Single access point for filing of converted electronic forms to multiple processing entities

• US 20040205533A1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Matles, Robert, Lopata, Iain, Gilliland, Scott, Retna, San, Pitman, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/507
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods for efficiently publishing electronic versions of traditionally paper-based government forms and utilizing the electronic forms for web-based transactional services are disclosed. Standard paper-based government forms are automatically converted to XML format, including data fields for entry of information by customers. Multiple electronic forms are accessible to the customer at a single access point, such as a web site. At the web site, the customer selects a form for filing with any of a plurality of government agencies. When presented to the customer, the selected form is presented with some of its data fields being pre-populated according to information retrieved from a database and specific to that customer. The customer completes the form, and a back-end system integrated with the web site handles the completed form, determines the appropriate government agency for filing the form, and transmits it as a transaction to the determined government agency.

Claims

1. A method for automating the entry of information into a database that is normally entered in a plurality of separate areas on a blank paper form, comprising:

creating a blank computer form that includes a data entry area that corresponds to each separate area on the paper form without having to individually code each data entry area in the computer form;

presenting the blank computer form to a user for completion on a screen;

allowing the user to enter the information in the data entry areas on the blank computer form; and

storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is separately performed in connection with a plurality of blank paper forms;

and

wherein each one of the plurality of blank paper forms is associated with one of a plurality of organizations, the method further comprising;

storing an association between each blank computer form and the organization with which the blank computer form is associated;

selecting one of the blank computer forms for presentation to the user; and

transmitting the information entered in the blank computer form to the organization with which the blank computer form is associated.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

saving information previously entered by the user in a database;

identifying the user; and

automatically populating at least one of the data entry areas with information from the database.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an electronic document from the user; and

attaching the electronic document to the computer form.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a digital signature from the user; and

attaching the digital signature to the computer form.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer form includes an XML document.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer form is posted and displayed on a Web site.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen is part of a client computer, the blank computer form and database are associated with a server computer, and the client computer and the server computer communicate through a computer network.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the computer network includes the Internet.

10. A method for automating the entry of information into a database that is normally entered in a plurality of separate areas on a blank paper form, comprising:

presenting a blank computer form to a user for completion on a screen, the blank computer form having been automatically converted from a blank paper form and visually representing the blank paper form including a plurality of data entry areas that correspond to a plurality of separate areas for entering information on the paper form;

receiving information from the user in the data entry areas on the blank computer form; and

storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the method is separately performed in connection with a plurality of blank paper forms;

and

wherein each one of the plurality of blank paper forms is associated with one of a plurality of organizations, the method further comprising;

storing an association between each blank computer form and the organization with which the blank computer form is associated;

selecting one of the blank computer forms for presentation to the user; and

transmitting the information entered in the blank computer form to the organization with which the blank computer form is associated.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

saving information previously entered by the user in a database;

identifying the user; and

automatically populating at least one of the data entry areas with information from the database.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving an electronic document from the user; and

attaching the electronic document to the computer form.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a digital signature from the user; and

attaching the digital signature to the computer form.

15. A method for automating the entry of information into a database that is normally entered in a plurality of separate areas on a blank paper form, comprising:

presenting, over a telephone, an audio interface with a blank computer form to a user for completion, the blank computer form having been automatically converted from a blank paper form and representing the blank paper form including a plurality of data entry areas that correspond to a plurality of separate areas for entering information on the paper form;

requesting information from the user for each of the plurality of data entry areas;

receiving the information from the user through the telephone;

entering the received information in the data entry areas on the blank computer form; and

storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the method is separately performed in connection with a plurality of blank paper forms;

and

wherein each of the plurality of blank paper forms is associated with one of a plurality of organizations, the method further comprising;

storing an association between each blank computer form and the organization with which the blank computer form is associated;

selecting one of the blank computer forms for audio presentation to the user; and

transmitting the received information entered in the blank computer form to the organization with which the blank computer form is associated.

17. A computer for automating the entry of information into a database that is normally entered in a plurality of separate areas on a blank paper form, comprising:

a computer processor for receiving a user selection of a computer form;

a computer screen for displaying the selected computer form to the user, the computer form having been automatically converted from a blank paper form and including a plurality of data fields corresponding to a plurality of separate areas on the blank paperform;

a computer peripheral data entry device for entering information in the plurality of data fields; and

the computer processor also operable for receiving the transmitted information and transmitting the entered information to a database for storage.

18. The computer of claim 17 wherein the database is remote from the computer client side computer and in communication with the computer processor through the Internet.

19. The computer of claim 17 further comprising:

a computer storage device for storing a plurality of associations between computer forms and appropriate government agencies for processing completed versions of the computer forms; and

the computer processor also operable for accessing the computer storage device and according to the stored associations selecting, from a plurality of government agencies, an appropriate government agency to process the selected computer form; and

the computer processor also operable for transmitting the entered information to the selected appropriate government agency.

20. A computer system for automating the entry of information into a database that is normally entered in a plurality of separate areas on a blank paper form, comprising:

a server computer for automatically converting a blank paper form to a blank computer form that includes a data entry area that corresponds to each separate area on the paper form without having to individually code each data entry area in the computer form;

a client computer for presenting the blank computer form to a user for completion on a screen;

a computer peripheral data entry device, operatively connected to the client computer, for allowing the user to enter the information in the data entry areas on the blank computer form; and

the server computer also operable for storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database.

21. A computer system for automating the entry of information into a database that is normally entered in a plurality of separate areas on a blank paper form, comprising:

a server computer for automatically converting a blank paper form to a blank computer form that includes a plurality of data entry areas that correspond to each separate area on the paper form without having to individually code each data entry area in the computer form;

a data transmission means for transmitting the blank computer form to a user for completion by entering data into the plurality of data entry areas;

a data receiving means for receiving the entered data from the user; and

the server computer also operable for storing the information that is entered in the data entry areas in the database.

22. The computer system of claim 21 wherein the server computer is also operable for determining which of a plurality of organizations the received entered data is to be transmitted to and for transmitting the computer form and the received entered data thereto.