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Automated building blocks selection based on business processes semantics in ERPs

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Abstract

We present a novel approach and a system for automated selection of building blocks, by exploiting business processes semantics. The selection process is based on a novel greedy concept covering algorithm, which computes, given a description of the request, the set of needed building blocks. If such a set does not exist the algorithm returns the covered subset and explanation information on both the left-uncovered part and conflicting part of the request description, exploiting non-standard inference services. The requested description can be expressed as conjunction of mandatory requirements and preferences. In order to efficiently cope with large datasets a further enhancement is proposed, exploiting pre-classification techniques using a Description Logics reasoning engine in conjunction with a RDBMS to reduce the computational burden. The approach has been deployed in a system specifically designed for SAP R/3 best practices reusability, which is fully functional and is currently being evaluated in an industrial setting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SisInf Lab, Politecnico di Bari, via Re David 200, 70125, Bari, Italy

    Tommaso Di Noia, Eugenio Di Sciascio, Eufemia Tinelli, Francesco di Cugno & Azzurra Ragone

  2. Università della Tuscia, via S. Carlo 32, 01100, Viterbo, Italy

    Francesco M. Donini & Eufemia Tinelli

Authors
  1. Tommaso Di Noia
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  2. Eugenio Di Sciascio
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  3. Francesco M. Donini
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  4. Eufemia Tinelli
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  5. Francesco di Cugno
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  6. Azzurra Ragone
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Correspondence to Eugenio Di Sciascio.

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Di Noia, T., Di Sciascio, E., Donini, F.M. et al. Automated building blocks selection based on business processes semantics in ERPs. SOCA 1, 171–184 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11761-007-0014-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11761-007-0014-z

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