Groupware time tracking

• US 9,111,253 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Bjoernsen, Christian G., Kol, Nir, Samson, Frederic E., Vogler-Ivashchanka, Iryna, Bar-On, Dana Cohen, Wood, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Pats, Justin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRASAD, NANCY N
• Application Number:
  US11/408,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,407 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses enabling groupware to track time associated with a workflow task. A workflow object representing a workflow task is provided. The workflow object is associating with a time period, a project code, and an identifier of a groupware client user participating in the workflow task. In response to an event indicating completion of the workflow task, the time period, the project code, and the identifier is automatically transmitted to a backend application.

Claims

1. A method for tracking time associated with a workflow task, the method comprising:

a groupware client application accessing a service of one or more backend applications of a backend server through a groupware server, the accessing via a network interface of the groupware client application coupled to the groupware server, the one or more backend applications of the backend server communicating with the groupware server via a groupware interface of the backend server;

providing in a graphical user interface of the groupware client application a workflow object representing a workflow task;

associating with the workflow object a time period, a project code, and an identifier of a groupware client application user participating in the workflow task;

in response to an event indicating completion of the workflow task, automatically bypassing the groupware server in communicating from the groupware client application to the backend server, the bypassing including transmitting information to a backend application of the backend server through a business process client extension of the groupware client application, the business process client extension distinct from the network interface, wherein the transmitting information to the backend application is independent of the network interface of the groupware client application coupled to the groupware server, the information including the time period, the project code, and the identifier; and

with the business process client extension, integrating business process tasks into the graphical user interface of the groupware client application, the integrating enabling the groupware client application user to act on enterprise information from within the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating the time period based on input indicating a start time and an end time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the event occurs when a current time is equal to the end time and the method further comprises:

comparing the current time with the end time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event occurs when a graphical user interface tool in the groupware client application is selected and the method further comprises:

receiving input indicating selection of the tool.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the backend application a summary of time periods associated with the project code or the identifier; and

presenting the summary in the groupware client application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list of project codes based on the identifier; and

enabling the user to select the project code from the list.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to search for the project code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the workflow object comprises providing the workflow object to a potential participant of the workflow task.

9. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by a processor cause a backend server to perform operations comprising:

providing a service of one or more backend applications to a first groupware client application through a groupware server, the providing via a network interface of the first groupware client application coupled to the groupware server, the one or more backend applications of the backend server communicating with the groupware server via a groupware interface of the backend server;

transmitting to the first groupware client application a workflow object representing a workflow task, the workflow object created in a second groupware client application and associated with a start time, an end time, and a project code designated by an organizer of the workflow task;

receiving from the first groupware client application a response to the transmitting, the response received via a business process client extension of the first groupware client application distinct from the network interface, the first groupware client application sending the response through the business process client extension to bypass the groupware server in communicating from the first groupware client application to the backend server, wherein the business process client extension integrates business process tasks into a graphical user interface of the first groupware client application, the integrating enabling a user of the first groupware client application to act on enterprise information from within the graphical user interface;

relaying the response to the second groupware client application; and

when the response includes an acceptance of participation in the workflow task, automatically creating in the first groupware client application a calendar entry based on the start time and the end time.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a designation of a second project code; and

associating the second project code with the workflow object.

11. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein receiving the designation comprises receiving the designation from the first groupware client application, and the operations further comprise:

associating the second project code with the workflow object in association with an identifier of a user of the first groupware client application.

12. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the workflow object is selected from the group consisting of:

a calendar object, an email object, a task list object, and a contacts object.

13. A device for processing time associated with a workflow task comprising:

a groupware interface to communicate with a groupware server, the groupware interface to receive, from a groupware client application, a request to change a property of a workflow object representing a workflow task, the workflow object associated with a time, a project code, and one or more user identifiers, the request received via a business process client extension of the groupware client application distinct from a network interface of the groupware client application, the groupware client application sending the request through the business process client extension to bypass the groupware server in communicating from the groupware client application to the device, wherein the business process client extension integrates business process tasks into a graphical user interface of the groupware client application, the integrating enabling a groupware client application user to act on enterprise information from within the graphical user interface; and

one or more backend applications executed by a processor and a memory, the one or more backend applications connected to the groupware interface to provide the network interface of the groupware client application with access to a service, the providing access through the groupware server, the one or more backend applications including a first backend application, comprising;

a reporting module to determine if the property was incorporated into an external report;

a storage interface to transmit the property to a storage system in response to the request if the property was not incorporated into the external report; and

a notification module to transmit an error message to the groupware client application in response to the request if the property was incorporated into the external report.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the external report comprises an invoice.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the reporting module comprises:

an internal reporting module connected to the groupware interface to generate an internal report summarizing times associated with the project code or associated with at least one of the one or more user identifiers.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the reporting module comprises:

an external reporting module connected to an external system to generate the external report based on the time, the project code, and the one or more user identifiers.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the backend application further comprises:

an alert module to transmit to one or more groupware client application s an alert based on the time, the alert relating to compliance with a time tracking policy.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the backend application further comprises:

a validation module connected to the groupware interface and a database to receive project codes from the groupware client application via the groupware interface and to determine validity of the project codes based on data stored in the database.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the backend application further comprises:

a default module to provide a default project code to associate with the workflow object, the default project code based on at least one of;

the workflow task, the time, and the one or more user identifiers.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the backend application further comprises:

a default module to provide a default time to associate with the workflow object, the default time based on at least one of;

the workflow task, the project code, the one or more user identifiers, or a status of a project assigned to the project code.