Patent Publication Number: US-2018053131-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-159488 filed Aug. 16, 2016. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium. 
     SUMMARY 
     For example, work done by operating a business operation system sometimes includes work that has not done by anyone before because of diversity of business operations, revision of the system, replacement of the system, or the like. When requesting someone to do this work, it is desirable to find a user who is capable of properly carrying out the work. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a designating unit that designates a first function from among plural functions on a basis of a user&#39;s operation in a case where a history of work of operating one or more business operation systems having the plural functions is accumulated; and a first output unit that outputs information concerning a user who is shown from the history to have experienced work of operating a second function before, the second function being similar to the first function designated from among the plural functions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an overall configuration of an information processing system according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a hardware configuration of a business operation server apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a hardware configuration of a worker terminal; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a hardware configuration of a work history server apparatus; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a hardware configuration of a work manager terminal; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a functional configuration realized by the information processing system; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an example of generated history information; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an example of accumulated history information; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example of stored business operation system information; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an example of a displayed management screen; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an example of a compared element table; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an example of displayed information concerning a user; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an example of a support material table; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates an example of a displayed business operation screen; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an example of an operation procedure of the apparatuses in work request processing; 
         FIGS. 16A and 16B  illustrate an example of output work request information; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates an example of an operation authority table; and 
         FIG. 18  illustrates a functional configuration realized by an information processing system according to a modification. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     [1] Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an overall configuration of an information processing system  1  according to an exemplary embodiment. The information processing system  1  is a system for information processing concerning plural business operations in a company or the like. The information processing system  1  includes a communication line  2 , business operation server apparatuses  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3  (hereinafter sometimes referred to collectively as a “business operation server apparatus  10 ”), worker terminals  20 - 1 ,  20 - 2 ,  20 - 3 , and  20 - 4  (hereinafter sometimes referred to collectively as a “worker terminal  20 ”), a work history server apparatus  30 , and a work manager terminal  40 . 
     The communication line  2  encompasses a mobile communication network, the Internet, and the like and relays exchange of data between apparatuses. The apparatuses included in the information processing system  1  are connected to the communication line  2  by a wire (or wirelessly). The business operation server apparatus  10  is an information processing apparatus that offers functions concerning business operations (e.g., finance, personnel, payroll, purchase, sales, and production) in a company or the like. The worker terminal  20  is a terminal apparatus used by a user (worker) who does work of operating a function offered by the business operation server apparatus  10 . 
     Plural business operation server apparatuses  10  and plural worker terminals  20  work in cooperation. This constructs one or more business operation systems having plural functions. The work history server apparatus  30  accumulates therein a history of work of operating the one or more business operation systems. More specifically, the work history server apparatus  30  accumulates therein a history of work on a document related to a business operation. The document related to a business operation is, for example, a declaration form for year-end tax adjustment used for payroll management work or a purchase order used for sales work. 
     The work manager terminal  40  is a terminal apparatus used by a user (work manger) who manages work of operating a function offered by the business operation server apparatus  10 . This work manager is a person, such as a division manager, a section head, or a group leader, who oversees plural users. As daily work progresses, work needs to be done on various functions of a business operation system. The work manager decides a worker who does the work and requests the worker to do the work. The work manager terminal  40  performs processing for assisting decision of a worker and request of work. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a hardware configuration of the business operation server apparatus  10 . The business operation server apparatus  10  is a computer that includes a central processing unit (CPU)  11 , a random access memory (RAM)  12 , a read only memory (ROM)  13 , a network interface card (NIC)  14 , and a storage  15 . 
     The CPU  11  controls operation of each unit by executing a program stored in the ROM  13  or the storage  15  by using the RAM  12  as a work area. The NIC  14  has a communication circuit for wireless communication compliant with mobile communication and communicates with an external apparatus through the communication line  2 . The storage  15  is a storage unit such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a flash memory and stores therein data and a program used for control by the CPU  11 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a hardware configuration of the worker terminal  20 . The worker terminal  20  is a computer that includes a CPU  21 , a RAM  22 , a ROM  23 , an NIC  24 , a storage  25 , and a UI (User Interface) unit  26 . The CPU  21  through the storage  25  are hardware elements that are identical to those given the same names in  FIG. 2 . The UI unit  26  includes a liquid crystal display and displays, for example, a menu screen for operating the worker terminal  20 . Furthermore, the UI unit  26  includes input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a hardware configuration of the work history server apparatus  30 . The work history server apparatus  30  is a computer that includes a CPU  31 , a RAM  32 , a ROM  33 , an NIC  34 , and a storage  35 . These elements are hardware elements that are identical to those given the same names in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a hardware configuration of the work manager terminal  40 . The work manager terminal  40  is a computer that includes a CPU  41 , a RAM  42 , a ROM  43 , an NIC  44 , a storage  45 , and a UI unit  46 . These elements are hardware elements that are identical to those given the same names in  FIG. 3 . 
     The CPU of each apparatus included in the information processing system  1  controls each unit by executing a program, and thus the following functions are realized. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a functional configuration realized by the information processing system  1 . The worker terminal  20  includes a business operation screen display unit  201 , a business operation related processing unit  202 , and a history information generating unit  203 . The work history server apparatus  30  includes a history information accumulating unit  301  and a history information extracting unit  302 . The work manager terminal  40  includes a business operation system information storage unit  401 , a function list display unit  402 , a designating operation accepting unit  403 , a function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 , a function similarity calculating unit  405 , a worker specifying unit  406 , a history information acquiring unit  407 , a worker information output unit  408 , a worker deciding operation accepting unit  409 , a support material acquiring unit  411 , a support material extracting unit  412 , and a work request information output unit  413 . 
     The business operation screen display unit  201  of the worker terminal  20  displays a business operation screen for carrying out work of operating a function of a business operation system. A user does work by using the displayed business operation screen. The business operation related processing unit  202  executes processing related to a business operation in accordance with a user&#39;s operation on the business operation screen. For example, in cases where the user operates an order function, the business operation related processing unit  202  executes processing for generating a purchase order, processing for encrypting the purchase order, processing for transmitting the encrypted purchase order to an external system, and the like on the basis of a user&#39;s operation. The business operation related processing unit  202  supplies an operation record (log) during execution of such processing related to a business operation to the history information generating unit  203 . 
     The history information generating unit  203  generates history information indicative of history of work of operating a business operation system on the basis of an operation record supplied from the business operation related processing unit  202 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an example of the generated history information. In the example of  FIG. 7 , the history information generating unit  203  generates history information in which a user ID “U001” of a worker, a working period “15 HOURS”, the number of pieces of work “365”, a working date “JANUARY 5, 2016”, a business operation system name “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, a business operation system version “v1.01”, and a function name “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT” are associated with one another. The history information generating unit  203  transmits the generated history information to the work history server apparatus  30 . 
     The history information accumulating unit  301  of the work history server apparatus  30  accumulates therein the history information transmitted from the worker terminal  20 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an example of the accumulated history information. In the example of  FIG. 8 , history of work done by a worker given a user ID “U002” and history of work done by a worker given a user ID “U003” are accumulated in addition to the history of work done by the worker given the user ID “U001”. 
     The business operation system information storage unit  401  of the work manager terminal  40  stores therein business operation system information concerning each business operation system of the information processing system  1 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an example of the stored business operation system information. In the example of  FIG. 9 , the business operation system information storage unit  401  stores therein business operation system information in which a business operation field “PAYROLL”, a business operation system name “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, a business operation system version “v1.01”, a manufacturer name “AA COMPANY”, and functions “EMPLOYEE, SALARY, BONUS, SOCIAL INSURANCE, YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT” are associated with one another. 
     In addition, the business operation system information storage unit  401  stores therein business operation system information in which “PAYROLL”, “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, “v1.00”, “AA COMPANY”, and “EMPLOYEE, SALARY, BONUS, SOCIAL INSURANCE” are associated with one another, business operation system information in which “SALES”, “DD COMPANY SALES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, “v8.02”, “DD COMPANY”, and “RECEIPT OF ORDER, SALES AMOUNT” are associated with one another, business operation system information in which “PERSONNEL”, “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, “v1.93”, “CC COMPANY”, and “EMPLOYEE, OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET, APPOINTMENT PROCESSING, PERSONNEL EVALUATION” are associated with one another, and business operation system information in which “PERSONNEL”, “EE COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, “v3.20”, “EE COMPANY”, and “EMPLOYEE, OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET, APPOINTMENT PROCESSING, PERSONNEL EVALUATION” are associated with one another. 
     As described above, the business operation system information storage unit  401  stores therein pieces of business operation system information that relate to the same system (“AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” in the example of  FIG. 9 ) but are different in terms of a version and pieces of business operation system information that are the same in terms of business operation field and functions but are different in terms of a manufacturer (“CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” and “EE COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” in the example of  FIG. 9 ). The function list display unit  402  displays a list of functions offered in the information processing system  1  by referring to the business operation system information stored in the business operation system information storage unit  401 . The function list display unit  402  displays a list of functions, for example, on a management screen on which a work manager selects a function for which a work request is to be made. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an example of the displayed management screen. In the example of  FIG. 10 , a text “SELECT FUNCTION FOR WHICH WORK REQUEST IS MADE.”, a function list A1 including business operation system names and functions, an edit box B1 for input of the number of workers, an OK button B2, and a cancel button are displayed. In this example, a function “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” included in the function list A1 is selected, and “1 PERSON” is input as the number of persons who is requested to do work. When the OK button B2 is pressed in this state, the designating operation accepting unit  403  accepts this operation as an operation designating a function and the number of persons and notifies the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  about the function selected and the number of persons input at the time of acceptance of the operation. In the present exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the selected function is a function of a business operation system of a latest version. 
     The function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  designates any of plural functions offered by the information processing system  1  on the basis of a user (work manager)&#39;s operation accepted by the designating operation accepting unit  403 . The function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  is an example of a “designating unit” of the present invention. A function designated by the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  is a function for which a work request is to be made to any of workers by the work manager and is hereinafter referred to as a “target function”. 
     The function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  designates, as a target function, a function (“OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” in the example of  FIG. 10 ) notified by the designating operation accepting unit  403 . Furthermore, the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  designates the number of workers who do work on the designated function on the basis of a work manager&#39;s operation. The function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  designates, as the number of workers, the number of persons (“1 PERSON” in the example of  FIG. 10 ) notified by the designating operation accepting unit  403 . The function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  supplies information (e.g., a function ID allocated to each function) for identifying the target function thus designated to the function similarity calculating unit  405 , the worker specifying unit  406 , and the support material extracting unit  412  and supplies number-of-persons information indicative of the designated number of workers to the worker specifying unit  406 . 
     The function similarity calculating unit  405  calculates similarity between the function designated by the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  and other functions. The function similarity calculating unit  405  calculates the similarity by using a compared element table in which compared elements used for comparison between functions and weight values are associated. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an example of the compared element table. In the example of  FIG. 11 , a weight value “10” is associated with a compared element “BUSINESS OPERATION SYSTEM NAME”. Furthermore, weight values “3”, “6”, “1”, and “2” are associated with “VERSION”, “FUNCTION”, “MANUFACTURER NAME”, and “BUSINESS OPERATION FIELD”, respectively. 
     For example, when the function “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” and “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” that have a common business operation field and a common function are compared, the function similarity calculating unit  405  obtains 8 (“2”+“6”) as similarity. When “SALARY” of “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” of the latest version “v1.01” and “BONUS” of “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” of “v1.00” that have a business operation field, a business operation system name, and a manufacturer name in common, the function similarity calculating unit  405  obtains 13 (“2”+“10”+“1”) as similarity. The function similarity calculating unit  405  that has calculated similarity for each of the stored functions by referring to the business operation system information storage unit  401  supplies a result of the calculation to the worker specifying unit  406 . 
     The worker specifying unit  406  specifies a worker who is requested to do work on the basis of the function and the number of persons designated by the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 . First, the worker specifying unit  406  requests the history information acquiring unit  407  to acquire history information including the designated function (of the same business operation system). The history information acquiring unit  407  requests the work history server apparatus  30  to supply the history information requested by the worker specifying unit  406 . Upon receipt of this request, the history information extracting unit  302  of the work history server apparatus  30  searches for the requested history information from among history information accumulated in the history information accumulating unit  301 . 
     In cases where one or more pieces of requested history information are found, the history information extracting unit  302  extracts the history information and then transmits the history information to the work manager terminal  40 . The history information acquiring unit  407  acquires the history information thus received and supplies the acquired history information to the worker specifying unit  406 . In cases where no requested history information is found, the history information extracting unit  302  notifies the work manager terminal  40  about the failure to acquire the requested history information. In such cases, the history information acquiring unit  407  also notifies the worker specifying unit  406  about the failure to acquire the requested history information. 
     In cases where one or more pieces of history information is supplied from the history information acquiring unit  407  and where the number of user IDs included in the supplied history information is equal to or larger than the designated number of persons, the worker specifying unit  406  specifies users identified by the user IDs as workers. In cases where the number of user IDs is less than the designated number of persons or in cases where the worker specifying unit  406  is notified about failure to find history information, the worker specifying unit  406  requests history information including the designated function of a different business operation system. 
     In cases where the sum of the number of user IDs included in history information acquired in response to this request and the number of user IDs included in the history information acquired previously is equal to or larger than the designated number of persons, the worker specifying unit  406  specifies users identified by these user IDs as workers. In cases where the designated number of persons is not still reached, the worker specifying unit  406  requests history information including a manufacturer name that is in common with the designated function. In cases where the designated number of persons is not still reached, the worker specifying unit  406  requests history information including a common business operation field. 
     As described above, the worker specifying unit  406  specifies, as workers, users indicated by history information including a common element that is in common with a designated function, and if the designated number of persons is not reached, the range of the common element is widened in stages until the designated number of persons is reached. The worker specifying unit  406  supplies the user IDs of the workers thus specified and similarities calculated for functions included in work history of these workers to the worker information output unit  408 . 
     The worker information output unit  408  outputs information concerning a user who is shown from history information to have experienced work of operating a function similar to a function designated by the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  before among plural functions offered by the information processing system  1 . The worker information output unit  408  is an example of a “first output unit” of the present invention. Hereinafter, the function that is designated is referred to as a “designated function”, and a function similar to the designated function is referred to as a “similar function”. The designated function is an example of a “first function” of the present invention, and the similar function is an example of a “second function” of the present invention. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, as described above, the worker specifying unit  406  widens the range of a similar function that is similar to a designated function until the number of users who are shown from history information to have experienced work of operating the similar function before reaches a determined number of persons (the number of persons designated by the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 ). Accordingly, the worker information output unit  408  outputs information concerning the users found in cases where the range of the similar function is widened until the number of users reaches the predetermined number of persons. 
     The worker information output unit  408  supplies user IDs and similarities supplied from the worker specifying unit  406  to the UI unit  46  that is a display of the work manager terminal  40  and causes the UI unit  46  to display the user IDs and the similarities as information concerning users. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an example of the displayed information concerning users. In the example of  FIG. 12 , the worker information output unit  408  displays, on the management screen, worker information C1 showing a user ID “U007” of a user having a similarity of “15 POINTS”, a user ID “U012” of a user having a similarity of “8 POINTS”, a user ID “U003” of a user having a similarity of “6 POINTS”, and a user ID “U025” of a user having a similarity of “3 POINTS” from the top in the descending order of similarity. 
     In cases where there are users who have the same similarity, the worker information output unit  408 , for example, causes a user who is shown from history information to have experienced a larger number of pieces of work to be displayed higher. Alternatively, in such cases, the worker information output unit  408  may cause a user for whom a smaller number of days have elapsed from a working date to be displayed higher. In either case, a user who is regarded as being better at operating the designated function (a user who has experienced a larger number of pieces of work or a user who has done work more recently) is displayed higher. 
     When a work manager selects any of the workers from the worker information C1 and presses a decision button C3, the worker deciding operation accepting unit  409  accepts this operation as an operation of deciding a worker. The worker deciding operation accepting unit  409  supplies a user ID of the user decided by the accepted operation to the work request information output unit  413 . Furthermore, the worker deciding operation accepting unit  409  supplies history information of the user to the support material extracting unit  412 . 
     The support material acquiring unit  411  acquires a support material for supporting the work of the business operation system. The support material is, for example, a document (a manual or an instruction) or a moving image for explaining how to use the business operation system. The support material acquiring unit  411  acquires, as a support material, document data showing such a document or moving image data showing operation, for example, from an external device in which the document data or the moving image data is stored. 
     The support material extracting unit  412  extracts a portion corresponding to a difference between the designated function and the similar function from the support material acquired by the support material acquiring unit  411 . The support material extracting unit  412  is an example of an “extracting unit” of the present invention. The support material extracting unit  412  extracts this portion by using the function ID of the designated function supplied from the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 , history information supplied from the worker deciding operation accepting unit  409 , and a support material table in which functions offered by the business operation system and corresponding portions of a support material are associated. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates an example of the support material table. In this support material table, “BUSINESS OPERATION SYSTEM NAME”, “VERSION”, “MANUFACTURER NAME”, “SUPPORT TARGET”, “STORAGE PLACE”, and “RANGE” are associated. The “SUPPORT TARGET” is a target supported by a support material. The support target includes not only functions such as “EMPLOYEE” and “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET”, but also an operation referred to as a “COMMON OPERATION” that is common to all functions. 
     The common operation is, for example, an operation of selecting a function from a menu, an operation of accessing a database, or an operation of redoing processing. The “STORAGE PLACE” is a path (a uniform resource locator (URL) in this example) to a place where a support material such as document data or moving image data is stored. The “RANGE” is a range of pages of a document or a range of a reproduction time of a moving image on which a support target shown in this table is mentioned. 
     For example, when the designated function is “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of a latest version of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” and a function shown by supplied history information is “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of a latest version of “EE COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, the support material extracting unit  412  first requests document data of the latest version (v1.93) of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” from the support material acquiring unit  411 , and the support material acquiring unit  411  acquires this document data from a storage place. 
     In this case, a difference is a manufacturer of a business operation system, and a user who has done work shown by the history information has not experienced a common operation of the CC company personnel management system before. Therefore, the support material extracting unit  412  extracts, as support materials, a range (pages 1 to 20) associated with “COMMON OPERATION” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” in addition to a range (pages 30 to 35) associated with “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” from the acquired document data. 
     When the designated function is “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of the latest version of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” and a function shown by supplied history information is “APPOINTMENT PROCESSING” of the latest version of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, the support material extracting unit  412  extracts, as a support material, only the range (pages 30 to 35) associated with “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” of “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” since a manufacturer of a business operation system is common and a difference is a function only and a user who has done work shown by the history information has already experienced the common operation of the CC company personnel management system. The support material extracting unit  412  supplies the support material thus extracted to the work request information output unit  413  together with the function ID of the designated function. 
     The work request information output unit  413  outputs work request information that is information for request of work to a worker on the basis of the user ID supplied from the worker deciding operation accepting unit  409  and the support material and the function ID supplied from the support material extracting unit  412 . The work request information output unit  413  outputs, as the work request information, information including information showing a document used for the designated function indicated by the supplied function ID, information showing an image for operation that accepts an operation of processing performed by the designated function, and information showing a portion of a support material extracted by the support material extracting unit  412 . The work request information output unit  413  is an example of a “second output unit” of the present invention, and the work request information is an example of “information for work” of the present invention. 
     The work manager terminal  40  stores therein a destination table in which destination information (e.g., Internet protocol (IP) address) of the worker terminals  20  and user IDs are associated, and the work request information output unit  413  supplies the work request information to a destination associated with the supplied user ID in this destination table. The business operation screen display unit  201  of the destination worker terminal  20  displays, as a business operation screen, a screen for requesting a user (worker) who uses the worker terminal  20  to do work on the basis of the supplied work request information. 
       FIG. 14  is an example of the displayed business operation screen. In the example of  FIG. 14 , the business operation screen display unit  201  displays a link to “CC COMPANY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” that is the target business operation system, a link to “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” that is the target function, a link to “http:// . . . ” that is a document storage place, a link to a support material for “COMMON OPERATION”, and a link to a support material for “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET”. When the worker presses these links, screens displaying the business operation system and the function for which a work request has been made, a document on which work is to be done, and a support material are displayed. The worker does the requested work while watching the displayed screens, document, and support material. 
     The worker terminal  20 , the work history server apparatus  30 , and the work manager terminal  40  perform work request processing for requesting a worker decided by a worker manager to do work on the basis of the above configuration. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates an example of an operation procedure of the apparatuses in the work request processing. This operation procedure starts, for example, when a work manager selects a function for which a work request is made and the number of persons on the management screen illustrated in  FIG. 10 . First, the work manager terminal  40  (the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 ) designates a work target function for which a work request is to be made and the number of workers on the basis of an accepted operation (Step S 11 ). 
     Next, the work manager terminal  40  (the worker specifying unit  406  and the history information acquiring unit  407 ) requests history information including the designated function from the work history server apparatus  30  (Step S 12 ). The work history server apparatus  30  (the history information extracting unit  302 ) extracts the requested history information from among history information accumulated therein (Step S 13 ) and then transmits the requested history information to the work manager terminal  40  (Step S 14 ). The work manager terminal  40  (the worker specifying unit  406  and the history information acquiring unit  407 ) acquires the history information in Step S 14  and specifies, as a worker, a user indicated by the acquired history information (Step S 15 ). 
     The work manager terminal  40  determines whether or not the number of specified workers is equal to or larger than the number of persons designated in Step S 11  (Step S 16 ). In cases where the work manager terminal  40  determines that the number of specified workers is less than the designated number of persons (NO), the processing returns to Step S 12 . In cases where the work manager terminal  40  determines in Step S 16  that the number of specified workers is equal to or larger than the designated number of persons (YES), the work manager terminal  40  (the worker information output unit  408 ) supplies worker information indicative of the specified workers to a display thereof (Step S 21 ). Next, the work manager terminal  40  (the worker deciding operation accepting unit  409 ) accepts an operation of deciding a worker who is actually requested to do work from among the workers indicated by the worker information (Step S 22 ). 
     Subsequently, the work manager terminal  40  (the support material acquiring unit  411 ) acquires a support material for supporting work of the decided worker (Step S 23 ). Next, the work manager terminal  40  (the support material extracting unit  412 ) extracts a portion for supporting the worker&#39;s work from the acquired support material (Step S 24 ). Subsequently, the work manager terminal  40  (the work request information output unit  413 ) generates work request information including a document and an image for operation used for the designated function and the extracted support material (Step S 25 ), and then transmits the work request information to the worker terminal  20  of the worker decided in Step S 22  (Step S 26 ). The worker terminal  20  (the business operation screen display unit  201 ) displays a business operation screen on the basis of the received work request information (Step S 27 ). 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, information concerning a user who has an experience of doing work on a similar function that is similar to a designated function designated by a work manager is output as in the example of  FIG. 12 . Even if there is no user who has an experience of doing work on the designated function, information concerning a user who is capable of properly carrying out the work which he or she has not experienced before (a user who is regarded to be capable of doing the work better than other users) is output. This helps the work manager find such a user. Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, work request information including information showing a document used for the designated function and information showing an image for operation is output. This saves the trouble of searching for such a document and an image for operation, thereby allowing a user to operate the designated function with less trouble than in cases where the work request information is not output. 
     Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, work request information including information showing a portion of a support material is output. This portion is a portion of the support material that corresponds to a difference between the designated function and the similar function, i.e., contents that support work which a worker has not experienced before. This allows the worker to more easily operate the designated function than in cases where the work request information is not output. Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, the range of similarity is widened until the number of specified workers reaches a designated number of persons. As a result, a necessary number of users who are capable of properly carrying out work which they have not experienced before are found. 
     [2] Modifications 
     The above exemplary embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and may be modified as follows. The exemplary embodiment and the modifications may be combined as needed. 
     [2-1] Support Material Extracting Unit 
     A method for extracting a portion from a support material by the support material extracting unit  412  is not limited to the method described in the exemplary embodiment. For example, when the official seal/ledger sheet function of the CC company personnel management system is a designated function and a personnel evaluation function is a similar function in the example of  FIG. 13 , the support material extracting unit  412  need just extract a range (pages 30 to 35) that supports work on “OFFICIAL SEAL/LEDGER SHEET” without extracting a range (pages 1 to 20) that supports a common operation. 
     Furthermore, in cases where a difference between a designated function and a similar function is a version, pages of a document or a time of a moving image on which a function added in a new version is mentioned may be associated with “RANGE” of the support material table, and the support material extracting unit  412  may extract the range concerning the added function. Furthermore, in cases where a difference between a designated function and a similar function is a manufacturer name, pages of a document or a time of a moving image on which a function unique to a manufacturer is mentioned may be associated with “RANGE” of the support material table, and the support material extracting unit  412  may extract the range concerning the unique function. In each case, a portion that mentions contents supporting work which a worker has not experienced before is extracted from a support material. This allows the worker to easily operate the designated function as in the exemplary embodiment. 
     [2-2] Designation of Plural Functions 
     The function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  may designate plural functions. For example, in cases where the OK button B2 is pressed while two functions “SOCIAL INSURANCE” and “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT” are being selected from the function list A1 illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  designates these two functions. 
     In this case, the worker specifying unit  406  need just specify, as a worker, a user indicated by history information including an element common to the functions. For example, in cases where a work manager requests two users to work, the work manager need just select one user who is capable of properly carrying out work on “SOCIAL INSURANCE” and one user who is capable of properly carrying out work on “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT”. Even if the work manager requests one user to work, one user who is capable of more properly carrying out work on both of the two functions than other users is selected, for example, by comparing the sum of similarities calculated for the respective functions. 
     [2-3] Division of Work 
     In cases where work of operating a designated function includes plural pieces of work, plural workers may do the respective plural pieces of work. In the present modification, in cases where there are plural users who are shown from history to have experienced work of operating a similar function, the work request information output unit  413  divides work request information into parts corresponding to the respective pieces of work of operating the designated function which the plural users are in charge of. 
       FIGS. 16A  and B illustrate an example of the output work request information.  FIG. 16A  illustrates an example in which work request information requesting work of operating plural designated functions is supplied to the worker terminal  20  of a single user. In this example, the work request information output unit  413  outputs, as work request information, a text “Mr. α, YOU HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO DO FOLLOWING WORK”, two target functions “SOCIAL INSURANCE” and “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT” of “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, storage places in which documents for the respective functions are stored, and support materials that mention “COMMON OPERATION”, “SOCIAL INSURANCE”, and “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT”. 
       FIG. 16B  illustrates an example in which first work request information and second work request information obtained by dividing the work request information illustrated in  FIG. 16A  into two parts are supplied to the worker terminals  20  of two users. In this example, the work request information output unit  413  outputs, as the first work request information, a text “Mr. α, YOU HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO DO FOLLOWING WORK”, a single target function “SOCIAL INSURANCE” of “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, a storage place in which a document for the function is stored, and support materials that mention “COMMON OPERATION” and “SOCIAL INSURANCE”. 
     The work request information output unit  413  outputs, as the second work request information, a text “Mr. β, YOU HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO DO FOLLOWING WORK”, a single function “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT” of “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, a storage place in which a document for the function is stored, and support materials that mention “COMMON OPERATION” and “YEAR-END TAX ADJUSTMENT”. In cases where divided work request information is output, each of workers who have been entrusted with respective pieces of work receives only information concerning work which he or she is in charge of. This saves the worker the trouble of searching for information related to him or her. Consequently, each user who is in charge of a divided part of work does his or her part of work with less trouble than in cases where work request information is not divided. 
     The way in which work request information is divided is not limited to the one described above. For example, in cases where the work request information output unit  413  divides work request information requesting work of operating a single designated function, the work may be separated into plural pieces of work, and names of the pieces of work which respective workers are in charge of may be included in divided pieces of work request information. In cases where these pieces of work are done in order, the work request information output unit  413  may cause a name of a next worker to be included in each divided piece of work request information. That is, the work request information output unit  413  may output any information as long as this information supports work of each worker who is in charge of a divided part of work. 
     [2-4] Operation Authority 
     As for functions offered by a business operation system, an authority of operating the functions is sometimes set. In cases where a function for which an operation authority is set is designated by the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 , the worker information output unit  408  may output information concerning a user who is shown from history to have done work of operating a similar function before and who has an authority of operating the function. 
     In this case, for example, the work manager terminal  40  stores therein an operation authority table in which function IDs of functions and user IDs of users having an operation authority of the functions are associated. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates an example of an operation authority table. In the example of  FIG. 17 , user IDs “I001, U003, U004, . . . ” of users having an operation authority are associated with the function “EMPLOYEE” of “v1.01” of “AA COMPANY PAYROLL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”. Furthermore, user IDs of users having an operation authority are also associated with functions “SALARY, BONUS” and “SOCIAL INSURANCE”. 
     In the present modification, for example, the worker specifying unit  406  supplies a function ID of a designated function to the worker information output unit  408  together with user IDs of specified users, and the worker information output unit  408  outputs information concerning a user indicated by a user ID associated with a function indicated by the supplied function ID in the operation authority table among the supplied user IDs. In this way, information concerning a user who has an operation authority of the designated function is output. Note, however, that the present modification is not limited to this. The worker specifying unit  406  may exclude users who have not an operation authority by referring to the operation authority table when specifying users. In either case, only a user who has an operation authority is found by output information concerning the user. 
     [2-5] Method for Specifying Worker 
     The worker specifying unit  406  may specify a worker who is requested to do work by a method different from the method of the exemplary embodiment. The worker specifying unit  406  may, for example, request history information including function IDs of functions in the descending order of similarity on the basis of a result of calculation of similarity supplied from the function similarity calculating unit  405  and specify a worker by repeating the request until the number of users indicated by history information acquired in response to the request becomes equal to or larger than a designated number of persons. 
     [2-6] Method for Deciding Worker 
     In the exemplary embodiment, a worker who is requested to do work is decided by an operation accepted by the worker deciding operation accepting unit  409 . However, a method for deciding a worker is not limited to this. For example, a worker indicated by worker information output by the worker information output unit  408  may be decided as a worker who is requested to do work. In this case, the number of decided workers may be larger than the designated number of persons, and if the number of decided workers is larger than the designated number of persons, the worker information output unit  408  may output worker information excluding an excess number of workers. 
     [2-7] Apparatus that Realize Functions 
     An apparatus different from the one described above may realize the functions, for example, illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 18  is a functional configuration realized by an information processing system  1   a  according to the present modification. The information processing system  1   a  includes a worker terminal  20 , a work history server apparatus  30   a , and a work manager terminal  40   a . The work history server apparatus  30   a  includes a function/number-of-persons designating unit  404 , a function similarity calculating unit  405 , a worker specifying unit  406 , a history information acquiring unit  407 , a worker information output unit  408 , a support material acquiring unit  411 , a support material extracting unit  412 , and a work request information output unit  413  in addition to the units illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     In this way, except for a function of accepting an operation of a work manager and a function of displaying information, which are left to the work manager terminal, other functions such as designation of a function and the number of workers, specifying of a worker, output of worker information, and output of work request information may be realized by another apparatus (the work history server apparatus  30   a  in this case). In the example of  FIG. 18 , the work history server apparatus  30   a  is an example of an “information processing apparatus” of the present invention. Alternatively, functions from the function/number-of-persons designating unit  404  to the worker information output unit  408  and functions from the support material acquiring unit  411  to the work request information output unit  413  may be realized by another apparatus different from the work history server apparatus. In this case, the “other apparatus” that realizes these functions is an example of an “information processing apparatus” of the present invention. 
     [2-8] Categories of Invention 
     The present invention can be regarded not only as an information processing apparatus such as a work manager terminal, a work history server apparatus, a worker terminal, or a business operation server apparatus, but also as an information processing system including these apparatuses or as an information processing system that includes another group of apparatuses that realize the function, for example, illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Furthermore, the present invention can also be regarded as an information processing method for realizing processes performed by the apparatuses or a program for causing a computer that controls the apparatuses to function. This program may be provided in the form of a recording medium such as an optical disc in which the program is stored or may be provided in a manner such that the program is downloaded and installed into a computer over a network such as the Internet. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.