WORKFLOW APPLICATIONS
First Claim
1. A system for enabling workflow applications, comprising:
- a workflow envelope containing at least two different documents, both documents associated with a workflow process having multiple workflow process tasks;
a workflow metrics store that stores metrics relating to the workflow process;
a resource pool having a set of resources that can complete a workflow task;
a workflow simulation engine component that receives a request compute an optimized resource list, employs models and historical data stored in the workflow metrics store, and runs multiple scenarios to identify a subset of the set of resources from the resource pool that can complete an identified workflow process task from the multiple workflow process tasks of the workflow process; and
a workflow engine component that receives from an application a request for an optimized resource list to complete a workflow process task, requests the workflow simulation engine component to compute an optimized resource list and identify a subset of the set of resources from the resource pool that can complete the workflow process task, executes a workflow process task by employing the identified subset of the set of resources, and stores in the workflow metrics store metrics data about the executed workflow process task.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A facility is described for enabling workflow applications. The facility receives a request to identify an optimized resource list that identifies resources capable of performing a workflow process task. The workflow process task can be associated with a document type relating to a document associated with a workflow envelope. The workflow envelope can store multiple documents of at different document types. The facility includes a workflow engine and a simulation engine. The workflow engine performs workflow process tasks based on the tasks identified in the workflow envelope. The simulation engine can employ modeling and historical data from a workflow metrics data source to generate the optimized resource list and identify identifying resources matching the workflow process tasks identified in the workflow envelope.
61 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for enabling workflow applications, comprising:
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a workflow envelope containing at least two different documents, both documents associated with a workflow process having multiple workflow process tasks;
a workflow metrics store that stores metrics relating to the workflow process;
a resource pool having a set of resources that can complete a workflow task;
a workflow simulation engine component that receives a request compute an optimized resource list, employs models and historical data stored in the workflow metrics store, and runs multiple scenarios to identify a subset of the set of resources from the resource pool that can complete an identified workflow process task from the multiple workflow process tasks of the workflow process; and
a workflow engine component that receives from an application a request for an optimized resource list to complete a workflow process task, requests the workflow simulation engine component to compute an optimized resource list and identify a subset of the set of resources from the resource pool that can complete the workflow process task, executes a workflow process task by employing the identified subset of the set of resources, and stores in the workflow metrics store metrics data about the executed workflow process task. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for enabling workflow applications, comprising:
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identifying a workflow envelope, the workflow envelope specifying a set of workflow process tasks relating to at least documents of different document types;
receiving from a client application a request for an optimized resource list, the optimized resource list specifying a list of resources from a resource pool capable of performing a workflow process task specified in the identified workflow envelope;
providing an indication of the received request to a simulation engine so that the simulation engine can generate the optimal resource list based on models and historical data stored in a workflow metrics storage and provide the generated list to the client application; and
employing a resource from the optimal resource list to perform the workflow process task specified in the identified workflow envelope. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer system to perform a method for enabling workflow applications, the method comprising:
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receiving from a workflow engine a request to identify an optimized resource list, the optimized resource list for identifying resources capable of performing a workflow process task, the workflow process task associated with a document type relating to a document associated with a workflow envelope, the workflow envelope for storing multiple documents of at least two different document types;
employing modeling and historical data from a workflow metrics data source to generate the optimized resource list, the workflow metrics associating measured performance of resources during completion of prior workflow process tasks;
identifying resources matching the request from the workflow engine by running multiple scenarios; and
providing an optimized resource list. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium storing computer-interpretable information that, when interpreted, cause a computer system to display a unified workflow development and deployment tool, the information comprising:
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a workflow interaction canvas having workflow interaction user interface elements that, when selected, cause a workflow engine to complete a workflow process task;
a metadata interaction canvas having data fields and webparts that display information from a datastore and, upon receiving information from a user, store the received information in the datastore;
an image viewer canvas that provides a digitized display of a paper document, the document representing a paper document containing information displayed or entered in the data fields of the metadata interaction canvas; and
a business information developer toolbox containing a tool that can be dragged and dropped onto the metadata interaction canvas or the workflow interaction canvas so that when the unified workflow development and deployment tool enters a runtime mode, the tool from the business information developer toolbox enables display of data, entry of data, or sequencing of workflow.
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Specification