Systems and methods for rule inheritance
DCFirst Claim
1. A method comprising:
- defining a hierarchical organizational structure of positions within an organization;
associating one of a plurality of roles with each of the positions;
defining one or more business processes;
a first position within the hierarchical organizational structure associating one or more access/approval rules with a first one of the business processes, wherein the access/approval rules are applicable to a first subset of the roles;
automatically associating the one or more access/approval rules with the first one of the business processes for all positions that are subordinate to the first position within the hierarchical organizational structure and that are associated with the first subset of roles; and
enabling access by positions associated with the first subset of roles to the first one of the business processes according to the access/approval rules.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for automating and increasing the efficiency of business processes using inheritance of access/approval rules within an organization based upon the relationship of positions within the organization and the roles associated with the positions. In one embodiment, a role structure is used in conjunction with a hierarchical organization structure to allow access/approval rules to be inherited by some of the positions from other positions based upon the relationship of positions within the organization and the roles associated with the positions. Access/approval rules can be applied across equivalent or similar positions, yet differentiated between distinct portions of the organization and the distinct roles associated with the positions. Consequently, particular access/approval rules are not necessarily inherited by all of the positions subordinate to a particular position with which the rule originates, and are not necessarily inherited by all of the positions that are associated with a particular role.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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defining a hierarchical organizational structure of positions within an organization; associating one of a plurality of roles with each of the positions; defining one or more business processes; a first position within the hierarchical organizational structure associating one or more access/approval rules with a first one of the business processes, wherein the access/approval rules are applicable to a first subset of the roles; automatically associating the one or more access/approval rules with the first one of the business processes for all positions that are subordinate to the first position within the hierarchical organizational structure and that are associated with the first subset of roles; and enabling access by positions associated with the first subset of roles to the first one of the business processes according to the access/approval rules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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Software encoded on a computer-readable medium and executable by a computer system to perform the method including defining a hierarchical organizational structure of positions within an organization; associating one of a plurality of roles with each of the positions; defining one or more business processes; a first position within the hierarchical organizational structure associating one or more access/approval rules with a first one of the business processes, wherein the access/approval rules are applicable to a first subset of the roles; and automatically associating the one or more access/approval rules with the first one of the business processes for all positions that are subordinate to the first position within the hierarchical organizational structure and that are associated with the first subset of roles. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification