Project and role based workflow systems and methods

• US 6,539,404 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solectron Corporation (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Norman Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US09/416,900
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 707/500, 707/511, 705/7-9, 709/203-207, 709/209, 709/217-219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/238
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention relates to project and role based workflow systems and methods used in conjunction with e-mail systems and/or the World Wide Web. Project identifiers, the roles of the users in an organization, and/or the organizational structure itself, define the route of the workflow in one or more relational database tables. In an embodiment, rather than creating a different route for each workflow, the route may use role to map the workflow to the e-mail addresses of the people who are to execute the workflow. The role may be specified or may be determined based on other information such as an organization chart. A mapping table can also identify alternate or backup personnel where the role table specifies a list of e-mail addresses with a selection rule.

Claims

1. A workflow systems for processing a document, wherein the workflow system is connected to a system for sending an e-mail, comprising:

a form route manager adapted to receive an e-mail containing a document and a step field, and access a route, a step-by-step sequence with corresponding roles, and a role to e-mail address table, comprising a sequencer adapted to as follows;

compare the step field with the route,

define the next role based on the compare;

define the next e-mail address based on the next role and the role to e-mail address table,

update the e-mail address to the next e-mail address, and

update the step field to the next step; and

an out-box adapted to send the e-mail to the next e-mail address.

2. The workflow system of claim 1, wherein each row in the role to e-mail address table includes a project identifier and the e-mail contains a project field with a project identifier, wherein the sequencer is further adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier contained in the project field.

3. The workflow system of claim 1, wherein the role to e-mail address table includes organization position and an organization position to e-mail address map, wherein the sequencer is further adapted to define the next organization position from the next role and the organization position, and define the next e-mail address based on the next organization position and the organization position to e-mail address map.

4. A workflow system for processing a document, wherein the workflow system is connected to a system for sending an e-mail comprising:

a form route manager, defining a route, a step-by-step sequence of roles, a role to e-mail address table, mapping the next role in the route to a next e-mail address using the role to e-mail table, and sending the e-mail to the next e-mail address.

5. The workflow system of claim 4, wherein each row in the role to e-mail address table includes a project identifier and the e-mail contains a project field with a project identifier, wherein the form route manager is further adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier contained in the project field.

6. The workflow system of claim 4, wherein the role to e-mail address table relates to organization position and an organization position to e-mail address map, wherein the next organization position is defined from the next role and organization position and the next e-mail address is defined from the next organization position and the organization position to e-mail address map.

7. A workflow system providing sequential access to a document in a computer network following a route, defining a sequence of roles, and a role to e-mail address table, comprising:

a workflow manager, connected to the computer network, and adapted to as follows;

determine the step in the route,

determine the next role for the step,

determine the next e-mail address from the next role using the role to e-mail address table; and

pass access to the document to the next e-mail address.

8. The workflow system of claim 7, wherein each row in the role to e-mail address table includes a project identifier and the e-mail contains a project field with a project identifier, wherein the form route manager is further adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier contained in the project field.

9. The workflow system of claim 7, wherein the role to e-mail address table includes organization position and an organization position to e-mail address map, wherein the next organization position is defined from the next role and the organization position, and the next e-mail address is defined from the next organization position and the organization position to e-mail address map.

10. A workflow system for processing a document, wherein the workflow system is connected to the Web and to a system for sending an e-mail with a first URL, comprising:

a form route manager providing a Web page with the first URL, wherein the Web page includes the document and a step field, wherein the form route manager is adapted to access a route, a sequence of roles, and a role to e-mail address table, and includes a sequencer adapted to as follows;

compare the step field with the route,

define the next role based on the compare,

define the next e-mail address using the next role and the role to e-mail address table,

update the e-mail address to the next e-mail address, and

update the step field to the next step; and

an out-box adapted to send the e-mail to the next e-mail address.

11. The workflow system of claim 10, wherein each row of the role to e-mail address table includes a project identifier and the e-mail has a project field containing a project identifier, wherein the sequencer is further adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier contained in the project field.

12. The workflow system of claim 10, wherein the role to e-mail address table includes organization position and an organization position to e-mail address map, wherein the sequencer is further adapted to define the next organization position from the next role and organization position, and define the next e-mail address based on the next organization position and the organization position to e-mail address table.

13. A workflow system for processing a document, wherein the workflow system connects to the Web and to a system for sending an e-mail, comprising:

a form route manager for accessing a Web page containing the document, defining a route, a step-by-step sequence of roles, defining a role to e-mail address table, mapping the next role in the route to a next e-mail address, and sending the e-mail to the next e-mail address in the route.

14. The workflow system of claim 13, wherein each row of the role to e-mail address table includes a project identifier, and the web page has a project field containing a project identifier, wherein the form route manager is further adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier contained in the project field.

15. The workflow system of claim 13, wherein the role to e-mail address table includes organization position and an organization position to e-mail address map, wherein the next organization position is defined from the next role and organization position, and the next e-mail address is defined from the next organization and the organization position to e-mail address map.

16. A workflow system for processing a document, wherein the workflow system is connected to the Web and to a system for sending Web data, comprising a form route manager, connected to the Web, providing access to a Web page containing the document, defining a route, a step-by-step sequence of roles, defining a role to Web address table, mapping a role to Web address, sending the Web data to a Web address in the route, and sending the Web data to the next Web address in the route.

17. The workflow system of claim 16, wherein each row of the role to web address table includes a project identifier, and the Web data includes a project field containing a project identifier wherein the form route manager is adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier in the project field.

18. The workflow system of claim 16, wherein the role to web address table includes organization position and an organization position to web address map, wherein the next organization position is defined from the next role and organization position, and the next web address is defined from the next organization position and the organization position to web address map.

19. A workflow system for processing a document, wherein the workflow system is connected to the Web and to a system for sending Web data, comprising:

a form route manager, providing a Web page, wherein the Web page includes the document and a step field, wherein the form route manager is adapted to access a route, a sequence of roles, and a role to Web address table, and includes a sequencer adapted to;

compare the step field with the route,

define the next role based on the compare,

define the next Web address based on the role to Web address table,

update the Web address to the next Web address, and

update the step field to the next step; and

wherein the form route manager is adapted to send the Web data to the next Web address.

20. The workflow system of claim 19, wherein each row of the role to web address table includes a project identifier and the Web page contains a project field with a project identifier where the sequencer is further adapted to compare the project identifier of each row with the project identifier contained in the project field.

21. The workflow system of claim 19, wherein the role to web address table includes organization position and an organization position to web address map, where the sequencer is further adapted to define the next organization position from the next role and organization position, and define the next web address based on the next role and the organization position to web address map.