Method and apparatus for stopping output of a correspondence

• US 7,921,164 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Scharf, Thomas, Bohle, Holger, Buchwald, Simone
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US11/262,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 709203-247, 726 26- 33, 715/530
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Method and apparatus for stopping output of a correspondence are provided. A correspondence is created and it is determined whether an automatic flag is defined in the user settings for the correspondence and if the automatic flag is set. If it is determined that the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings, it is determined whether an automatic flag is defined in customizing for the correspondence. If the automatic flag is not set in the user settings or the automatic flag is not defined in the customizing, the correspondence is stored in a storage area and output is initiated. The correspondence is then rendered.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for stopping output of a correspondence, comprising:

creating, by a computer processor, a correspondence;

determining, by the computer processor, whether an automatic output flag indicating whether the created

correspondence is to be automatically output, is defined in user settings for the correspondence and, when defined, determining if the automatic output flag is set;

determining, by the computer processor, whether an automatic output flag indicating whether the created correspondence is to be automatically output, is defined in customizing for the correspondence, when it is determined that the automatic output flag is not defined in the user settings;

storing, by the computer processor, the created correspondence in a storage area when it is determined that the automatic output flag is not set in the user settings or when the automatic output flag is not defined in the customizing;

initiating, by the computer processor, output of the created correspondence when it is determined that the automatic output flag is not set in the user settings or when the automatic output flag is not defined in the customizing; and

rendering and outputting, by the computer processor, the created correspondence, wherein when the automatic output flag is set, the created correspondence is automatically rendered and output without storing and when the automatic output flag is not set or the automatic output flag is not defined in the customizing, a user is notified and the created correspondence is rendered and output from storage after allowing the user to make changes to the created correspondence in storage.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a correspondence is created by merging data into a template.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic output flag is defined in the customizing.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is automatically output if it is determined that the automatic output flag is set in the user settings.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of rendering comprises checking for errors during rendering, outputting the correspondence and checking for errors during output.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is stored in the storage area for a predetermined amount of time.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to user if the correspondence is stored in the storage area.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising a user interface to the storage area to enable a user to perform operations, including “

send,”

“

edit,”

“

delete,”

or “

preview.”

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising creating a record in a correspondence history.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user settings for the correspondence comprise personalization for a business process, recipient role, document template, training and recipient.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the customizing for the correspondence comprises customization for a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence can be globally customized based on a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium, if the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings or the customizing.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the output medium is facsimile, e-mail, or printer.

14. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying and storing a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a program storage device readable by the computer system, tangibly embodying and storing a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein a correspondence is created by merging data into a template.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic output flag is defined in the customizing.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic output flag is set in the user settings.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the step of rendering comprises checking for errors during rendering, outputting the correspondence and checking for errors during output.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the correspondence is stored in the storage area for a predetermined amount of time.

21. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising sending a notification to user if the correspondence is stored in the storage area.

22. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface to the storage area to enable a user to perform operations, including “

send,”

“

edit,”

“

delete,”

or “

preview.”

23. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising creating a record in a correspondence history.

24. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the user settings for the correspondence comprise personalization for a business process, recipient role, document template, training and recipient.

25. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the customizing for the correspondence comprises customization for a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium.

26. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the correspondence can be globally customized based on a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium, if the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings or the customizing.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the output medium is facsimile, e-mail, or printer.

28. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including computer executable code for stopping output of a correspondence, comprising:

code for creating a correspondence;

code for determining whether an automatic output flag indicating whether the created correspondence is to be automatically output, is defined in user settings for the correspondence and, when defined, determining if the automatic output flag is set;

code for determining whether an automatic output flag indicating whether the created correspondence is to be automatically output is defined in customizing for the correspondence, when it is determined that the automatic output flag is not defined in the user settings;

code for storing the created correspondence in a storage area when it is determined that the automatic output flag is not set in the user settings or when the automatic output flag is not defined in the customizing; and

code for initiating output of the created correspondence when it is determined that the automatic output flag is not set in the user settings or when the automatic output flag is not defined in the customizing; and

code for rendering and outputting the created correspondence, wherein when the automatic output flag is set, the created correspondence is automatically rendered and output without storing and when the automatic output flag is not set or the automatic output flag is not defined in the customizing, a user is notified and the created correspondence is rendered and output from storage after allowing the user to make changes to the created correspondence in storage.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein a correspondence is created by merging data into a template.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the correspondence is automatically output if it is determined that the automatic output flag is defined in the customizing.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the correspondence is output if it is determined that the automatic output flag is set in the user settings.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the step of rendering comprises checking for errors during rendering, outputting the correspondence and checking for errors during output.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the correspondence is stored in the storage area for a predetermined amount of time.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising sending a notification to user if the correspondence is stored in the storage area.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising a user interface to the storage area to enable a user to perform operations, including “

send,”

“

edit,”

“

delete,”

or “

preview.”

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising creating a record in a correspondence history.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the user settings for the correspondence comprise personalization for a business process, recipient role, document template, training and recipient.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the customizing for the correspondence comprises customization for a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the correspondence can be globally customized based on a business process, recipient role, document template, and output medium, if the automatic flag is not defined in the user settings or the customizing.

40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 39, wherein the output medium is facsimile, e-mail, or printer.