A new undo function for Web-based management information systems

Recovery from human operator error is key to system dependability: users are usually the main source for incorrect data, and this data can render a system unusable. Although current management information systems allow for the reversal of some processes, they don´t offer an undo function to correct the errors human operators might introduce while editing data. The authors propose a method for correcting this potential problem with a new undo function that allows the recovery of previous states even after records have changed. While developing a new open-source, Web-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, we at IT solutions provider Tecnicia realized the added value of such an undo function. The undo function is a basic feature of recovery-oriented computing (ROC), which aims to increase dependability by reducing repair and recovery time.