Delegation of data entry tasks

• US 8,984,418 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Adachi, Hisatoshi, Noguchi, Masato, Wakao, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): SHIAU, SHEN C
• Application Number:
  US11/970,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,626 Days
• Field of Search: 715/751, 715/780, 715/975
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

To avoid the need for off-line collaboration, a primary user who is attempting to enter data required for computer-based process may, as part of the data entry process, delegate data entry tasks for specific input fields to designated delegate users who are more likely to be knowledgeable about the data to be entered. Data entry operations performed by the primary user are recorded and used to build a transaction model which will enable a server to provide required data input screens to delegate users. Data entered by the delegate users is merged with data entered by the primary user to meet the requirements of the computer-based process.

Claims

1. A method for performing a computer-based process comprising:

receiving one or more data inputs required by the computer-based process from a primary user, each of said data inputs being provided as a data entry into an input field on a data input display screen made available to the primary user;

receiving, from the primary user, designations of one or more delegate user to whom responsibility of providing data inputs for particular input fields is delegated by the primary user;

requesting data input from each delegate user to whom the responsibility of providing data input for a particular input field has been delegated by the primary user;

receiving data input from at least one delegate user;

executing the computer-based process using data inputs received from the primary user and one or more of the designated delegate users.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving, from the primary user, at least one designation of a delegate user to whom responsibility of providing a data input for a particular input field is delegated by the primary user further comprises receiving an identifier for each input field for which a delegate user is designated to provide a data input.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein requesting data input from each delegate user to whom the responsibility of providing data input for a particular input field has been delegated by the primary user further comprises:

generating a workflow process that comprises one or more delegate user data input tasks, each said delegate user data input task being based on a designation of a delegate user by the primary user; and

performing the generated workflow process.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein requesting data input from each delegate user to whom the responsibility of providing data input for a particular input field has been delegated by the primary user further comprises causing a data input display screen to be generated for use by the delegate user, said data input display screen including at least one input field to be completed by the delegate user.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

presenting an on-screen list of potential delegate users to whom the primary user may delegate the task of providing data inputs; and

receiving the primary user'"'"'s designation of a delegate user as a selection of one of the delegate users included in the on-screen list.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

creating a record of data entry operations performed by the primary user, said record including designations of delegate users by the primary user; and

using the created record to generate said workflow process.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising receiving a tentative value from the primary user for one or more of the input fields for which data input responsibility has been delegated to a delegate user.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising replacing a tentative value received from the primary user with a data input received from a delegate user provided the tentative value and the data input received from the delegate user are for the same input field.

9. A non-transitory computer program product for performing a computer-based process, said computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, said computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code configured to receive one or more data inputs required by the computer-based process from a primary user, each of said data inputs being provided as a data entry into an input field on a data input display screen made available to the primary user;

computer usable program code configured to receive, from the primary user, designations of one or more delegate user to whom responsibility of providing data inputs for particular input fields is delegated by the primary user;

computer usable program code configured to request data input from each delegate user to whom the responsibility of providing data input for a particular input field has been delegated by the primary user;

computer usable program code configured to receive data input from at least one delegate user;

computer usable program code configured to execute the computer-based process using data inputs received from the primary user and one or more of the designated delegate users.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein said computer usable program code configured to receive, from the primary user, at least one designation of a delegate user to whom responsibility of providing a data input for a particular input field is delegated by the primary user further comprises computer usable program code configured to receive an identifier for each input field for which a delegate user is designated to provide a data input.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10 wherein said computer usable program code configured to request data input from each delegate user to whom the responsibility of providing data input for a particular input field has been delegated by the primary user further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to generate a workflow process that comprises one or more delegate user data input tasks, each said delegate user data input task being based on a designation of a delegate user by the primary user; and

computer usable program code configured to perform the generated workflow process.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said computer usable program code configured to request data input from each delegate user to whom the responsibility of providing data input for a particular input field has been delegated by the primary user further comprises computer usable program code configured to cause a data input display screen to be generated for use by the delegate user, said data input display screen including at least one input field to be completed by the delegate user.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, further comprising;

computer usable program code configured to present an on-screen list of potential delegate users to whom the primary user may delegate the task of providing data inputs; and

computer usable program code configured to receive the primary user'"'"'s designation of a delegate user as a selection of one of the delegate users included in the on-screen list.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to create a record of data entry operations performed by the primary user, said record including designations of delegate users by the primary user; and

computer usable program code configured to use the created record to generate said workflow process.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising computer usable program code configured to receive a tentative value from the primary user for one or more of the input fields for which data input responsibility has been delegated to a delegate user.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer usable program code configured to replace a tentative value received from the primary user with a data input received from a delegate user provided the tentative value and the data input received from the delegate user are for the same input field.