Recipient-determined method for sharing tasks in an advanced electronic messaging/workflow system

• US 20020165898A1
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Duffy, Joe, Gangwar, Rajeev, Vahldieck, Michael, White, Andy
• Application Number:
  US10/115,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for sharing tasks, comprising: identifying a covered user, wherein the covered user is assigned one or more tasks; identifying a surrogate user that is associated with the covered user; identifying an unfinished task from the one or more tasks assigned to the covered user; creating a link for the surrogate user to the unfinished task assigned to the covered user; and providing the ability for the surrogate user to access the unfinished task via the link.

Claims

1. A method for sharing tasks, comprising:

identifying a covered user, wherein the covered user is assigned one or more tasks;

identifying a surrogate user that is associated with the covered user;

identifying an unfinished task from the one or more tasks assigned to the covered user;

creating a link for the surrogate user to the unfinished task assigned to the covered user; and

providing the ability for the surrogate user to access the unfinished task via the link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of periodically indicating progress made on the unfinished task.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing the surrogate user'"'"'s link to the covered user'"'"'s unfinished task upon completion of the task by either the surrogate user or the covered user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the link for the surrogate user comprises visually depicting the unfinished task as a separate node.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an alert for a high priority task.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the link for the surrogate user is performed for a fixed time period having a start time and an end time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of creating an occasion requiring coverage for the covered user and removing the surrogate user'"'"'s link to the covered user'"'"'s task when the occasion expires.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the occasion comprises a fixed period of time having a start time and an end time.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the occasion comprises a start time and an indefinite end time.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of creating the occasion is performed in advance by the covered user to schedule a planned inability of the covered user to complete the unfinished task.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of creating the occasion is performed by an administrator to respond to an unplanned inability of the covered user to complete the unfinished task.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning a security class to the surrogate user, wherein the security class comprises a list of tasks that are available to the surrogate user.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of checking the security class of the surrogate user before creating the link to the unfinished task to prevent the surrogate user from receiving a link to a restricted task.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of checking the security class of the surrogate user before allowing the surrogate user to review the information associated with the unfinished task to prevent the surrogate user from reviewing restricted information.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending a covered work message to the covered user when the surrogate user completes the unfinished task.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of sending the covered work message to the covered user includes sending an explanation of the operations performed by the surrogate user after completing the unfinished task.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of unfinished tasks assigned to the covered user exists, and wherein the step of identifying the unfinished task includes identifying the plurality of unfinished tasks.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of allowing the surrogate user to select an unfinished task from the plurality of unfinished tasks for completion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of creating the link for the surrogate user comprises visually depicting the unfinished task as a separate node.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of providing an alert for a high priority task.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of creating the link for the surrogate user is performed for a fixed time period having a start time and an end time.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein a plurality of unfinished tasks assigned to the covered user exists, and wherein the step of identifying the unfinished task includes identifying the plurality of unfinished tasks.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of creating an occasion requiring coverage for the covered user and returning an uncompleted task to the covered user when the occasion expires.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the occasion comprises a fixed period of time having a start time and an end time.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the occasion comprises a start time and an indefinite end time.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of creating the occasion is performed in advance by the covered user to schedule a planned inability of the covered user to complete the unfinished task.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of creating the occasion is performed by an administrator to respond to an unplanned inability of the covered user to complete the unfinished task.

29. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of assigning a security class to the surrogate user, wherein the security class comprises a list of tasks that are available to the surrogate user.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of checking the security class of the surrogate user before creating the link to the unfinished task to prevent the surrogate user from receiving a link to a restricted task.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of checking the security class of the surrogate user before allowing the surrogate user to review the information associated with the unfinished task to prevent the surrogate user from reviewing restricted information.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of sending a covered work message to the covered user when the surrogate user completes the unfinished task.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of sending the covered work message to the covered user includes sending an explanation of the operations performed by the surrogate user after completing the unfinished task.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of providing an alert for a high priority task.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of creating the link for the surrogate user is performed for a fixed time period having a start time and an end time.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of creating an occasion requiring coverage for the covered user and returning an uncompleted selected task to the covered user when the occasion expires.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of periodically indicating progress made on a task selected from the plurality of unfinished tasks.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of sending the covered work message to the covered user includes sending an explanation of the operations performed by the surrogate user after completing the selected task.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of assigning a security class to the surrogate user, wherein the security class comprises a list of tasks that are available to the surrogate user.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of checking the security class of the surrogate user before creating the link to the plurality of unfinished tasks to prevent the surrogate user from receiving a link to a restricted task.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of checking the security class of the surrogate user before allowing the surrogate user to review the information associated with the plurality of unfinished tasks to prevent the surrogate user from reviewing restricted information.

19. A method for sharing tasks, comprising:

identifying a covered user and a surrogate user;

identifying an unfinished task assigned to the covered user;

creating a link for the surrogate user to the unfinished task assigned to the covered user;

indicating progress made on the unfinished task; and

removing the link to the unfinished task upon completion of the task.

34. A method for sharing tasks, comprising:

identifying a covered user and a surrogate user;

identifying a plurality of unfinished tasks assigned to the covered user;

creating a link for the surrogate user to the plurality of unfinished tasks assigned to the covered user;

removing the link to the selected task upon completion of the task; and

sending a covered work message to the covered user when the surrogate user completes the selected task.

43. A method for sharing tasks, comprising:

identifying a covered user and a surrogate user;

identifying an unfinished task assigned to the covered user;

assigning a security class to the surrogate user;

checking the security class assigned to the surrogate user;

creating a link for the surrogate user to the unfinished task assigned to the covered user;

removing the link to the unfinished task upon completion of the task; and

sending a covered work message to the covered user when the surrogate user completes the unfinished task.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of periodically indicating progress made on the unfinished task.

45. A computer routine for sharing tasks, comprising:

a first routine for identifying a covered user and a surrogate user;

a second routine for identifying an unfinished task assigned to the covered user;

a third routine for creating a link for the surrogate user to the unfinished task assigned to the covered user;

a fourth routine for periodically indicating progress made on the unfinished task;

a fifth routine for removing the link to the unfinished task upon completion of the task; and

a sixth routine for sending a covered work message to the covered user when the surrogate user completes the unfinished task.