Electronic document approval system
First Claim
1. An approval system for controlling the processing of a user originated document requiring signature by electronic approval by system selected users, in an electronic mailing system including terminals attached to a digital network, virtual machines (VM) including computer means, memory and software facilities assigned to individual users, each user being assigned at least one job or function within the population of system attached users, and means for generating processing and monitoring electronic documents to be mailed from any terminal to any user, said approval system comprising:
- means for storing and updating function tables wherein each system user'"'"'s function and address are identified;
means for storing document forms;
means for storing predefined approval rules, said predefined approval rules being based upon user function and the meaning of fields within said document forms;
terminal controllable means for selecting, accessing and filling-in a selected document form, thereby creating a filled-in form, said filled-in form requiring approval;
means for mailing and processing said filled-in form;
means sensitive to said mailing for accessing said function tables and said predefined approval rules and thereby generating an approval tablemeans for determining an approval path based upon said approval table; and
means sensitive to said approval path determination for monitoring the mailing and processing of said filled-in form.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a system including electronic mail facilities made available to attached users, means are provided to enable user using any terminal connected to the system network to select a form among prestored document forms, fill said form in and then have said form mailed for approval by system users selected based on predefined and stored rules. The approval path is being permanently updated by the system. The system is made to filter access to the filled-in forms using prestored tables, and monitor the mailing and processing said filled-in forms for approval.
181 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An approval system for controlling the processing of a user originated document requiring signature by electronic approval by system selected users, in an electronic mailing system including terminals attached to a digital network, virtual machines (VM) including computer means, memory and software facilities assigned to individual users, each user being assigned at least one job or function within the population of system attached users, and means for generating processing and monitoring electronic documents to be mailed from any terminal to any user, said approval system comprising:
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means for storing and updating function tables wherein each system user'"'"'s function and address are identified; means for storing document forms; means for storing predefined approval rules, said predefined approval rules being based upon user function and the meaning of fields within said document forms; terminal controllable means for selecting, accessing and filling-in a selected document form, thereby creating a filled-in form, said filled-in form requiring approval; means for mailing and processing said filled-in form; means sensitive to said mailing for accessing said function tables and said predefined approval rules and thereby generating an approval table means for determining an approval path based upon said approval table; and means sensitive to said approval path determination for monitoring the mailing and processing of said filled-in form. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification