Abstract:
A system is described for managing business processes through a plurality of distinct input channels, wherein the processes have a number of consecutive process phases. The system comprises a process management module which is configured to receive requests from a customer through any one of the input channels and to execute on the basis of these requests a business process. The system uses a process definition database for storing process definitions of each of the business processes and the process phases used therein. An interface module handles the communication between the input channels and the process management module, wherein a session service in the interface module stores session information about a particular one of the plurality of input channels through which a given request for executing a process phase was received.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The present patent application claims the priority benefit of the filing date of European Application (EPO) No. 04102789.7.3 filed Jun. 17, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the invention relates to a system for managing business processes by means of a computer system, said processes having a number of consecutive process phases, wherein one or more of said processes can be started and accessed through a plurality of input channels. 
     Systems for managing business processes by means of a computer system are known. WO-A-0223877 discloses for example an integrated work management engine for customer care in a communication system, which accepts work through multiple access channels. With an increasing range of services offered to customers there exists a need for an efficient system for managing processes supporting such services allowing access to a selected process via different channels throughout the process at the choice of the customer. It is a disadvantage of existing systems of this type, such as workflow systems, that it is not possible to interrupt a process started by a customer through a first input channel and to resume the process at a time chosen by the customer through a different channel chosen by the customer. Moreover, prior art systems based on a push mechanism can not handle processes including external process phases, such as process phases depending on actions of the customers involved. 
     An embodiment of the invention aims to provide a system of the above-mentioned type wherein the disadvantages of the prior art systems are overcome. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention a system for managing a number of business processes comprises a process management module which can be started upon receipt of a request for a predetermined business process from each input channel, a process definition database comprising process definitions of each of said number of processes, each process definition describing the process phases and order of process phases to be executed to complete the process, and an interface module handling communication between the input channels and the process management module, wherein the process management module comprises a control point handler, a case database for storing the status of each process managed by the system, and an entry database for storing data gathered during execution of the process, wherein upon receipt of a request for a predetermined process from an input channel the control point handler is started to retrieve information on a first or next process phase of said predetermined process from the process definition database and to start the prosecution of the retrieved process phase, wherein data entered during prosecution of a process phase is stored in the entry database and data stored in the entry database which is to be used during execution of a retrieved process step, is retrieved from the entry database, wherein after completion of the prosecution of each process phase the control of the process is returned to the control point handler, wherein after return of the control of the process, the control point handler updates the status of the respective process in the case database, wherein information on a next process phase of the same process is retrieved from the process definition database and prosecution thereof is started by the control point handler if a continuation request is received from the input channel, and wherein the control point handler returns control to the interface module if a stop request is received from the input channel. 
     In this manner a system for managing business processes is obtained, wherein the process management module, in particular the control point handler, allows customers to access, stop and resume any business process via an input channel at the choice of the customer. The process can be stopped after each process phase by the customer and it is the customer who decides at which moment he wishes to resume the process to continue with a next process phase. After completion of each process phase, the system allows the customer to decide to wait with the continuation of the process. As the status of each process is stored in the case database and all data gathered during execution of process phases is stored in the entry database all information needed to continue with a next process phase is centrally available in the process management module so that the customer may choose any input channel to continue with a next process phase. 
     New business processes can easily be added to the system by storing the process definition in the process definition database. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be further described by reference to the drawings in which an embodiment of the system of the invention is shown in a very schematical way. 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the system for managing a number of business processes according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 2-12  schematically show the operation of the system in managing a series of process phases of an example of a business process. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows an overview of a system for managing a number of business processes by means of a computer system  1  not shown in detail. The computer system  1  may comprise a central main frame computer and a number of computer terminals, PC&#39;s and databases interconnected in a LAN and/or WAN. By way of example  FIG. 1  shows a business process  2  comprising five process phases A-E, wherein so-called control points  3  are indicated as start and end points of each process phase A-E. 
     A central part of the system described is a process management module  4  which comprises a control point handler  5 , a case database  6  and an entry database  7 . In the case database  6  the status of each process managed by the system is stored and in the entry database  7  data gathered during execution of process phases is stored. This means that all information needed to continue with a next process phase is centrally available in the process management module  4 . By way of example  FIG. 1  shows a number of input channels  8 , such as the internet  9 , a call centre  10 , a bank shop  11  and an employee terminal  12 . It will be clear that in practice may employee terminals can be part of the system as input channel. The process management module  4  can be reached from any input channel  8  through an interface module  13 , so that all information needed to continue with a process is centrally available for all input channels  8 . The interface module  13  comprises a so-called business process start service  14 , a session service  15  and a client view function  16 . 
     The system described further comprises a process definition database  17  comprising the process definitions of the business processes which can be managed by the system. Each process definition comprises information with respect to the business process, such as information with respect to the process phases and the order in which the process phases are to be executed to complete the business process. 
     The operation of the system and further details of the system will be described by reference to  FIGS. 2-12 , showing as an example the manner in which a business process “sell a non-standard credit” is managed by the system. As schematically shown in  FIG. 2  a customer calls the call centre  10  and tells the call centre agent that he wishes a non-standard credit. The call centre agent using his computer as part of the input channel  10 , clicks on the computer screen the option “sell a non-standard credit”. By clicking this option, the business process start service  14  of the interface module  13  starts up the process management module  4 , in particular the control point handler  5 . The control point handler  5  upon receipt of the request for the process “sell a non-standard credit”, calls the process definition database  17  to retrieve the information on the first process phase of the process “sell a non-standard credit”. With this information the control point handler  5  starts the prosecution of the first process phase A as indicated by arrow  18  in  FIG. 2 . Starting the process phase A means that an application program is executed to go through the steps necessary to finish this process phase A, so that control of the process is handed from the control point handler  5  to the process phase as indicated by arrow  18  in  FIG. 2 . These steps can be executed fully automatically, manually, partly manually, or may include a complicated workflow as will be described later. During the process phase a number of screens can be presented on the screen of the input channel used. 
     It is noted that through the session service  15 , the process management module  4  receives information on the input channel  8 , in this case input channel  10 , through which the process has been accessed. This information includes information regarding the language used by the input channel, the location of the input channel computer, the platform on which the computer operates, etc. This information is used by the process management module  4  to start the correct implementation of the first process phase A. Moreover, this allows the process management module  4  to take care that any dialogues in the first process phase A are presented on the current input channel  10 . 
     After completion of the first process phase A, the control of the process “sell a nonstandard credit” is returned to the control point handler  5  which updates the status of this particular process in the case database  6 . Any relevant information that is entered by the call centre agent is stored in the entry database  7  during prosecution of process phase A. The status of this particular process becomes “process phase A is completed”. Assuming that at the end of the first process phase A, the customer and the call centre agent agree to continue the process, the call centre agent clicks on the option “OK and continue” presented in the last screen of process phase A. This last screen also provides the option “OK and stop” as will be explained hereinafter. In case the option “OK and continue” is chosen, the control is returned from the process phase A to the control point handler  5  as shown by arrow  19  in  FIG. 2  and upon receipt of this command, the control point handler  5 , after updating the case database  6 , calls the process definition database  17  to obtain information on the next process phase B. 
     With this information the next process phase B is started as indicated by the arrow  20  in  FIG. 3 . When the second process phase B is completed, the control is returned to the control point handler  5  as indicated by arrow  21 . However, in this case, the customer informed the call centre agent that he wants to think about the product offered and the information he has received so far. Therefore, the call centre agent clicks in the last screen of process phase B on the option “OK and stop”. At the receipt of this code from the process phase B, the control point handler  5  updates the case database  6 , and returns control of the process to the interface module  13 , in particular the session service thereof, and the process stops as schematically indicated in  FIG. 4 . The information gathered during process phase B has been logged in the entry database  7 , so that this information is centrally available. 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 2-12 , the customer then decides to continue the process “sell a non-standard credit” in a bank shop, where the computer of the bank shop agent is part of the bank shop as input channel  11 . According to  FIG. 5 , the bank shop agent clicks on the client view function  16  of the interface module  13  and this function presents all information of the customer including the cases stored in the case database  6  as being open for this customer. These cases include the case “sell a non-standard credit” which according to the information presented in the client view function  16  was started through the call centre input channel  10 . By clicking on this particular case, the business process start service  14  starts the control point handler  5  to continue the case with the next process phase C. The control point handler  5  checks the status of the process in the case database  6  and calls the process definition database  17  to obtain information on the next process phase C. Thereafter the control point handler  5  starts process phase C as indicated by arrows  20 ,  21  in  FIG. 6 . 
     The business process “sell a non-standard credit” is an example of a process which includes a process phase in which internal specialists have to work on the product. During process phase C, the bank shop agent gathers all information from the customer which is needed in the next process phase D to allow the internal specialist to create a proposal for the non-standard credit. Therefore, at the end of process phase C, the next process phase D has to be assigned to a specialist or specialist department. This is schematically indicated in  FIG. 7  by arrow  22  which indicates that the case is forwarded to an inbox  23  of a specialist employee or specialist department. At this point of the process, workload balancing can be applied, i.e. sending the case to an employee of a specialist department on the basis of workload within the department. 
     The employee that finds the case in his inbox  23  clicks on the case resulting in his computer becoming input channel  12  of the system through which the business process start service  14  starts the control point handler  5  to continue with the process. The control point handler  5  checks the status of the process in the case database  6  and finds out that the status is “process phase C completed”. Thereafter, the control point handler  5  calls the process definition database to obtain information on the next process phase D and starts process phase D as indicated by arrow  24  in  FIG. 8 . presenting a first screen of this process phase D on the screen of input channel  12 , i.e. the computer of the employee who found the case in his inbox  23 . As in other process phases, information gathered during the process phase D is logged in the entry database  7 . When process phase D is completed, the control is returned (indicated by arrow  25 ) to the control point handler  5  which updates the process status in the case database  6 . Thereafter, the control point handler  5  stops and returns control to the interface module  13 . In this manner the customer can decide if, when and through which channel  8  he will sign the offer of the non-standard credit. 
     As schematically shown in  FIG. 9 , process phase D may include a complex workflow mechanism  26  which can managed in a manner known per se, as long as control of the process at the end of process phase D is returned to the control point handler  5 . 
     In the example described the customer chooses to sign the offer for a non-standard credit through the Internet. Using his PC or another suitable terminal adapted to communicate through the Internet, he logs on on the website of the bank operating the described system. By logging on, his PC becomes one of the input channels  8  connected to the system through the Internet channel  9 . By clicking on his screen on his personal page, the interface module  13 , in particular the business process starts service  14  is called and starts the control point handler  5 . As in the previous process phases A-D, the control point handler  5  checks the status of the case in the case database  6  and retrieves from the process definition database  17  the required information on the next process phase E. The control point handler  5  starts up the next process phase E as indicated by the arrow  27  in  FIG. 10 . Process phase E communicates via the Internet with the customer to obtain his signature of the offer of the non-standard credit. When the customer has signed the offer, he clicks the option “OK and continue” and the control is returned from process phase E to the control point handler  5  as indicated by an arrow  28  in  FIG. 10 . As in the previous process phases A-D, the control point handler  5  updates the status of the case in the case database  6 . Any relevant data has been entered in the entry database  7  during prosecution of the process phase. The control point handler  5  checks with the process definition database  17  the next process phase for this case and learns that the process has been completed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , completion of a process results in the control point handler  5  starting a broker module  29  which is operable to log the information stored in the entry database  7  regarding the completed process in a central administration system  30 . After logging the information stored in the entry database  7  in the central administration system  30 , the control point handler  5  calls a business process end service  31  which presents a next screen on the input channel  8  which was used to complete the process. In the example described, this is the monitor screen of the PC of the customer through which he contacted the website of the bank operating the system described. This next screen can be a so-called “further wishes screen”. When the customer indicates that he has further wishes, this may lead to a next process managed by the system described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system comprises a process monitor module  32  for checking the status of open cases in the case database  6 . To this end the process monitor module  32  checks for example twice a day the list of open cases stored in the case database  6 . It retrieves the status of each open case from the case database  6  and checks with the process definition database  17  whether or not the process is overdue. In case a process is overdue, a notification is sent to the inbox  33  of the responsible person and/or department. This implies a time input to the process monitor module  32 . This time input can originate from different sources. For example, the time a process phase may take can be defined in the process definition database  17 . As an alternative, the due time for a process phase can be determined by the customer or other outside circumstances. For example, a customer negotiating a mortgage can indicate the time he wants to have the money deposited at the notary. Such time inputs provided by a customer or dependent on other outside circumstances may be updated on line in a different database, wherein the control point handler  5  connects the process phase with the due time entered in this database. 
     The process monitor module  32  monitors the action taken on the notification sent to the inbox  33 . If no action is taken within a predetermined time, the process monitor module  32  will send an alarm message to an inbox not shown of the department manager. 
     As explained above, process phases can be performed automatically, manually, partly manually, or a process phase can even be a complicated workflow. In any case, all functions and data that are used in a process phase and that are the same for more than one process phase and/or for more than one input channel  8  can be defined and implemented generically. This is schematically shown in  FIG. 1  as service modules  34  and  35 . Each process phase A-E requiring a function or data, can call the service module  34  and/or  35 . 
     As explained above, when a process phase A-E is completed, the control of the system is returned to the control point handler  5 . Each time the control is returned after completion of a process phase, the control point handler  5  updates the status of the process in the case database  6 . Further, the control point handler also sends process information to a management information system  36 . 
     From the above description it will be understood that according to the invention the system for managing a number of business processes is arranged in such a manner that the customer has control over the time and input channel through which a process is started, stopped and resumed. To this end the control point handler  5  operates according to a pull mechanism, wherein the customer indicates his wish to start a first or next process phase of a desired business process. The control point handler  5  is operable to start the correct process phase A-E by calling the process definition database  17  and starting the correct process phase. After completion of each process phase A-E control of the process is returned to the control point handler  5  and only if the customer indicates his wish to continue the process, the control point handler  5  starts the next process phase. If the customer wants to wait with continuation of a process, he can do so. He can continue the pending process, i.e. resume the process, through any channel he desires to use. As the status and all relevant data are centrally available in the case database  6  and the entry database  7 , the control point handler  5  can start the next process phase with all available information ready for use in the next process phase. 
     The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims.