METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING WORKFLOWS AND MANAGNG STAFF AND ENGAGEMENTS

• US 20120215578A1
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Reuters Global Resources Unlimited Company (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Swierz, N. Frank III, Denlinger, Todd, Koskay, Kenneth, Poirier, Greg, Baron, Jon, Vroom, Brian, Powell, Mark, Loughridge, Randall, Perreault, Stephen, Black, Stephanie
• Granted Patent: US 9,779,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance

Abstract

The present invention relates to software and a method of use for implementing workflows and managing engagements and staff. More particularly, the present invention relates to a software module tracking data of staff, engagements and workflows and a method of using such data in the management of staff and assignment of tasks. Information concerning employees is input into a database by the manager and the employees, and is tracked therein. The information concerning an employee includes an employee'"'"'s availability, ability and experience. Workflow/Task information is input into the database when either a client makes a request for service of the business, or a workflow/task internal to the business is needed to be performed. Task information includes the nature of the work and deadlines. Task information is compared to the employee information. A list is automatically generated naming the employees best suited to the mandate of the task. The manager then chooses a name from the top of the list and assigns the task to that employee.

Claims

1. A method for determining staffing decisions in providing professional services, the method comprising:

a. storing at a database a set of work related data, the set of work related data including skill data, availability data, and client data;

b. automatically tracking work related data, other than availability data, for a plurality of individuals;

c. based at least in part on work related data other than availability data, assigning a task to a set of individuals, the task associated with delivery of professional services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein work related data includes work schedule data, and the method further comprising automatically updating an individual'"'"'s work schedule data to reflect a task assigned in the assigning step.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein work related data includes time and billing data, and the method further comprising receiving an input related to entry of time and billing data and automatically updating the work related data to reflect the received input.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the task assigned is related to assigning an individual work or education.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the task assigning step is based at least in part on skill data associated with an individual.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the task assigning step is based at least in part on client data associated with an individual.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a. receiving a request for professional services;

b. based at least in part on the work related data, recommending a set of individuals from the plurality of individuals to satisfy the request for professional services.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

a. determining whether one or more of the recommended set of individuals is available to satisfy the request for accounting services.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising staffing a work function as a result of the recommending step with at least some of the recommended set of individuals.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the work related data includes one or more of a peer review component, availability, billing rate, experience, seniority, industry experience, worker qualifications, worker evaluations, skill development criteria, client history, distribution of workload, and location of work.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the peer review component includes evaluation data concerning one or more of quality of work, efficiency, expertise, experience, feedback, results, outside evaluations, and internal evaluations.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising assigning an individual a task related to continuing education based at least in part on the peer review component.

13. A computer-based system for determining staffing decisions in providing professional services, the system comprising:

a processor adapted to executed instructions;

a memory adapted to store instructions for execution by the processor;

a database for receiving and storing work related data, the work related data including skill data, availability data, and client data;

a practice workflow and management software application for processing a set of work related data when executed by the processor, and adapted to;

a. automatically track work related data, other than availability data, for a plurality of individuals;

b. based at least in part on work related data other than availability data, assign a task to a set of individuals, the task associated with delivery of professional services.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein work related data includes work schedule data, and the practice workflow and management software is further adapted to automatically update an individual'"'"'s work schedule data to reflect a task assigned.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein work related data includes time and billing data, and the practice workflow and management software is further adapted to receive an input related to entry of time and billing data and automatically update the work related data to reflect the received input.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the task assigned is related to assigning an individual work or education.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the task is assigned based at least in part on skill data associated with an individual.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the task is assigned based at least in part on client data associated with an individual.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the practice workflow and management software is further adapted to recommend a set of individuals from the plurality of individuals to satisfy a request for professional services, based at least in part on the work related data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the practice workflow and management software is further adapted to determine whether one or more of the recommended set of individuals is available to satisfy the request for accounting services.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the practice workflow and management software is further adapted to staff a work function based on the recommendation with at least some of the recommended set of individuals.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the work related data includes one or more of a peer review component, availability, billing rate, experience, seniority, industry experience, worker qualifications, worker evaluations, skill development criteria, client history, distribution of workload, and location of work.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the peer review component includes evaluation data concerning one or more of quality of work, efficiency, expertise, experience, feedback, results, outside evaluations, and internal evaluations.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the practice workflow and management software is further adapted to assign an individual a task related to continuing education based at least in part on the peer review component.