Process and system for managing and reconciling field documentation data within a complex project workflow system

• US 20030074302A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wellogix Technology Licensing LLC (Wellogix Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wellogix Incorporated
• Inventors: Cope, Warren Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,096,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 : Recoverability

Abstract

A process for prepopulating a data array, e.g., an electronic field document, in a complex workflow system is provided. The field document may document a portion of the performance of a complex project. The process begins by selecting an archived data array storing similar actual data previously saved in the workflow process. The archived data array may be an archived field document documenting a similar performance in a similar complex project. The process then retrieves the similar actual data from the archived data array and populates the first data array with the similar actual data. The process then stores the similar actual data in the first data array as preliminary actual data.

Claims

1. A process for prepopulating a first data array for storing actual data from a performance of at least one component of a complex project, the process operating within a workflow process, the workflow process controlled by a processing system, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of the complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, the data array comprising a field document documenting at least a portion of the performance of the at least one component of the complex project, the actual data submitted to the workflow process via the communication network by at least one of the parties, the process comprising:

selecting an archived data array storing similar actual data previously saved in the workflow process, the archived data array comprising an archived field document documenting at least a similar portion of a similar performance of at least one similar component of a similar complex project as the portion documented in the first data array;

retrieving the similar actual data from the archived data array;

populating the first data array with the similar actual data; and

storing the similar actual data in the first data array as preliminary actual data.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the actual data and the similar actual data together comprise a collection of related field documents documenting the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the similar complex project is the complex project.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the at least one similar component is the at least one component.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising editing the preliminary actual data to reflect the actual data.

6. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring the first data array to be accessible to at least one of the parties; and

providing notification to the at least one of the parties of the accessibility of the first data array.

7. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

associating a supplementary document with the first data array.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the actual data comprises an actual cost of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the actual data comprises an actual accounting of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the actual data comprises a measurement of a technical specification defining the complex project.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the complex project is defined in terms of at least one parameter and the actual data comprises at least one measurement of the at least one parameter documenting the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from a group comprising the following:

physical, functional, temporal, financial, transactional, and geographical parameters.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the communication network is selected from a group comprising the following:

the Internet, an intranet, a cable network, a telephone network, a wireless network, a voice network, a frame-relay broadband network, a local area network, a wide area network, a public network, and a private network.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the communication network operates over at least one of the transmission mediums selected from a group comprising the following:

telephony, wireless telephony, digital subscriber line, two-way cable, fiber optic, radio, point-to-point microwave, and satellite.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the complex project further comprises one of a type selected from a group comprising the following:

oil and gas exploration and production, construction, manufacture of complex products, and provision of specialized services.

16. A process for prepopulating a first data array for holding actual data from the performance of at least one component of a complex project, the process operating within a workflow process, the workflow process controlled by processing system, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of the complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, the data array comprising a field document documenting at least a portion of the performance of the at least one component of the complex project, the actual data submitted to the workflow process via the communication network by at least one of the parties, the process comprising:

selecting a second data array storing estimated data for the projected performance of the complex project, the second data array previously saved in the workflow process;

retrieving the estimated data from the second data array;

populating the first data array with the estimated data; and

storing the estimated data in the first data array as preliminary actual data.

17. The process of claim 16 further comprising editing the preliminary actual data to reflect the actual data.

18. The process of claim 16 further comprising:

configuring the first data array to be accessible to at least one of the parties; and

providing notification to the at least one of the parties of the accessibility of the first data array.

19. The process of claim 16 further comprising:

associating a supplementary document with the first data array.

20. The process of claim 16, wherein the actual data comprises an actual cost of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

21. The process of claim 16, wherein the actual data comprises an actual accounting of goods, services, or both provided in the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

22. The process of claim 16, wherein the actual data comprises a measurement of a technical specification defining the complex project.

23. The process of claim 16, wherein the complex project is defined in terms of at least one parameter and the actual data comprises at least one measurement of the at least one parameter documenting the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

24. The process of claim 23, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from a group comprising the following:

physical, functional, temporal, financial, transactional, and geographical parameters.

25. The process of claim 16, wherein the communication network is selected from a group comprising the following:

the Internet, an intranet, a cable network, a telephone network, a wireless network, a voice network, a frame-relay broadband network, a local area network, a wide area network, a public network, and a private network.

26. The process of claim 16, wherein the communication network operates over at least one of the transmission mediums selected from a group comprising the following:

telephony, wireless telephony, digital subscriber line, two-way cable, fiber optic, radio, point-to-point microwave, and satellite.

27. The process of claim 16, wherein the complex project further comprises one of a type selected from a group comprising the following:

oil and gas exploration and production, construction, manufacture of complex products, and provision of specialized services.

28. A computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for instructing a processor to control a processing system for prepopulating a first data array for storing actual data from a performance of at least one component of a complex project, the processing system providing a platform for a workflow process, the workflow process controlled by the processor, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of the complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, the data array comprising a field document documenting at least a portion of the performance of the at least one component of the complex project, the actual data submitted to the workflow process via the communication network by at least one of the parties, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

select from a memory an archived data array storing similar actual data previously saved in the workflow process, the archived data array comprising an archived field document documenting a similar performance of at least one similar component of a similar complex project as the portion documented in the first data array;

retrieve the similar actual data from the archived data array;

populate the first data array with the similar actual data;

store the similar actual data in the first data array as preliminary actual data; and

edit the preliminary data to reflect the actual data.

29. A computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for instructing a processor to control a processing system for prepopulating a first data array for storing actual data from a performance of at least one component of a complex project, the processing system providing a platform for a workflow process, the workflow process controlled by the processor, the workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of the complex project conducted between parties, wherein the parties are connected to the processing system via a communication network, the data array comprising a field document documenting at least a portion of the performance of the at least one component of the complex project, the actual data submitted to the workflow process via the communication network by at least one of the parties, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

select from a memory a second data array storing estimated data for the projected performance of the complex project, the second data array previously saved in the workflow process;

retrieve the estimated data from the second data array;

populate the first data array with the estimated data;

store the estimated data in the first data array as preliminary actual data; and

edit the preliminary actual data to reflect the actual data..

30. A system for prepopulating a first data array for holding actual data from a field document compiling the performance of at least one component of a complex project, the system providing a platform for a workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of the complex project conducted between parties, the system comprising:

a communication network for connecting the parties to the system;

an interface means connected to the communication network for receiving the field document containing the actual data submitted to the workflow process via the communication network by at least one of the parties;

a memory for storing the first data array; and

a processor controlling the interface means and the memory, the processor for;

selecting from the memory an archived data array storing similar actual data previously saved in the workflow process, the archived data array comprising an archived field document documenting a similar performance of at least one similar component of a similar complex project as the portion documented in the first data array;

retrieving the similar actual data from the archived data array;

populating the first data array with the similar actual data;

storing the similar actual data in the first data array as preliminary actual data; and

editing the preliminary actual data to reflect the actual data.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the actual data and the similar actual data together comprise a collection of related field documents documenting the performance of the at least one component of the complex project.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the similar complex project is the complex project.

33. A system for prepopulating a first data array for holding actual data from a field document compiling the performance of at least one component of a complex project, the system providing a platform for a workflow process designed to facilitate the preparation for and performance of the complex project conducted between parties, the system comprising:

a communication network for connecting the parties to the system;

an interface means connected to the communication network for receiving the field document containing the actual data submitted to the workflow process via the communication network by at least one of the parties;

a memory for storing the first data array; and

a processor controlling the interface means and the memory, the processor for;

selecting from the memory a second data array storing estimated data for the projected performance of the complex project, the second data array previously saved in the workflow process;

retrieving the estimated data from the second data array;

populating the first data array with the estimated data;

storing the estimated data in the first data array as preliminary actual data; and

editing the preliminary actual data to reflect the actual data.