Glossary: B

Backward Compatibility

Designing software to work with previous versions of it; for example, making files in the same format and working with the same equipment.

Baseline

A quantitative measure representing the current level of performance.

Benchmarking

Search for the best or competitive practices that help define superior performance of a product, service, or support process.

Best Practice

Methods and tools that lead to sustainable improvement in quality, productivity, time to market, and/or communication. A method or technique that is recognized by experts as superior to alternatives in its effectiveness and efficiency.

Breadcrumbs

A form of website navigation showing the user's current location by listing the pages in the order they were accessed from the home page.

Business Area

An MIT administrative department, lab, or center that performs their business processes or uses SAP to support their operational processes for the Institute.

Business Area Matrix

A matrix used for test processes that identifies each company code and business area using SAP with the business process owner, business coordinator, and FSS coordinator.

Business Rule

A design specification written in nontechnical language that explains the procedure for performing a business operation and the consequences of not following the procedure.

Business Tester

A person from an MIT department, lab, or center (DLC) who tests the SAP functionality as it is used in their own business area.