Business process extensions to enable alerts and reports within the context of groupware

• US 7,890,962 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAG AG
• Inventors: Nayar, Narayan, Vogler-Ivashchanka, Iryna, Moore, Dennis Brian, Samson, Frederic E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, QING YUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/409,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 719/320
• US Class Current: 719/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A backend enterprise server includes an application that sends metadata to a groupware client. The metadata enables an enterprise user to modify a function of the backend application from within the context of the groupware client. The groupware client sends metadata describing the modification back to the backend application where the modification is applied.

Claims

1. A method for modifying a business process, comprising:

sending definition metadata from a backend application of a backend enterprise server to a groupware client to enable one or more conditions associated with a business process rule of the backend application to be defined from within a context of the groupware client,

the groupware client being a collaborative application of an office suite of applications having an associated groupware server that provides services to associated collaborative applications,

wherein the backend application of the backend enterprise server interacts directly with the groupware client via an enterprise groupware interface, bypassing the groupware server, to allow access to the groupware client to enterprise data associated with execution of a workflow from within the context of the groupware client;

receiving response metadata from the groupware client, wherein the response metadata indicates the defined one or more conditions associated with the business process rule; and

applying the defined conditions for the business process rule to the backend application of the backend enterprise server, including

triggering the business process rule in the backend application when one or more of the defined conditions are met; and

sending workflow object creation metadata to the groupware client to create a workflow object from within the context of the groupware client in response to the triggered business process rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the workflow object creation metadata to create a workflow object further comprises:

sending selection metadata that enables an action to be selected for the workflow object.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending the workflow object creation metadata to the groupware client to generate a workflow task from within the context of the groupware client in response to selecting the action.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving additional response metadata from the groupware client to apply the workflow task to a workflow of the backend application.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically assigning the workflow task to an enterprise user.

6. An article of manufacturing comprising a machine readable storage medium having content stored thereon to provide instructions to cause a machine to perform operations, including:

sending definition metadata from a backend application of a backend enterprise server to a groupware client to enable one or more conditions associated with a business process rule of the backend application to be defined from within a context of the groupware client,

the groupware client being a collaborative application of an office suite of applications having an associated groupware server that provides services to associated collaborative applications,

wherein the backend application of the backend enterprise server interacts directly with the groupware client via an enterprise groupware interface, bypassing the groupware server, to allow access to the groupware client to enterprise data associated with execution of a workflow from within the context of the groupware client;

receiving response metadata from the groupware client, wherein the response metadata indicates the defined one or more conditions associated with the business process rule; and

applying the defined conditions for the business process rule to the backend application of the backend enterprise server, including

triggering the business process rule in the backend application when one or more of the defined conditions are met; and

sending workflow object creation metadata to the groupware client to create a workflow object from within the context of the groupware client in response to the triggered business process rule.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein sending the metadata to create a workflow object further comprises:

sending selection metadata that enables an action to be selected for the workflow object.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, further comprising:

sending the workflow object creation metadata to the groupware client to generate a workflow task from within the context of the groupware client in response to selecting the action.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, further comprising receiving additional response metadata from the groupware client to apply the workflow task to a workflow of the backend application.