Selected MRP II Standard System requirements presented in Z‐notation

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the ability of Z‐notation to formulate formal requirements specification of huge application software based on an example of the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) Standard System. Z‐notation is using formal transformation approach to obtain operating software instead of traditional programming. The original MRP II software requirement specification possesses descriptive form extended by list of control questions. To make formal requirements specification, the original specification must be extending by some definition taken after APICS Dictionary. The definitions respect such concept as: item, item code, location, and order.

Design/methodology/approach

Writing schemas based on subsystem order of MRP II Standard System and treating the system as three level structures (user interface, business logic, and database), the schemas described business logic level only. As a conclusion was necessity to extend descriptive requirements specification by definitions. The limited size of the presentation contains few examples of formalization process only mainly limited to the main schemas as: item system (full definition), inventory system, bill of material, work centers and routings, generic order system, master production schedule, and material requirement planning.

Findings

As a result of the research, it can be said that Z‐notation apparatus is sufficient to build requirements specifications of big application systems like MRP II, enterprise resource planning, or customer relationship management.

Originality/value

Libraries of typical algorithms like MRP II designed through formal approach could replace traditional programming and open new prospects in the future development of broad computerization.

Citation

Greniewski, M.J. (2009), "Selected MRP II Standard System requirements presented in Z‐notation", Kybernetes, Vol. 38 No. 7/8, pp. 1216-1233. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910976925