JP2009099070A - Data conversion apparatus and data conversion method - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a data conversion device that simplifies information communication between an integrated business system such as ERP and an external information device and efficiently performs information communication.
An integrated business system that manages information on management resources and communicates information in a predetermined first data format, and communicates information in a second data format different from the first data format. A data conversion device connected to a plurality of information devices to perform, a first reception unit that receives input of information in a first data format output from the integrated business system, and information input to the reception unit And a first data converting means for generating information converted into the second data format, and a first transmitting means for transmitting the information generated by the data converting means to the information device. And
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an integrated business system that manages information of management resources and communicates information in a predetermined first data format, and communicates information in a second data format different from the first data format. The present invention relates to a data conversion device connected to a plurality of information devices.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system for managing core business in an integrated manner is used in order to effectively utilize management resources of companies and the like to improve management efficiency. Such an ERP system is based on the concept of an MRP system that manages material requirements planning (MRP), manufacturing, logistics, distribution, inventory, ordering, billing, accounting, sales, It is an integrated business system that manages various information related to delivery, personnel, etc.

Such an ERP system is packaged as an ERP package having general-purpose functions and is widely used. Each company can efficiently perform business management by using such an ERP package without having to independently build a system for managing each business in the company. In addition, such an ERP package is configured so that each company can add its own functions as an add-on program later, and each company creates a system according to their own circumstances. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2007-264937 A

  However, in the integrated business system as described above, every time a function is added, it is necessary to create and add an add-on program to the integrated business system in the company. Purchase may be required. In addition, the periodic maintenance and the recovery work in the event of failure, the more expensive the more add-on programs as described above.

  For example, FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example in which an integrated business system and an information device such as a trading company server perform information communication according to the related art. Standard format information output from the standard format communication unit 210 of the integrated business system 200 is transmitted to an external information device via the add-on program 220, the add-on program 230, the FAX server 240, the vendor server 270, and the like. In addition, an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) server 250 may be necessary for the add-on program 220 and the trading company server 301 to communicate with each other. Further, when the trading company server 302 or the like only accepts information input in a unique format, it is necessary to newly provide a data conversion device 260 or the like to perform data conversion. In addition, information such as a purchase order output from the standard format communication unit 210 of the integrated business system 200 needs to be transmitted to the subcontractor server 303 via a device such as the supplier server 270. The integrated business system 200 may have a function of transmitting FAX information. In order to transmit such FAX information to the outside, a device such as a FAX server 240 is newly provided and an external FAX device is provided. It was necessary to send to 304.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and provides a data conversion device that simplifies information communication between an integrated business system and an external information device and efficiently performs information communication.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an integrated business system that manages information of management resources and communicates information in a predetermined first data format, and is different from the first data format. A data conversion device connected to a plurality of information devices for communicating information in the data format of the first data, and a first receiving means for receiving input of information in the first data format output from the integrated business system; The first data converting means for generating information obtained by converting the information input to the first receiving means into the second data format, and the information generated by converting the first data converting means for the information device And a first transmission means for transmitting to the data conversion device.

  In the present invention, the first data format described above is a predetermined format, and the first data conversion means converts the first data format transmitted from the integrated information system into trading company EDI information, form information, Of a plurality of data formats including FAX, mail, and e-mail, the data format is converted into a second data format that is one of data formats corresponding to a destination information device.

  Further, according to the present invention, the data conversion device described above receives the second reception unit that receives an input of information in the second data format output from the information device, and the information input to the second reception unit. 2nd data conversion means which produces | generates the information converted into 1 data format, and 2nd transmission means which transmits the information which the 2nd data conversion means converted and produced | generated to an integrated business system It is characterized by.

  Further, according to the present invention, the second data conversion unit described above has a second data format that is one of the data formats of trading company EDI information, form information, FAX, mail, and e-mail transmitted from the information terminal. The information is converted into a first data format which is a predetermined data format.

  According to the present invention, the integrated business system is owned by a first company, the data conversion apparatus is owned by a second company, the first company and the second company are different companies, and the data conversion apparatus Is characterized by being outsourced from a first company by a second company.

  The present invention also provides an integrated business system for managing information of management resources and communicating information in a predetermined first data format, and information in a second data format different from the first data format. A data conversion method using a data conversion device connected to a plurality of information devices that perform communication, wherein the first receiving unit receives input of information in a first data format output from the integrated business system. A step of generating information obtained by converting the information input to the first reception unit into a second data format, and a first transmission unit configured to perform the first data conversion. And a step of transmitting information generated by the conversion to the information device.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an integrated business system that communicates information in a predetermined first data format, and information communication in a second data format that is different from the first data format. Since the data conversion device connected to the plurality of information devices to perform converts the information in the first data format received from the integrated business system into the second data format and transmits it to the information device. The business system can perform information communication with the information device without using an add-on program or the like. According to this, the integrated business system transmits information in a predetermined first data format, so that the information device can receive information in the second data format in which the information is converted. .

  Further, according to the present invention, the first data format that is a predetermined format transmitted from the integrated business system is converted into a plurality of formats including trading company EDI information, form information, FAX, mail, and e-mail. Among them, since it can be converted into any format according to the destination information terminal, it can be converted into various formats according to the data format that can be handled by the destination information terminal and transmitted. Thereby, the information of the integrated business system can be flexibly converted according to the usage environment of the information terminal and transmitted to the information terminal.

  Further, according to the present invention, the data conversion apparatus is outsourced from the first company to the second company. This makes it possible for the first company to eliminate the need to provide special hardware or add-on software for data conversion in its integrated business system when performing data conversion. Therefore, the first company can reduce the equipment cost for data conversion, reduce the maintenance work of the equipment, and the data format that can be handled by the information terminal that is the information transmission destination. Even if the format is not known in advance, the data can be transferred in a data format that can be handled by the information terminal by simply transmitting it in a data format that can be handled by itself.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a data conversion system including a data conversion apparatus according to the present embodiment.
The data conversion system shown in FIG. 1 includes an integrated business system 200, a data conversion apparatus 100, a trading company server 301, a trading company server 302, a trading company server 302, a subcontractor server 303, and a FAX apparatus 304. Yes. According to such a configuration, it is possible to separate the integrated business system 200 and the data conversion device 100, so that the administrator of the integrated business system 200 and the data conversion device 100 can be a different administrator or company. It becomes possible. Therefore, the administrator of the integrated business system 200 can outsource the operation and management of the data conversion apparatus 100 having functions such as data conversion.

  The integrated business system 200 is an ERP system for managing core business in an integrated manner in order to effectively utilize management resources of companies and the like to improve management efficiency. The integrated business system 200 includes a standard format communication unit 210. The standard format communication unit 210 outputs the information stored in the integrated business system 200 to the data conversion device 100 in a predetermined standard format. In addition, the standard format communication unit 210 accepts input of data in a standard format transmitted from the data conversion apparatus 100. Here, for example, the format of IDOC (Intermediate Document) in R / 3 (registered trademark) of SAP (registered trademark) can be assumed as the standard format. Such a standard format may be compliant with XML (Extensible Markup Language).

  The data conversion apparatus 100 is connected to an information processing apparatus such as the integrated business system 200 and the trading company server 301, and includes a standard format communication unit 110, a data conversion unit 120, a trading company EDI information communication unit 131, a form communication unit 132, and a FAX. A transmission unit 133.

The standard format communication unit 110 communicates information with the standard format communication unit 210 of the integrated business system 200 in a data format according to the standard format of the integrated business system 200.
The data conversion unit 120 generates information obtained by converting the standard format information transmitted / received by the standard format communication unit 110 to / from the integrated business system 200 into an individual format that can be transmitted / received by the information device such as the trading company server 301.

  Here, the individual format is, for example, an information format such as a trading company EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) format, a form format, or a FAX format. Here, the trading company EDI format is, for example, an information format based on JPCA-BP (Japan Petrochemical Industry Association-Business Protocol). JPCA-BP is an information format according to the CII standard of the Industrial Information Promotion Center (CII) based on EDI for transmitting and receiving digitized business documents based on standardized rules. Such a data format conversion function may be created independently, or a commercially available data conversion tool such as ACMS / UX may be used. The form format is, for example, a form form such as an order form, an order confirmation form, a test report, a shipping guide, a billing confirmation, a payment statement, an invoice, a purchase order, and an inspection notification statement.

  Here, the data conversion unit 120, for example, identification information such as the IP address of the information device such as the trading company server 301, and information indicating in which individual format the information device indicated by the identification information transmits and receives information Is stored in a storage area included in the data conversion unit 120. When the data conversion unit 120 performs information format conversion, the above-described correspondence information corresponding to the identification information of the information device, which is information indicating the destination of the information transmitted to the data conversion device 100 or information indicating the transmission source Is read out and it is determined which individual format is to be converted or which individual format is to be converted to the standard format.

  Further, the data conversion unit 120 may perform format conversion of various types of information other than those described above. For example, it is possible to convert e-mail information, information related to a postal matter such as a destination to be printed on a paper medium, information depending on a specific application such as spreadsheet software, text creation software, or image software. In this way, information in the standard format output from the integrated business system 200 is transmitted to the data conversion apparatus 100, so that the data conversion apparatus 100 prints information on the postal matter on paper and puts it in an envelope. You can do the service of putting it in and sending it out to the post office.

  The trading company EDI information communication unit 131 transmits the information converted from the standard format to the trading company EDI format by the data conversion unit 120 to the trading company server 301 or the trading company server 302. Here, FIG. 1 exemplifies two servers, a trading company server 301 and a trading company server 302, as examples of information devices that transmit and receive information in the trading company EDI format, but there are three information devices that transmit and receive information in the ordering information format. It may be more than a table.

  The form communication unit 132 transmits the information in the standard format converted into the form format information by the data conversion unit 120 to the subcontractor server 303. Here, FIG. 1 illustrates the subcontractor server 303 as an example of an information device that transmits and receives information in a form format, but two or more information devices that transmit and receive information in a form format may be used.

  The FAX transmission unit 133 transmits the information converted from the standard format to the FAX format by the data conversion unit 120 to the FAX apparatus 304. The FAX transmission unit 133 has a function of transmitting the information converted into the FAX format as FAX information to the FAX apparatus 304 through a telephone line. Here, FIG. 1 illustrates a FAX apparatus 304 as an example of an information apparatus that transmits and receives information in the FAX format, but two or more information apparatuses that transmit and receive information in the FAX format may be used.

  The trading company server 301 has a function of receiving trading company EDI information transmitted from the trading company EDI information communication unit 131 and a function of transmitting trading company EDI information to the trading company EDI information communication unit 131. The trading company server 302 has the same function as the trading company server 301 and transmits and receives information in the trading company EDI format, but is an information device of a company different from the trading company server 301. The subcontractor server 303 receives the information in the form format transmitted from the form communication unit 132. The FAX apparatus 304 receives FAX format information transmitted from the FAX transmission unit 133.

Next, an operation example in which the data conversion system according to the present invention performs data conversion of information transmitted and received between the integrated business system 200 and the information device such as the trading company server 301 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation example in which the data conversion apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment performs data conversion.

First, an example in which the trading company server 301 receives information in the standard format output by the integrated business system 200 as trading company EDI format information will be described.
The information stored in the integrated business system 200 is transmitted from the standard format communication unit 210 as standard format information destined for the trading company server 301 (step S1). The standard format communication unit 110 of the data conversion apparatus 100 receives standard format information transmitted from the integrated business system 200. When the data conversion apparatus 100 transmits information to the trading company server 301, the data conversion unit 120 converts the standard format information received by the standard format communication unit 110 into information in the trading company EDI format (step). S2). Here, for example, the data conversion unit 120 refers to the correspondence information described above and determines the conversion format corresponding to the destination of the transmitted information. Then, the trading company EDI information communication unit 131 transmits the information converted into the trading company EDI format by the data conversion unit 120 to the trading company server 301 (step S3).

Next, an example in which the integrated business system 200 receives information in the trading company EDI format output from the trading company server 301 as standard format information will be described.
When the trading company EDI format information destined for the integrated business system 200 is transmitted from the trading company server 301 (step S4), the trading company EDI information communication unit 131 of the data converter 100 transmits the trading company EDI transmitted from the trading company server 301. Receive format information. Then, the data conversion unit 120 converts the information in the trading company EDI format received by the trading company EDI information communication unit 131 into information in the standard format (step S5). Then, the standard format communication unit 110 transmits the information converted into the standard format by the data conversion unit 120 to the integrated business system 200 (step S6).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the integrated business system 200 outputs information in the standard format without using a special add-on program, so that the trading company server 301 receives information in the trading company EDI format. Can do. Further, the trading company server 301 can read the standard format information transmitted from the integrated business system 200 without using a special add-on program or read the standard format information of the integrated business system 200. It can be received as format information.

Note that information communication between the integrated business system 200 and the subcontractor server 303 via the form communication unit 132 is performed when the trading company EDI format in the description of the operation example using the sequence diagram of FIG. The description is omitted because it is similar.
In addition, information communication between the integrated business system 200 and the FAX apparatus 304 via the FAX transmission unit 133 is the same as when the trading company EDI format is changed to the FAX format in the description of the operation example using the sequence diagram of FIG. Therefore, explanation is omitted.

  Further, according to the present invention, even when the integrated business system 200 performs information communication with another new information device, the integrated business system 200 can communicate with the information device without adding an add-on program to the integrated business system 200. Can do. Further, since it is not necessary to add an add-on program to the integrated business system 200, the administrator of the integrated business system 200 does not have to purchase hardware or the like.

  In addition, as in the past, if the administrator of the integrated business system 200 purchases hardware or the like with the addition of an add-on program and a large amount of money is generated, it is difficult to stop the operation of this system. On the other hand, according to the present invention, the initial cost of hardware or the like is not incurred, and the function of the data conversion apparatus 100 that exists and operates externally can be used as a service. Makes it easier to make decisions. As described above, according to the present invention, functions that have been constructed by purchasing hardware and software in the past can be introduced as services that can be attached and detached from the outside without purchasing hardware and software. Further, according to the present invention, a company using an integrated business system can outsource a function unit that performs data conversion output from the integrated business system.

In addition, if the add-on program of the integrated business system 200 decreases in this way, the maintenance work of the integrated business system 200 is expected to be reduced, and the maintenance cost is considered to decrease. Furthermore, the trading company EDI information communication unit 131 of the data conversion apparatus 100 is also changed when the format of information in the trading company EDI format handled by the trading company server 301 or the trading company server 302 is changed. If it corresponds to the trading company EDI format, the integrated business system 200 can be operated without being affected.
Further, according to the present invention, the network operation and the number of terminals are simplified as compared with the prior art, so that the overall operation rate is increased.

  It should be noted that a program for realizing the function of the processing unit in the present invention is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium is read into a computer system and executed to perform data conversion. May be. Here, the “computer system” includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices. The “computer system” includes a WWW system having a homepage providing environment (or display environment). The “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a storage device such as a flexible medium, a magneto-optical disk, a portable medium such as a ROM and a CD-ROM, and a hard disk incorporated in a computer system. Further, the “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a volatile memory (RAM) in a computer system that becomes a server or a client when a program is transmitted via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In addition, those holding programs for a certain period of time are also included.

  The program may be transmitted from a computer system storing the program in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by a transmission wave in the transmission medium. Here, the “transmission medium” for transmitting the program refers to a medium having a function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line. The program may be for realizing a part of the functions described above. Furthermore, what can implement | achieve the function mentioned above in combination with the program already recorded on the computer system, and what is called a difference file (difference program) may be sufficient.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the data conversion system by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation example of the data conversion system by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the data conversion system by a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Data conversion apparatus 110 Standard format communication part 120 Data conversion part 131 Trading company EDI information communication part 132 Form communication part 133 FAX transmission part 301 Trading company server 302 Trading company server 303 Subcontractor server 304 FAX apparatus 200 Integrated business system 210 Standard format communication part 220 Add-on program 230 Add-on program 240 FAX server 250 EDI server 260 Data converter 270 Contractor server

Claims (6)

An integrated business system for managing information on management resources and communicating information in a predetermined first data format, and a plurality of information communicating in a second data format different from the first data format A data converter connected to the information device,
First accepting means for accepting input of information in the first data format output from the integrated business system;
First data conversion means for generating information obtained by converting information input to the first reception means into the second data format;
First transmission means for transmitting information generated by conversion by the first data conversion means to the information device;
A data conversion device comprising: The first data format is a predetermined format;
The first data conversion means uses the first data format transmitted from the integrated information system as the transmission destination among a plurality of data formats including trading company EDI information, form information, FAX, mail, and e-mail. The data conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion apparatus converts the data into a second data format which is one of data formats corresponding to the information apparatus. Second receiving means for receiving input of information in the second data format output from the information device;
Second data conversion means for generating information obtained by converting information input to the second reception means into the first data format;
Second transmission means for transmitting information generated by conversion by the second data conversion means to the integrated business system;
The data conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The second data conversion means is preliminarily determined with the second data format information which is one of the data formats of trading company EDI information, form information, FAX, mail, and e-mail transmitted from the information terminal. The data conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data is converted into a first data format which is a data format.   The integrated business system is owned by a first company, the data converter is owned by a second company, the first company and the second company are different companies, and the data converter is The data conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the data conversion apparatus is outsourced from a first company by the second company. An integrated business system that manages information on management resources and communicates information in a predetermined first data format, and a plurality of information that communicates information in a second data format different from the first data format A data conversion method using a data conversion device connected to an information device,
A first receiving means for receiving an input of information in the first data format output from the integrated business system;
A first data converting unit generating information obtained by converting the information input to the first receiving unit into the second data format;
A step of transmitting, by the first transmission means, information generated by the conversion of the first data conversion means to the information device;
A data conversion method comprising:

Images