Implementing BPIOAI

Integration of business applications into a BPIOAI solution requires the removal of flow dependency from the application. The routing feature found in most BPIOAI solutions allows relevant information to be extracted from any source application, target application, or data store. It also allows the invocation of application services. The advantage of this solution is that only the model itself needs to be altered when a change in process flow or logic is required. There is no need to change the applications that are part of the process model. In addition, this approach allows you to reuse any source or target system from model to model.

Here, as in almost every other context, appearances are sometimes deceiving. Implementing BPIOAI solutions may very well appear to be relatively straightforward. It isn't. In many respects, it is similar in function to traditional business process re-engineering (BPR) solutions. The primary difference is a layer of automation underneath the model.

You should consider the following issues when implementing a BPIOAI solution:

• Business processes that exist within your enterprise or trading partner must be documented. You must understand all processes and data within the source and target enterprise systems of each trading partner. This is a requirement of every type of application integration solution.

• The missing processes required to tie existing processes together must be defined. You must understand not only how each process works, but also how each must leverage the other to create a more efficient set of processes.

• The processes using BPIOAI technology to tie these processes together must be executed.