referenced, or executed remotely. For example, a portion of application  330  may be a web service that is remotely called, while another portion of application  330  may be an interface object bundled for processing at remote client  304 . Moreover, application  330  may be a child or sub-module of another software module or enterprise application (not illustrated) without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, application  330  may be a hosted solution that allows multiple related or third parties in different portions of the process to perform the respective processing. 
     More specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , application  330  may be a composite application, or an application built on other applications, that includes an object access layer (OAL) and a service layer. In this example, application  330  may execute or provide a number of application services, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, human resources management (HRM) systems, financial management (FM) systems, project management (PM) systems, knowledge management (KM) systems, and electronic file and mail systems. Such an object access layer is operable to exchange data with a plurality of enterprise base systems and to present the data to a composite application through a uniform interface. The example service layer is operable to provide services to the composite application. These layers may help the composite application to orchestrate a business process in synchronization with other existing processes (e.g., native processes of enterprise base systems) and leverage existing investments in the IT platform. Further, composite application  330  may run on a heterogeneous IT platform. In doing so, composite application may be cross-functional in that it may drive business processes across different applications, technologies, and organizations. Accordingly, composite application  330  may drive end-to-end business processes across heterogeneous systems or sub-systems. Application  330  may also include or be coupled with a persistence layer and one or more application system connectors. Such application system connectors enable data exchange and integration with enterprise sub-systems and may include an Enterprise Connector (EC) interface, an Internet Communication Manager/Internet Communication Framework (ICM/ICF) interface, an Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) interface, and/or other interfaces that provide Remote Function Call (RFC) capability. It will be understood that while this example describes a composite application  330 , it may instead be a standalone or (relatively) simple software program. Regardless, application  330  may also perform processing automatically, which may indicate that the appropriate processing is substantially performed by at least one component of environment  300 . It should be understood that automatically further contemplates any suitable administrator or other user interaction with application  330  or other components of environment  300  without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 
     Returning to  FIG. 3A , illustrated server  302  may also include interface  317  for communicating with other computer systems, such as clients  304 , over network  312  in a client-server or other distributed environment. In certain embodiments, server  302  receives data from internal or external senders through interface  317  for storage in memory  327 , for storage in DB  335 , and/or processing by processor  325 . Generally, interface  317  comprises logic encoded in software and/or hardware in a suitable combination and operable to communicate with network  312 . More specifically, interface  317  may comprise software supporting one or more communications protocols associated with communications network  312  or hardware operable to communicate physical signals. 
     Network  312  facilitates wireless or wireline communication between computer server  302  and any other local or remote computer, such as clients  304 . Network  312  may be all or a portion of an enterprise or secured network. In another example, network  312  may be a VPN merely between server  302  and client  304  across wireline or wireless link. Such an example wireless link may be via 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.20, WiMax, and many others. While illustrated as a single or continuous network, network  312  may be logically divided into various sub-nets or virtual networks without departing from the scope of this disclosure, so long as at least portion of network  312  may facilitate communications between server  302  and at least one client  304 . For example, server  302  may be communicably coupled to one or more “local” repositories through one sub-net while communicably coupled to a particular client  304  or “remote” repositories through another. In other words, network  312  encompasses any internal or external network, networks, sub-network, or combination thereof operable to facilitate communications between various computing components in environment  300 . Network  312  may communicate, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) packets, Frame Relay frames, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells, voice, video, data, and other suitable information between network addresses. Network  312  may include one or more local area networks (LANs), radio access networks (RANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), all or a portion of the global computer network known as the Internet, and/or any other communication system or systems at one or more locations. In certain embodiments, network  312  may be a secure network associated with the enterprise and certain local or remote vendors  306  and customers  308 . As used in this disclosure, customer  308  is any person, department, organization, small business, enterprise, or any other entity that may use or request others to use environment  300 . As described above, vendors  306  also may be local or remote to customer  308 . Indeed, a particular vendor  306  may provide some content to business application  330 , while receiving or purchasing other content (at the same or different times) as customer  308 . As illustrated, customer  308  and vendor  06  each typically perform some processing (such as uploading or purchasing content) using a computer, such as client  304 . 
     Client  304  is any computing device operable to connect or communicate with server  302  or network  312  using any communication link. For example, client  304  is intended to encompass a personal computer, touch screen terminal, workstation, network computer, kiosk, wireless data port, smart phone, personal data assistant (PDA), one or more processors within these or other devices, or any other suitable processing device used by or for the benefit of business  308 , vendor  306 , or some other user or entity. At a high level, each client  304  includes or executes at least GUI  336  and comprises an electronic computing device operable to receive, transmit, process and store any appropriate data associated with environment  300 . It will be understood that there may be any number of clients  304  communicably coupled to server  302 . Further, “client  304 ,” “business,” “business analyst,” “end user,” and “user” may be used interchangeably as appropriate without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Moreover, for ease of illustration, each client  304  is described in terms of being used by one user. But this disclosure contemplates that many users may use one computer or that one user may use multiple computers. For example, client  304  may be a PDA operable to wirelessly connect with external or unsecured network. In another example, client  304  may comprise a laptop that includes an input device, such as a keypad, touch screen, mouse, or other device that can accept information, and an output device that conveys information associated with the operation of server  302  or clients  304 , including digital data, visual information, or GUI  336 . Both the input device and output device may include fixed or removable storage media such as a magnetic computer disk, CD-ROM, or other suitable media to both receive input from and provide output to users of clients  304  through the display, namely the client portion of GUI or application interface  336 . 
     GUI  336  comprises a graphical user interface operable to allow the user of client  304  to interface with at least a portion of environment  300  for any suitable purpose, such as viewing application or other transaction data. Generally, GUI  336  provides the particular user with an efficient and user-friendly presentation of data provided by or communicated within environment  300 . For example, GUI  336  may present the user with the components and information that is relevant to their task, increase reuse of such components, and facilitate a sizable developer community around those components. GUI  336  may comprise a plurality of customizable frames or views having interactive fields, pull-down lists, and buttons operated by the user. For example, GUI  336  is operable to display data involving business objects and interfaces in a user-friendly form based on the user context and the displayed data. In another example, GUI  336  is operable to display different levels and types of information involving business objects and interfaces based on the identified or supplied user role. GUI  336  may also present a plurality of portals or dashboards. For example, GUI  336  may display a portal that allows users to view, create, and manage historical and real-time reports including role-based reporting and such. Of course, such reports may be in any appropriate output format including PDF, HTML, and printable text. Real-time dashboards often provide table and graph information on the current state of the data, which may be supplemented by business objects and interfaces. It should be understood that the term graphical user interface may be used in the singular or in the plural to describe one or more graphical user interfaces and each of the displays of a particular graphical user interface. Indeed, reference to GUI  336  may indicate a reference to the front-end or a component of business application  330 , as well as the particular interface accessible via client  304 , as appropriate, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, GUI  336  contemplates any graphical user interface, such as a generic web browser or touchscreen, that processes information in environment  300  and efficiently presents the results to the user. Server  302  can accept data from client  304  via the web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) and return the appropriate HTML or XML responses to the browser using network  312 . 
     More generally in environment  300  as depicted in  FIG. 3B , a Foundation Layer  375  can be deployed on multiple separate and distinct hardware platforms, e.g., System A  350  and System B  360 , to support application software deployed as two or more deployment units distributed on the platforms, including deployment unit  352  deployed on System A and deployment unit  362  deployed on System B. In this example, the foundation layer can be used to support application software deployed in an application layer. In particular, the foundation layer can be used in connection with application software implemented in accordance with a software architecture that provides a suite of enterprise service operations having various application functionality. In some implementations, the application software is implemented to be deployed on an application platform that includes a foundation layer that contains all fundamental entities that can used from multiple deployment units. These entities can be process components, business objects, and reuse service components. A reuse service component is a piece of software that is reused in different transactions. A reuse service component is used by its defined interfaces, which can be, e.g., local APIs or service interfaces. As explained above, process components in separate deployment units interact through service operations, as illustrated by messages passing between service operations  356  and  366 , which are implemented in process components  354  and  364 , respectively, which are included in deployment units  352  and  362 , respectively. As also explained above, some form of direct communication is generally the form of interaction used between a business object, e.g., business object  358  and  368 , of an application deployment unit and a business object, such as master data object  370 , of the Foundation Layer  375 . 
     Various components of the present disclosure may be modeled using a model-driven environment. For example, the model-driven framework or environment may allow the developer to use simple drag-and-drop techniques to develop pattern-based or freestyle user interfaces and define the flow of data between them. The result could be an efficient, customized, visually rich online experience. In some cases, this model-driven development may accelerate the application development process and foster business-user self-service. It further enables business analysts or IT developers to compose visually rich applications that use analytic services, enterprise services, remote function calls (RFCs), APIs, and stored procedures. In addition, it may allow them to reuse existing applications and create content using a modeling process and a visual user interface instead of manual coding. 
       FIG. 5A  depicts an example modeling environment  516 , namely a modeling environment, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 5A , such a modeling environment  516  may implement techniques for decoupling models created during design-time from the runtime environment. In other words, model representations for GUIs created in a design time environment are decoupled from the runtime environment in which the GUIs are executed. Often in these environments, a declarative and executable representation for GUIs for applications is provided that is independent of any particular runtime platform, GUI framework, device, or programming language. 
     According to some embodiments, a modeler (or other analyst) may use the model-driven modeling environment  516  to create pattern-based or freestyle user interfaces using simple drag-and-drop services. Because this development may be model-driven, the modeler can typically compose an application using models of business objects without having to write much, if any, code. In some cases, this example modeling environment  516  may provide a personalized, secure interface that helps unify enterprise applications, information, and processes into a coherent, role-based portal experience. Further, the modeling environment  516  may allow the developer to access and share information and applications in a collaborative environment. In this way, virtual collaboration rooms allow developers to work together efficiently, regardless of where they are located, and may enable powerful and immediate communication that crosses organizational boundaries while enforcing security requirements. Indeed, the modeling environment  516  may provide a shared set of services for finding, organizing, and accessing unstructured content stored in third-party repositories and content management systems across various networks  312 . Classification tools may automate the organization of information, while subject-matter experts and content managers can publish information to distinct user audiences. Regardless of the particular implementation or architecture, this modeling environment  516  may allow the developer to easily model hosted business objects  140  using this model-driven approach. 
     In certain embodiments, the modeling environment  516  may implement or utilize a generic, declarative, and executable GUI language (generally described as XGL). This example XGL is generally independent of any particular GUI framework or runtime platform. Further, XGL is normally not dependent on characteristics of a target device on which the graphic user interface is to be displayed and may also be independent of any programming language. XGL is used to generate a generic representation (occasionally referred to as the XGL representation or XGL-compliant representation) for a design-time model representation. The XGL representation is thus typically a device-independent representation of a GUI. The XGL representation is declarative in that the representation does not depend on any particular GUI framework, runtime platform, device, or programming language. The XGL representation can be executable and therefore can unambiguously encapsulate execution semantics for the GUI described by a model representation. In short, models of different types can be transformed to XGL representations. 
     The XGL representation may be used for generating representations of various different GUIs and supports various GUI features including full windowing and componentization support, rich data visualizations and animations, rich modes of data entry and user interactions, and flexible connectivity to any complex application data services. While a specific embodiment of XGL is discussed, various other types of XGLs may also be used in alternative embodiments. In other words, it will be understood that XGL is used for example description only and may be read to include any abstract or modeling language that can be generic, declarative, and executable. 
     Turning to the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 5A , modeling tool  340  may be used by a GUI designer or business analyst during the application design phase to create a model representation  502  for a GUI application. It will be understood that modeling environment  516  may include or be compatible with various different modeling tools  340  used to generate model representation  502 . This model representation  502  may be a machine-readable representation of an application or a domain specific model. Model representation  502  generally encapsulates various design parameters related to the GUI such as GUI components, dependencies between the GUI components, inputs and outputs, and the like. Put another way, model representation  502  provides a form in which the one or more in models can be persisted and transported, and possibly handled by various tools such as code generators, runtime interpreters, analysis and validation tools, merge tools, and the like. In one embodiment, model representation  502  may be a collection of XML documents with a well-formed syntax. 
     Illustrated modeling environment  516  also includes an abstract representation generator (or XGL generator)  504  operable to generate an abstract representation (for example, XGL representation or XGL-compliant representation)  506  based upon model representation  502 . Abstract representation generator  504  takes model representation  502  as input and outputs abstract representation  506  for the model representation. Model representation  502  may include multiple instances of various forms or types depending on the tool/language used for the modeling. In certain cases, these various different model representations may each be mapped to one or more abstract representations  506 . Different types of model representations may be transformed or mapped to XGL representations. For each type of model representation, mapping rules may be provided for mapping the model representation to the XGL representation  506 . Different mapping rules may be provided for mapping a model representation to an XGL representation. 
     This XGL representation  506  that is created from a model representation may then be used for processing in the runtime environment. For example, the XGL representation  506  may be used to generate a machine-executable runtime GUI (or some other runtime representation) that may be executed by a target device. As part of the runtime processing, the XGL representation  506  may be transformed into one or more runtime representations, which may indicate source code in a particular programming language, machine-executable code for a specific runtime environment, executable GUI, and so forth, which may be generated for specific runtime environments and devices. Since the XGL representation  506 , rather than the design-time model representation, is used by the runtime environment, the design-time model representation is decoupled from the runtime environment. The XGL representation  506  can thus serve as the common ground or interface between design-time user interface modeling tools and a plurality of user interface runtime frameworks. It provides a self-contained, closed, and deterministic definition of all aspects of a graphical user interface in a device-independent and programming-language independent manner. Accordingly, abstract representation  506  generated for a model representation  502  is generally declarative and executable in that it provides a representation of the GUI of model representation  502  that is not dependent on any device or runtime platform, is not dependent on any programming language, and unambiguously encapsulates execution semantics for the GUI. The execution semantics may include, for example, identification of various components of the GUI, interpretation of connections between the various GUI components, information identifying the order of sequencing of events, rules governing dynamic behavior of the GUI, rules governing handling of values by the GUI, and the like. The abstract representation  506  is also not GUI runtime-platform specific. The abstract representation  506  provides a self-contained, closed, and deterministic definition of all aspects of a graphical user interface that is device independent and language independent. 
     Abstract representation  506  is such that the appearance and execution semantics of a GUI generated from the XGL representation work consistently on different target devices irrespective of the GUI capabilities of the target device and the target device platform. For example, the same XGL representation may be mapped to appropriate GUIs on devices of differing levels of GUI complexity (i.e., the same abstract representation may be used to generate a GUI for devices that support simple GUIs and for devices that can support complex GUIs), the GUI generated by the devices are consistent with each other in their appearance and behavior. 
     Abstract representation generator  504  may be configured to generate abstract representation  506  for models of different types, which may be created using different modeling tools  340 . It will be understood that modeling environment  516  may include some, none, or other sub-modules or components as those shown in this example illustration. In other words, modeling environment  516  encompasses the design-time environment (with or without the abstract generator or the various representations), a modeling toolkit (such as  340 ) linked with a developer&#39;s space, or any other appropriate software operable to decouple models created during design-time from the runtime environment. Abstract representation  506  provides an interface between the design time environment and the runtime environment. As shown, this abstract representation  506  may then be used by runtime processing. 
     As part of runtime processing, modeling environment  516  may include various runtime tools  508  and may generate different types of runtime representations based upon the abstract representation  506 . Examples of runtime representations include device or language-dependent (or specific) source code, runtime platform-specific machine-readable code, GUIs for a particular target device, and the like. The runtime tools  508  may include compilers, interpreters, source code generators, and other such tools that are configured to generate runtime platform-specific or target device-specific runtime representations of abstract representation  506 . The runtime tool  508  may generate the runtime representation from abstract representation  506  using specific rules that map abstract representation  506  to a particular type of runtime representation. These mapping rules may be dependent on the type of runtime tool, characteristics of the target device to be used for displaying the GUI, runtime platform, and/or other factors. Accordingly, mapping rules may be provided for transforming the abstract representation  506  to any number of target runtime representations directed to one or more target GUI runtime platforms. For example, XGL-compliant code generators may conform to semantics of XGL, as described below. XGL-compliant code generators may ensure that the appearance and behavior of the generated user interfaces is preserved across a plurality of target GUI frameworks, while accommodating the differences in the intrinsic characteristics of each and also accommodating the different levels of capability of target devices. 
     For example, as depicted in example  FIG. 5A , an XGL-to-Java compiler  508 A may take abstract representation  506  as input and generate Java code  510  for execution by a target device comprising a Java runtime  512 . Java runtime  512  may execute Java code  510  to generate or display a GUI  514  on a Java-platform target device. As another example, an XGL-to-Flash compiler  508 B may take abstract representation  506  as input and generate Flash code  526  for execution by a target device comprising a Flash runtime  518 . Flash runtime  518  may execute Flash code  516  to generate or display a GUI  520  on a target device comprising a Flash platform. As another example, an XGL-to-DHTML (dynamic HTML) interpreter  508 C may take abstract representation  506  as input and generate DHTML statements (instructions) on the fly which are then interpreted by a DHTML runtime  522  to generate or display a GUI  524  on a target device comprising a DHTML platform. 
     It should be apparent that abstract representation  506  may be used to generate GUIs for Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) or various other runtime platforms and devices. The same abstract representation  506  may be mapped to various runtime representations and device-specific and runtime platform-specific GUIs. In general, in the runtime environment, machine executable instructions specific to a runtime environment may be generated based upon the abstract representation  506  and executed to generate a GUI in the runtime environment. The same XGL representation may be used to generate machine executable instructions specific to different runtime environments and target devices. 
     According to certain embodiments, the process of mapping a model representation  502  to an abstract representation  506  and mapping an abstract representation  506  to some runtime representation may be automated. For example, design tools may automatically generate an abstract representation for the model representation using XGL and then use the XGL abstract representation to generate GUIs that are customized for specific runtime environments and devices. As previously indicated, mapping rules may be provided for mapping model representations to an XGL representation. Mapping rules may also be provided for mapping an XGL representation to a runtime platform-specific representation. 
     Since the runtime environment uses abstract representation  506  rather than model representation  502  for runtime processing, the model representation  502  that is created during design-time is decoupled from the runtime environment. Abstract representation  506  thus provides an interface between the modeling environment and the runtime environment. As a result, changes may be made to the design time environment, including changes to model representation  502  or changes that affect model representation  502 , generally to not substantially affect or impact the runtime environment or tools used by the runtime environment. Likewise, changes may be made to the runtime environment generally to not substantially affect or impact the design time environment. A designer or other developer can thus concentrate on the design aspects and make changes to the design without having to worry about the runtime dependencies such as the target device platform or programming language dependencies. 
       FIG. 5B  depicts an example process for mapping a model representation  502  to a runtime representation using the example modeling environment  516  of  FIG. 5A  or some other modeling environment. Model representation  502  may comprise one or more model components and associated properties that describe a data object, such as hosted business objects and interfaces. As described above, at least one of these model components is based on or otherwise associated with these hosted business objects and interfaces. The abstract representation  506  is generated based upon model representation  502 . Abstract representation  506  may be generated by the abstract representation generator  504 . Abstract representation  506  comprises one or more abstract GUI components and properties associated with the abstract GUI components. As part of generation of abstract representation  506 , the model GUI components and their associated properties from the model representation are mapped to abstract GUI components and properties associated with the abstract GUI components. Various mapping rules may be provided to facilitate the mapping. The abstract representation encapsulates both appearance and behavior of a GUI. Therefore, by mapping model components to abstract components, the abstract representation not only specifies the visual appearance of the GUI but also the behavior of the GUI, such as in response to events whether clicking/dragging or scrolling, interactions between GUI components and such. 
     One or more runtime representations  550   a , including GUIs for specific runtime environment platforms, may be generated from abstract representation  506 . A device-dependent runtime representation may be generated for a particular type of target device platform to be used for executing and displaying the GUI encapsulated by the abstract representation. The GUIs generated from abstract representation  506  may comprise various types of GUI elements such as buttons, windows, scrollbars, input boxes, etc. Rules may be provided for mapping an abstract representation to a particular runtime representation. Various mapping rules may be provided for different runtime environment platforms. 
     Methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein provide and use interfaces  320  derived from the business object model  318  suitable for use with more than one business area, for example different departments within a company such as finance, or marketing. Also, they are suitable across industries and across businesses. Interfaces  320  are used during an end-to-end business transaction to transfer business process information in an application-independent manner. For example the interfaces can be used for fulfilling a sales order. 
     1. Message Overview 
     To perform an end-to-end business transaction, consistent interfaces are used to create business documents that are sent within messages between heterogeneous programs or modules. 
     a) Message Categories 
     As depicted in  FIG. 6 , the communication between a sender  602  and a recipient  604  can be broken down into basic categories that describe the type of the information exchanged and simultaneously suggest the anticipated reaction of the recipient  604 . A message category is a general business classification for the messages. Communication is sender-driven. In other words, the meaning of the message categories is established or formulated from the perspective of the sender  602 . The message categories include information  606 , notification  608 , query  610 , response  612 , request  614 , and confirmation  616 . 
     (1) Information 
     Information  606  is a message sent from a sender  602  to a recipient  604  concerning a condition or a statement of affairs. No reply to information is expected. Information  606  is sent to make business partners or business applications aware of a situation. Information  606  is not compiled to be application-specific. Examples of “information” are an announcement, advertising, a report, planning information, and a message to the business warehouse. 
     (2) Notification 
     A notification  608  is a notice or message that is geared to a service. A sender  602  sends the notification  608  to a recipient  604 . No reply is expected for a notification. For example, a billing notification relates to the preparation of an invoice while a dispatched delivery notification relates to preparation for receipt of goods. 
     (3) Query 
     A query  610  is a question from a sender  602  to a recipient  604  to which a response  612  is expected. A query  610  implies no assurance or obligation on the part of the sender  602 . Examples of a query  610  are whether space is available on a specific flight or whether a specific product is available. These queries do not express the desire for reserving the flight or purchasing the product. 
     (4) Response 
     A response  612  is a reply to a query  610 . The recipient  604  sends the response  612  to the sender  602 . A response  612  generally implies no assurance or obligation on the part of the recipient  604 . The sender  602  is not expected to reply. Instead, the process is concluded with the response  612 . Depending on the business scenario, a response  612  also may include a commitment, i.e., an assurance or obligation on the part of the recipient  604 . Examples of responses  612  are a response stating that space is available on a specific flight or that a specific product is available. With these responses, no reservation was made. 
     (5) Request 
     A request  614  is a binding requisition or requirement from a sender  602  to a recipient  604 . Depending on the business scenario, the recipient  604  can respond to a request  614  with a confirmation  616 . The request  614  is binding on the sender  602 . In making the request  614 , the sender  602  assumes, for example, an obligation to accept the services rendered in the request  614  under the reported conditions. Examples of a request  614  are a parking ticket, a purchase order, an order for delivery and a job application. 
     (6) Confirmation 
     A confirmation  616  is a binding reply that is generally made to a request  614 . The recipient  604  sends the confirmation  616  to the sender  602 . The information indicated in a confirmation  616 , such as deadlines, products, quantities and prices, can deviate from the information of the preceding request  614 . A request  614  and confirmation  616  may be used in negotiating processes. A negotiating process can consist of a series of several request  614  and confirmation  616  messages. The confirmation  616  is binding on the recipient  604 . For example, 100 units of X may be ordered in a purchase order request; however, only the delivery of 80 units is confirmed in the associated purchase order confirmation. 
     b) Message Choreography 
     A message choreography is a template that specifies the sequence of messages between business entities during a given transaction. The sequence with the messages contained in it describes in general the message “lifecycle” as it proceeds between the business entities. If messages from a choreography are used in a business transaction, they appear in the transaction in the sequence determined by the choreography. This illustrates the template character of a choreography, i.e., during an actual transaction, it is not necessary for all messages of the choreography to appear. Those messages that are contained in the transaction, however, follow the sequence within the choreography. A business transaction is thus a derivation of a message choreography. The choreography makes it possible to determine the structure of the individual message types more precisely and distinguish them from one another. 
     2. Components of the Business Object Model 
     The overall structure of the business object model ensures the consistency of the interfaces that are derived from the business object model. The derivation ensures that the same business-related subject matter or concept is represented and structured in the same way in all interfaces. 
     The business object model defines the business-related concepts at a central location for a number of business transactions. In other words, it reflects the decisions made about modeling the business entities of the real world acting in business transactions across industries and business areas. The business object model is defined by the business objects and their relationship to each other (the overall net structure). 
     Each business object is generally a capsule with an internal hierarchical structure, behavior offered by its operations, and integrity constraints. Business objects are semantically disjoint, i.e., the same business information is represented once. In the business object model, the business objects are arranged in an ordering framework. From left to right, they are arranged according to their existence dependency to each other. For example, the customizing elements may be arranged on the left side of the business object model, the strategic elements may be arranged in the center of the business object model, and the operative elements may be arranged on the right side of the business object model. Similarly, the business objects are arranged from the top to the bottom based on defined order of the business areas, e.g., finance could be arranged at the top of the business object model with CRM below finance and SRM below CRM. 
     To ensure the consistency of interfaces, the business object model may be built using standardized data types as well as packages to group related elements together, and package templates and entity templates to specify the arrangement of packages and entities within the structure. 
     a) Data Types 
     Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. This typing can include business semantic. Such data types may include those generally described at pages 96 through 1642 (which are incorporated by reference herein) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/803,178, filed on May 11, 2007 and entitled “Consistent Set Of Interfaces Derived From A Business Object Model”. For example, the data type BusinessTransactionDocumentID is a unique identifier for a document in a business transaction. Also, as an example, Data type BusinessTransactionDocumentParty contains the information that is exchanged in business documents about a party involved in a business transaction, and includes the party&#39;s identity, the party&#39;s address, the party&#39;s contact person and the contact person&#39;s address. BusinessTransactionDocumentParty also includes the role of the party, e.g., a buyer, seller, product recipient, or vendor. 
     The data types are based on Core Component Types (“CCTs”), which themselves are based on the World Wide Web Consortium (“W3C”) data types. “Global” data types represent a business situation that is described by a fixed structure. Global data types include both context-neutral generic data types (“GDTs”) and context-based context data types (“CDTs”). GDTs contain business semantics, but are application-neutral, i.e., without context. CDTs, on the other hand, are based on GDTs and form either a use-specific view of the GDTs, or a context-specific assembly of GDTs or CDTs. A message is typically constructed with reference to a use and is thus a use-specific assembly of GDTs and CDTs. The data types can be aggregated to complex data types. 
     To achieve a harmonization across business objects and interfaces, the same subject matter is typed with the same data type. For example, the data type “GeoCoordinates” is built using the data type “Measure” so that the measures in a GeoCoordinate (i.e., the latitude measure and the longitude measure) are represented the same as other “Measures” that appear in the business object model. 
     b) Entities 
     Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Entities are not to be confused with business entities or the components that interact to perform a transaction. Rather, “entities” are one of the layers of the business object model and the interfaces. For example, a Catalogue entity is used in a Catalogue Publication Request and a Purchase Order is used in a Purchase Order Request. These entities are created using the data types defined above to ensure the consistent representation of data throughout the entities. 
     c) Packages 
     Packages group the entities in the business object model and the resulting interfaces into groups of semantically associated information. Packages also may include “sub”-packages, i.e., the packages may be nested. 
     Packages may group elements together based on different factors, such as elements that occur together as a rule with regard to a business-related aspect. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 7 , in a Purchase Order, different information regarding the purchase order, such as the type of payment  702 , and payment card  704 , are grouped together via the PaymentInformation package  700 . 
     Packages also may combine different components that result in a new object. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 8 , the components wheels  804 , motor  806 , and doors  808  are combined to form a composition “Car”  802 . The “Car” package  800  includes the wheels, motor and doors as well as the composition “Car.” 
     Another grouping within a package may be subtypes within a type. In these packages, the components are specialized forms of a generic package. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 9 , the components Car  904 , Boat  906 , and Truck  908  can be generalized by the generic term Vehicle  902  in Vehicle package  900 . Vehicle in this case is the generic package  910 , while Car  912 , Boat  914 , and Truck  916  are the specializations  918  of the generalized vehicle  910 . 
     Packages also may be used to represent hierarchy levels. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 10 , the Item Package  1000  includes Item  1002  with subitem xxx  1004 , subitem yyy  1006 , and subitem zzz  1008 . 
     Packages can be represented in the XML schema as a comment. One advantage of this grouping is that the document structure is easier to read and is more understandable. The names of these packages are assigned by including the object name in brackets with the suffix “Package.” For example, as depicted in  FIG. 11 , Party package  1100  is enclosed by &lt;PartyPackage&gt;  1102  and &lt;/PartyPackage&gt;  1104 . Party package  1100  illustratively includes a Buyer Party  1106 , identified by &lt;BuyerParty&gt;  1108  and &lt;/BuyerParty&gt;  1110 , and a Seller Party  1112 , identified by &lt;SellerParty&gt;  1114  and &lt;/SellerParty&gt;, etc. 
     d) Relationships 
     Relationships describe the interdependencies of the entities in the business object model, and are thus an integral part of the business object model. 
     (1) Cardinality of Relationships 
       FIG. 12  depicts a graphical representation of the cardinalities between two entities. The cardinality between a first entity and a second entity identifies the number of second entities that could possibly exist for each first entity. Thus, a 1:c cardinality  1200  between entities A  1202  and X  1204  indicates that for each entity A  1202 , there is either one or zero  1206  entity X  1204 . A 1:1 cardinality  1208  between entities A  1210  and X  1212  indicates that for each entity A  1210 , there is exactly one  1214  entity X  1212 . A 1:n cardinality  1216  between entities A  1218  and X  1220  indicates that for each entity A  1218 , there are one or more  1222  entity Xs  1220 . A 1:cn cardinality  1224  between entities A  1226  and X  1228  indicates that for each entity A  1226 , there are any number  1230  of entity Xs  1228  (i.e., 0 through n Xs for each A). 
     (2) Types of Relationships 
     (a) Composition 
     A composition or hierarchical relationship type is a strong whole-part relationship which is used to describe the structure within an object. The parts, or dependent entities, represent a semantic refinement or partition of the whole, or less dependent entity. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 13 , the components  1302 , wheels  1304 , and doors  1306  may be combined to form the composite  1300  “Car”  1308  using the composition  1310 .  FIG. 14  depicts a graphical representation of the composition  1410  between composite Car  1408  and components wheel  1404  and door  1406 . 
     (b) Aggregation 
     An aggregation or an aggregating relationship type is a weak whole-part relationship between two objects. The dependent object is created by the combination of one or several less dependent objects. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 15 , the properties of a competitor product  1500  are determined by a product  1502  and a competitor  1504 . A hierarchical relationship  1506  exists between the product  1502  and the competitor product  1500  because the competitor product  1500  is a component of the product  1502 . Therefore, the values of the attributes of the competitor product  1500  are determined by the product  1502 . An aggregating relationship  1508  exists between the competitor  1504  and the competitor product  1500  because the competitor product  1500  is differentiated by the competitor  1504 . Therefore the values of the attributes of the competitor product  1500  are determined by the competitor  1504 . 
     (c) Association 
     An association or a referential relationship type describes a relationship between two objects in which the dependent object refers to the less dependent object. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 16 , a person  1600  has a nationality, and thus, has a reference to its country  1602  of origin. There is an association  1604  between the country  1602  and the person  1600 . The values of the attributes of the person  1600  are not determined by the country  1602 . 
     (3) Specialization 
     Entity types may be divided into subtypes based on characteristics of the entity types. For example,  FIG. 17  depicts an entity type “vehicle”  1700  specialized  1702  into subtypes “truck”  1704 , “car”  1706 , and “ship”  1708 . These subtypes represent different aspects or the diversity of the entity type. 
     Subtypes may be defined based on related attributes. For example, although ships and cars are both vehicles, ships have an attribute, “draft,” that is not found in cars. Subtypes also may be defined based on certain methods that can be applied to entities of this subtype and that modify such entities. For example, “drop anchor” can be applied to ships. If outgoing relationships to a specific object are restricted to a subset, then a subtype can be defined which reflects this subset. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 18 , specializations may further be characterized as complete specializations  1800  or incomplete specializations  1802 . There is a complete specialization  1800  where each entity of the generalized type belongs to at least one subtype. With an incomplete specialization  1802 , there is at least one entity that does not belong to a subtype. Specializations also may be disjoint  1804  or nondisjoint  1806 . In a disjoint specialization  1804 , each entity of the generalized type belongs to a maximum of one subtype. With a nondisjoint specialization  1806 , one entity may belong to more than one subtype. As depicted in  FIG. 18 , four specialization categories result from the combination of the specialization characteristics. 
     e) Structural Patterns 
     (1) Item 
     An item is an entity type which groups together features of another entity type. Thus, the features for the entity type chart of accounts are grouped together to form the entity type chart of accounts item. For example, a chart of accounts item is a category of values or value flows that can be recorded or represented in amounts of money in accounting, while a chart of accounts is a superordinate list of categories of values or value flows that is defined in accounting. 
     The cardinality between an entity type and its item is often either 1:n or 1:cn. For example, in the case of the entity type chart of accounts, there is a hierarchical relationship of the cardinality 1:n with the entity type chart of accounts item since a chart of accounts has at least one item in all cases. 
     (2) Hierarchy 
     A hierarchy describes the assignment of subordinate entities to superordinate entities and vice versa, where several entities of the same type are subordinate entities that have, at most, one directly superordinate entity. For example, in the hierarchy depicted in FIG.  19 , entity B  1902  is subordinate to entity A  1900 , resulting in the relationship (A,B)  1912 . Similarly, entity C  1904  is subordinate to entity A  1900 , resulting in the relationship (A,C)  1914 . Entity D  1906  and entity E  1908  are subordinate to entity B  1902 , resulting in the relationships (B,D)  1916  and (B,E)  1918 , respectively. Entity F  1910  is subordinate to entity C  1904 , resulting in the relationship (C,F)  1920 . 
     Because each entity has at most one superordinate entity, the cardinality between a subordinate entity and its superordinate entity is 1:c. Similarly, each entity may have 0, 1 or many subordinate entities. Thus, the cardinality between a superordinate entity and its subordinate entity is 1:cn.  FIG. 20  depicts a graphical representation of a Closing Report Structure Item hierarchy  2000  for a Closing Report Structure Item  2002 . The hierarchy illustrates the 1:c cardinality  2004  between a subordinate entity and its superordinate entity, and the 1:cn cardinality  2006  between a superordinate entity and its subordinate entity. 
     3. Creation of the Business Object Model 
       FIGS. 21A-B  depict the steps performed using methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein to create a business object model. Although some steps are described as being performed by a computer, these steps may alternatively be performed manually, or computer-assisted, or any combination thereof. Likewise, although some steps are described as being performed by a computer, these steps may also be computer-assisted, or performed manually, or any combination thereof. 
     As discussed above, the designers create message choreographies that specify the sequence of messages between business entities during a transaction. After identifying the messages, the developers identify the fields contained in one of the messages (step  2100 ,  FIG. 21A ). The designers then determine whether each field relates to administrative data or is part of the object (step  2102 ). Thus, the first eleven fields identified below in the left column are related to administrative data, while the remaining fields are part of the object. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 MessageID 
                 Admin 
               
               
                   
                 ReferenceID 
               
               
                   
                 CreationDate 
               
               
                   
                 SenderID 
               
               
                   
                 AdditionalSenderID 
               
               
                   
                 ContactPersonID 
               
               
                   
                 SenderAddress 
               
               
                   
                 RecipientID 
               
               
                   
                 AdditionalRecipientID 
               
               
                   
                 ContactPersonID 
               
               
                   
                 RecipientAddress 
               
               
                   
                 ID 
                 Main Object 
               
               
                   
                 AdditionalID 
               
               
                   
                 PostingDate 
               
               
                   
                 LastChangeDate 
               
               
                   
                 AcceptanceStatus 
               
               
                   
                 Note 
               
               
                   
                 CompleteTransmission Indicator 
               
               
                   
                 Buyer 
               
               
                   
                 BuyerOrganisationName 
               
               
                   
                 Person Name 
               
               
                   
                 FunctionalTitle 
               
               
                   
                 DepartmentName 
               
               
                   
                 CountryCode 
               
               
                   
                 StreetPostalCode 
               
               
                   
                 POBox Postal Code 
               
               
                   
                 Company Postal Code 
               
               
                   
                 City Name 
               
               
                   
                 DistrictName 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box ID 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box Indicator 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box Country Code 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box Region Code 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box City Name 
               
               
                   
                 Street Name 
               
               
                   
                 House ID 
               
               
                   
                 Building ID 
               
               
                   
                 Floor ID 
               
               
                   
                 Room ID 
               
               
                   
                 Care Of Name 
               
               
                   
                 AddressDescription 
               
               
                   
                 Telefonnumber 
               
               
                   
                 MobileNumber 
               
               
                   
                 Facsimile 
               
               
                   
                 Email 
               
               
                   
                 Seller 
               
               
                   
                 SellerAddress 
               
               
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
                 LocationType 
               
               
                   
                 DeliveryItemGroupID 
               
               
                   
                 DeliveryPriority 
               
               
                   
                 DeliveryCondition 
               
               
                   
                 TransferLocation 
               
               
                   
                 NumberofPartialDelivery 
               
               
                   
                 QuantityTolerance 
               
               
                   
                 MaximumLeadTime 
               
               
                   
                 TransportServiceLevel 
               
               
                   
                 TranportCondition 
               
               
                   
                 TransportDescription 
               
               
                   
                 CashDiscountTerms 
               
               
                   
                 PaymentForm 
               
               
                   
                 PaymentCardID 
               
               
                   
                 PaymentCardReferenceID 
               
               
                   
                 SequenceID 
               
               
                   
                 Holder 
               
               
                   
                 ExpirationDate 
               
               
                   
                 AttachmentID 
               
               
                   
                 AttachmentFilename 
               
               
                   
                 DescriptionofMessage 
               
               
                   
                 ConfirmationDescriptionof Message 
               
               
                   
                 FollowUpActivity 
               
               
                   
                 ItemID 
               
               
                   
                 ParentItemID 
               
               
                   
                 HierarchyType 
               
               
                   
                 ProductID 
               
               
                   
                 ProductType 
               
               
                   
                 ProductNote 
               
               
                   
                 ProductCategoryID 
               
               
                   
                 Amount 
               
               
                   
                 BaseQuantity 
               
               
                   
                 ConfirmedAmount 
               
               
                   
                 ConfirmedBaseQuantity 
               
               
                   
                 ItemBuyer 
               
               
                   
                 ItemBuyerOrganisationName 
               
               
                   
                 Person Name 
               
               
                   
                 FunctionalTitle 
               
               
                   
                 DepartmentName 
               
               
                   
                 CountryCode 
               
               
                   
                 StreetPostalCode 
               
               
                   
                 POBox Postal Code 
               
               
                   
                 Company Postal Code 
               
               
                   
                 City Name 
               
               
                   
                 DistrictName 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box ID 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box Indicator 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box Country Code 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box Region Code 
               
               
                   
                 PO Box City Name 
               
               
                   
                 Street Name 
               
               
                   
                 House ID 
               
               
                   
                 Building ID 
               
               
                   
                 Floor ID 
               
               
                   
                 Room ID 
               
               
                   
                 Care Of Name 
               
               
                   
                 AddressDescription 
               
               
                   
                 Telefonnumber 
               
               
                   
                 MobilNumber 
               
               
                   
                 Facsimile 
               
               
                   
                 Email 
               
               
                   
                 ItemSeller 
               
               
                   
                 ItemSellerAddress 
               
               
                   
                 ItemLocation 
               
               
                   
                 ItemLocationType 
               
               
                   
                 ItemDeliveryItemGroupID 
               
               
                   
                 ItemDeliveryPriority 
               
               
                   
                 ItemDeliveryCondition 
               
               
                   
                 ItemTransferLocation 
               
               
                   
                 ItemNumberofPartialDelivery 
               
               
                   
                 ItemQuantityTolerance 
               
               
                   
                 ItemMaximumLeadTime 
               
               
                   
                 ItemTransportServiceLevel 
               
               
                   
                 ItemTranportCondition 
               
               
                   
                 ItemTransportDescription 
               
               
                   
                 ContractReference 
               
               
                   
                 QuoteReference 
               
               
                   
                 CatalogueReference 
               
               
                   
                 ItemAttachmentID 
               
               
                   
                 ItemAttachmentFilename 
               
               
                   
                 ItemDescription 
               
               
                   
                 ScheduleLineID 
               
               
                   
                 DeliveryPeriod 
               
               
                   
                 Quantity 
               
               
                   
                 ConfirmedScheduleLineID 
               
               
                   
                 ConfirmedDeliveryPeriod 
               
               
                   
                 ConfirmedQuantity 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Next, the designers determine the proper name for the object according to the ISO  11179  naming standards (step  2104 ). In the example above, the proper name for the “Main Object” is “Purchase Order.” After naming the object, the system that is creating the business object model determines whether the object already exists in the business object model (step  2106 ). If the object already exists, the system integrates new attributes from the message into the existing object (step  2108 ), and the process is complete. 
     If at step  2106  the system determines that the object does not exist in the business object model, the designers model the internal object structure (step  2110 ). To model the internal structure, the designers define the components. For the above example, the designers may define the components identified below. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 ID 
                 Purchase 
                   
                   
               
               
                 AdditionalID 
                 Order 
               
               
                 PostingDate 
               
               
                 LastChangeDate 
               
               
                 AcceptanceStatus 
               
               
                 Note 
               
               
                 CompleteTransmission 
               
               
                 Indicator 
               
               
                 Buyer 
                   
                 Buyer 
               
               
                 BuyerOrganisationName 
               
               
                 Person Name 
               
               
                 FunctionalTitle 
               
               
                 DepartmentName 
               
               
                 CountryCode 
               
               
                 StreetPostalCode 
               
               
                 POBox Postal Code 
               
               
                 Company Postal Code 
               
               
                 City Name 
               
               
                 DistrictName 
               
               
                 PO Box ID 
               
               
                 PO Box Indicator 
               
               
                 PO Box Country Code 
               
               
                 PO Box Region Code 
               
               
                 PO Box City Name 
               
               
                 Street Name 
               
               
                 House ID 
               
               
                 Building ID 
               
               
                 Floor ID 
               
               
                 Room ID 
               
               
                 Care Of Name 
               
               
                 AddressDescription 
               
               
                 Telefonnumber 
               
               
                 MobileNumber 
               
               
                 Facsimile 
               
               
                 Email 
               
               
                 Seller 
                   
                 Seller 
               
               
                 SellerAddress 
               
               
                 Location 
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                 LocationType 
               
               
                 DeliveryItemGroupID 
                   
                 Delivery- 
               
               
                 DeliveryPriority 
                   
                 Terms 
               
               
                 DeliveryCondition 
               
               
                 TransferLocation 
               
               
                 NumberofPartialDelivery 
               
               
                 QuantityTolerance 
               
               
                 MaximumLeadTime 
               
               
                 TransportServiceLevel 
               
               
                 TranportCondition 
               
               
                 TransportDescription 
               
               
                 CashDiscountTerms 
               
               
                 PaymentForm 
                   
                 Payment 
               
               
                 PaymentCardID 
               
               
                 PaymentCardReferenceID 
               
               
                 SequenceID 
               
               
                 Holder 
               
               
                 ExpirationDate 
               
               
                 AttachmentID 
               
               
                 AttachmentFilename 
               
               
                 DescriptionofMessage 
               
               
                 ConfirmationDescriptionof 
               
               
                 Message 
               
               
                 FollowUpActivity 
               
               
                 ItemID 
                   
                 Purchase 
               
               
                 ParentItemID 
                   
                 Order 
               
               
                 HierarchyType 
                   
                 Item 
               
               
                 ProductID 
                   
                   
                 Product 
               
               
                 ProductType 
               
               
                 ProductNote 
               
               
                 ProductCategoryID 
                   
                   
                 ProductCategory 
               
               
                 Amount 
               
               
                 BaseQuantity 
               
               
                 ConfirmedAmount 
               
               
                 ConfirmedBaseQuantity 
               
               
                 ItemBuyer 
                   
                   
                 Buyer 
               
               
                 ItemBuyerOrganisation 
               
               
                 Name 
               
               
                 Person Name 
               
               
                 FunctionalTitle 
               
               
                 DepartmentName 
               
               
                 CountryCode 
               
               
                 StreetPostalCode 
               
               
                 POBox Postal Code 
               
               
                 Company Postal Code 
               
               
                 City Name 
               
               
                 DistrictName 
               
               
                 PO Box ID 
               
               
                 PO Box Indicator 
               
               
                 PO Box Country Code 
               
               
                 PO Box Region Code 
               
               
                 PO Box City Name 
               
               
                 Street Name 
               
               
                 House ID 
               
               
                 Building ID 
               
               
                 Floor ID 
               
               
                 Room ID 
               
               
                 Care Of Name 
               
               
                 AddressDescription 
               
               
                 Telefonnumber 
               
               
                 MobilNumber 
               
               
                 Facsimile 
               
               
                 Email 
               
               
                 ItemSeller 
                   
                   
                 Seller 
               
               
                 ItemSellerAddress 
               
               
                 ItemLocation 
                   
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                 ItemLocationType 
               
               
                 ItemDeliveryItemGroupID 
               
               
                 ItemDeliveryPriority 
               
               
                 ItemDeliveryCondition 
               
               
                 ItemTransferLocation 
               
               
                 ItemNumberofPartial 
               
               
                 Delivery 
               
               
                 ItemQuantityTolerance 
               
               
                 ItemMaximumLeadTime 
               
               
                 ItemTransportServiceLevel 
               
               
                 ItemTranportCondition 
               
               
                 ItemTransportDescription 
               
               
                 ContractReference 
                   
                   
                 Contract 
               
               
                 QuoteReference 
                   
                   
                 Quote 
               
               
                 CatalogueReference 
                   
                   
                 Catalogue 
               
               
                 ItemAttachmentID 
               
               
                 ItemAttachmentFilename 
               
               
                 ItemDescription 
               
               
                 ScheduleLineID 
               
               
                 DeliveryPeriod 
               
               
                 Quantity 
               
               
                 ConfirmedScheduleLineID 
               
               
                 ConfirmedDeliveryPeriod 
               
               
                 ConfirmedQuantity 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     During the step of modeling the internal structure, the designers also model the complete internal structure by identifying the compositions of the components and the corresponding cardinalities, as shown below. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 PurchaseOrder 
                   
                   
                   
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 Buyer 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ContactPerson 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Address 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Seller 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Location 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 DeliveryTerms 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Incoterms 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PartialDelivery 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 QuantityTolerance 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Transport 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 CashDiscount 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Terms 
               
               
                   
                   
                 MaximumCashDiscount 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 NormalCashDiscount 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 PaymentForm 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PaymentCard 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Attachment 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                 Description 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Confirmation 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Description 
               
               
                   
                 Item 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                 HierarchyRelationship 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Product 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ProductCategory 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Price 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 NetunitPrice 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ConfirmedPrice 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 NetunitPrice 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Buyer 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Seller 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Location 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 DeliveryTerms 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Attachment 
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Description 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ConfirmationDescription 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ScheduleLine 
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 DeliveryPeriod 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ConfirmedScheduleLine 
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     After modeling the internal object structure, the developers identify the subtypes and generalizations for all objects and components (step  2112 ). For example, the Purchase Order may have subtypes Purchase Order Update, Purchase Order Cancellation and Purchase Order Information. Purchase Order Update may include Purchase Order Request, Purchase Order Change, and Purchase Order Confirmation. Moreover, Party may be identified as the generalization of Buyer and Seller. The subtypes and generalizations for the above example are shown below. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Purchase 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 1 
               
               
                 Order 
               
               
                   
                 PurchaseOrder 
               
               
                   
                 Update 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PurchaseOrder Request 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PurchaseOrder Change 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PurchaseOrder 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Confirmation 
               
               
                   
                 PurchaseOrder 
               
               
                   
                 Cancellation 
               
               
                   
                 PurchaseOrder 
               
               
                   
                 Information 
               
               
                   
                 Party 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BuyerParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 ContactPerson 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 Address 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ShipToLocation 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ShipFromLocation 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 DeliveryTerms 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Incoterms 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PartialDelivery 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 QuantityTolerance 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Transport 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 CashDiscount 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Terms 
               
               
                   
                   
                 MaximumCash Discount 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 NormalCashDiscount 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 PaymentForm 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PaymentCard 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Attachment 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                 Description 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Confirmation 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Description 
               
               
                   
                 Item 
                   
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                 HierarchyRelationship 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Product 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ProductCategory 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Price 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 NetunitPrice 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ConfirmedPrice 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 NetunitPrice 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Party 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 BuyerParty 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 SellerParty 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 ShipTo 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 ShipFrom 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
                   
                 DeliveryTerms 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Attachment 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Description 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Confirmation 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Description 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ScheduleLine 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Delivery 
                   
                 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Period 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ConfirmedScheduleLine 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     After identifying the subtypes and generalizations, the developers assign the attributes to these components (step  2114 ). The attributes for a portion of the components are shown below. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Purchase 
                   
                   
                   
                 1 
               
               
                 Order 
               
               
                   
                 ID 
                   
                   
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 SellerID 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 BuyerPosting 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 DateTime 
               
               
                   
                 BuyerLast 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 ChangeDate 
               
               
                   
                 Time 
               
               
                   
                 SellerPosting 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 DateTime 
               
               
                   
                 SellerLast 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 ChangeDate 
               
               
                   
                 Time 
               
               
                   
                 Acceptance 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 StatusCode 
               
               
                   
                 Note 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 ItemList 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Complete 
               
               
                   
                 Transmission 
               
               
                   
                 Indicator 
               
               
                   
                 BuyerParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 StandardID 
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BuyerID 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerID 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ContactPerson 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 BuyerID 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 SellerID 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Address 
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 SellerParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Product 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 RecipientParty 
               
               
                   
                 VendorParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Manufacturer 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Party 
               
               
                   
                 BillToParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 PayerParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 CarrierParty 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 ShipTo 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
                   
                 StandardID 
                   
                 0 . . . n 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BuyerID 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerID 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Address 
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 ShipFrom 
                   
                   
                 0 . . . 1 
               
               
                   
                 Location 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The system then determines whether the component is one of the object nodes in the business object model (step  2116 ,  FIG. 21B ). If the system determines that the component is one of the object nodes in the business object model, the system integrates a reference to the corresponding object node from the business object model into the object (step  2118 ). In the above example, the system integrates the reference to the Buyer party represented by an ID and the reference to the ShipToLocation represented by an into the object, as shown below. The attributes that were formerly located in the PurchaseOrder object are now assigned to the new found object party. Thus, the attributes are removed from the PurchaseOrder object. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 PurchaseOrder 
                 ID 
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerID 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BuyerPostingDateTime 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BuyerLastChangeDateTime 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerPostingDateTime 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerLastChangeDateTime 
               
               
                   
                   
                 AcceptanceStatusCode 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Note 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ItemListComplete 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TransmissionIndicator 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BuyerParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 ID 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SellerParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ProductRecipientParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 VendorParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ManufacturerParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 BillToParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 PayerParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 CarrierParty 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ShipToLocation 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 ID 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ShipFromLocation 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     During the integration step, the designers classify the relationship (i.e., aggregation or association) between the object node and the object being integrated into the business object model. The system also integrates the new attributes into the object node (step  2120 ). If at step  2116 , the system determines that the component is not in the business object model, the system adds the component to the business object model (step  2122 ). 
     Regardless of whether the component was in the business object model at step  2116 , the next step in creating the business object model is to add the integrity rules (step  2124 ). There are several levels of integrity rules and constraints which should be described. These levels include consistency rules between attributes, consistency rules between components, and consistency rules to other objects. Next, the designers determine the services offered, which can be accessed via interfaces (step  2126 ). The services offered in the example above include PurchaseOrderCreateRequest, PurchaseOrderCancellationRequest, and PurchaseOrderReleaseRequest. The system then receives an indication of the location for the object in the business object model (step  2128 ). After receiving the indication of the location, the system integrates the object into the business object model (step  2130 ). 
     4. Structure of the Business Object Model 
     The business object model, which serves as the basis for the process of generating consistent interfaces, includes the elements contained within the interfaces. These elements are arranged in a hierarchical structure within the business object model. 
     5. Interfaces Derived from Business Object Model 
     Interfaces are the starting point of the communication between two business entities. The structure of each interface determines how one business entity communicates with another business entity. The business entities may act as a unified whole when, based on the business scenario, the business entities know what an interface contains from a business perspective and how to fill the individual elements or fields of the interface. As illustrated in  FIG. 27A , communication between components takes place via messages that contain business documents (e.g., business document  27002 ). The business document  27002  ensures a holistic business-related understanding for the recipient of the message. The business documents are created and accepted or consumed by interfaces, specifically by inbound and outbound interfaces. The interface structure and, hence, the structure of the business document are derived by a mapping rule. This mapping rule is known as “hierarchization.” An interface structure thus has a hierarchical structure created based on the leading business object  27000 . The interface represents a usage-specific, hierarchical view of the underlying usage-neutral object model. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 27B , several business document objects  27006 ,  27008 , and  27010  as overlapping views may be derived for a given leading object  27004 . Each business document object results from the object model by hierarchization. 
     To illustrate the hierarchization process,  FIG. 27C  depicts an example of an object model  27012  (i.e., a portion of the business object model) that is used to derive a service operation signature (business document object structure). As depicted, leading object X  27014  in the object model  27012  is integrated in a net of object A  27016 , object B  27018 , and object C  27020 . Initially, the parts of the leading object  27014  that are required for the business object document are adopted. In one variation, all parts required for a business document object are adopted from leading object  27014  (making such an operation a maximal service operation). Based on these parts, the relationships to the superordinate objects (i.e., objects A, B, and C from which object X depends) are inverted. In other words, these objects are adopted as dependent or subordinate objects in the new business document object. 
     For example, object A  27016 , object B  27018 , and object C  27020  have information that characterize object X. Because object A  27016 , object B  27018 , and object C  27020  are superordinate to leading object X  27014 , the dependencies of these relationships change so that object A  27016 , object B  27018 , and object C  27020  become dependent and subordinate to leading object X  27014 . This procedure is known as “derivation of the business document object by hierarchization.” 
     Business-related objects generally have an internal structure (parts). This structure can be complex and reflect the individual parts of an object and their mutual dependency. When creating the operation signature, the internal structure of an object is strictly hierarchized. Thus, dependent parts keep their dependency structure, and relationships between the parts within the object that do not represent the hierarchical structure are resolved by prioritizing one of the relationships. 
     Relationships of object X to external objects that are referenced and whose information characterizes object X are added to the operation signature. Such a structure can be quite complex (see, for example,  FIG. 27D ). The cardinality to these referenced objects is adopted as 1:1 or 1:C, respectively. By this, the direction of the dependency changes. The required parts of this referenced object are adopted identically, both in their cardinality and in their dependency arrangement. 
     The newly created business document object contains all required information, including the incorporated master data information of the referenced objects. As depicted in  FIG. 27D , components Xi in leading object X  27022  are adopted directly. The relationship of object X  27022  to object A  27024 , object B  27028 , and object C  27026  are inverted, and the parts required by these objects are added as objects that depend from object X  27022 . As depicted, all of object A  27024  is adopted. B 3  and B 4  are adopted from object B  27028 , but B 1  is not adopted. From object C  27026 , C 2  and C 1  are adopted, but C 3  is not adopted. 
       FIG. 27E  depicts the business document object X  27030  created by this hierarchization process. As shown, the arrangement of the elements corresponds to their dependency levels, which directly leads to a corresponding representation as an XML structure  27032 . 
     The following provides certain rules that can be adopted singly or in combination with regard to the hierarchization process. A business document object always refers to a leading business document object and is derived from this object. The name of the root entity in the business document entity is the name of the business object or the name of a specialization of the business object or the name of a service specific view onto the business object. The nodes and elements of the business object that are relevant (according to the semantics of the associated message type) are contained as entities and elements in the business document object. 
     The name of a business document entity is predefined by the name of the corresponding business object node. The name of the superordinate entity is not repeated in the name of the business document entity. The “full” semantic name results from the concatenation of the entity names along the hierarchical structure of the business document object. 
     The structure of the business document object is, except for deviations due to hierarchization, the same as the structure of the business object. The cardinalities of the business document object nodes and elements are adopted identically or more restrictively to the business document object. An object from which the leading business object is dependent can be adopted to the business document object. For this arrangement, the relationship is inverted, and the object (or its parts, respectively) are hierarchically subordinated in the business document object. 
     Nodes in the business object representing generalized business information can be adopted as explicit entities to the business document object (generally speaking, multiply TypeCodes out). When this adoption occurs, the entities are named according to their more specific semantic (name of TypeCode becomes prefix). Party nodes of the business object are modeled as explicit entities for each party role in the business document object. These nodes are given the name &lt;Prefix&gt;&lt;Party Role&gt;Party, for example, BuyerParty, ItemBuyerParty. BTDReference nodes are modeled as separate entities for each reference type in the business document object. These nodes are given the name &lt;Qualifier&gt;&lt;BO&gt;&lt;Node&gt;Reference, for example SalesOrderReference, OriginSalesOrderReference, SalesOrderItemReference. A product node in the business object comprises all of the information on the Product, ProductCategory, and Batch. This information is modeled in the business document object as explicit entities for Product, ProductCategory, and Batch. 
     Entities which are connected by a 1:1 relationship as a result of hierarchization can be combined to a single entity, if they are semantically equivalent. Such a combination can often occurs if a node in the business document object that results from an assignment node is removed because it does not have any elements. 
     The message type structure is typed with data types. Elements are typed by GDTs according to their business objects. Aggregated levels are typed with message type specific data types (Intermediate Data Types), with their names being built according to the corresponding paths in the message type structure. The whole message type structured is typed by a message data type with its name being built according to the root entity with the suffix “Message”. For the message type, the message category (e.g., information, notification, query, response, request, confirmation, etc.) is specified according to the suited transaction communication pattern. 
     In one variation, the derivation by hierarchization can be initiated by specifying a leading business object and a desired view relevant for a selected service operation. This view determines the business document object. The leading business object can be the source object, the target object, or a third object. Thereafter, the parts of the business object required for the view are determined. The parts are connected to the root node via a valid path along the hierarchy. Thereafter, one or more independent objects (object parts, respectively) referenced by the leading object which are relevant for the service may be determined (provided that a relationship exists between the leading object and the one or more independent objects). 
     Once the selection is finalized, relevant nodes of the leading object node that are structurally identical to the message type structure can then be adopted. If nodes are adopted from independent objects or object parts, the relationships to such independent objects or object parts are inverted. Linearization can occur such that a business object node containing certain TypeCodes is represented in the message type structure by explicit entities (an entity for each value of the TypeCode). The structure can be reduced by checking all 1:1 cardinalities in the message type structure. Entities can be combined if they are semantically equivalent, one of the entities carries no elements, or an entity solely results from an n:m assignment in the business object. 
     After the hierarchization is completed, information regarding transmission of the business document object (e.g., CompleteTransmissionIndicator, ActionCodes, message category, etc.) can be added. A standardized message header can be added to the message type structure and the message structure can be typed. Additionally, the message category for the message type can be designated. 
     Invoice Request and Invoice Confirmation are examples of interfaces. These invoice interfaces are used to exchange invoices and invoice confirmations between an invoicing party and an invoice recipient (such as between a seller and a buyer) in a B2B process. Companies can create invoices in electronic as well as in paper form. Traditional methods of communication, such as mail or fax, for invoicing are cost intensive, prone to error, and relatively slow, since the data is recorded manually. Electronic communication eliminates such problems. The motivating business scenarios for the Invoice Request and Invoice Confirmation interfaces are the Procure to Stock (PTS) and Sell from Stock (SFS) scenarios. In the PTS scenario, the parties use invoice interfaces to purchase and settle goods. In the SFS scenario, the parties use invoice interfaces to sell and invoice goods. The invoice interfaces directly integrate the applications implementing them and also form the basis for mapping data to widely-used XML standard formats such as RosettaNet, PIDX, xCBL, and CIDX. 
     The invoicing party may use two different messages to map a B2B invoicing process: (1) the invoicing party sends the message type InvoiceRequest to the invoice recipient to start a new invoicing process; and (2) the invoice recipient sends the message type InvoiceConfirmation to the invoicing party to confirm or reject an entire invoice or to temporarily assign it the status “pending.” 
     An InvoiceRequest is a legally binding notification of claims or liabilities for delivered goods and rendered services—usually, a payment request for the particular goods and services. The message type InvoiceRequest is based on the message data type InvoiceMessage. The InvoiceRequest message (as defined) transfers invoices in the broader sense. This includes the specific invoice (request to settle a liability), the debit memo, and the credit memo. 
     InvoiceConfirmation is a response sent by the recipient to the invoicing party confirming or rejecting the entire invoice received or stating that it has been assigned temporarily the status “pending.” The message type InvoiceConfirmation is based on the message data type InvoiceMessage. An InvoiceConfirmation is not mandatory in a B2B invoicing process, however, it automates collaborative processes and dispute management. 
     Usually, the invoice is created after it has been confirmed that the goods were delivered or the service was provided. The invoicing party (such as the seller) starts the invoicing process by sending an InvoiceRequest message. Upon receiving the InvoiceRequest message, the invoice recipient (for instance, the buyer) can use the InvoiceConfirmation message to completely accept or reject the invoice received or to temporarily assign it the status “pending.” The InvoiceConfirmation is not a negotiation tool (as is the case in order management), since the options available are either to accept or reject the entire invoice. The invoice data in the InvoiceConfirmation message merely confirms that the invoice has been forwarded correctly and does not communicate any desired changes to the invoice. Therefore, the InvoiceConfirmation includes the precise invoice data that the invoice recipient received and checked. If the invoice recipient rejects an invoice, the invoicing party can send a new invoice after checking the reason for rejection (AcceptanceStatus and ConfirmationDescription at Invoice and InvoiceItem level). If the invoice recipient does not respond, the invoice is generally regarded as being accepted and the invoicing party can expect payment. 
       FIGS. 22A-F  depict a flow diagram of the steps performed by methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein to generate an interface from the business object model. Although described as being performed by a computer, these steps may alternatively be performed manually, or using any combination thereof. The process begins when the system receives an indication of a package template from the designer, i.e., the designer provides a package template to the system (step  2200 ). 
     Package templates specify the arrangement of packages within a business transaction document. Package templates are used to define the overall structure of the messages sent between business entities. Methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein use package templates in conjunction with the business object model to derive the interfaces. 
     The system also receives an indication of the message type from the designer (step  2202 ). The system selects a package from the package template (step  2204 ), and receives an indication from the designer whether the package is required for the interface (step  2206 ). If the package is not required for the interface, the system removes the package from the package template (step  2208 ). The system then continues this analysis for the remaining packages within the package template (step  2210 ). 
     If, at step  2206 , the package is required for the interface, the system copies the entity template from the package in the business object model into the package in the package template (step  2212 ,  FIG. 22B ). The system determines whether there is a specialization in the entity template (step  2214 ). If the system determines that there is a specialization in the entity template, the system selects a subtype for the specialization (step  2216 ). The system may either select the subtype for the specialization based on the message type, or it may receive this information from the designer. The system then determines whether there are any other specializations in the entity template (step  2214 ). When the system determines that there are no specializations in the entity template, the system continues this analysis for the remaining packages within the package template (step  2210 ,  FIG. 22A ). 
     At step  2210 , after the system completes its analysis for the packages within the package template, the system selects one of the packages remaining in the package template (step  2218 ,  FIG. 22C ), and selects an entity from the package (step  2220 ). The system receives an indication from the designer whether the entity is required for the interface (step  2222 ). If the entity is not required for the interface, the system removes the entity from the package template (step  2224 ). The system then continues this analysis for the remaining entities within the package (step  2226 ), and for the remaining packages within the package template (step  2228 ). 
     If, at step  2222 , the entity is required for the interface, the system retrieves the cardinality between a superordinate entity and the entity from the business object model (step  2230 ,  FIG. 22D ). The system also receives an indication of the cardinality between the superordinate entity and the entity from the designer (step  2232 ). The system then determines whether the received cardinality is a subset of the business object model cardinality (step  2234 ). If the received cardinality is not a subset of the business object model cardinality, the system sends an error message to the designer (step  2236 ). If the received cardinality is a subset of the business object model cardinality, the system assigns the received cardinality as the cardinality between the superordinate entity and the entity (step  2238 ). The system then continues this analysis for the remaining entities within the package (step  2226 ,  FIG. 22C ), and for the remaining packages within the package template (step  2228 ). 
     The system then selects a leading object from the package template (step  2240 ,  FIG. 22E ). The system determines whether there is an entity superordinate to the leading object (step  2242 ). If the system determines that there is an entity superordinate to the leading object, the system reverses the direction of the dependency (step  2244 ) and adjusts the cardinality between the leading object and the entity (step  2246 ). The system performs this analysis for entities that are superordinate to the leading object (step  2242 ). If the system determines that there are no entities superordinate to the leading object, the system identifies the leading object as analyzed (step  2248 ). 
     The system then selects an entity that is subordinate to the leading object (step  2250 ,  FIG. 22F ). The system determines whether any non-analyzed entities are superordinate to the selected entity (step  2252 ). If a non-analyzed entity is superordinate to the selected entity, the system reverses the direction of the dependency (step  2254 ) and adjusts the cardinality between the selected entity and the non-analyzed entity (step  2256 ). The system performs this analysis for non-analyzed entities that are superordinate to the selected entity (step  2252 ). If the system determines that there are no non-analyzed entities superordinate to the selected entity, the system identifies the selected entity as analyzed (step  2258 ), and continues this analysis for entities that are subordinate to the leading object (step  2260 ). After the packages have been analyzed, the system substitutes the BusinessTransactionDocument (“BTD”) in the package template with the name of the interface (step  2262 ). This includes the “BTD” in the BTDItem package and the “BTD” in the BTDItemScheduleLine package. 
     6. Use of an Interface 
     The XI stores the interfaces (as an interface type). At runtime, the sending party&#39;s program instantiates the interface to create a business document, and sends the business document in a message to the recipient. The messages are preferably defined using XML. In the example depicted in  FIG. 23 , the Buyer  2300  uses an application  2306  in its system to instantiate an interface  2308  and create an interface object or business document object  2310 . The Buyer&#39;s application  2306  uses data that is in the sender&#39;s component-specific structure and fills the business document object  2310  with the data. The Buyer&#39;s application  2306  then adds message identification  2312  to the business document and places the business document into a message  2302 . The Buyer&#39;s application  2306  sends the message  2302  to the Vendor  2304 . The Vendor  2304  uses an application  2314  in its system to receive the message  2302  and store the business document into its own memory. The Vendor&#39;s application  2314  unpacks the message  2302  using the corresponding interface  2316  stored in its XI to obtain the relevant data from the interface object or business document object  2318 . 
     From the component&#39;s perspective, the interface is represented by an interface proxy  2400 , as depicted in  FIG. 24 . The proxies  2400  shield the components  2402  of the sender and recipient from the technical details of sending messages  2404  via XI. In particular, as depicted in  FIG. 25 , at the sending end, the Buyer  2500  uses an application  2510  in its system to call an implemented method  2512 , which generates the outbound proxy  2506 . The outbound proxy  2506  parses the internal data structure of the components and converts them to the XML structure in accordance with the business document object. The outbound proxy  2506  packs the document into a message  2502 . Transport, routing and mapping the XML message to the recipient  28304  is done by the routing system (XI, modeling environment  516 , etc.). 
     When the message arrives, the recipient&#39;s inbound proxy  2508  calls its component-specific method  2514  for creating a document. The proxy  2508  at the receiving end downloads the data and converts the XML structure into the internal data structure of the recipient component  2504  for further processing. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 26A , a message  2600  includes a message header  2602  and a business document  2604 . The message  2600  also may include an attachment  2606 . For example, the sender may attach technical drawings, detailed specifications or pictures of a product to a purchase order for the product. The business document  2604  includes a business document message header  2608  and the business document object  2610 . The business document message header  2608  includes administrative data, such as the message ID and a message description. As discussed above, the structure  2612  of the business document object  2610  is derived from the business object model  2614 . Thus, there is a strong correlation between the structure of the business document object and the structure of the business object model. The business document object  2610  forms the core of the message  2600 . 
     In collaborative processes as well as Q&amp;A processes, messages should refer to documents from previous messages. A simple business document object ID or object ID is insufficient to identify individual messages uniquely because several versions of the same business document object can be sent during a transaction. A business document object ID with a version number also is insufficient because the same version of a business document object can be sent several times. Thus, messages require several identifiers during the course of a transaction. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 26B , the message header  2618  in message  2616  includes a technical ID (“ID4”)  2622  that identifies the address for a computer to route the message. The sender&#39;s system manages the technical ID  2622 . 
     The administrative information in the business document message header  2624  of the payload or business document  2620  includes a BusinessDocumentMessageID (“ID3”)  2628 . The business entity or component  2632  of the business entity manages and sets the BusinessDocumentMessageID  2628 . The business entity or component  2632  also can refer to other business documents using the BusinessDocumentMessageID  2628 . The receiving component  2632  requires no knowledge regarding the structure of this ID. The BusinessDocumentMessageID  2628  is, as an ID, unique. Creation of a message refers to a point in time. No versioning is typically expressed by the ID. Besides the BusinessDocumentMessageID  2628 , there also is a business document object ID  2630 , which may include versions. 
     The component  2632  also adds its own component object ID  2634  when the business document object is stored in the component. The component object ID  2634  identifies the business document object when it is stored within the component. However, not all communication partners may be aware of the internal structure of the component object ID  2634 . Some components also may include a versioning in their ID  2634 . 
     7. Use of Interfaces Across Industries 
     Methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein provide interfaces that may be used across different business areas for different industries. Indeed, the interfaces derived using methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein may be mapped onto the interfaces of different industry standards. Unlike the interfaces provided by any given standard that do not include the interfaces required by other standards, methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein provide a set of consistent interfaces that correspond to the interfaces provided by different industry standards. Due to the different fields provided by each standard, the interface from one standard does not easily map onto another standard. By comparison, to map onto the different industry standards, the interfaces derived using methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein include most of the fields provided by the interfaces of different industry standards. Missing fields may easily be included into the business object model. Thus, by derivation, the interfaces can be extended consistently by these fields. Thus, methods and systems consistent with the subject matter described herein provide consistent interfaces or services that can be used across different industry standards. 
     For example,  FIG. 28  illustrates an example method  2800  for service enabling. In this example, the enterprise services infrastructure may offer one common and standard-based service infrastructure. Further, one central enterprise services repository may support uniform service definition, implementation and usage of services for user interface, and cross-application communication. In step  2801 , a business object is defined via a process component model in a process modeling phase. Next, in step  2802 , the business object is designed within an enterprise services repository. For example,  FIG. 29  provides a graphical representation of one of the business objects  2900 . As shown, an innermost layer or kernel  2901  of the business object may represent the business object&#39;s inherent data. Inherent data may include, for example, an employee&#39;s name, age, status, position, address, etc. A second layer  2902  may be considered the business object&#39;s logic. Thus, the layer  2902  includes the rules for consistently embedding the business object in a system environment as well as constraints defining values and domains applicable to the business object. For example, one such constraint may limit sale of an item only to a customer with whom a company has a business relationship. A third layer  2903  includes validation options for accessing the business object. For example, the third layer  2903  defines the business object&#39;s interface that may be interfaced by other business objects or applications. A fourth layer  2904  is the access layer that defines technologies that may externally access the business object. 
     Accordingly, the third layer  2903  separates the inherent data of the first layer  2901  and the technologies used to access the inherent data. As a result of the described structure, the business object reveals only an interface that includes a set of clearly defined methods. Thus, applications access the business object via those defined methods. An application wanting access to the business object and the data associated therewith usually includes the information or data to execute the clearly defined methods of the business object&#39;s interface. Such clearly defined methods of the business object&#39;s interface represent the business object&#39;s behavior. That is, when the methods are executed, the methods may change the business object&#39;s data. Therefore, an application may utilize any business object by providing the information or data without having any concern for the details related to the internal operation of the business object. Returning to method  2800 , a service provider class and data dictionary elements are generated within a development environment at step  2803 . In step  2804 , the service provider class is implemented within the development environment. 
       FIG. 30  illustrates an example method  3000  for a process agent framework. For example, the process agent framework may be the basic infrastructure to integrate business processes located in different deployment units. It may support a loose coupling of these processes by message based integration. A process agent may encapsulate the process integration logic and separate it from business logic of business objects. As shown in  FIG. 30 , an integration scenario and a process component interaction model are defined during a process modeling phase in step  3001 . In step  3002 , required interface operations and process agents are identified during the process modeling phase also. Next, in step  3003 , a service interface, service interface operations, and the related process agent are created within an enterprise services repository as defined in the process modeling phase. In step  3004 , a proxy class for the service interface is generated. Next, in step  3005 , a process agent class is created and the process agent is registered. In step  3006 , the agent class is implemented within a development environment. 
       FIG. 31  illustrates an example method  3100  for status and action management (S&amp;AM). For example, status and action management may describe the life cycle of a business object (node) by defining actions and statuses (as their result) of the business object (node), as well as, the constraints that the statuses put on the actions. In step  3101 , the status and action management schemas are modeled per a relevant business object node within an enterprise services repository. In step  3102 , existing statuses and actions from the business object model are used or new statuses and actions are created. Next, in step  3103 , the schemas are simulated to verify correctness and completeness. In step  3104 , missing actions, statuses, and derivations are created in the business object model with the enterprise services repository. Continuing with method  3100 , the statuses are related to corresponding elements in the node in step  3105 . In step  3106 , status code GDT&#39;s are generated, including constants and code list providers. Next, in step  3107 , a proxy class for a business object service provider is generated and the proxy class S&amp;AM schemas are imported. In step  3108 , the service provider is implemented and the status and action management runtime interface is called from the actions. 
     Regardless of the particular hardware or software architecture used, the disclosed systems or software are generally capable of implementing business objects and deriving (or otherwise utilizing) consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business in accordance with some or all of the following description. In short, system  100  contemplates using any appropriate combination and arrangement of logical elements to implement some or all of the described functionality. 
     Moreover, the preceding flowcharts and accompanying description illustrate example methods. The present services environment contemplates using or implementing any suitable technique for performing these and other tasks. It will be understood that these methods are for illustration purposes only and that the described or similar techniques may be performed at any appropriate time, including concurrently, individually, or in combination. In addition, many of the steps in these flowcharts may take place simultaneously and/or in different orders than as shown. Moreover, the services environment may use methods with additional steps, fewer steps, and/or different steps, so long as the methods remain appropriate. 
       FIG. 32  illustrates an example object model for a Sales Territory business object  32000 . Specifically, the object model depicts interactions among various components of the Sales Territory business object  32000 , as well as external components that interact with the Sales Territory business object  32000  (shown here as  32002  to  32012 ). The Sales Territory business object  32000  includes elements  32014  through  32022 . The elements  32014  through  32022  can be hierarchical, as depicted. For example, the Sales Territory entity  32014  hierarchically includes entities Owner  32016  and Account  32018 . Some or all of the entities  32016  through  32022  can correspond to packages and/or entities in one or more message data types. 
     The business object Sales Territory represents a territory defined for assignment of responsibilities for sales related activities to salespersons. Territories may be defined, for example, in terms of geographic or market segments, product or product lines, size of customer, or by specific customers or prospects. The Sales Territory business object belongs to the process component Sales Territory Management. The Sales Territory business object belongs to the deployment unit Foundation. A Sales Territory includes header information about a territory, accounts which belong to the territory, the owner, and references to a parent territory and to child territories. The business object Sales Territory has an object category of Master Data Object and a technical category of Standard Business Object. 
     A Root node represents a segment of a market for which a salesperson is responsible. The elements located directly at the node Root are defined by the inline structure: COD_S_TERRITORY_ROOT_EL. These elements include: ID, UUID, Name, HierarchyLevelCode, SystemAdministrativeData, and DeletedIndicator. ID may be an alternative key, is a unique identifier of a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryID. UUID may be an alternative key, is a universally unique identifier of a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. Name may be optional, is a name of a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. HierarchyLevelCode may be optional, is a coded representation of a hierarchical level of a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryHierarchyLevelCode. SystemAdministrativeData is administrative data recorded by a system. This data can include, for example, system users and change dates and times, and may be based on datatype GDT: SystemAdministrativeData. DeletedIndicator is an indicator that specifies whether a Sales Territory is deleted, and may be based on datatype GDT: Indicator. 
     The following composition relationships to subordinate nodes may exist: Owner, in a 1:CN cardinality relationship; Account, in a 1:CN cardinality relationship; and SubordinateSalesTerritory, in a 1:CN cardinality relationship. The following composition relationships to dependent objects may exist: AccessControlList, in a 1:1 cardinality relationship. A Creation Identity inbound association relationship may exist from the business object Identity/node Identity, with a cardinality of 1:CN, which represents an identity that has created a Sales Territory. A Last Change Identity inbound association relationship may exist from the business object Identity/node Identity, with a cardinality of 1:CN, which represents an identity that has changed a Sales Territory. The following specialization associations for navigation may exist: Current Owner, to the node Owner, with a target cardinality of 1, which is an association for navigation to a current owner of a Sales Territory; ParentSalesTerritory, to the node Root, with a target cardinality of 1, which is an association for navigation to parent territory of the Sales Territory; and ActiveDirectSubSalesTerritories, to the node Root, with a target cardinality of CN, which is an association for navigation to direct subterritories of a Sales Territory. 
     An AssignParentToTerritory action can be used to assign a sales territory to a parent sales territory. Action parameter elements are defined by the data type Assign Parent Territory Elements. These elements include SalesTerritoryID, which may be optional, is a unique identifier of a Parent Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryID. A Delete action can be used to perform a soft delete. 
     A SelectAll query can be used to provide the NodeIDs of all instances of the Root or some other node. The SelectAll query can be used to enable an initial load of data for a Fast Search Infrastructure (FSI). A Query By Elements query can be used to return a list of Sales Territories according to specified selection criteria. The query elements are defined by the data type SalesTerritoryElementsQueryElements. These elements include: ID, Name, SystemAdministrativeData, ParentSalesTerritoryID, ParentSalesTerritoryName, DeletedIndicator, HierarchyLevelCode, SearchText, OwnerEmployeeID, OwnerEmployeeUUID, AccountCustomerID, and OwnerValidityPeriod. SystemAdministrativeData may include SystemAdministrativeData/CreationDateTime, SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityUUID, SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityID, SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityBusinessPartnerInternalID, SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonFamilyName, SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonGivenName, SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityEmployeeID, SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeDateTime, SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityUUID, SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityID, SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityBusinessPartnerInternalID, SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonFamilyName, SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonGivenName, and SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityEmployeeID. ID is a unique identifier of a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryID. Name is a name of a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SystemAdministrativeData is administrative data recorded by the system, includes system users and change dates and times, and may be based on QueryIDT: QueryElementSystemAdministrativeData. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationDateTime is a point in time date and time stamp of a creation, and may be based on datatype GDT: GLOBAL_DateTime. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityUUID is a globally unique identifier for an identity who performed a creation, and may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityID is an identifier for an identity who performed a creation, and may be based on datatype GDT: IdentityID. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityBusinessPartnerInternalID is a proprietary identifier for a business partner that is attributed to a creation identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the creation identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: BusinessPartnerInternalID. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonFamilyName is a family name of a business partner of a category person that is attributed to a creation identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the creation identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonGivenName is a given name of a business partner of a category person that is attributed to a creation identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the creation identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SystemAdministrativeData/CreationIdentityEmployeeID is an identifier for an employee that is attributed to a creation identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the creation identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: EmployeeID. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeDateTime is a point in time date and time stamp of a last change, and may be based on datatype GDT: GLOBAL_DateTime. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityUUID is a globally unique identifier for an identity who performed last changes, and may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityID is an identifier for an identity who performed last changes, and may be based on datatype GDT: IdentityID. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityBusinessPartnerInternalID is a proprietary identifier for a business partner that is attributed to a last change identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the last change identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: BusinessPartnerInternalID. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonFamilyName is a family name of a business partner of a category person that is attributed to a last change identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the last change identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityBusinessPartnerPersonGivenName is a given name of a business partner of a category person that is attributed to a last change identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the last change identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SystemAdministrativeData/LastChangeIdentityEmployeeID is an identifier for an employee that is attributed to a last change identity and that can be reached following the relationships of the last change identity, and may be based on datatype GDT: EmployeeID. ParentSalesTerritoryID may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryID. ParentSalesTerritoryName is a name of a Parent Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. DeletedIndicator may be based on datatype GDT: Indicator. HierarchyLevelCode may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryHierarchyLevelCode. SearchText may be based on datatype GDT: SearchText. OwnerEmployeeID may be based on datatype GDT: EmployeeID. OwnerEmployeeUUID may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. AccountCustomerID may be based on datatype GDT: PartyID. OwnerValidityPeriod may be based on datatype GDT: CLOSED_DatePeriod. 
     An Owner is an employee who is responsible for a Sales Territory during a specified period. In some implementations, only one valid owner is allowed at a given time. The elements located directly at the node Owner are defined by the inline structure: COD_S_TERRITORY_OWNER_EL. These elements include: EmployeeUUID, EmployeeID, and ValidityPeriod. EmployeeUUID is a universally unique identifier of an employee who is responsible for a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. EmployeeID is an identifier of an employee who is responsible for a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: EmployeeID. ValidityPeriod is a validity period during which an employee is responsible for a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: CLOSED_DatePeriod. 
     An Employee inbound aggregation relationship may exist from the business object Employee/node Employee, with a cardinality of 1:CN, which is an employee who is responsible for a Sales Territory. The following specialization associations for navigation may exist to the node Root: Parent, with a target cardinality of 1; and Root, with a target cardinality of 1. 
     An Account is a customer who belongs to a Sales Territory. The elements located directly at the node Account are defined by the inline structure: COD_S_TERRITORY_ACCOUNT_EL. These elements include: CustomerUUID and CustomerID. CustomerUUID is a universally unique identifier of a customer who belongs to a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. CustomerID is an identifier of a customer who belongs to a Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: PartyID. 
     A Customer inbound aggregation relationship may exist from the business object Customer/node Customer, with a cardinality of 1:CN, which represents a customer who belongs to a Sales Territory. The following specialization associations for navigation may exist to the node Root:Parent, with a target cardinality of 1; and Root, with a target cardinality of 1. 
     SubordinateSalesTerritory is a Sales Territory which is considered to be a subordinate Sales Territory. The elements located directly at the node SubordinateSalesTerritory are defined by the inline structure: COD_S_SUB_TERRITORY_EL. These elements include: SalesTerritoryUUID, SalesTerritoryID, and ValidityPeriod. SalesTerritoryUUID may be an alternative key, is a universally unique identifier of a Sales Territory that is a subordinate sales territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: UUID. SalesTerritoryID is an identifier of a Sales Territory which is a subordinate sales territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: SalesTerritoryID. ValidityPeriod may be optional, is a validity period during which a Sales Territory is a subordinate Sales Territory, and may be based on datatype GDT: CLOSED_DatePeriod. 
     The following specialization associations for navigation may exist to the node Root: Parent, with a target cardinality of 1; Root, with a target cardinality of 1; and Sub Territory, with a target cardinality of 1, which is an association for navigation which stores Sales Territory UUIDs of Subordinate Sales Territories. 
       FIG. 33  illustrates one example logical configuration of a Sales Territory Account Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation_Sync message  33000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  33002  through  33006 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the Sales Territory Account Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation Sync message  33000  includes, among other things, one or more Sales Territory Account entities  33004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The Message Type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync is a positive or negative reply to a request to check whether one or more relations between sales territories and accounts can be maintained. The structure of the message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync is determined by the message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle_sync. The message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle_sync includes the SalesTerritory package and the Log package. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritoryAccount. SalesTerritoryAccount includes the following non-node elements: ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, ChangeStateID, and SalesTerritoryID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. SalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. 
     The package Log includes the entity Log. Log is typed by datatype Log. 
       FIG. 34  shows an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34000  package. Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  34000  through  34038 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34000  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle_sync  34004  data type. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34000  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34002  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation_Sync  34000  package includes various packages, namely a SalesTerritory  34006  and a Log  34032 . 
     The SalesTerritory  34006  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle  34012  data type. The SalesTerritory  34006  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entity has a cardinality of 1 . . . N  34010  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  34006  package there are one or more SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entities. The SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entity includes various attributes, namely an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  34014 , a ChangeStateID  34020  and a SalesTerritoryID  34026 . 
     The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  34014  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  34018  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  34014  attribute has a cardinality of 1  34016  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entity there is one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  34014  attribute. 
     The ChangeStateID  34020  attribute is a ChangeStateID  34024  data type. The ChangeStateID  34020  attribute has a cardinality of 1  34022  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entity there is one ChangeStateID  34020  attribute. 
     The SalesTerritoryID  34026  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  34030  data type. The SalesTerritoryID  34026  attribute has a cardinality of 1  34028  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccount  34008  entity there is one SalesTerritoryID  34026  attribute. 
     The Log  34032  package is a Log  34038  data type. The Log  34032  package includes a Log  34034  entity. The Log  34034  entity has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  34036  meaning that for each instance of the Log  34032  package there may be one Log  34034  entity. 
       FIG. 35  illustrates one example logical configuration of Sales Territory Account Bundle Check Maintain Request Sync message  35000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  35002  through  35008 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, Sales Territory Account Bundle Check Maintain Request message  35000  includes, among other things, a Basic Message Header entity  35004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync is a request to check whether one or more relations between sales territories and accounts can be maintained. The structure of the message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync is determined by the message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle_sync. The message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle_sync includes the MessageHeader package and the SalesTerritory package. 
     The package MessageHeader includes the entity BasicMessageHeader. BasicMessageHeader is a grouping of business information from a perspective of a sending application, and may include information to identify a business document in a message, information about the sender, and optionally, information about the recipient. BasicMessageHeader is typed by BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle. SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle includes the following attributes: actionCode and Account Complete Transmission Indicator. The actionCode attribute may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ActionCode. Account Complete Transmission Indicator may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype CDT:Indicator. SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle includes the following node-node elements: ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, ChangeStateID, and SalesTerritoryID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. SalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle includes the node element AccountRequestBundle in a 1:CN cardinality relationship. 
     AccountRequestBundle includes the actionCode attribute, which may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ActionCode. AccountRequestBundle includes the following non-node elements: ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID and CustomerID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. CustomerID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:PartyID. 
       FIGS. 36-1  through  36 - 3  show an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36000  package. Specifically, these figures depict the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  36000  through  36074 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36000  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle_sync  36004  data type. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36000  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36002  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleCheckMaintainRequest_Sync  36000  package includes various packages, namely a MessageHeader  36006  and a SalesTerritory  36014 . 
     The MessageHeader  36006  package is a BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader  36012  data type. The MessageHeader  36006  package includes a BasicMessageHeader  36008  entity. The BasicMessageHeader  36008  entity has a cardinality of 1  36010  meaning that for each instance of the MessageHeader  36006  package there is one BasicMessageHeader  36008  entity. 
     The SalesTerritory  36014  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36020  data type. The SalesTerritory  36014  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity has a cardinality of 1 . . . N  36018  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  36014  package there are one or more SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entities. The SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity includes various attributes, namely an actionCode  36022 , an AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  36028 , an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36034 , a ChangeStateID  36040  and a SalesTerritoryID  36046 . The SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity includes an AccountRequestBundle  36052  subordinate entity. 
     The actionCode  36022  attribute is an ActionCode  36026  data type. The actionCode  36022  attribute has a cardinality of 1  36024  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity there is one actionCode  36022  attribute. The AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  36028  attribute is an Indicator  36032  data type. The AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  36028  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  36030  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity there may be one AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  36028  attribute. 
     The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36034  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  36038  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36034  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  36036  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity there may be one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36034  attribute. 
     The ChangeStateID  36040  attribute is a ChangeStateID  36044  data type. The ChangeStateID  36040  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  36042  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity there may be one ChangeStateID  36040  attribute. 
     The SalesTerritoryID  36046  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  36050  data type. The SalesTerritoryID  36046  attribute has a cardinality of 1  36048  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity there is one SalesTerritoryID  36046  attribute. 
     The AccountRequestBundle  36052  entity has a cardinality of 0 . . . . N  36054  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  36016  entity there may be one or more AccountRequestBundle  36052  entities. The AccountRequestBundle  36052  entity includes various attributes, namely an actionCode  36058 , an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36064  and a CustomerID  36070 . 
     The actionCode  36058  attribute is an ActionCode  36062  data type. The actionCode  36058  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  36060  meaning that for each instance of the AccountRequestBundle  36052  entity there may be one actionCode  36058  attribute. 
     The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36064  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  36068  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36064  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  36066  meaning that for each instance of the AccountRequestBundle  36052  entity there may be one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  36064  attribute. 
     The CustomerID  36070  attribute is a PartyID  36074  data type. The CustomerID  36070  attribute has a cardinality of 1  36072  meaning that for each instance of the AccountRequestBundle  36052  entity there is one CustomerID  36070  attribute. 
       FIG. 37  illustrates one example logical configuration of a Sales Territory Account Bundle Maintain Confirmation Sync message  37000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  37002  through  37006 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, Sales Territory Account Bundle Maintain Confirmation Sync message  37000  includes, among other things, one or more Sales Territory Account entities  37004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync is a positive or negative reply to a request to maintain one or more relations between sales territories and accounts. The structure of the message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync is determined by the message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle_sync. The message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle_sync includes the SalesTerritory package and the Log package. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritoryAccount. SalesTerritoryAccount includes the following non-node elements: ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, ChangeStateID, and SalesTerritoryID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. SalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. 
     The package Log includes the entity Log. Log is typed by datatype Log. 
       FIG. 38  shows an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38000  package. Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  38000  through  38038 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38000  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle_sync  38004  data type. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38000  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38002  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainConfirmation_Sync  38000  package includes various packages, namely a SalesTerritory  38006  and a Log  38032 . 
     The SalesTerritory  38006  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainConfirmationBundle  38012  data type. The SalesTerritory  38006  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entity has a cardinality of 1 . . . N  38010  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  38006  package there are one or more SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entities. The SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entity includes various attributes, namely an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  38014 , a ChangeStateID  38020  and a SalesTerritoryID  38026 . 
     The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  38014  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  38018  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  38014  attribute has a cardinality of 1  38016  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entity there is one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  38014  attribute. The ChangeStateID  38020  attribute is a ChangeStateID  38024  data type. The ChangeStateID  38020  attribute has a cardinality of 1  38022  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entity there is one ChangeStateID  38020  attribute. The SalesTerritoryID  38026  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  38030  data type. The SalesTerritoryID  38026  attribute has a cardinality of 1  38028  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccount  38008  entity there is one SalesTerritoryID  38026  attribute. 
     The Log  38032  package is a Log  38038  data type. The Log  38032  package includes a Log  38034  entity. The Log  38034  entity has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  38036  meaning that for each instance of the Log  38032  package there may be one Log  38034  entity. 
       FIG. 39  illustrates one example logical configuration of a Sales Territory Account Bundle Maintain Request Sync message  39000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  39002  through  39008 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the Sales Territory Account Bundle Maintain Request Sync message  39000  includes, among other things, a Basic Message Header account entity  39004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync is a request to maintain one or more relations between sales territories and accounts. The structure of the message type SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync is determined by the message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle_sync. The message data type SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle_sync includes the MessageHeader package and the SalesTerritory package. 
     The package MessageHeader includes the entity BasicMessageHeader. BasicMessageHeader is a grouping of business information from a perspective of a sending application, and may include information to identify a business document in a message, information about a sender, and optionally information about a recipient. BasicMessageHeader is typed by BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle. SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle includes the following attributes: actionCode and Account Complete Transmission Indicator. The actionCode attribute may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ActionCode. Account Complete Transmission Indicator may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype CDT:Indicator. SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle includes the following non-node elements: ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, ChangeStateID, and SalesTerritoryID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. SalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle may include the following node elements: AccountRequestBundle, in a 1:CN cardinality relationship. 
     AccountRequestBundle includes the actionCode attribute, which may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ActionCode. AccountRequestBundle may include the following non-node elements: CustomerID and ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. CustomerID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:PartyID. 
       FIGS. 40-1  through  40 - 3  show an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40000  package. Specifically, these figures depict the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  40000  through  40074 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40000  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle_sync  40004  data type. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40000  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40002  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccountBundleMaintainRequest_Sync  40000  package includes various packages, namely a MessageHeader  40006  and a SalesTerritory  40014 . 
     The MessageHeader  40006  package is a BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader  40012  data type. The MessageHeader  40006  package includes a BasicMessageHeader  40008  entity. The BasicMessageHeader  40008  entity has a cardinality of 1  40010  meaning that for each instance of the MessageHeader  40006  package there is one BasicMessageHeader  40008  entity. 
     The SalesTerritory  40014  package is a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40020  data type. The SalesTerritory  40014  package includes a SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity. The SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity has a cardinality of 1 . . . N  40018  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  40014  package there are one or more SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entities. The SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity includes various attributes, namely an actionCode  40022 , an AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  40028 , an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40034 , a ChangeStateID  40040  and a SalesTerritoryID  40046 . The SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity includes an AccountRequestBundle  40052  subordinate entity. 
     The actionCode  40022  attribute is an ActionCode  40026  data type. The actionCode  40022  attribute has a cardinality of 1  40024  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity there is one actionCode  40022  attribute. The AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  40028  attribute is an Indicator  40032  data type. The AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  40028  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  40030  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity there may be one AccountCompleteTransmissionIndicator  40028  attribute. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40034  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  40038  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40034  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  40036  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity there may be one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40034  attribute. The ChangeStateID  40040  attribute is a ChangeStateID  40044  data type. The ChangeStateID  40040  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  40042  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity there may be one ChangeStateID  40040  attribute. The SalesTerritoryID  40046  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  40050  data type. The SalesTerritoryID  40046  attribute has a cardinality of 1  40048  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity there is one SalesTerritoryID  40046  attribute. 
     The AccountRequestBundle  40052  entity has a cardinality of 0 . . . N  40054  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritoryAccountMaintainRequestBundle  40016  entity there may be one or more AccountRequestBundle  40052  entities. The AccountRequestBundle  40052  entity includes various attributes, namely an actionCode  40058 , an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40064  and a CustomerID  40070 . The actionCode  40058  attribute is an ActionCode  40062  data type. The actionCode  40058  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  40060  meaning that for each instance of the AccountRequestBundle  40052  entity there may be one actionCode  40058  attribute. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40064  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  40068  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40064  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  40066  meaning that for each instance of the AccountRequestBundle  40052  entity there may be one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  40064  attribute. The CustomerID  40070  attribute is a PartyID  40074  data type. The CustomerID  40070  attribute has a cardinality of 1  40072  meaning that for each instance of the AccountRequestBundle  40052  entity there is one CustomerID  40070  attribute. 
       FIG. 41  illustrates one example logical configuration of a Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation message  41000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  41002  through  41006 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation message  41000  includes, among other things, one or more Sales Territory Account entities  41004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation is a positive or negative reply to a request to check whether one or more sales territories can be maintained. The structure of the message type Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Confirmation is determined by the message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation Message. The message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation Message includes the SalesTerritory package and the Log package. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritory. SalesTerritory includes the following non-node elements: ChangeStateID, ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, SalesTerritoryID, and UUID. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. SalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. UUID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:UUID. 
     The package Log includes the entity Log. Log is typed by datatype Log. 
       FIGS. 42-1  through  42 - 2  show an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42000  package. Specifically, these figures depict the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  42000  through  42044 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42000  package is a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmationMessage  42004  data type. The SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42000  package includes a SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42002  entity. The SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainConfirmation  42000  package includes various packages, namely a SalesTerritory  42006  and a Log  42038 . 
     The SalesTerritory  42006  package is a SalesTerritoryMaintainConfirmationBundle  42012  data type. The SalesTerritory  42006  package includes a SalesTerritory  42008  entity. The SalesTerritory  42008  entity has a cardinality of 0 . . . N  42010  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  42006  package there may be one or more SalesTerritory  42008  entities. The SalesTerritory  42008  entity includes various attributes, namely a ChangeStateID  42014 , a ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  42020 , a SalesTerritoryID  42026  and an UUID  42032 . 
     The ChangeStateID  42014  attribute is a ChangeStateID  42018  data type. The ChangeStateID  42014  attribute has a cardinality of 1  42016  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  42008  entity there is one ChangeStateID  42014  attribute. The ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  42020  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  42024  data type. The ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  42020  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  42022  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  42008  entity there may be one ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  42020  attribute. The SalesTerritoryID  42026  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  42030  data type. The SalesTerritoryID  42026  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  42028  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  42008  entity there may be one SalesTerritoryID  42026  attribute. The UUID  42032  attribute is an UUID  42036  data type. The UUID  42032  attribute has a cardinality of 1  42034  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  42008  entity there is one UUID  42032  attribute. 
     The Log  42038  package is a Log  42044  data type. The Log  42038  package includes a Log  42040  entity. The Log  42040  entity has a cardinality of 1  42042  meaning that for each instance of the Log  42038  package there is one Log  42040  entity. 
       FIG. 43  illustrates one example logical configuration of Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Request message  43000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  43002  through  43006 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Request message  43000  includes, among other things, a Basic Message Header entity  43004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Request is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Request is a request to check whether one or more sales territories can be maintained. The structure of the message type Sales Territory Bundle Check Maintain Request is determined by the message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request Message. The message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request Message includes the MessageHeader package and the SalesTerritory package. 
     The package MessageHeader includes the entity BasicMessageHeader. BasicMessageHeader is a grouping of business information from a perspective of a sending application, and may include information to identify a business document in a message, information about a sender, and optionally, information about a recipient. BasicMessageHeader is typed by BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritory. SalesTerritory includes the following attributes: actionCode, which may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ActionCode. SalesTerritory includes the following non-node elements: ChangeStateID, ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, ParentSalesTerritoryID, UUID, ExternalID, OwnerEmployeeID, LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name, SalesTerritoryLevelCode, and DatePeriod. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. ParentSalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. UUID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:UUID. ExternalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. OwnerEmployeeID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:EmployeeID. LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype CDT:LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SalesTerritoryLevelCode may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryHierarchyLevelCode. DatePeriod may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype AGDT:CLOSED_DatePeriod. 
       FIGS. 44-1  through  44 - 3  show an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44000  package. Specifically, these figures depict the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  44000  through  44080 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous in applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44000  package is a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequestMessage  44004  data type. The SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44000  package includes a SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44002  entity. The SalesTerritoryBundleCheckMaintainRequest  44000  package includes various packages, namely a MessageHeader  44006  and a SalesTerritory  44014 . 
     The MessageHeader  44006  package is a BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader  44012  data type. The MessageHeader  44006  package includes a BasicMessageHeader  44008  entity. The BasicMessageHeader  44008  entity has a cardinality of 1  44010  meaning that for each instance of the MessageHeader  44006  package there is one BasicMessageHeader  44008  entity. 
     The SalesTerritory  44014  package is a SalesTerritoryMaintainRequestBundle  44020  data type. The SalesTerritory  44014  package includes a SalesTerritory  44016  entity. The SalesTerritory  44016  entity has a cardinality of 1 . . . N  44018  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44014  package there are one or more SalesTerritory  44016  entities. The SalesTerritory  44016  entity includes various attributes, namely an actionCode  44022 , a ChangeStateID  44028 , an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  44034 , a ParentSalesTerritoryID  44040 , an UUID  44046 , an ExternalID  44052 , an OwnerEmployeeID  44058 , a LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  44064 , a SalesTerritoryLevelCode  44070  and a DatePeriod  44076 . 
     The actionCode  44022  attribute is an ActionCode  44026  data type. The actionCode  44022  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44024  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one actionCode  44022  attribute. The ChangeStateID  44028  attribute is a ChangeStateID  44032  data type. The ChangeStateID  44028  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44030  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one ChangeStateID  44028  attribute. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  44034  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  44038  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  44034  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44036  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  44034  attribute. The ParentSalesTerritoryID  44040  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  44044  data type. The ParentSalesTerritoryID  44040  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44042  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity in there may be one ParentSalesTerritoryID  44040  attribute. The UUID  44046  attribute is an UUID  44050  data type. The UUID  44046  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44048  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one UUID  44046  attribute. The ExternalID  44052  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  44056  data type. The ExternalID  44052  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44054  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one ExternalID  44052  attribute. The OwnerEmployeeID  44058  attribute is an EmployeeID  44062  data type. The OwnerEmployeeID  44058  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44060  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one OwnerEmployeeID  44058  attribute. 
     The LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  44064  attribute is a LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  44068  data type. The LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  44064  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44066  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  44064  attribute. The SalesTerritoryLevelCode  44070  attribute is a SalesTerritoryHierarchyLevelCode  44074  data type. The SalesTerritoryLevelCode  44070  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44072  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one SalesTerritoryLevelCode  44070  attribute. The DatePeriod  44076  attribute is a CLOSED_DatePeriod  44080  data type. The DatePeriod  44076  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  44078  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  44016  entity there may be one DatePeriod  44076  attribute. 
       FIG. 45  illustrates one example logical configuration of a Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation message  45000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  45002  through  45006 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation message  45000  includes, among other things, one or more Sales Territory entities  45004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation is a positive or negative reply to a request to maintain one or more sales territories. The structure of the message type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation is determined by the message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation Message. The message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Confirmation Message includes the SalesTerritory package and the Log package. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritory. SalesTerritory includes the following non-node elements: ChangeStateID, ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, SalesTerritoryID, and UUID. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. SalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. UUID may have a multiplicity of 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:UUID. 
     The package Log includes the entity Log. Log is typed by datatype Log. 
       FIGS. 46-1  through  46 - 2  show an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46000  package. Specifically, these figures depict the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  46000  through  46044 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46000  package is a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmationMessage  46004  data type. The SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46000  package includes a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46002  entity. The SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainConfirmation  46000  package includes various packages, namely a SalesTerritory  46006  and a Log  46038 . 
     The SalesTerritory  46006  package is a SalesTerritoryMaintainConfirmationBundle  46012  data type. The SalesTerritory  46006  package includes a SalesTerritory  46008  entity. The SalesTerritory  46008  entity has a cardinality of 0 . . . N  46010  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  46006  package there may be one or more SalesTerritory  46008  entities. The SalesTerritory  46008  entity includes various attributes, namely a ChangeStateID  46014 , a ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  46020 , a SalesTerritoryID  46026  and an UUID  46032 . 
     The ChangeStateID  46014  attribute is a ChangeStateID  46018  data type. The ChangeStateID  46014  attribute has a cardinality of 1  46016  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  46008  entity there is one ChangeStateID  46014  attribute. The ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  46020  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  46024  data type. The ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  46020  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  46022  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  46008  entity there may be one ReferenceObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  46020  attribute. The SalesTerritoryID  46026  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  46030  data type. The SalesTerritoryID  46026  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  46028  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  46008  entity there may be one SalesTerritoryID  46026  attribute. The UUID  46032  attribute is an UUID  46036  data type. The UUID  46032  attribute has a cardinality of 1  46034  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  46008  entity there is one UUID  46032  attribute. 
     The Log  46038  package is a Log  46044  data type. The Log  46038  package includes a Log  46040  entity. The Log  46040  entity has a cardinality of 1  46042  meaning that for each instance of the Log  46038  package there is one Log  46040  entity. 
       FIG. 47  illustrates one example logical configuration of Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request message  47000 . Specifically, this figure depicts the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  47002  through  47006 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request message  47000  includes, among other things, a Basic Message Header entity  47004 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. 
     The message type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request is derived from the business object Sales Territory as a leading object together with its operation signature. The message type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request is a request to maintain one or more sales territories. The structure of the message type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request is determined by the message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request Message. The message data type Sales Territory Bundle Maintain Request Message includes the MessageHeader package and the SalesTerritory package. 
     The package MessageHeader includes the entity BasicMessageHeader. BasicMessageHeader is a grouping of business information from a perspective of a sending application, and may include information to identify a business document in a message, information about a sender, and optionally, information about a recipient. BasicMessageHeader is typed by BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader. 
     The package SalesTerritory includes the entity SalesTerritory. SalesTerritory includes the actionCode attribute, which may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ActionCode. SalesTerritory includes the following non-node elements: ChangeStateID, ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID, ParentSalesTerritoryID, UUID, ExternalID, OwnerEmployeeID, LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name, SalesTerritoryLevelCode, and DatePeriod. ChangeStateID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ChangeStateID. ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID. ParentSalesTerritoryID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. UUID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:UUID. ExternalID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryID. OwnerEmployeeID may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:EmployeeID. LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype CDT:LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name. SalesTerritoryLevelCode may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype BGDT:SalesTerritoryHierarchyLevelCode. DatePeriod may have a multiplicity of 0 . . . 1 and may be based on datatype AGDT:CLOSED_DatePeriod. 
       FIGS. 48-1  through  48 - 3  show an example configuration of an Element Structure that includes a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48000  package. Specifically, these figures depict the arrangement and hierarchy of various components such as one or more levels of packages, entities, and datatypes, shown here as  48000  through  48080 . As described above, packages may be used to represent hierarchy levels. Entities are discrete in business elements that are used during a business transaction. Data types are used to type object entities and interfaces with a structure. For example, the SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48000  includes, among other things, a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48002 . Accordingly, heterogeneous applications may communicate using this consistent message configured as such. The SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48000  package is a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequestMessage  48004  data type. The SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48000  package includes a SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48002  entity. The SalesTerritoryBundleMaintainRequest  48000  package includes various packages, namely a MessageHeader  48006  and a SalesTerritory  48014 . 
     The MessageHeader  48006  package is a BusinessDocumentBasicMessageHeader  48012  data type. The MessageHeader  48006  package includes a BasicMessageHeader  48008  entity. The BasicMessageHeader  48008  entity has a cardinality of 1  48010  meaning that for each instance of the MessageHeader  48006  package there is one BasicMessageHeader  48008  entity. 
     The SalesTerritory  48014  package is a SalesTerritoryMaintainRequestBundle  48020  data type. The SalesTerritory  48014  package includes a SalesTerritory  48016  entity. The SalesTerritory  48016  entity has a cardinality of 1 . . . N  48018  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48014  package there are one or more SalesTerritory  48016  entities. The SalesTerritory  48016  entity includes various attributes, namely an actionCode  48022 , a ChangeStateID  48028 , an ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  48034 , a ParentSalesTerritoryID  48040 , an UUID  48046 , an ExternalID  48052 , an OwnerEmployeeID  48058 , a LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  48064 , a SalesTerritoryLevelCode  48070  and a DatePeriod  48076 . 
     The actionCode  48022  attribute is an ActionCode  48026  data type. The actionCode  48022  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48024  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one actionCode  48022  attribute. The ChangeStateID  48028  attribute is a ChangeStateID  48032  data type. The ChangeStateID  48028  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48030  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one ChangeStateID  48028  attribute. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  48034  attribute is an ObjectNodePartyTechnicalID  48038  data type. The ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  48034  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48036  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one ObjectNodeSenderTechnicalID  48034  attribute. The ParentSalesTerritoryID  48040  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  48044  data type. The ParentSalesTerritoryID  48040  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48042  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one ParentSalesTerritoryID  48040  attribute. The UUID  48046  attribute is an UUID  48050  data type. The UUID  48046  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48048  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one UUID  48046  attribute. The ExternalID  48052  attribute is a SalesTerritoryID  48056  data type. The ExternalID  48052  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48054  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one ExternalID  48052  attribute. 
     The OwnerEmployeeID  48058  attribute is an EmployeeID  48062  data type. The OwnerEmployeeID  48058  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48060  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one OwnerEmployeeID  48058  attribute. The LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  48064  attribute is a LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  48068  data type. The LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  48064  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48066  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one LANGUAGEINDEPENDENT_MEDIUM_Name  48064  attribute. The SalesTerritoryLevelCode  48070  attribute is a SalesTerritoryHierarchyLevelCode  48074  data type. The SalesTerritoryLevelCode  48070  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48072  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one SalesTerritoryLevelCode  48070  attribute. The DatePeriod  48076  attribute is a CLOSED_DatePeriod  48080  data type. The DatePeriod  48076  attribute has a cardinality of 0 . . . 1  48078  meaning that for each instance of the SalesTerritory  48016  entity there may be one DatePeriod  48076  attribute. 
     A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.