Workflow management in E-commerce

Many of the business processes in E-commerce applications can be managed and partially automated with the help of workflow management software.

Such E-business workflow systems help employee electronically collaborate to accomplish structured work task within knowledge-based business processes.

Workflow management in both E-business and E-Commerce depends on a workflow software engine containing software models of the business process to be accomplished.

The workflow models express the predefined sets of business rules, roles of stakeholders, authorization requirements, routing alternatives, database used, and sequence of tasks required for E-commerce process.

Thus, workflow systems ensure that the proper transactions, decisions and work activities are performed, and correct data and documents are routed to the right employees, customers, suppliers and other business stakeholders.
Workflow management in E-commerce

Software Piracy in E-Business

Computer programs are valuable property and thus are the subject of theft from computer systems.

However, unauthorized copying of software, or software piracy is also a major form of software theft.

Several major cases involving the unauthorized copying of software have been widely reported.

This include lawsuit by software associations against major corporations that allowed unauthorized copying of their programs.

Unauthorized copying is illegal because software is intellectual property that is protected by copyright law and user licensing agreements.

For example, in the United Sates, commercial software packages are protected by the Computer Software Piracy and Counterfeiting Amendment to the Federal Copyright Act. In most case, the purchase of a commercial software package is really a payment to licenses its fair use by an individual end user.

Therefore any companies sign site licenses that allow them to legally make a certain number of copies for use by their employees at a particular location.

Other alternatives are shareware, which allows you to make copies of software for others, and public domain software, which is not copyrighted.
Software Piracy in E-Business

Word Processing in Business

Software for word processing has transformed the process of writing. Word processing packages computerize the creation, editing, revision and printing of documents (such as letters, memos, and reports) by electronically processing your text data (words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs).

Top processing packages like Microsoft Word, can provide a wide variety of attractively printed documents with their desktop publishing capabilities.

These packages can also convert all documents to HTML format for publication as Web pages on corporate intranets or World Wide Web.

Word processing packages also provide advanced features. For example, a spelling checker capability can identify and correct spelling errors and a thesaurus feature helps you find a better choice of words to express idea.

You can also identify and correct grammar and punctuation errors, as well as suggest possible improvements in your writing style, with grammar and style checker functions. Another text productivity tool is an idea processor or outliner function.

It helps you organize and outline your thoughts before you prepare a document or develop a presentation. Besides converting documents to HTML format, you can also use the top packages to design and create Web pages from scratch for an internet or intranet website.
Word Processing in Business

E-Commerce – Content and Catalog Management

Content management software helps E-commerce companies develop, generate, deliver, update and archive text data, and, multimedia information at E-commerce websites.

Some companies uses StoryServer content manger software to generate Web page templates that enable online people from international office to easily publish and update product reviews and other product information, which are sold to other E-commerce websites.

E-commerce content frequently takes the form of multimedia catalogs of product information. So, generating and managing catalog content is a major subset of content management.

Certain automotive company uses CenterStage catalog management software suite to retrieve data from their supplier data bases, standardize the data and translate it into HTML or XML for Web use, and organize and enhance the data for speedy delivery as multimedia Web pages at their website.

Content and catalog management software work with the profiling tools to personalize the content of Web pages seen by individual users.

Finally, content and catalog management may be expanded to include product configuration processes that support Web-based customer self-service and the mass customization of the company’s products.

Configuration software helps online customer select the optimum feasible set of product features that can be included in a finished product. For example, Dell Computer uses configuration software to sell build-to-order computer and network processor to their online customers.
E-Commerce – Content and Catalog Management