MANAGING TASKS OF WORKFLOWS STORED AS DATA OBJECTS IN A DATABASE

• US 20150120375A1
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, Carl Richard, Schluchter, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/512,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120375A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

Disclosed are examples of systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for maintaining workflows to manage tasks assigned to a user of a computing system. For example, first data indicating a user selection to perform a first action can be received via a computing device associated with the user. A first workflow can be identified from a plurality of unique candidate workflows based at least in part on the first action and on metadata associated with the first action. The plurality of unique candidate workflows can be stored as data objects in a database. Each candidate workflow can comprise a set of tasks assigned to the user. Each set of tasks can be related to performance of one or more aspects of business of an organization with which the user is affiliated. One or more tasks of the first workflow can be identified or generated based at least in part on the first action and on the first workflow. Second data indicating the one or more tasks can be provided to the computing device associated with the user. The second data can be processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of the one or more tasks on a display of the computing device.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

one or more computing devices comprising one or more processors operable to;

receive first data indicating a user selection to perform a first action, the first data received via a computing device associated with the user;

identify, based at least in part on the first action and on metadata associated with the first action, a first workflow from a plurality of unique candidate workflows stored as data objects in a database, each candidate workflow comprising a set of tasks assigned to the user, each set of tasks related to performance of one or more aspects of business of an organization with which the user is affiliated;

identify or generate, based at least in part on the first action and on the first workflow, one or more tasks of the first workflow; and

provide, to the computing device associated with the user, second data indicating the one or more tasks, the second data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of the one or more tasks on a display of the computing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the one or more processors being further operable to:

determine that an interruption of the first workflow has occurred; and

provide, responsive to determining that the interruption of the first workflow has occurred, third data indicating at least a portion of actions performed in association with the first workflow.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metadata associated with the first action identifies one or more of:

a timestamp, a device, a geographic location, a customer relationship management (CRM) object, a project, a group, a navigation action, a data object, or an identifiable pattern of user behavior.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the one or more processors being further operable to:

store a record of the first action in a first stack of records associated with the first workflow and maintained in the database, each record in the first stack identifying an action and being unique with respect to other records in the first stack, the records in the first stack being ordered chronologically; and

provide, to the computing device associated with the user, third data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of one or more stacks including the first stack on the display of the computing device, each displayed stack being user-selectable to cause display of one or more actions stored as records in the displayed stack.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the one or more processors being further operable to:

determine a first time measure indicating an amount of time having elapsed since an action was stored as a record in the first stack; and

remove, based, in part, on the first time measure being greater than or equal to the designated time threshold, the first stack from being displayed in the presentation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation of the one or more tasks on the display of the computing device comprises an interface for performing the one or more tasks.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the one or more processors being further operable to:

identify, based at least in part on the first action and on the metadata, one or more further workflows from the plurality of unique candidate workflows;

identify or generate, based on the first action and on the one or more further workflows, one or more further tasks to be completed by the user; and

provide, to the computing device associated with the user, third data indicating the one or more further tasks to be completed by the user, the third data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of the one or more further tasks on the display of the computing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the one or more processors being further operable to:

identify or generate, based on a pattern of user behavior, one or more predicted tasks to be performed by the user; and

provide, to the computing device associated with the user, third data indicating the one or more predicted tasks to be performed by the user, the third data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of the one or more predicted tasks on the display of the computing device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the one or more processors being further operable to:

identify, based at least in part on a set of actions associated with a type of workflow, one or more additional actions associated with completing a task or completing a workflow; and

provide, to the computing device associated with the user, third data indicating the one or more additional actions, the third data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a list of the one or more additional actions.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more additional actions are required to complete the task or the workflow.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of:

a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, a television set-top box, and a wearable device.

12. A computer-implemented method for maintaining workflows to manage tasks assigned to a user of a computing system, the method comprising:

receiving first data indicating a user selection to perform a first action, the first data received via a computing device associated with the user;

identifying, based at least in part on the first action and on metadata associated with the first action, a first workflow from a plurality of unique candidate workflows stored as data objects in a database, each candidate workflow comprising a set of tasks assigned to the user, each set of tasks related to performance of one or more aspects of business of an organization with which the user is affiliated;

identifying or generating, based at least in part on the first action and on the first workflow, one or more tasks of the first workflow; and

providing, to the computing device associated with the user, second data indicating the one or more tasks, the second data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of the one or more tasks on a display of the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that an interruption of the first workflow has occurred; and

providing, responsive to determining that the interruption of the first workflow has occurred, third data indicating at least a portion of actions performed in association with the first workflow.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the metadata associated with the first action identifies one or more of:

a timestamp, a device, a geographic location, a customer relationship management (CRM) object, a project, a group, a navigation action, a data object, or an identifiable pattern of user behavior.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a record of the first action in a first stack of records associated with the first workflow and maintained in the database, each record in the first stack identifying an action and being unique with respect to other records in the first stack, the records in the first stack being ordered chronologically; and

providing, to the computing device associated with the user, third data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of one or more stacks including the first stack on the display of the computing device, each displayed stack being user-selectable to cause display of one or more actions stored as records in the displayed stack.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a first time measure indicating an amount of time having elapsed since an action was stored as a record in the first stack; and

removing, based, in part, on the first time measure being greater than or equal to the designated time threshold, the first stack from being displayed in the presentation.

17. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code to be executed by one or more processors when retrieved from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code including instructions configured to cause:

identifying, based at least in part on a first action selected by a user and indicated by first data received via computing device associated with the user and on metadata associated with the first action, a first workflow from a plurality of unique candidate workflows stored as data objects in a database, each candidate workflow comprising a set of tasks assigned to a user, each set of tasks related to performance of one or more aspects of business of an organization with which the user is affiliated;

identifying or generating, based at least in part on the first action and on the first workflow, one or more tasks of the first workflow; and

providing, to the computing device associated with the user, second data indicating the one or more tasks, the second data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of the one or more tasks on a display of the computing device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

determining that an interruption of the first workflow has occurred; and

providing, responsive to determining that the interruption of the first workflow has occurred, third data indicating at least a portion of actions performed in association with the first workflow.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the metadata associated with the first action identifies one or more of:

a timestamp, a device, a geographic location, a customer relationship management (CRM) object, a project, a group, a navigation action, a data object, or an identifiable pattern of user behavior.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, the instructions further configured to cause:

storing a record of the first action in a first stack of records associated with the first workflow and maintained in the database, each record in the first stack identifying an action and being unique with respect to other records in the first stack, the records in the first stack being ordered chronologically; and

providing, to the computing device associated with the user, third data capable of being processed by a processor of the computing device to display a presentation of one or more stacks including the first stack on the display of the computing device, each displayed stack being user-selectable to cause display of one or more actions stored as records in the displayed stack.