Methods and systems to perform individual tasks as a composite task

• US 8,302,096 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Sadiq, Wasim, Schulz, Karsten A
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, JENNIFER N
• Application Number:
  US11/019,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20060107265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,870 Days
• Field of Search: 718/102, 718/106, 705/8, 715/763, 715/772
• US Class Current: 718/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method and system to manage tasks are described. The method may comprise providing a graphical user interface to a user, receiving user input via the graphical user interface to identify a composite task and at least two individual tasks, and associating the at least two individual tasks with the composite or virtual task. An operation performed on the composite task may be automatically performed on the individual tasks.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of tasks using a computer, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface to a user;

receiving user input via the graphical user interface to identify a composite task and at least two individual tasks, each individual task being a conceptual abstraction of work to be done to achieve a defined goal and the composite task being a virtual task associating the at least two individual tasks;

associating the at least two individual tasks with the composite task;

monitoring an operation performed on the composite task, the operation being marking the composite task complete; and

automatically performing the operation on the at least two individual tasks associated with the composite task in a single batch when the operation is executed by the user on the composite task, the operation performed on the at least two individual tasks by marking the at least two individual tasks complete.

2. The method of claim 1, which comprises automatically associating the at least two individual tasks based on composite task criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

receiving user input via the graphical user interface to identify at least one further composite task and associating the further composite task with at least one of an individual tasks and a composite task; and

automatically performing an operation on the at least one individual tasks and at least one composite task when the operation is executed on the further composite task.

4. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

providing a workflow display area identifying the composite task;

allowing a user to drag and drop a plurality of individual tasks and at least one composite task into the workflow display area; and

defining a new composite task that includes the plurality of individual tasks and at least one composite task.

5. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

monitoring a completion indication of the composite task from the user; and

automatically marking as complete all individual tasks in response to receiving the completion indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

monitoring an approval indication of a composite task; and

selectively approving the individual tasks associated with the composite task in response to the approval indication.

7. The method of claim 1, which comprises:

monitoring selection of the composite task by the user;

providing a graphical user interface to allow a user to select operations to be performed on each individual task associated with the composite task; and

automatically performing the operations on the individual tasks associated with the composite task.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations of managing a plurality of tasks using a computer, the operations comprising:

providing a graphical user interface to a user;

receiving user input via the graphical user interface to identify a composite task and at least two individual tasks, each individual task being a conceptual abstraction of work to be done to achieve a defined goal and the composite task being a virtual task associating the at least two individual tasks;

associating the at least two individual tasks with the composite task;

monitoring an operation performed on the composite task, the operation being marking the composite task complete; and

automatically performing the operation on the at least two individual tasks associated with the composite task in a single batch when the operation is executed by the user on the composite task, the operation performed on the at least two individual tasks by marking the at least two individual tasks complete.

9. A system to facilitate management of a plurality tasks, the system comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors in communication with the memory to implement;

an interface module to;

provide a graphical user interface to a user;

receive user input via the graphical user interface to identify a composite task and at least two individual tasks, each individual task being a conceptual abstraction of work to be done to achieve a defined goal and the composite task being a virtual task associating the at least two individual tasks; and

a processing module to;

associate the at least two individual tasks with the composite task;

monitor an operation performed on the composite task, the operation being marking the composite task complete; and

automatically perform the operation on the at least two individual tasks associated with the composite task in a single batch when the operation is executed by the user on the composite task, the operation performed on the at least two individual tasks by marking the at least two individual tasks complete.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two individual tasks are automatically associated based on composite task criteria.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

user input is received via the graphical user interface to identify at least one further composite task and the further composite task is associated with at least one of an individual tasks and a composite task; and

an operation is automatically performed on the at least one individual tasks and at least one composite task when the operation is executed on the further composite task.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein:

a workflow display area is provided to identify the composite task;

a user is allowed to drag and drop a plurality of individual tasks and at least one composite task into the workflow display area; and

a new composite task is defined that includes the plurality of individual tasks and at least one composite task.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein:

a completion indication of the composite task from the user is monitored; and

all individual tasks are automatically marked as completed in response to receiving the completion indicator.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein:

an approval indication of a composite task is monitored; and

the individual tasks associated with the composite task are selectively approved in response to the approval indication.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein:

selection of the composite task by the user is monitored;

a graphical user interface is provided to allow a user to select operations to be performed on each individual task associated with the composite task; and

the operations on the individual tasks associated with the composite task are automatically performed.