computer science

Infor XA

Infor XA is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Infor XA rather than just read about it. In short: Infor XA is commercial enterprise resource planning (ERP) software used to control the operations of manufacturing companies. It was initially known as MAPICS (Manufacturing, Accounting and Production Information Control Systems).

Key takeaways

Infor XA belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Infor XA to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Infor XA from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Infor XA is commercial enterprise resource planning (ERP) software used to control the operations of manufacturing companies. It was initially known as MAPICS (Manufacturing, Accounting and Production Information Control Systems). MAPICS was created by IBM. The product has been owned by Infor Global Solutions since 2005. MAPICS originally ran only on IBM midrange systems like the IBM System 34, 36, 38, and the IBM AS/400, via succeeding versions of the platform - IBM i on IBM Power Systems. Early versions were written in IBM RPG, augmented with Control Language programs. IBM's version of SQL is also utilized on the OS integrated database system called Db2 for i. Development efforts have added object oriented components written in the Java programming language, which extends a portion of the XA product to servers running Java. The Infor XA product still requires the IBM i operating system. The Java components provide an application runtime which allow user customizations, a rich user interface, an optional web-based interface as well as support for XML interfaces.

Timeline

See also List of ERP software packages List of ERP vendors

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Infor XA

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Infor XA claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Infor XA before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Infor XA ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Infor XA

In research: Infor XA appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Infor XA in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Infor XA is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Business software stubs, ERP software, IBM software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Infor XA outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Infor XA in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Infor XA means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Infor XA out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Infor XA in simple terms?

Why does Infor XA matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Infor XA?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Infor XA.