Patent ID: 8781998
Filing Date: 2014-07-15
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A workflow automation system, comprising: a plurality of databases holding workflow tables maintaining workflow for a plurality of tasks, the workflow tables including static tables defining the main workflow of an application, the static tables having definitions of course of action, orders of tasks to be performed, privileges, and instructions stored therein; a database management system managing the plurality of databases; dynamic web pages; a server computer hosting the database management system and the dynamic web pages, the server computer having means for accessing a network and means for publishing a web site on the network, the web site being accessible to end user client devices and administrator client devices, thereby allowing an administrator access to the server and allowing an end user access to the dynamic web pages; means for administrator access to the database management system, the means for administrator access including means for allowing the administrator to define business logic of the workflows and the tasks; means for establishing a database management system layer managing views and the workflow tables; means for establishing a Data Access layer managing objects and queries related to the workflow tables and the views, the Data Access layer being in operable communication with the database management layer; means for establishing, a Web page layer managing controls, forms and master pages, the Web page layer being in operable communication with the Data Access layer; means for defining properties of the workflow automation system; means for defining all roles/user classes involved in the workflow automation system, the roles/user classes including an applicant for faculty promotion, a department chairman, a dean, and a vice rector; means for defining all phases for parallel execution of a task, each of the phases being defined by a Phase ID and Phase Title, parallel executing tasks having identical Phase IDs; means for defining all tasks involved in the workflow, wherein each of the tasks is assigned a Task ID, a Phase ID, a Task Title, the Role ID of the role the task is assigned to, a first reminder duration, and subsequent reminder durations, each of the tasks being user-customizable to a particular field of work of the workflow, the tasks including: generation of an initial promotion application form; generation of a chairman approval form upon approval of the initial promotion application form by the chairman; generation of a dean approval form upon approval of the initial promotion application form and the chairman approval form by the dean; and generation of a vice rector approval form upon approval of the initial promotion application form, the chairman approval form, and the dean approval form by the vice rector; means for defining actions related to each of the tasks, every action related to a particular task being defined by an Action ID, Action Title, Action Type, Task ID of the task holding the action, and a next Task ID/Phase ID, depending on whether the action is to fork into more than one parallel task; means for defining forms used in the workflow automation system, each of the forms being defined by a Form ID, title of page, and name of form, the static tables including a forms table, the forms and the titles thereof being stored in the forms table, the titles being used for menu generation, each of the forms being user-customizable to the particular field of work of the workflow, the forms including the initial promotion application form, the chairman approval form, the dean approval form and the vice rector approval form; means for defining forms related to each of the tasks, wherein each of the tasks has a set of forms assigned to selected ones of the roles present in the system, each of the forms being non-editable following transmission of the form from the role/user who generated the form to the role/user who receives the form; and means for defining e-mail templates for each of the action after completion of the corresponding task, wherein an e-mail is sent to the role associated with a successor task upon completion of the immediate task, the e-mail template being defined by an Action ID, a next Task ID, and a message; wherein the end user can interact with the dynamic web pages according to the workflow and task business logic defined by the administrator.