Web service-based specification and implementation of functional components in federated ERP-systems

Abstract

ERP systems consist of many software components which provide specific functionality. However, these ERP systems are designed as an all-in-one solution, often implementing functionality not needed. The paper presents the reference architecture of a federated ERP system which allows the distribution of ERP system components on the basis of Web Services and shows how these Web Services can be developed and provided by different software vendors. The architecture draws upon a hierarchical standardization model of data and service types. The model advances the reusability of data types and reduces the necessity of data transformation functions in business process descriptions. Furthermore the concrete architecture of a prototype implementation on the bases of open source software components is described. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.