WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070208606A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: McCarthy, Eileen, Reschke, Eric, MACKAY, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A computerized workflow management method and system to provide operational support for complex multi-step processes, having particular utility in supporting operations involving securitizations for which periodic valuation and distribution computations, disbursements and reporting must be set up and executed. The invention permits unification of manual operations and operations performed by legacy software, even if implemented with database structures different from the workflow management system, automated quality control, workflow status display and automatic updating of workflow status records. The method of workflow management involves creating an underlying database structure for recording the processing steps and other information required for each transaction, entering the necessary setup information by selection from lists of pre-stored information about processing functions, associated workflow events and milestones for the queues, mapping the data structures of the subsystem databases and the workflow management database to provide transparent interfacing and convenient manual entry of data were necessary, displaying for the user the workflow status of all transactions for which he or she is responsible, permitting menu driven initiation of required actions and automatically updating the database records for the universe of deals being managed by the system.

Claims

1-112. -112. (canceled)

113. A computerized method of workflow management for concurrently handling a plurality of complex multiple step projects, the method comprising the following steps, all under control of workflow management software:

creating in a database, a project setup record which uniquely characterizes each project;

recording workflow status information for the projects in a database;

providing access for a user to a computer generated workflow status display generated at least in part from the project setup information records and the workflow status information, which display permits access to workflow status for selected projects, provides prompts for the user as to work which is to be done with respect thereto, and permits the user to initiate actions; and

automatically updating the workflow status record in the database whenever there is a change in the status of a project resulting from action initiated by the user.

114. The method described in claim 113 further including the steps of:

automatically performing required tasks according to the information stored in the project setup record for the project; and

automatically updating the workflow status record in the database whenever there is a change in the status of a project resulting from automatic performance of required tasks.

115. The method described in claim 113, wherein the step of recording workflow status information includes the step of entering information in database fields which identify basic functions involved in executing the project, workflow queues associated with the basic functions and milestones associated with the workflow queues.

118. The method described in claim 113, further including the steps of:

receiving information required for execution of the projects electronically from a source external to the workflow management software;

electronically transmitting information for performance of data processing tasks to at least one module external to the workflow management software; and

electronically receiving data from the external module representing the result of the data processing tasks performed.

119. The method described in claim 118, wherein the information from the external source is in the form of database records, and further including the step of providing an interface which remaps the database structure of the information for compatibility with the workflow management software.

120. The method described in claim 113, further including the step of electronically disseminating reports and other data compilations concerning the execution of the project.

121. The method described in claim 113, in which the status information is displayed in terms of basic functions associated with management of the project, workflow queues associated with the basic functions and milestones associated with the workflow queues.

122. The method described in claim 113, further including the steps of:

prompting the user to review data at predetermined stages of the projects;

permitting the user to take action based on the review; and

changing the workflow status of the projects in accordance with the actions taken.

123. The method described in claim 122, further including the steps of:

requiring entry of supporting information by the user on a data entry screen before changing the workflow status of a project, for at least some actions taken by the user; and

storing the supporting information in a database record.

124. The method described in claim 113, wherein the workflow status display presents a list of projects, and wherein the method further includes the step of providing an actions list containing the actions available to the user as a pop-up selection screen on the active deals display which appears when a listed project is selected.

125. The method described in claim 113, further including the step of generating a selection screen having a plurality of active elements thereon from which a user may initiate tasks by selection of the active elements.

126. The method described in claim 113, wherein the step of creating the project setup record includes:

allowing a user to select pertinent information concerning a particular project from lists stored in at least one database record for entry in fields on a plurality of data entry screens;

automatically filling in data in additional fields based on a selection made for another field; and

allowing the user to create records for new information not contained in an existing database record by entering data in the fields of at least one data entry screen.

127. The method described in claim 126, wherein the step of creating the project setup record further includes permitting the user to edit existing database records by entering new information in the fields of at least one data entry screen.

128. The method described in claim 127, further including the step of allowing the user to make selections for at least some of the fields in a data entry screen from drop-down lists created from stored database records.

129. The method described in claim 128, further including the step of determining the content of at least one of the lists as a function of a data selection made for another field.

130. The method described in claim 129, further including the step of scrolling at least some of the lists on the basis of partial entries in text boxes for the lists.

131. The method described in claim 113, wherein the step of creating the project set up record includes the steps of:

allowing a user to access and enter data into the fields of a series of data input screens, each screen providing for entry of a particular type of data related to the project; and

storing the data entered by the user in the database in response to a save command.

132. The method described in claim 131, further including the step of permitting the user to access specific data entry screens by selecting tabs appearing on all of the screens in the series.

133. The method described in claim 113, wherein the step of creating the project setup record further includes the step of permitting the user to specify workflow path changes in accordance with predetermined contingencies.

134. The method described in claim 115, further including the steps of:

permitting the user to access a list of predefined data verification tests;

permitting a user to select at least one verification test from the list; and

permitting the user to specify a queue and milestone at which the selected verification test is to be performed.

135. The method described in claim 113, wherein the step of permitting verification test selection includes permitting concurrent selection of more than one item from the list.

116. (canceled)

117. (canceled)

136-152. -152. (canceled)

153. A workflow management system for handling a plurality of complex multiple step projects comprising:

an electronic workflow management database which stores project setup information, including organizational information concerning the projects, and the sequence of workflow required to execute the project;

a first data processing module which receives raw data required to execute the project from at least one outside source, and processes the raw data;

a workflow management software module;

a first interface which receives the processed raw data from the first data processing software module, and transmits the data electronically to the workflow management software module;

a computer display generated by the workflow management software module, which displays work flow status information concerning the projects, provides prompts to a user as to work which is to be done with respect thereto, and which includes at least one active element from which the user may initiate actions with respect to the work;

a second data processing software module which receives the processed raw data, and responds to commands from the workflow management software module to perform computations using the processed raw data;

a second interface; and

a third data processing software module which receives data through the second interface, and responds to commands from the workflow management software module to processes the received data.

154. The system described in claim 153, further including a data handling device responsive to data and commands from the workflow management software module, the data handling device being operative to electronically disseminate reports and other data compilations.

155. The system described in claim 153, wherein the processed raw data is in database form, and wherein the first interface maps the database structure of the processed raw data for compatibility with the second data processing software module.

156. The system described in claim 155, wherein the data produced by the second data processing software module is in database form, and wherein the second interface maps the database structure of the data provided the second data processing software module for compatibility with the third data processing software module.

157. The system described in claim 155, wherein the computer display is based at least in part on recorded setup information in the electronic database.

158. The system described in claim 153, wherein the workflow management software module is operative to update the workflow status database in response to actions initiated by users, and work completed.