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ERP Language Challenges

Explore challenges, failures, and proposed solutions for developing a new language environment to improve ERP systems, their structure, and their economic impact.

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ERP Language Challenges

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  1. ERP Language Challenges Roman Ivantsov, MCSD Software Architect, Tyler Technologies, Eden Division www.tylertech.com roman.ivantsov@tylertech.com

  2. ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning - hardware or software system that serves all departments within an enterprise Basic Facts: • Code size: millions of code lines • Number of users: tens to thousands • Cost: millions to hundreds of millions $US • Launch period: years • Service time: 10+ years

  3. Challenge: No two businesses are the same Extended Configuration (setup) and Customization (coding) Facts: • SAP ERP has 3000 configuration tables • Licensing fee is only 30% of total cost

  4. ERP implementation is extremely complex, costly and risky enterprise Sad Facts: • US Navy ERP project - $1 bln wasted • Hershey’s 112 million ERP disaster • Fox-Meyer bankruptcy from ERP disaster – vendors were sued for $500 mln each

  5. Causes of failures Multiple things are blamed for failures: technical, financial, project management, … I suggest Inadequate development language and environment ERP needs more attention from language research community. It manifests extremes for problems that are common to other areas. ERP’s huge economic impact more than justifies this attention.

  6. ERP Structure Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Fixed Assets Human Resources Purchasing Payroll General Ledger Inventory Project Management Sales Warehouse Central Database CRM Manufacturing

  7. Multi-site distributed development model Software vendor ships bits with full source code ISVs – localization, custom modules, country-specific functionality On-site programming team

  8. ERP Language Environment • Business logic is coded in a special business-oriented language: ABAP, Informix-4GL, X++, Cobol • Procedural and OO • Built-in data access support (like LINQ) • Multi-site development - mostly by code overwrite at file level What can be done better?

  9. New business-oriented language • Openness – better ways to override/overwrite code • Long-running processes (persistent continuations) • Advanced object model: data binding, authorization, transactions, indestructible objects • Built-in messaging (Erlang) • Inter-module interfaces: scripting, not API • Error-handling – (Scheme conditions) • Versioning and customization • Testing and mock data • Localization, schema changes sync, UI construction

  10. Code openness • Partial classes/modules – with parts in different assemblies • Extensible enumerations (and switch statements) • CLOS-like multiple-type dispatch - by argument types and enumeration values • “new” operator override – built-in dependency injection • Private/public modifiers are less important – just recommendations

  11. Processes and communications • Persistent continuations instead of Workflow modeling • Built-in messaging (Erlang’s receive) • Light-weight non-OS threads; easy parallel execution and locking • Error handling – ability to recover failed process (Scheme’s conditions)

  12. Object Model • True message passing - method call is a message that can be intercepted (AOP style) • Automatic change events for properties/fields • Data-binding – everywhere, not only in UI. Calculated fields • Transaction support • Lazy evaluation • Indestructible virtual objects – “obligation”

  13. Authorization Framework Every data value has attached “authorization token” (similar to Tainted flag in Ruby). Runtime creates/checks the token each time the value crosses authorization zone and clears the value if necessary. Research group at UC proposed similar model for security in JVM. Database Business Logic UI Value Value Value’ ***** Check point Check point

  14. Public module interfaces Script instead of API (imagine the world without SQL?!) Back to McCarthy’s Business Communication Language idea (1969) – Lisp-like data format and query language in one

  15. Other features • Versioning and customization (conditionals are not enough) • Testing – ability to test stand-alone method without full compile; mock screens and test data • Localization support • Schema changes synchronization • UI awareness, automatic UI construction

  16. Raise the Abstraction Level • Remove “abstraction leaks” – prevent quick code aging • Support embedded DSLs (macros and custom language constructs) – to make “code” readable by business people • The dream goal – join specs and code in one document • Making changes must be easier – break the deadly spec-to-code loop

  17. Focus Change From Productivity To Maintainability and Extensibility Because every useful code lives too long!

  18. Conclusions • ERP systems manifest extreme cases in almost all aspects of software development • A new language environment is urgently needed to meet new ERP challenges • ERP economic impact – and possible payoff – is significant enough to justify extended research efforts.

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