Abstract:
A system automates workflow routing within a system such as a content management system. The system administrator specifies initial workflow process and priorities for item types, ItemTypes. When the administrator defines an ItemType, a drop-down field is provided by the present system in which the available process names are displayed. A second drop-down field provided by the present system will contain the priority for the work. The administrator may select one of each for the new document, item, or folder. This process and priority information is stored as part of the ItemType definition in the library server. When an item is created, the library server checks the definition of the ItemType. If auto-workflow is specified, a work package is created by the present system on the first node in the specified process. The priority of the item is also set as previously defined by the administrator. The present system allows the administrator to define the process according to predefined business rules and procedures. Documents, items, and folders progress through the proscribed routing, allowing uniform treatment of all documents, items and folders, preventing user error.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present application relates to copending U.S. patent application, titled “Method, System, and Program for Optimizing Database Query Execution,” Ser. No. ______, filed on Jan. 27, 2003, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to the field of data file management in database management system models. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and associated method for automatically starting a document on a workflow process, as specified by the system administrator according to predefined routing rules.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Content management is an infrastructure to manage a wide spectrum of digital information. Large collections of scanned images, facsimiles, electronic office documents, XML and HTML files, computer output, audio, video, multimedia, and virtual reality content can be stored and accessed through the content management system. The content management system integrates content with line of business, customer service, enterprise resource planning, digital asset management, distance learning, Web content management or other applications to accelerate benefits across the enterprise.  
           [0004]    The content manager product may be visualized as a triangle. The three vertices of this triangle are the client, a library server and a resource manager. The client is the user interface, and provides the user with the capability of storing, searching for, and marking-up objects such as documents, files, etc. The library server is the equivalent of a card catalog that holds information about the objects, including their location. The resource manager (RM) is the storage location for either the actual object or a pointer to the actual object.  
           [0005]    The core library server logic (except for system utilities and housekeeping tasks) is packaged as a set of relational database (RDB) stored procedures (SPs) containing embedded SQL statements. Each stored procedure (SP) is precompiled and runs on a relational database (RDB) server. Consequently, each Library Server (LS) process is a relational database (RDB) server process. Stored procedures (SPs) can be executed through the library server&#39;s SQL interface. The library server can be remotely accessed through a relational database (RDB) client.  
           [0006]    The Resource Managers (RMs) may support different/multiple access protocols. The resource manager (RM) supports the HTTP protocol.  
           [0007]    The basic information entities managed by the library server are “items.” As used herein, the “items” can be categorized in two types: simple items and resource items. Resource items can have content associated with them that is stored in one or more resource managers. Resource items point to their content via resource URL-RELATED DATA.  
           [0008]    The library server (LS) and resource manager (RM) are separate processes, often running on different machines. In operation, clients first contact the library server (LS) to create/update an index for an object, and to determine where the object is to be stored/replaced. The client then sends a request to the resource manager (RM) to store/replace the object.  
           [0009]    Attaching an item or document to an automated workflow process would enhance the convenience of a content management system and streamline the process of handling documents and other items. For example, a personnel employee creates a document “expense account” to reimburse expenses to an employee. The “expense account” document must wait until all receipts have been received before being reviewed by the appropriate manager. Once the receipts have been received, the document is reviewed to verify that all expenses are within company guidelines. If all the expenses are within guidelines, the document is routed to the appropriate manager for authorization and on to the appropriate employee for reimbursement. If the expenses are not within guidelines, the document is routed back to the employee for correction.  
           [0010]    Currently, the process of routing an item is performed manually. The administrator can not automatically specify the process required for the newly created item. Rather, the desired process for the folder is communicated to each user. Relying on the end user to understand and apply the workflow process rules introduces situations where the wrong process is selected. The advantage of automating workflow process is the prevention of end user errors and uniform treatment of items within the process.  
           [0011]    Thus, there is need for an automated workflow system and process for automatically and dynamically starting and maintaining the progress of an item such as a document or folder on a workflow process. The need for such system and method has heretofore remained unsatisfied.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention satisfies this need, and presents a system, a computer program product, and an associated method (collectively referred to herein as “the system” or “the present system”) for automatically starting a document on a workflow process. The workflow process is a series of steps where a user can retrieve and make decisions about the document.  
           [0013]    When creating an item type, ItemType, a system administrator specifies for that ItemType initial workflow process and priorities. When the administrator defines an ItemType, a drop-down field is provided by present system in which the available process names are displayed. A second field provided by the present system will contain the priority for the work. The administrator may select one of each for the new document, item, or folder. This process and priority information is stored as part of the ItemType definition in the library server.  
           [0014]    When an item is created, the library server checks the definition of the ItemType. If auto-workflow is specified, a work package is created by the present system on the first node in the specified process. The priority of the item is also set as previously defined by the administrator. The present system assigns a workflow process and priority to a selected folder.  
           [0015]    Prior technology allowed the end user to define the target process for any type of document. It was the user&#39;s responsibility to understand the business rules and apply them properly. On the other hand, the present system allows the administrator to define the process according to predefined business rules and procedures. Documents, items, and folders now progress through the prescribed routing, allowing uniform treatment of all documents, items and folders, preventing user error. This is especially useful for businesses or other entities that handle a large volume of documents, such as insurance companies. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    The various features of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will be described in greater detail with reference to the following description, claims, and drawings, wherein reference numerals are reused, where appropriate, to indicate a correspondence between the referenced items, and wherein:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary operating environment in which an automated workflow routing system of the present invention can be used;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary workflow process for routing documents using the system of FIG. 1; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 comprises FIGS. 3A, 3B, and  3 C, and represents a process flow chart illustrating a method of operation of the automated workflow system of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    The following definitions and explanations provide background information pertaining to the technical field of the present invention, and are intended to facilitate the understanding of the present invention without limiting its scope:  
         [0021]    ACL (access control list): A set of data that informs a computer&#39;s operating system which permissions, or access rights, that each user or group has to a specific system object, such as a directory or file. Each object has a unique security attribute that identifies which users have access to it, and the ACL is a list of each object and user access privileges such as read, write or execute.  
         [0022]    Attribute: A property or characteristic, and more particularly, a field in a database.  
         [0023]    Item: The basic information entities managed by the Library Server. “Items” as used herein come in two types, simple items and resource items. An item can be, for example, any folder or document.  
         [0024]    Metadata: Data about data. Metadata is definitional data that provides documentation of or information about other data managed within an environment or by an application. Metadata may document data about data elements or attributes such as name, size, or data type. It may also log data about data structures including length, fields, and columns. Other data included in Metadata encompass the association, storage location, and ownership of data. Metadata may additionally include descriptive information about the context, quality and condition, and/or characteristics of data.  
         [0025]    SQL: Structured Query Language, a standardized query language for requesting information from a database.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary content management system  100  comprising an automated workflow system  10  installed in the library server  15 . In addition, content management system  100  comprises resource manager  20  and application program interface  25 . The automated workflow system  10  includes a software programming code or computer program product that is typically embedded within, or installed on a computer.  
         [0027]    A client computer  30  including a client application  35  is coupled to content management system  100  via the application program interface (API)  25 .  
         [0028]    Library server  15  is coupled to resource manager  20  and contains user and system metadata concerning the primary content (data or objects) that are stored in resource manager  20 . Many types of data can be stored in resource manager  20 , for example, business information, applications, text, audio, video and streaming data, to name a few.  
         [0029]    At a high level, the client application  35  begins a transaction and returns confirmation to the end user. Next, the client application  35  establishes a connection to the library server  15 , and sends requests to the library server  15  to create a catalog entry (as an index entry) for a content management object. In response, the client application  35  receives information back from the library server  15  regarding the storage location for the object.  
         [0030]    The client application  35  then sends a request to the resource manager  20  to store the object, and receives a response therefrom with the object metadata. This metadata includes, by way of example, the object name, size, and creation timestamp. The client application  35  sends this metadata to the library server  15 .  
         [0031]    The data model of the content management system  100  is exploited to implement automated workflow system  10 . The data model comprises four major elements: process, work node, work package, and work list. The first element, process, comprises a root component row and a child component row. These component rows define the workflow route.  
         [0032]    The root component uses a system-defined attribute for Process ID. This Process ID maps to a name and description in the keyword table. The child component includes the following attributes: From Work Node, To Work Node, and Menu entry. The From Work Node is null for the “start” node. The To Work Node is null for the “end” node. The Menu entry is the ID in the keyword table and is used for routing between “From” and “To”.  
         [0033]    An example of a workflow route is shown in FIG. 2. Workflow commences at “start”  205 . All work proceeds to “to do” step  210 . At the “to do” step  210 , work can either proceed directly to “must do now” step  215 , or “review later” step  220 . Eventually, work at “review later” step  220  must also be dealt with at “must do now” step  215 . Workflow for this process is complete at “end” step  225 .  
         [0034]    The following Table 1 exemplifies the child component attributes for the workflow. The first row in Table 1 represents the first step in the workflow of FIG. 2. At “start”  205 , there is no preceding step in the workflow, so the “From” column in Table 1 is empty. The “To” column represents the workflow destination for the first step. In the case of the example in FIG. 2, work proceeds to “to do”  210 , as shown in the first row of Table 1, “To” column. The menu representation for this step is empty, shown in the second row of Table 1, “Menu” column.  
                                 TABLE 1                           Child component attributes for the workflow of FIG. 2.                From   To   Menu                           To Do               To Do   Review Later   Do it Later           To Do   Must Do Now   Do it Now           Must Do Now       Done           Do It Later   Must Do Now   Ready to Review                      
 
         [0035]    The second and third rows of Table 1 represent the workflow branch at “to do”  210 . Work may proceed either to “Review Later”  220  as shown in the third row of Table 1, or to “Must do now”  215  as shown in the fourth row of Table 1. In addition, all work proceeds from “must do now”  215  to “end”  225 , as represented by the sixth row in Table 1. As shown by the “menu” column of Table 1, the menu possibilities for the workflow process of FIG. 2 are “Do it Later”, “Do it Now”, and “Done”.  
         [0036]    The work node comprises an item with a root component containing attributes and a child component to implement work packages. The attributes of the root component of the item include:  
         [0037]    ID (an entry in the keyword table containing Name and Description);  
         [0038]    Type (Work Basket, Collection Point);  
         [0039]    Notify time (minutes or 0);  
         [0040]    Overload Limit; and  
         [0041]    Exits to be run on the library server  15  (DLL and function name). Exits to be run on the library server  15  comprise overload exit, “entering work node” exit, and “leaving work node” exit.  
         [0042]    The administrator will define the maximum time that work package should be at a given work node. A function is run to identify work packages whose allowed time at a given work node has expired. Any package with allowed time expired is identified with a “notify” flag.  
         [0043]    If the work node is a collection point, a child component will be used to list the ItemTypes and number of each ItemType required. An example of a child component at a collection point is shown in Table 2. In this example, a claim folder must have one police report, one estimate, and four photos. A customer inquiry must have either a letter or an e-mail. In both cases, there is no effect on the collection point processing if Items of other types are added to the folder.  
                                 TABLE 2                           Child components at a collection point.                Folder Type   Item Type   Number Required                       Claim   Police Report   1           Claim   Estimate   1           Claim   Photo   4           Customer Inquiry   Letter   0           Customer Inquiry   e-mail   0                      
 
         [0044]    A work package comprises a child component of a work node that associates a document or folder being routed with a work node within a process. This child component contains work specific information such as priority. The attributes of this child component include the following:  
         [0045]    Priority;  
         [0046]    Reference attribute to the item being routed;  
         [0047]    ItemID of the process;  
         [0048]    UserID of the user that last moved the work package;  
         [0049]    Date/time when the package was last moved;  
         [0050]    Suspend state (0/1);  
         [0051]    Notify state (0/1);  
         [0052]    Notify time; and  
         [0053]    Resume time.  
         [0054]    Reference attributes are used to enable query and ensure referential integrity. The resume list comprises a child component with one row per required ItemType. The child component contains the ItemType and the number of that type required. Setting the required number of the ItemType to “0” indicates that “any” type are accepted, allowing continuation of the work package when any item of a required type arrive. The decision point comprises a child component with one row per “rule” with the “to” work node.  
         [0055]    The work list comprises an item that defines the selection criteria for a list of work. This work list item contains the following attributes:  
         [0056]    ID (an entry in the keyword table containing name and description);  
         [0057]    List of work nodes (ItemlDs);  
         [0058]    Selection order (priority, last work date ascending/descending);  
         [0059]    Selection filter (suspended 0/1, notify 0/1); and  
         [0060]    Number to return (0=all, 1=“system assigned”, &gt;1 for a limit).  
         [0061]    A work list could be defined spanning all workbaskets or a selected subset to show work packages in notify or suspend states. A user authorized to the work list would be able to see the count of waiting work packages. Such a user could then open the work list and make decisions about each work package such as increasing the priority, forcing early resume, forcing exit from a collection point, changing user assignment, etc.  
         [0062]    The interfaces of the automated workflow system  10  with library server  15  comprise “Start Process”, “End Process”, “Route”, “GetWorkList”, “GetWork”, “Suspend”, “Resume”, and “GetitemRouting”. Interfaces with library server  15  are designed to minimize run-time overhead by caching definitions at the client application  35  rather than performing multiple queries on the library server  15 . The client application  35  will pass the table names as required to the library server  15 .  
         [0063]    [0063]FIGS. 3A, 3B, and  3 C illustrate a “Start Process” method  300  of the automated workflow system  10 . When a document or folder is created at block  302 , system  10  checks to see if automated workflow is specified, as described later.  
         [0064]    If the automated workflow is specified at decision block  304 , The ItemID for the item created or selected will be started on the specific process at block  310 . The input to the process is ItemID of the item being routed, the ItemID of the process, and priority. The outputs of the process are the standard stored procedure parameters and the component ID of the work package, if needed.  
         [0065]    At block  312 , the automated workflow system  10  creates a work package. The work package is a child component of the work node. The row of the child component contains a reference attribute to the item being routed. Suspend and notify flags are set to 0 and the UserID and timestamp in the work package are set.  
         [0066]    At decision block  314 , system  10  determines whether an “entering work node” exit is specified. If so, system  10  calls “entering work node” exit. The automated workflow system  10  then proceeds to decision block  318  (FIG. 3B) and checks whether an overload limit has been specified. If so, the automated workflow system  10  counts the number of work packages associated with the present work node at block  320 . If the overload limit is exceeded at that node, the automated workflow system  10  calls overload exit at block  324 .  
         [0067]    The automated workflow system  10  then writes an event record indicated that the overload limit has been reached for that work node at block  328 . the automated workflow system  10  proceeds to decision block  330  and checks whether event records have been requested. If so, the automated workflow system  10  writes a record indicating “start” at block  332 .  
         [0068]    Regardless, the automated workflow system  10  proceeds to decision block  334  (FIG. 3C) and checks whether the work node is a collection point. If so, the automated workflow system  10  proceeds to decision block  336  and checks whether the item being routed is a folder. If so, the automated workflow system  10  compares the content of the folder with the list of required ItemTypes at block  338 .  
         [0069]    If the required ItemTypes are not included in the folder at decision block  340 , the automated workflow system  10  exits. A separate process periodically checks to determine whether all the ItemTypes are present in the folder at decision block  340 , the folder is advanced to the next node in the work process at block  342 , as would an item that was not a folder at decision block  336 . If the work node is not a collection point at decision block  334 , work packages are immediately advanced at block  342 .  
         [0070]    It is to be understood that the specific embodiments of the invention that have been described are merely illustrative of certain application of the principle of the present invention. Numerous modifications may be made to the system and method for automatically starting a document on a workflow process as described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.