METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EXPOSING WORKFLOW PROCESS DEFINITIONS AS BUSINESS OBJECTS

• US 20080312997A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintex USA LLC (The Nintex Group Pty Limited)
• Original Assignee: SourceCode Technology Holdings, Inc. (Nintex Global Ltd.)
• Inventors: du Toit, Wynand, Janson, Pieter, van Wyk, Adriaan, du Preez, Jacobus
• Granted Patent: US 10,817,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for exposing a workflow processes definition as a business object. Using the methods and apparatus herein, users can access a business object representing a workflow process definition from any system using standard database constructs. The data for the business object may be combined from a variety of existing sources and/or new data. Using the methods and apparatus a user may generate reports from the business object.

Claims

1. A method for exposing a workflow process definition as a business object, the method comprising:

creating a workflow process, wherein the workflow process includes workflow data;

executing the workflow process; and

creating a business object based on the workflow process, wherein the business object includes a database interface for accessing the workflow data and wherein the business object includes data from a first source in a first format and data from a second source in second format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the workflow data includes a first data from a first back end system and a second data from a second back end system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database interface includes an Insert, an Update, a Select, and a Delete method.

4. The method of claim 1, including creating a report on the business object.

5. The method of claim 1, including retrieving the workflow process data and an associated workflow process step from the business object.

6. The method of claim 1, including creating custom methods associated with the business object.

7. The method of claim 1, including creating a new data store for storing new data, wherein the new data is associated with a new data field created in the business object and the new data field is not located in an existing data store.

8. A system for exposing a workflow process definition as a business object, the system comprising:

a processor;

creating a workflow process, wherein the workflow process includes workflow data;

executing the workflow process; and

creating a business object based on the workflow process, wherein the business object includes a database interface for accessing the workflow data and wherein the business object includes data from a first source in a first format and data from a second source in second format.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the workflow data includes a first data from a first back end system and a second data from a second back end system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the database interface includes an Insert, an Update, a Select, and a Delete method.

11. The system of claim 8, including creating a report on the business object.

12. The system of claim 8, including retrieving the workflow process data and an associated workflow process step from the business object.

13. The system of claim 8, including creating a custom method associated with the business object.

14. The system of claim 8, including creating a new data store for storing new data, wherein the new data is associated with a new data field created in the business object and the new data field is not located in an existing data store.

15. A computer readable medium storing a program to causing a computer system to:

create a workflow process, wherein the workflow process includes workflow data;

execute the workflow process; and

create a business object based on the workflow process, wherein the business object includes a database interface for accessing the workflow data and wherein the business object includes data from a first source in a first format and data from a second source in second format.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the workflow data includes a first data from a first back end system and a second data from a second back end system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the database interface includes an Insert, an Update, a Select, and a Delete method.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, including creating a report on the business object.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, including retrieving the workflow process data and an associated workflow process step from the business object.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, including creating a custom method associated with the business object.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, including creating a new data store for storing new data, wherein the new data is associated with a new data field created in the business object and the new data field is not located in an existing data store.