Agency management system and content management system integration

• US 9,384,198 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertafore Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vertafore Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Derrick, Blair, Roger, Finch, Steven, Wolbers, Igor, Taylor, Gerald, Cherkasov, Aleksey
• Primary Examiner(s): HUANG, MIRANDA M
• Application Number:
  US13/004,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems

Abstract

An agency management and content management integration system links agency management system domain entities (such as clients, policies, claims, vendors) to content management system content hierarchical structures (such as client files, policy folders, claims folders, vendor files). End users can quickly navigate to the appropriate content management system structure or structures when working with an entity in the agency management system via button integration. The agency management and content management integration system automatically creates and updates the content management system when changes are made to the agency management system. This may include providing multiple mappings between the entities of the insurance agency management system and content hierarchical structures, a preview of changes to the content hierarchical structures, a testing environment to test the content hierarchical structure changes, and troubleshooting logs resulting from testing of the content hierarchical structure. Also provided are systems to create appropriate initial content management system hierarchical structures when the agency management system already exists, and to update existing structures en masse if desired.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving information defining entities of an insurance agency management system, the insurance agency management system is specialized to handle a domain of insurance business processes and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance data and information;

receiving content structure that specifies a number of file and folder relationships of a content management system, the content management system is specialized to handle content related to insurance and workflow and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance documents in files and folders, the folders stored in files or stored in other folders;

receiving mapping data indicative of mappings between the entities of the insurance agency management system and the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure of the content management system wherein the entities of the agency management system are each represented by either a file or a folder in the content management system, and each of the entities represented by a folder in the content management system are represented by a respective folder that is in another folder or in a file;

automatically generating a data structure based on the mappings;

storing the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure of the content management system in the data structure corresponding to the mappings; and

automatically synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system, the synchronizing based on information indicative of the changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronizing comprises:

receiving information indicative of changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system;

automatically comparing at least one of a number of current attributes of the data structure and at least one of a number of current attributes of the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure stored in the data structure; and

automatically updating, based on the comparing, at least one of the current attributes of the data structure and the current attributes of the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure stored in the data structure to correspond to the received changes.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the receiving information indicative of changes of the entities occurs automatically on a periodic or nonperiodic (aperiodic) basis without requesting the information indicative of changes of the entities.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system occurs at an initial generation of the data structure corresponding to the mappings.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the automatically generating a data structure based on the mappings comprises generating a hierarchical data structure corresponding to a hierarchical business structure defined by the mapping data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after initial generation of the data structure, displaying a number of interactive graphical user interface elements operable to trigger automatically performing at least one of;

opening the data structure or one or more files or folders of the content structure for viewing or editing, linking the files and folder relationships specified by the content structure or the data structure to other files and folder relationships specified by the content structures or entities, indexing the files and folders of the content structure or the data structure, or entering at least some of the mapping data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the insurance agency management system, after initial generation of the data structure, automatically provides information indicative of changes of the entities upon the changes occurring or on a periodic or nonperiodic (aperiodic) basis and wherein the automatically synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system comprises:

automatically comparing at least one of a number of current attributes of the data structure and at least one of a number of current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure of the content management system stored in the data structure to the provided information indicative of the changes; and

automatically updating, based on the comparing, at least one of the current attributes of the data structure and the current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure of the content management system stored in the data structure to correspond to the provided information indicative of the changes.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the entities include at least one of:

an insurance client entity, an insurance submissions entity, an insurance policies entity, an insurance claims entity, an insurance quotes entity, an insurance vendor entity, an insurance company employee entity, an insurance carrier entity, or an insurance transactions entity.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the changes of the entities includes changes to relationships between at least two previously defined ones of the entities, changes to a hierarchical structure defining the entities, or changes to attributes of the entities.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically organizing the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure based on entity criteria including at least one of;

insurance business unit, insurance coverage type, agency number, customer line of business, policy type of business, policy type, submission type.

11. A system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a non-transitory memory communicatively coupled to the computer processor having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computer processor cause the computer processor to perform;

receiving information defining entities of an insurance agency management system, the insurance agency management system specialized to handle a domain of insurance business processes and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance data and information;

receiving content structure that specifies a number of file and folder relationships of a content management system, the content management system specialized to handle content related to insurance and workflow and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance documents in files and folders, the folders stored in files or stored in other folders;

receiving mapping data indicative of mappings between the entities of the insurance agency management system and the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure of the content management system wherein the entities of the agency management system are each represented by either a file or a folder in the content management system, and each of the entities represented by a folder in the content management system are represented by a respective folder that is in another folder or in a file;

automatically generating a data structure based on the mappings;

storing the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure of the content management system in the data structure corresponding to the mappings; and

automatically synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system, the synchronizing based on information indicative of the changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the synchronizing comprises:

receiving information indicative of changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system;

automatically comparing at least one of a number of current attributes of the data structure and at least one of a number of current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure; and

automatically updating, based on the comparing, at least one of the current attributes of the data structure and the current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure to correspond to the received changes.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the receiving information indicative of changes of at least two previously defined ones of the entities occurs automatically on a periodic or aperiodic basis without requesting the information indicative of changes of the entities.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system occurs at an initial generation of the data structure corresponding to the mappings.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the automatically generating a data structure based on the mappings comprises generating a hierarchical data structure corresponding to a hierarchical business structure defined by the mapping data.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, after initial generation of the data structure, further configure the computer processor to display a number of interactive graphical user interface elements operable to trigger automatically performing at least one of:

opening the data structure or the files and folders of the content structure for viewing or editing, linking the files and folders of the content structure or the data structure to other content structures or entities, indexing the files and folders of the content structure or the data structure, or entering at least some of the mapping data.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the insurance agency management system is configured to, after initial generation of the data structure, automatically provide information indicative of changes of at least two previously defined ones of the entities upon the changes occurring or on a periodic or nonperiodic (aperiodic) basis and wherein the automatically synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system comprises:

automatically comparing at least one of a number of current attributes of the data structure and at least one of a number of current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure to the provided information indicative of the changes; and

automatically updating, based on the comparing, at least one of the current attributes of the data structure and the current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure to correspond to the provided information indicative of the changes.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the entities include at least one of:

an insurance client entity, an insurance submissions entity, an insurance policies entity, an insurance claims entity, an insurance quotes entity, an insurance vendor entity, an insurance company employee entity, an insurance carrier entity, or an insurance transactions entity.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the changes of the entities includes changes to relationships between at least two previously defined ones of the entities, changes to a hierarchical structure defining the entities, or changes to attributes of the entities.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further configure the computer processor to automatically organize the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure based on entity criteria including at least one of:

insurance business unit, insurance coverage type, agency number, customer line of business, policy type of business, policy type, submission type.

21. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that when executed by at least one computer system cause the at least one computer system to perform:

receiving information defining entities of an insurance agency management system, the insurance agency management system specialized to handle a domain of insurance business processes and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance data and information;

receiving content structure that specifies a number of file and folder relationships of a content management system, the content management system specialized to handle content related to insurance and workflow and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance documents in files and folders, the folders stored in files or stored in other folders;

receiving mapping data indicative of mappings between the entities of the insurance agency management system and the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure of the content management system wherein the entities of the agency management system are each represented by either a file or a folder in the content management system, and each of the entities represented by a folder in the content management system are represented by a respective folder that is in another folder or in a file;

automatically generating a data structure based on the mappings;

storing the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure of the content management system in the data structure corresponding to the mappings; and

automatically synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system, the synchronizing based on information indicative of the changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the synchronizing comprises:

receiving information indicative of changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system;

automatically comparing at least one of a number of current attributes of the data structure and at least one of a number of current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure; and

automatically updating, based on the comparing, at least one of the current attributes of the data structure and the current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure to correspond to the received changes.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the receiving information indicative of changes of the entities occurs automatically on a periodic basis without requesting the information indicative of changes of the entities.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system with changes of the entities of the insurance agency management system occurs at an initial generation of the data structure corresponding to the mappings.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the automatically generating a data structure based on the mappings comprises generating a hierarchical data structure corresponding to a hierarchical business structure defined by the mapping data.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one computer system, further cause the at least one computer system to display a number of interactive graphical user interface elements operable to trigger automatically performing at least one of:

opening the files and folders of the content structure or the data structure for viewing or editing, linking the files and folders of the content structure or the data structure to other files and folders of the content structures or entities, indexing the content structure or the data structure, or entering at least some of the mapping data.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one computer system, further cause the at least one computer system to, after initial generation of the data structure, cause the insurance agency management system to automatically provide information indicative of changes of the entities upon the changes occurring or on a periodic or nonperiodic (aperiodic) basis and wherein the automatically synchronizing the file and folder relationships of the content management system comprises:

automatically comparing at least one of a number of current attributes of the data structure and at least one of a number of current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure to the provided information indicative of the changes; and

automatically updating, based on the comparing, at least one of the current attributes of the data structure and the current attributes of the files and folders of the content structure stored in the data structure to correspond to the provided information indicative of the changes.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the entities include at least one of:

an insurance client entity, an insurance submissions entity, an insurance policies entity, an insurance claims entity, an insurance quotes entity, an insurance vendor entity, an insurance company employee entity, an insurance carrier entity, or an insurance transactions entity.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the changes of the entities includes changes to relationships between at least two previously defined ones of the entities, changes to a hierarchical structure defining the entities, or changes to attributes of the entities.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one computer system, further cause the at least one computer system to automatically organize the file and folder relationships specified by the content structure based on entity criteria including at least one of:

insurance business unit, insurance coverage type, agency number, customer line of business, policy type of business, policy type, submission type.

31. A system, comprising:

at least one computer processor; and

a non-transitory memory communicatively coupled to the computer processor having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computer processor cause the at least one computer processor to;

link entities of an insurance agency management system to file and folder relationships specified by content hierarchical structures of a content management system, the insurance agency management system specialized to handle a domain of insurance business processes and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance data and information, the content management system specialized to handle content related to insurance and workflow and includes at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium which stores insurance documents in files and folders, the folders stored in files or stored in other folders, wherein the entities of the agency management system are each represented by either a file or a folder in the content management system, and each of the entities represented by a folder in the content management system are represented by a respective folder that is in another folder or in a file;

automatically provide information indicative of changes of an insurance agency business unit upon the changes occurring or on a periodic or nonperiodic (aperiodic) basis; and

automatically synchronize the file and folder relationships of a content management system content hierarchical structure related to the insurance agency business unit with the changes to the insurance agency business unit by changing at least one hierarchical relationship in the content hierarchical structure.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to:

automatically compare at least one current attribute of a data structure for the insurance agency business unit of the insurance agency management system to an attribute of content related to the insurance agency business unit stored in the files and folders of the content management system content hierarchical structures.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein the information indicative of changes is automatically provided by the insurance agency management system.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to:

automatically provide information indicative of changes to content of an insurance policy; and

automatically update file and folder relationships specified by the content management system content hierarchical structures based on the information indicative of changes to content of the insurance policy.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the information indicative of changes to content of the insurance policy is automatically provided by the content management system.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to link the entities of the insurance agency management system to the files and folders of the content hierarchical structures of the content management system as an initial process before any of the information indicative of changes is provided.

37. The system of claim 31 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to:

provide a preview of changes to the file and folder relationships specified by the content hierarchical structure;

provide a testing environment to test the changes to the file and folder relationships specified by the content hierarchical structure changes;

provide troubleshooting logs resulting from testing of the content hierarchical structure changes; and

link the entities of the insurance agency management system to file and folder specified by the content hierarchical structures of the content management system by providing multiple mappings between the entities of the insurance agency management system and the files and folders specified by the content hierarchical structures.

38. The system of claim 31 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to provide an interface for a user to manually trigger a synchronization of the file and folder relationships specified by the content management system content hierarchical structure related to the insurance agency business unit with the changes to the insurance agency business unit.