Method and apparatus for stopping output of a correspondence

• US 20070100945A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Scharf, Thomas, Bohle, Holger, Buchwald, Simone
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Method and apparatus for stopping output of a correspondence are provided. A correspondence is created and it is determined whether an automatic flag is defined in the user settings for the correspondence and if the automatic flag is set. If it is determined that the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings, it is determined whether an automatic flag is defined in customizing for the correspondence. If the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing, the correspondence is stored in a storage area and output is initiated. The correspondence is then rendered.

Claims

1. A method for stopping output of a correspondence, comprising:

creating a correspondence;

determining whether an automatic flag is defined in user settings for the correspondence and determining if the automatic flag is set;

determining whether an automatic flag is defined in customizing for the correspondence, if it is determined that the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings;

storing the correspondence in a storage area if it is determined that the automatic flag 10 is not set in the user settings or if the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing; and

initiating output if it is determined that the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or if the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing; and

rendering the correspondence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a correspondence is created by merging data into a template.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic flag is defined in the customizing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic flag is set in the user settings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rendering comprises checking for errors during rendering, outputting the correspondence and checking for errors during output.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is stored in the storage area for a predetermined amount of time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to user if the correspondence is stored in the storage area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a user interface to the storage area to enable a user to perform operations, including “

send,”

“

edit,”

“

delete,”

or “

preview.”

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a record in a correspondence history.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user settings for the correspondence comprise personalization for a business process, recipient role, document template, training and recipient.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the customizing for the correspondence comprises customization for a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence can be globally customized based on a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium, if the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings or the customizing.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the output medium is facsimile, e-mail, or printer.

14. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

15. A computer data signal transmitted in one or more segments in a transmission medium which embodies instructions executable by a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

16. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a program storage device readable by the computer system, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

17. An apparatus for stopping output of a correspondence, comprising:

creating means for creating a correspondence;

first determining means for determining whether an automatic flag is defined in user settings for the correspondence and determining if the automatic flag is set;

second determining means for determining whether an automatic flag is defined in customizing for the correspondence, if it is determined that the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings;

storing means for storing the correspondence in a storage area if it is determined that the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or if the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing; and

initiating means initiating output if it is determined that the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or if the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing; and

rendering means for rendering the correspondence.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a correspondence is created by merging data into a template.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic flag is defined in the customizing.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic flag is set in the user settings.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the step of rendering comprises checking for errors during rendering, outputting the correspondence and checking for errors during output.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the correspondence is stored in the storage area for a predetermined amount of time.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising sending a notification to user if the correspondence is stored in the storage area.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a user interface to the storage area to enable a user to perform operations, including “

send,”

“

edit,”

“

delete,”

or “

preview.”

25. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising creating a record in a correspondence history.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user settings for the correspondence comprise personalization for a business process, recipient role, document template, training and recipient.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the customizing for the correspondence comprises customization for a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the correspondence can be globally customized based on a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium, if the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings or the customizing.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the output medium is facsimile, e-mail, or printer.

30. A computer readable storage medium including computer executable code for stopping output of a correspondence, comprising:

code for creating a correspondence;

code for determining whether an automatic flag is defined in user settings for the correspondence and determining if the automatic flag is set;

code for determining whether an automatic flag is defined in customizing for the correspondence, if it is determined that the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings;

code for storing the correspondence in a storage area if it is determined that the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or if the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing; and

code for initiating output if it is determined that the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or if the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing; and

code for rendering the correspondence.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein a correspondence is created by merging data into a template.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic flag is defined in the customizing.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic flag is set in the user settings.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the step of rendering comprises checking for errors during rendering, outputting the correspondence and checking for errors during output.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the correspondence is stored in the storage area for a predetermined amount of time.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising sending a notification to user if the correspondence is stored in the storage area.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising a user interface to the storage area to enable a user to perform operations, including “

send,”

“

edit,”

“

delete,”

or “

preview.”

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising creating a record in a correspondence history.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the user settings for the correspondence comprise personalization for a business process, recipient role, document template, training and recipient.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the customizing for the correspondence comprises customization for a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium.

41. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the correspondence can be globally customized based on a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium, if the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings or the customizing.

42. The computer readable storage medium of claim 41, wherein the output medium is facsimile, e-mail, or printer.