Method and system for certifying compliance with a requirement

• US 20020138574A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Brown, Anna Maria, VanDusen, Judy Lynne, Stoyer, Douglas E.
• Application Number:
  US10/063,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138574A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An online method and system are provided for certifying compliance with a requirement (i.e., standard, process, procedure, etc.). A user group that must comply with a requirement is defined. Members of the user group are automatically presented with an electronic communication informing them that they must certify their compliance with the requirement. The requirement is presented to the user group in an electronic format. Upon complying with the requirement, members of the user group submit an electronic communication certifying that they have complied with the requirement.

Claims

1. An online method for certifying compliance with a requirement comprising:

defining a user group that must certify compliance with a requirement;

automatically presenting an electronic communication to each member of the user group wherein the communication informs each member that he or she must certify compliance with the requirement;

presenting the requirement to the user group in an electronic format; and

receiving an electronic communication from at least one member of the user group wherein the communication includes a certification that the at least one member has complied or will comply with the requirement.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising compiling a database containing a listing of one or more user group members required to certify compliance with the requirement wherein a certification indicia indicates whether each listed member has certified that he or she is in compliance with the requirement.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the certification indicia automatically indicates that the at least one member has certified compliance with the requirement upon receiving the certification from the at least one member.

4. The method of claim 2 additionally comprising querying the database for members of the user group that have certified and/or have not certified their compliance with the requirement.

5. The method of claim 4 additionally comprising generating a report of certified and/or non-certified users based on the query.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the report is automatically generated at a predefined cutoff date by which one or more members of the user group must certify their compliance with the requirement.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending the report in an electronic format to one or more managers of one or more members of the user group.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically sending an electronic communication including a certification confirmation to the at least one member upon receiving the certification from the at least one member.

9. An online system for certifying compliance with a requirement comprising one or more server computers in operable communication with one or more databases and one or more client computers via a computer network wherein the computer server is configured to:

receive input defining a user group that must certify compliance with a requirement;

automatically present an electronic communication to each member of the user group wherein the communication informs each member that he or she must certify compliance with the requirement;

present the requirement to the user group in an electronic format; and

receive an electronic communication from at least one member of the user group wherein the communication includes a certification that the at least one member has complied or will comply with the requirement.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the one or more databases contain a listing of each user group member required to certify compliance with the requirement, and wherein a certification indicia indicates whether each member has certified that he or she is in compliance with the requirement.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the server computer is additionally configured to automatically update the at least one user group member'"'"'s certification indicia to indicate that the at least one member has certified compliance with the requirement upon receiving the certification from the at least one member.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the server computer is additionally configured to query the one or more databases for members of the user group that have certified and/or have not certified compliance with the requirement.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the server computer is additionally configured to generate a report of certified and/or non-certified users based on the query.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the server computer is additionally configured to automatically generate the report at a predefined cutoff date by which one or more members of the user group must certify their compliance with the requirement.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the server computer is additionally configured to send the report in an electronic format to one or more managers of one or more members of the user group.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the server computer is additionally configured to automatically send an electronic communication including a certification confirmation to the at least one member upon receiving the certification from the at least one member.