Monitoring and reporting productivity in enterprise environment

• US 9,715,669 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Arunagiri, Kumara, Bartholomew, Robert P., Gowda, Guruprasad, Kumar, Nitish, Reid, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Brittany N
• Application Number:
  US12/767,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,646 Days
• Field of Search: 707805
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function

Abstract

A system and associated method for monitoring and reporting productivity in an enterprise environment. The enterprise environment has a server, a database, a client program and a web interface. The database stores transaction data and administration data. The transaction data stores records of time spent by an end user to perform a certain volume of work for a transaction. The administration data configures operations of the client program per transaction. The client program records a time log and provides an interface to upload a volume log of the transaction. The end user or an administrative user manages content of the database via web interface. The server processes a respective request for recording transaction time and volume log and subsequently generates a productivity report including efficiency, availability, and utilization values based on the transaction data in the database.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and reporting productivity in an enterprise environment, said method comprising:

a processor of a transaction handler/administration module receiving a first request from a first user to modify a database coupled to a server computer,

wherein the database comprises transaction data and administration data,

wherein the transaction data and the administration data are collected from administrative users and end users by a client program at a frequency defined by a predetermined data-collection interval,

wherein the transaction data comprises a time log of a set of transactions performed by end users of the client program and a volume log of the set of transactions,

wherein each entry of the time log of the transaction data identifies an action to be performed upon the database, where the action is selected from the group comprising;

create a new time record in the database, delete an existing time record from the database, and update an existing time record in the database,

wherein each entry of the volume log of the transaction data identifies an action to be performed upon the database, where the action is selected from the group comprising;

create a new volume record in the database, delete an existing volume record from the database, and update an existing volume record in the database, and

wherein the administration data configures operations of the client program per transaction;

the processor determining that the first user is not currently online;

the processor further determining that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user during a time when the first user was not online;

the processor, in response to the determining that the first user is not currently online and that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user during a time when the first user was not online, timestamping an entry of the volume log that records an activity performed by the first user while the first user was online;

the processor, in further response to the determining that the first user is not currently online and that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user while the first user was not online, identifying that the timestamped volume log comprises two or more entries that each identify a period of time associated with a corresponding transaction, and where the identified periods of time overlap;

the processor, in response to the identifying, storing the timestamped volume log in a file system that is local to the client program;

the processor further determining whether the first user is an administrative user or an end-user;

the processor, if determining that the first user is an administrative user, adjusting a duration of the data-collection interval;

the processor, if determining that the first user is an end-user, notifying a report module that the first user is an end-user, wherein the report module is distinct from the transaction handler/administration module; and

the report module, if receiving notice that the first user is an end-user, generating a report that characterizes an activity of the first user that is identified by the time log and by the volume log,

wherein the characterizing comprises reporting a calibrated utilization value CU, such that;

U=T²/(H×

S), wherein T=an amount of time that the first user spends on the activity, S=a work standard against which is compared the amount of time that the first user spends on the activity, and H=a time period during which the first user was expected to be available to work on the activity, and

the calibrated utilization value CU is computed by multiplying the value of U by a constant value of 10,000.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor receiving a second request from a second user to modify the database

the processor determining a type of the second request as a transaction request, wherein the second request requests a second transaction;

the processor determining that the second user is an end-user and is currently online;

the processor detecting whether the second request is submitted through the client program or a Web interface, wherein the Web interface is configured to manage the database;

the processor processing the second request as a function of whether a type of the second request is a management request or is a transaction request that was submitted through the web interface, wherein the processor sets the type of the second request to be a transaction request if the second request was submitted by the client program instead of through the web interface; and

the processor generating at least one report comprising the calibrated productivity metric figures of the second transaction.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as an attachment transaction;

said processor processing a file attachment of the attachment transaction and store the file attachment in a file system of the server computer.

4. The method of claim 2, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a time log transaction; and

said processor processing the time log of the transaction data upon determining that the sender is the client program, wherein the processing the time log comprises calibrating the respective work standard S as a function of information contained in the time log.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a time log transaction; and

said processor consolidating the time log of the transaction data with other time logs associated with the time log according to activity of the transaction data upon determining that the sender is the web interface.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a volume log transaction; and

said processor processing the volume log of the transaction data.

7. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable hardware storage device having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said program code configured to be executed by a processor of a transaction handler/administration module to implement a method for monitoring and reporting productivity in an enterprise environment, said method comprising;

the processor receiving a first request from a first user to modify a database coupled to a server computer,

wherein the database comprises transaction data and administration data,

wherein the transaction data and the administration data are collected from administrative users and end users by a client program at a frequency defined by a predetermined data-collection interval,

wherein the transaction data comprises a time log of a set of transactions performed by end users of the client program and a volume log of the set of transactions,

wherein each entry of the time log of the transaction data identifies an action to be performed upon the database, where the action is selected from the group comprising;

create a new time record in the database, delete an existing time record from the database, and update an existing time record in the database,

wherein each entry of the volume log of the transaction data identifies an action to be performed upon the database, where the action is selected from the group comprising;

create a new volume record in the database, delete an existing volume record from the database, and update an existing volume record in the database, and

wherein the administration data configures operations of the client program per transaction;

the processor determining that the first user is not currently online;

the processor further determining that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user during a time when the first user was not online;

the processor, in response to the determining that the first user is not currently online and that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user during a time when the first user was not online, timestamping an entry of the volume log that records an activity performed by the first user while the first user was online;

the processor, in further response to the determining that the first user is not currently online and that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user while the first user was not online, identifying that the timestamped volume log comprises two or more entries that each identify a period of time associated with a corresponding transaction, and where the identified periods of time overlap;

the processor, in response to the identifying, storing the timestamped volume log in a file system that is local to the client program;

the processor further determining whether the first user is an administrative user or an end-user;

the processor, if determining that the first user is an administrative user, adjusting a duration of the data-collection interval;

the processor, if determining that the first user is an end-user, notifying a report module that the first user is an end-user, wherein the report module is distinct from the transaction handler/administration module; and

the report module, if receiving notice that the first user is an end-user, generating a report that characterizes an activity of the first user that is identified by the time log and by the volume log,

wherein the characterizing comprises reporting a calibrated utilization value CU, such that;

U=T²/(H×

S), wherein T=an amount of time that the first user spends on the activity, S=a work standard against which is compared the amount of time that the first user spends on the activity, and H=a time period during which the first user was expected to be available to work on the activity, and

the calibrated utilization value CU is computed by multiplying the value of U by a constant value of 10,000.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

the processor receiving a second request from a second user to modify the database

the processor determining a type of the second request as a transaction request, wherein the second request requests a second transaction;

the processor determining that the second user is an end-user and is currently online;

the processor detecting whether the second request is submitted through the client program or a Web interface, wherein the Web interface is configured to manage the database;

the processor processing the second request as a function of whether a type of the second request is a management request or is a transaction request that was submitted through the web interface, wherein the processor sets the type of the second request to be a transaction request if the second request was submitted by the client program instead of through the web interface; and

the processor generating at least one report comprising the calibrated productivity metric figures of the second transaction.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as an attachment transaction;

said processor processing a file attachment of the attachment transaction and store the file attachment in a file system of the server computer.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a time log transaction; and

said processor processing the time log of the transaction data upon determining that the sender is the client program, wherein the processing the time log comprises calibrating the respective work standard S as a function of information contained in the time log.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a time log transaction; and

said processor consolidating the time log of the transaction data with other time logs associated with the time log according to activity of the transaction data upon determining that the sender is the web interface.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a volume log transaction; and

said processor processing the volume log of the transaction data.

13. A computer system comprising a processor of a transaction handler/administration module, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable hardware storage device coupled to said processor, said storage device containing program code configured to be run by the processor via the memory to implement a method for monitoring and reporting productivity in an enterprise environment, said method comprising:

the processor receiving a first request from a first user to modify a database coupled to a server computer,

wherein the database comprises transaction data and administration data,

wherein the transaction data and the administration data are collected from administrative users and end users by a client program at a frequency defined by a predetermined data-collection interval,

wherein the transaction data comprises a time log of a set of transactions performed by end users of the client program and a volume log of the set of transactions,

wherein each entry of the time log of the transaction data identifies an action to be performed upon the database, where the action is selected from the group comprising;

create a new time record in the database, delete an existing time record from the database, and update an existing time record in the database,

wherein each entry of the volume log of the transaction data identifies an action to be performed upon the database, where the action is selected from the group comprising;

create a new volume record in the database, delete an existing volume record from the database, and update an existing volume record in the database, and

wherein the administration data configures operations of the client program per transaction;

the processor determining that the first user is not currently online;

the processor further determining that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user during a time when the first user was not online;

the processor, in response to the determining that the first user is not currently online and that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user during a time when the first user was not online, timestamping an entry of the volume log that records an activity performed by the first user while the first user was online;

the processor, in further response to the determining that the first user is not currently online and that the time log comprises information recorded into the time log by the first user while the first user was not online, identifying that the timestamped volume log comprises two or more entries that each identify a period of time associated with a corresponding transaction, and where the identified periods of time overlap;

the processor, in response to the identifying, storing the timestamped volume log in a file system that is local to the client program;

the processor further determining whether the first user is an administrative user or an end-user;

the processor, if determining that the first user is an administrative user, adjusting a duration of the data-collection interval;

the processor, if determining that the first user is an end-user, notifying a report module that the first user is an end-user, wherein the report module is distinct from the transaction handler/administration module; and

the report module, if receiving notice that the first user is an end-user, generating a report that characterizes an activity of the first user that is identified by the time log and by the volume log,

wherein the characterizing comprises reporting a calibrated utilization value CU, such that;

U=T²/(H×

S), wherein T=an amount of time that the first user spends on the activity, S=a work standard against which is compared the amount of time that the first user spends on the activity, and H=a time period during which the first user was expected to be available to work on the activity, and

the calibrated utilization value CU is computed by multiplying the value of U by a constant value of 10,000.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

the processor receiving a second request from a second user to modify the database

the processor determining a type of the second request as a transaction request, wherein the second request requests a second transaction;

the processor determining that the second user is an end-user and is currently online;

the processor detecting whether the second request is submitted through the client program or a Web interface, wherein the Web interface is configured to manage the database;

the processor processing the second request as a function of whether a type of the second request is a management request or is a transaction request that was submitted through the web interface, wherein the processor sets the type of the second request to be a transaction request if the second request was submitted by the client program instead of through the web interface; and

the processor generating at least one report comprising the calibrated productivity metric figures of the second transaction.

15. The system of claim 14, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as an attachment transaction;

said processor processing a file attachment of the attachment transaction and store the file attachment in a file system of the server computer.

16. The system of claim 14, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a time log transaction; and

said processor processing the time log of the transaction data upon determining that the sender is the client program, wherein the processing the time log comprises calibrating the respective work standard S as a function of information contained in the time log.

17. The system of claim 14, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a time log transaction; and

said processor consolidating the time log of the transaction data with other time logs associated with the time log according to activity of the transaction data upon determining that the sender is the web interface.

18. The system of claim 14, said processing further comprising:

said processor determining the type of the received request as the transaction request;

said processor determining a type of a transaction requested by the transaction request as a volume log transaction; and

said processor processing the volume log of the transaction data.