Workflow management software overview

• US 20040039623A1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coding Solutions Topco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Michael Setteducati
• Inventors: Setteducati, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A workflow management system and method for managing an operation on a population of entities, comprises the steps of storing a set of events expected to occur during the operation in a workflow rules table (140) and storing a set of dispositions in the same rules table (140), wherein each of said dispositions represents a status corresponding to an entity. The method also includes the step of correlating by a dispositioner (260) each of said events with at least one disposition and determining disposition of each of said entities in response to occurrence of one of said expected events. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the step of setting at least one of the dispositions as a pause indicating that an entity is in a waiting status. The method also comprises the step of setting at least one of said dispositions as a task indicating that an entity requires a work to be performed. The values corresponding to most recent event and most recent dispositions for each one of said entities is stored in an event disposition storage unit (290).

Claims

1. A workflow management method for managing an operation on a population of entities, comprising the steps of:

storing a set of events expected to occur during the operation;

storing a set of dispositions, wherein each of said dispositions represents a status corresponding to an entity correlating each of said events with at least one dispostion;

determining disposition of each of said entities in response to occurrence of one of said expected events.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of setting at least one of said dispositions as a pause indicating that an entity is in a waiting status.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the step of setting at least one of said dispositions as a task indicating that an entity requires a work to be performed.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising the step of storing a value corresponding to most recent event and most recent disposition for each one of said entities.

5. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said events and dispositions define a workflow rule table, having a separate entry for each of said events and dispositions.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the step of allocating a track field for each of said entries so as to identify a workflow track associated with said entry;

allocating a type field so as to identify an event entry and a disposition entry;

allocating a specification field so as to define a function associated with said entry;

allocating a pointer field so as to identify the following entry to be processed in said workflow table.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising the step of generating a visual interface so as to employ a plurality of symbols, each symbol representing at least either one of said events and one of said dispositions.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising the step of converting said symbols generated by said visual interface to a desired workflow rule table.

9. The method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising the step of defining workflow variables for at least some of said entries.