End user oriented workflow approach including structured processing of ad hoc workflows with a collaborative process engine

• US 7,885,847 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wodtke, Dirk, Kruse, Matthias, Jordt, Nicolai
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin; Lynda C
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US10/841,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,468 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 11, 707/1, 707/9, 707/10, 707/103, 707/204, 709217-229, 715/700
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In a structured workflow system, a configurable workflow engine provides mechanisms for executing and scheduling the work items in a defined way. End users use their discretion and define their own “local” processes and “local” rules for processing work items, or deviate from predefined processes. The configurable workflow engine might be installed at a server to organize workflows and business processes where end users can define processing steps for incoming work items by setting up rules and defining workflows as part of a local workflow structure. By defining these rules and workflows, the further processing steps of future incoming work items can be automated. When an administrator directs the workflow engine to move from a current phase to a next phase, the workflow engine deals with the incomplete items by allowing the administrator to carry over work items (or might do it automatically). End-user consultation might be included in the carry-over decisions. The carried over work items are added as parallel activities to the next phase. The workflow engine handles imposing and executing control flow dependencies between tasks, thus providing a smooth transition from totally unstructured work to semi-structured or completely structured work. When the workflow engine encounters semantically correlated work items/tasks, the process engine assumes that these work items/tasks belong to the same process instance.

Claims

1. In a workflow server that implements a structured workflow system, a computer-implemented method of controlling the workflow server, comprising:

storing structured work items in a first data storage, wherein each work item is a data object representing a task to be performed by an actor, wherein an actor is one or more of a person, a group of persons and a machine, the structured work items being defined for a business process by a business process generator;

storing local work items in a second data storage, wherein a local work item is a data object input in response to the operation of the business process and in response to a variance from the business process defined by the business process generator;

processing work items and local work items by a workflow engine, including processing links between at least one work item and one local work item such that constraints on the business process set by the business process generator are followed in processing local work items,

wherein the actor is assigned a first set of permissions representing security constraints on modifying and/or accessing elements of the first data storage, wherein an operator of the business process generator is assigned a second set of permissions, and wherein the second set of permissions includes at least one permission not included in the first set of permissions,

wherein the business process includes a first phase and a second phase, wherein the second phase follows the first phase, wherein each of the work items and the structured work items is in one of the first phase and the second phase, and wherein the constraints on the business process are defineable by the actor to move a designated work item from the first phase to the second phase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one permission not included in the first set of permissions is a permission to perform at least one of creating, modifying and deleting business processes from which structured work items in the first data storage are defined, and wherein the first set of permissions includes permission to perform at least one of creating, modifying and deleting local work items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process generator is a computer system operated by a human to input the business process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process generator is an automated computer process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the local work items comprise one or more of a deviation from the business process, a local rule for handling work items, a local process, and an additional routing of an object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a portal server is coupled to the workflow engine to handle inputs from, and outputs to, the actor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the actor comprises a plurality of end users operating as a collaboration team and at least one work item represents work to be done by an end user on the collaboration team.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a third data storage is configured to store local work processes comprising a first set of business processes generated by an actor in variance from a second set of business processes defined by the business process generator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first data storage, second data storage and third data storage are allocated areas of a common data storage device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data storage and second data storage are allocated areas of a common data storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second phase is initiated prior to completion of the first phase.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a second designated work item in the first phase is defineable by the actor to become an obsolete work item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraints on the business process are defineable by the actor to prevent the designated work item from becoming an obsolete work item.

14. A workflow server that implements a structured workflow system, the workflow server comprising:

a first data storage storing structured work items, wherein each work item is a data object representing a task to be performed by an actor, wherein an actor is one or more of a person, a group of persons and a machine, the structured work items being defined for a business process by a business process generator;

a second data storing local work items, wherein a local work item is a data object input in response to the operation of the business process and in response to a variance from the business process defined by the business process generator;

a workflow engine that is configured to process work items and local work items, including processing links between at least one work item and one local work item such that constraints on the business process set by the business process generator are followed in processing local work items,

wherein the actor is assigned a first set of permissions representing security constraints on modifying and/or accessing elements of the first data storage, wherein an operator of the business process generator is assigned a second set of permissions, and wherein the second set of permissions includes at least one permission not included in the first set of permissions,

wherein the business process includes a first phase and a second phase, wherein the second phase follows the first phase, wherein each of the work items and the structured work items is in one of the first phase and the second phase, and wherein the constraints on the business process are definable by the actor to move a designated work item from the first phase to the second phase.

15. The workflow server of claim 14, wherein the at least one permission not included in the first set of permissions is a permission to perform at least one of creating, modifying and deleting business processes from which structured work items in the first data storage are defined, and wherein the first set of permissions includes permission to perform at least one of creating, modifying and deleting local work items.

16. The workflow server of claim 14, wherein a third data storage is configured to store local work processes comprising a first set of business processes generated by an actor in variance from a second set of business processes defined by the business process generator.

17. The workflow server of claim 14, wherein a second designated work item in the first phase is definable by the actor to become an obsolete work item.

18. The workflow server of claim 14, wherein the constraints on the business process are definable by the actor to prevent the designated work item from becoming an obsolete work item.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a workflow server that implements a structured workflow system, control the workflow server to execute processing comprising:

storing structured work items in a first data storage, wherein each work item is a data object representing a task to be performed by an actor, wherein an actor is one or more of a person, a group of persons and a machine, the structured work items being defined for a business process by a business process generator;

storing local work items in a second data storage, wherein a local work item is a data object input in response to the operation of the business process and in response to a variance from the business process defined by the business process generator;

processing work items and local work items by a workflow engine, including processing links between at least one work item and one local work item such that constraints on the business process set by the business process generator are followed in processing local work items,

wherein the actor is assigned a first set of permissions representing security constraints on modifying and/or accessing elements of the first data storage, wherein an operator of the business process generator is assigned a second set of permissions, and wherein the second set of permissions includes at least one permission not included in the first set of permissions,

wherein the business process includes a first phase and a second phase, wherein the second phase follows the first phase, wherein each of the work items and the structured work items is in one of the first phase and the second phase, and wherein the constraints on the business process are definable by the actor to move a designated work item from the first phase to the second phase.