System and method for providing access privileges for users in a performance evaluation system

• US 6,901,426 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1998
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E-Talk Corporation
• Inventors: Phillips, Clifford R., Powers, Michael C., Sudberry, Douglas A., Eiler, James A., Bennett, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Application Number:
  US09/110,109
• Time in Patent Office: 2,526 Days
• Field of Search: 705/11, 705/7, 707/9, 707/10, 709/203, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Access privileges for a user are provided in a performance evaluation system by storing an organizational structure for an enterprise, a view and a class of services for the user. The organizational structure includes a plurality of levels and a plurality of members assigned to the levels. The view specifies the levels and the members of the organizational structure to which the user is allowed access. The class of services specify services of the performance evaluation system that the user is allowed to perform. The user has access privileges to perform services within the class of services for levels and members within the view.

Claims

1. A method for providing access privileges for a user in a performance evaluation system, comprising:

storing an organizational structure for an enterprise, the organizational structure including a plurality of levels and a plurality of members assigned to the levels;

storing a view for the user, the view specifying the levels and the members of the organizational structure to which the user is allowed access;

storing a class of services for the user, the class of services specifying services of the performance evaluation system that the user is allowed to perform;

determining whether the view for the user specifies a requested level or member;

determining whether the class of services for the user specifies a requested service; and

providing the user with access privileges to perform the requested service for the requested level or member when the class of services for the user specifies the requested service and the view for the user specifies the requested level or member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the view is stored in a database table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the user with a plurality of levels; and

selecting associated levels for the view.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an assignment of the user to a level in the organizational structure; and

wherein the view is based on the assignment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the assignment is stored in a database table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the class of services are stored in a database table.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is assigned a template that provides a predefined class of services.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the organizational structure comprises:

storing a plurality of user-defined levels;

storing a user-defined hierarchy for the levels; and

storing a plurality of user-defined members each assigned to a level.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling an association between the user and a first level or member;

disabling an association between the user and a second level or member;

including the first level or member in the view for the user; and

excluding the second level or member from the view for the user.

9. A system for providing access privileges for a user in a performance evaluation system, comprising:

an organizational structure for an enterprise, the organizational structure including a plurality of levels and a plurality of members assigned to the levels;

a first database table operable to store a view for the user, the view specifying the levels and the members of the organizational structure to which the user is allowed access;

a second database table operable to store a class of services associated with the user, the class of services specifying services of the performance evaluation system that the user is allowed to perform; and

the performance evaluation system operable to determine whether the view for the user specifies a requested level or member, to determine whether the class of services for the user specifies a requested service, and to provide the user with access privileges to perform the requested service for the requested level or member when the class of services for the user specifies the requested service and the view for the user specifies the requested level or member.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first database table is operable to associate the user with a plurality of levels and the view comprises associated levels that are selected in the first database table.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a third database table operable to store an assignment of a template to the user, the template providing a predefined class of services.

12. The system of claim 9, the organizational structure further comprising:

a third database table operable to store the user-defined levels;

a fourth database table operable to store the user-defined hierarchy for the levels; and

a fifth database table operable to store the user-defined members.

18. The system of claim 9, the performance evaluation system further operable to enable an association between the user and a first level or member, to disable an association between the user and a second level or member, to include the first level or member in the view for the user, and to exclude the second level or member from the view for the user.

13. A performance evaluation system, comprising:

a server including a database;

an organizational structure for an enterprise stored in the database, the organizational structure including a plurality of levels and a plurality of members assigned to the levels;

a first table in the database operable to store a view for the user, the view specifying the levels and the members of the organizational structure to which the user is allowed access;

a second table in the database operable to store a class of services associated with the user, the class of services specifying services of the performance evaluation system that the user is allowed to perform; and

the performance evaluation system operable to determine whether the view for the user specifies a requested level or member, to determine whether the class of services for the user specifies a requested service, and to provide the user with access privileges to perform the requested service for the requested level or member when the class of services for the user specifies the requested service and the view for the user specifies the requested level or member.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first database table is operable to associate the user with a plurality of levels and the view comprises associated levels that are selected in the first database table.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a third table in the database operable to store an assignment of a template to the user, the template providing a predefined class of services.

16. The system of claim 13, the organizational structure further comprising:

a third table in the database operable to store the user-defined levels;

a fourth table in the database operable to store the user-defined hierarchy for the levels; and

a fifth table in the database operable to store the user-defined members.

19. The system of claim 13, the performance evaluation system further operable to enable an association between the user and a first level or member, to disable an association between the user and a second level or member, to include the first level or member in the view for the user, and to exclude the second level or member from the view for the user.