Review mechanism for controlling the delegation of tasks in a workflow system

• US 7,831,978 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schaad, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; Chat C
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Jennifer N
• Application Number:
  US11/016,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 718/1, 718/100, 718/101, 718/102, 718/103, 718/104, 718/105, 718/106, 718/107, 718/108, 715/208, 715/234, 705 8- 9
• US Class Current: 718/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

A method for creating a review task includes receiving task data, the task data including information on a main task to be performed. Delegation data is received, the delegation data including information identifying a first delegator of the main task and a first delegatee to perform the main task. A review task is created, with the review task having as its object at least aspects of the main task. The review task is assigned to the first delegator of the main task, and review task data is stored based on the completed main task.

Claims

1. A computerized method for creating a review task, the method comprising:

receiving task data, the task data including information regarding a main task to be performed;

receiving delegation data, the delegation data including information identifying a first delegator of the main task and a first delegatee to perform the main task;

creating a review task, with the review task having as its object at least aspects of the main task;

assigning the review task to the first delegator of the main task;

receiving subsequent delegation data from the first delegator, the subsequent delegation data including information identifying the first delegatee as a subsequent delegator of the main task and a subsequent delegatee to perform the main task;

creating a subsequent review task having at least aspects of the main task as an object to be reviewed;

assigning the subsequent review task to the subsequent delegator of the main task; and

storing review tasks data based on the main task when completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the delegation data is received from a user input device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the delegation data is received from a delegation module.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating evidence indicating that the main task has been completed, the evidence being associated with the review task and being stored as part of the review task data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the subsequent delegation data to a set of rules, thereby to determine whether the subsequent delegation is allowable.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the set of rules limits a number of subsequent delegations.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the set of rules disqualify the first delegator or subsequent delegators from being subsequent delegatees.

8. A machine readable storage medium comprising instructions, which executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method for creating a review task, the method comprising:

receiving task data, the task data including information regarding a main task to be performed;

receiving delegation data, the delegation data including information identifying a first delegator of the main task and a first delegatee to perform the main task;

creating a review task, with the review task having as its object at least aspects of the main task;

assigning the review task to the first delegator of the main task;

receiving subsequent delegation data from the first delegator, the subsequent delegation data including information identifying the first delegatee as a subsequent delegator of the main task and a subsequent delegatee to perform the main task;

creating a subsequent review task having at least aspects of the main task as an object to be reviewed;

assigning the subsequent review task to the subsequent delegator of the main task; and

storing review tasks data based on the main task when completed.

9. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises creating evidence indicating that the main task has been completed, the evidence being associated with the review task and stored as part of the review data.

10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises comparing the subsequent delegation data to a set of rules, thereby to determine whether the subsequent delegation is allowable.

11. A computer system for creating a review task, the computer system comprising:

a task management application, wherein the task management application comprises;

user interface to receive task data including information on a main task to be performed, and to receive a delegation data including information identifying a first delegator of the main task and a first delegatee to perform the main task;

a review module to create a review task with having as its object at least aspects of the main task, to assign the review task to the first delegator of the main task, to receive subsequent delegation data from the first delegator, the subsequent delegation data including information identifying the first delegatee as a subsequent delegator of the main task and a subsequent delegatee to perform the main task, to create a subsequent review task having at least aspects of the main task as an object to be reviewed, and to assign the subsequent review task to the subsequent delegator of the main task; and

a database to store the main task data, delegation data and review tasks data.

12. The computer system of claim 11 further comprising:

a program interface to link at least the user interface, review module, and database to a second application or system.

13. The computer system of claim 11 further including a task creation module to create a main task based on the received task data.

14. A computer system for creating a review task, the computer system comprising:

means for receiving task data, the task data including information regarding a main task to be performed;

means for receiving delegation data, the delegation data including information identifying a first delegator of the main task and a first delegatee to perform the main task;

means for creating a review task, with the review task having as its object at least aspects of the main task;

means for assigning the review task to the first delegator of the main task;

means for receiving subsequent delegation data from the first delegator, the subsequent delegation data including information identifying the first delegatee as a subsequent delegator of the main task and a subsequent delegatee to perform the main task;

means for creating a subsequent review task having at least aspects of the main task as an object to be reviewed;

means for assigning the subsequent review task to the subsequent delegator of the main task; and

means for storing review tasks data based on the main task when completed.

15. The computer system of claim 14 further including means for creating the main task based on the received data.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the means for receiving task data is a user interface.

17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the means for receiving delegation data is a user interface or a task delegation module.

18. The computer system of claim 14 wherein all means for creating a review task, means for assigning the review task, means for receiving subsequent delegation data, means for creating a subsequent review task, and means for assigning the subsequent review task is a review module.

19. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the means for storing review tasks data is a database.

20. The computer system of claim 15 wherein the means for creating the main task is a task creation module.