WORKFLOW SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20080120388A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: OUCHI, Norman
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention relates to workflow systems and methods. In one embodiment, the invention relates to integration of a calendar system with a workflow system where a calendar event can initiate a workflow by sending a message to a form route manager. The completion of a workflow or step in the workflow can result in sending a message to a calendar system to generate an event. In another embodiment, the invention relates to the integration of workflow with a project management system that includes project segments, which are processes that can be defined and controlled by workflow routes. The project management system sends a message to the workflow system to initiate workflow and the workflow system sends a message to the project management system, for example, at the completion of the workflow route. The relationship between the workflow routes can maintain the relationship between the project segments. If the relationships between project segments change, the relationship between the workflow routes changes without added effort.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

separating an interdependent task into a route defining a sequence of steps, each step from the sequence of steps being associated with a user from a plurality of users;

sending an e-mail to a first user from the plurality of users based on a value of a step indicator and the route;

incrementing the value of the step indicator to produce an incremented value; and

sending an e-mail to a second user from the plurality of users based on the incremented value of the step indicator and the route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the interdependent task is separated into a plurality of routes including the route, each route from the plurality of routes includes a route identifier;

the e-mail to the first user includes a route field, the route field including a route identifier; and

the route includes a route identifier that corresponds to a content of the route field of the e-mail to the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a location table containing a current address of the e-mail to the first user; and

storing a move history table containing an address of an e-mail to a third user from the plurality of users, the e-mail to the third user being sent before the sending the e-mail to the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a route identifier to the route; and

assigning a route name to the e-mail to the first user, the sending the e-mail to the first user being performed when the route identifier corresponds to the route name.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a document identifier to the e-mail to the first user;

storing a time that the e-mail with the document identifier was received in a move history table; and

entering a current address of the e-mail with the document identifier in a location table.

6. A method, comprising:

storing a route defining a plurality of IP addresses associated with a sequence of steps, each IP address from the plurality of IP address being associated with a step from the sequence of steps;

receiving, at a first Web address, information associated with an initial document to produce a submitted document;

assigning a second Web address to the submitted document;

sending an e-mail to a first IP address from the plurality of IP addresses based on a value of a step indicator and the route;

incrementing a value of the step indicator to produce an incremented value; and

sending an e-mail to a second IP address from the plurality of IP addresses based on the incremented value of the step indicator and the route.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

an interdependent task is separated into a plurality of routes including the route, each route from the plurality of routes includes a route identifier;

the e-mail to the first IP address includes a route field, the route field including a route identifier; and

the route includes a route identifier that corresponds to a content of the route field of the e-mail to the first IP address.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a location table containing a current IP address of the e-mail to the first IP address; and

storing a move history table containing an address of an e-mail to a third IP address from the plurality of IP addresses, the e-mail to the third IP address being sent before the sending the e-mail to the first IP address.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

assigning a route identifier to the route; and

assigning a route name to the e-mail to the first IP address, the sending the e-mail to the first IP address being performed when the route identifier corresponds to the route name.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

assigning a document identifier to the e-mail to the first IP address;

storing a time that the e-mail with the document identifier was received in a move history table; and

entering a current address of the e-mail with the document identifier in a location table.

11. A method, comprising:

storing a route defining a plurality of intranet addresses associated with a sequence of steps, each intranet address from the plurality of intranet address being associated with a step from the sequence of steps;

receiving, from a Web browser, information associated with an initial document to produce a submitted document;

assigning a first intranet address from the plurality of intranet addresses to the submitted document, the submitted document configured to be accessed by a second Web browser;

sending an e-mail to the first intranet address based on a value of a step indicator and the route;

incrementing the value of the step indicator to produce an incremented value; and

sending an e-mail to a second intranet address from the plurality of intranet addresses based on the incremented value of the step indicator and the route.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

an interdependent task is separated into a plurality of routes including the route, each route from the plurality of routes includes a route identifier;

the e-mail to the first intranet address includes a route field, the route field including a route identifier; and

the route includes a route identifier that corresponds to a content of the route field of the e-mail to the first intranet address.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing a location table containing a current intranet address of the e-mail to the first intranet address; and

storing a move history table containing an address of an e-mail to an third intranet address from the plurality of intranet addresses, the e-mail to the third intranet address being sent before the sending the e-mail to the first intranet address.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a route identifier to the route; and

assigning a route name to the e-mail to the first intranet address, the sending the email to the first intranet address being performed when the route identifier corresponds to the route name.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a document identifier to the e-mail to the first intranet address;

storing a time that the e-mail with the document identifier was received in a move history table; and

entering a current address of the e-mail with the document identifier in a location table.