Multiple stakeholders for a single business process
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for providing a customized representation of a business process involving a plurality of organizational entities that are accessible through a network, each organizational entity having policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the organizational entity via the network, the method comprising:
- providing a user interface operable to display a customized representation of a business process having a configurable flow, the business process comprising a series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, at least two of the operations of business activity to be performed by independent organizational entities, communication between the independent organizational entities being facilitated by the network according to the policy data;
storing user information, including user privileges associated with the business process, in a central repository that is accessible through the network;
receiving a request from a first user through the user interface to view the business process;
retrieving the user privileges for the first user from the central repository; and
providing a customized representation of code corresponding to the business process for presentation in the user interface, the customized representation of code comprising a graphical representation of the series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, each of the operations corresponding to a respective part of the code corresponding to the business process, a first one of the operations being represented by a first graphical object, the customized representation of code being in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user; and
modifying the code corresponding to the business process when the user moves the first graphical object from a first location in the graphical representation to a second location in the graphical representation and when movement of the first graphical object complies with the retrieved user privileges.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a customized representation of a business process involving one or more organizational entities that are accessible through a network. A user interface that can display a customized representation of a business process is provided. User information, including user privileges associated with the business process, is stored in a central repository that is accessible through the network. A request to view the business process is received from a first user through the user interface. The user privileges for the first user are retrieved from the central repository. A customized representation of the business process is displayed with the user interface. The customized representation is in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user.
420 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for providing a customized representation of a business process involving a plurality of organizational entities that are accessible through a network, each organizational entity having policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the organizational entity via the network, the method comprising:
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providing a user interface operable to display a customized representation of a business process having a configurable flow, the business process comprising a series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, at least two of the operations of business activity to be performed by independent organizational entities, communication between the independent organizational entities being facilitated by the network according to the policy data; storing user information, including user privileges associated with the business process, in a central repository that is accessible through the network; receiving a request from a first user through the user interface to view the business process; retrieving the user privileges for the first user from the central repository; and providing a customized representation of code corresponding to the business process for presentation in the user interface, the customized representation of code comprising a graphical representation of the series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, each of the operations corresponding to a respective part of the code corresponding to the business process, a first one of the operations being represented by a first graphical object, the customized representation of code being in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user; and modifying the code corresponding to the business process when the user moves the first graphical object from a first location in the graphical representation to a second location in the graphical representation and when movement of the first graphical object complies with the retrieved user privileges.
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2. A computer program product, stored on a machine-readable storage medium, comprising instructions operable to cause a computer to perform a method of providing a customized representation of a business process involving a plurality of organizational entities that are accessible through a network, each organizational entity having policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the organizational entity via the network, the method comprising:
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providing a user interface operable to display a customized representation of a business process having a configurable flow, the business process comprising a series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, at least two of the operations of business activity to be performed by independent organizational entities, communication between the independent organizational entities being facilitated by the network according to the policy data; storing user information, including user privileges associated with the business process, in a central repository that is accessible through the network; receiving a request from a first user through the user interface to view the business process; and retrieving the user privileges for the first user from the central repository; providing a customized representation of code corresponding to the business process for presentation in the user interface, the customized representation of code comprising a graphical representation of the series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities. each of the operations corresponding to at least a respective part of the code corresponding to the business process, a first one of the operations being represented by a first graphical object, the customized representation of code being in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user; and modifying the code corresponding to the business process when the user moves the first graphical object from a first location in the graphical representation to a second location in the graphical representation and when movement of the first graphical object complies with the retrieved user privileges.
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3. A system for providing a customized representation of a business process involving a plurality of organizational entities that are accessible through a network, each organizational entity having policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the organizational entity via the network, the system comprising:
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a network connecting a plurality of network nodes, each network node being associated with an organizational entity and representing one or more of;
a user, a service, and a computer application;a central repository that is accessible through the network and operable to store user information, including user privileges associated with the business process; and a process design application running at one of the network nodes, the process design application being operable to; provide a user interface for displaying a customized representation of a business process having a configurable flow, the business process comprising a series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, at least two of the operations of business activity to be performed by independent organizational entities, communication between the independent organizational entities being facilitated by the network according to the policy data; receive a request from a first user through the user interface to view the business process; retrieve the user privileges for the first user from the central repository; provide a customized representation of code corresponding to the business process for presentation in the user interface, the customized representation of code comprising a graphical representation of the series of operations of business activity to be performed by one or more of the organizational entities, each of the operations corresponding to at least a respective part of the code corresponding to the business process, a first one of the operations being represented by a first graphical object, the customized representation of code being in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user; and modify the code corresponding to the business process when the user moves the first graphical object from a first location in the graphical representation to a second location in the graphical representation and when movement of the first graphical object complies with the retrieved user privileges.
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4. A computer-implemented method for providing an organization- and user-customized representation of a business process involving a plurality of service providers that are accessible through a network, the method comprising:
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providing a user interface operable to display a customized visual representation of operation blocks in a business process having a configurable flow among the operation blocks, wherein the operation blocks include; parent blocks that represent services provided by respective service providers and that are visible to users in organizations other than a respective service provider'"'"'s organization; and child blocks that are visible to users within the respective service provider'"'"'s organization; storing user and organization information, including user privileges associated with the operation blocks of the business process, in a central repository that is accessible through the network; receiving a request from a first user through the user interface to view the business process; retrieving the user privileges for the first user from the central repository for viewing and editing the business process, the parent operation blocks, and the child operation blocks; and providing to the user interface a customized visual representation of the parent operation blocks of the business process and some but not all of the child operation blocks, customized in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-implemented method for providing an organization- and user-customized representation of a business process involving a plurality of service providers that are accessible through a network, the method comprising:
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providing a user interface operable to display a customized visual representation of operation blocks in a business process having a configurable flow among the operation blocks, wherein the operation blocks include; parent blocks that represent services provided by respective service providers and that are visible to users in organizations other than a respective service provider'"'"'s organization; and child blocks that are editable by authorized users in a developer role that are given edit permissions by the respective service provider'"'"'s organization; storing user and organization information, including user privileges associated with the operation blocks of the business process, in a central repository that is accessible through the network; receiving a request from a first user through the user interface to view the business process; retrieving the user privileges for the first user from the central repository for editing the child operation blocks; and providing to the user interface editable text of code used to implement a selected child operation block, in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification