System and method for processing and tracking telecommunications service orders

• US 6,937,993 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1998
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldfedder, Brandon, Hopson, Casey K., Troup, Dennis, Park, Robert E., Gabbita, Swathibabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Esquivel, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US09/154,476
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 705/28, 705/29, 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104, 707/200, 700/2
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A system and method for tracking and processing Service Orders for a telecommunications company. Workflows are used to model business procedures used for processing Service Orders. Each Workflow comprises a plurality of Workflow steps. Business process models are depicted as Workflow diagrams. The Workflow diagrams are stored in a library in a database. Work plans comprising a plurality of Workflow steps and associated data and are derived from information found in the Workflow diagrams. Upon receipt of a Service Order, an appropriate work plan is selected based on information within the Service Order. Each Workflow step is assigned a resource and is scheduled for completion with a start and a stop date and placed in the in-boxes associated with the selected resource. Users log-on to remote workstations coupled with a company-wide Intranet or the like. From the remote workstations, users from various organizations view their in-boxes and other information about current Service Orders. Such information includes detailed information about the Service Orders including, progress data, current, future and past Workflow step data, responsible groups, computer systems and organizations, whether schedules are maintained, and whether jeopardy points have been missed. If a Service Order is delayed, users can immediately determine information about the delay and take corrective action before it becomes critical. Workflow steps can be transferred and re-assigned using the remote workstations. Detailed statistical information is maintained for audit and reporting purposes. Reports reflecting the effectiveness of workforce management and work administration is obtained.

Claims

1. A method for managing the workflow for processing, scheduling, and tracking service orders for a telecommunications company, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a new service order;

selecting a first work plan from a database comprising a plurality of work plans, the work plan comprising a plurality of workflow steps, wherein the work plan is selected according to preprogrammed logic applied to information from the new service order;

scheduling each of the plurality of work flow steps;

assigning a resource to each of the plurality of work flow steps; and

placing each of the plurality of workflow steps in an in-box associated with the resource from said assigning step.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a current workflow step from the plurality of work flow steps; and

updating the in-box associated with the current workflow step to indicate that the workflow step is current.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of ascertaining when a current work flow step is complete and thereafter repeating said steps of determining and updating.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said scheduling step comprises the step of reading calendar information and event duration information from the database to schedule a planned start and stop time for the workflow step.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises the step of reading resource hierarchy information from the database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

logging-on to one of a plurality of remote workstations; and

viewing the contents of the in-box from said one of plurality of remote workstations.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

providing a database query for accessing selectable information pertaining to a the new service order.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information includes any workflow steps associated with the new service order according to the database query.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the information includes workflow steps that have not been completed.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the information includes workflow steps that have missed a jeopardy point.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the information includes resource information pertaining to a missed jeopardy point.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the information includes history and statistical information pertaining to a completed service order.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of responding to the new service order by indicating a status for one or more of the plurality of workflow steps.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of re-assigning one or more workflow steps to one or more other resources.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of viewing the contents of the inbox is implemented using a web browser-based user interface program.

16. A system for processing, scheduling, and tracking a service order for a telecommunications company, said system comprising:

a workflow management server;

a plurality of workstations coupled to said management server;

means for selecting a work plan from a database comprising a plurality of workflow steps, wherein the work plan is selected according to a preprogrammed logic applied to information from the new service order;

means for scheduling said work plan;

means for assigning a resource to each of said workflow steps in said work plan;

means for placing each of said workflow steps in an inbox associated with said assigned resource;

means for determining a current workflow step;

means for distinguishing the current workflow step from other workflow steps in the inbox associated with said current workflow step; and

means for responding to said workflow steps from one of said plurality of workstations.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said means for scheduling includes:

means for assigning a start and stop time form each of said plurality or workflow steps.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said means for responding includes:

viewing means for selectively viewing information pertaining to the service order.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said information includes workflow steps associated with the service order.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said information includes workflow steps that have not been completed.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said information includes workflow steps that have missed a jeopardy point.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said information includes resource information pertaining to a missed jeopardy point.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein said responding means includes:

means for inputting a status for said workflow steps, said status indicating whether one of said workflow steps has been completed.

24. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer program logic stored therein, said computer program logic for enabling a computer to manage the workflow for processing, scheduling, and tracking a service order for a telecommunications company, wherein said computer program logic comprises:

means for enabling the computer to select a work plan from a database comprising a plurality of work plans, the work plan comprising a plurality of workflow steps, wherein the work plan is selected according to preprogrammed logic applied to information from the service order;

means for enabling the computer to schedule each of the plurality of work flow steps;

means for enabling the computer to assign a resource to each of the plurality of work flow steps; and

means for enabling the computer to place each of the plurality of workflow steps in an in-box associated with the resource from said assigning step.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to determine a current workflow step from the plurality of work flow steps; and

means for enabling the computer to update the in-box associated with the current workflow step to indicate that the workflow step is current.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to ascertain when a current work flow step is complete.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said means for enabling the computer to schedule comprises means for enabling the computer to read calendar information and event duration information from the database.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said means for enabling the computer to assign comprises means for enabling the computer to read resource hierarchy information from the database.

29. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to accept from a user, a login request from one of a plurality of remote workstations; and

means for enabling the computer to display the contents of the in-box from said one of plurality of remote workstations.

30. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to accept from a user, a database query for accessing selectable information pertaining to the service order.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said information includes workflow steps associated with the service order, according to the database query.

32. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said information includes workflow steps that have not been completed.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said information includes workflow steps that have missed a jeopardy point.

34. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said information includes resource information pertaining to a missed jeopardy point.

35. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said information includes history and statistical information pertaining to a completed service order.

36. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to accept a response from a user the response indicating a status for one or more of the plurality of workflow steps.

37. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to accept from a user a command to re-assign one or more workflow steps to one or more other resources.