Abstract:
A workflow management system provides an integrated approach to exchanging information real-time and notifying responsible persons of pending deadlines concerning a particular deal. The web-based system includes a server having a centralized database of deal data and at least one client system facilitates a method of uploading initial proposed deal data, notifying an underwriter of the uploaded proposal, uploading a workflow timeline for the proposed deal and notifying responsible persons that actions for tasks are due according to the timeline. The workflow management system is further configured to restrict database access to authorized users for viewing of and providing updates to the deal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a computer network-based system and more particularly to systems and methods for managing workflow both internally to provide services to customers and externally to allow customers to monitor workflow. 
     Electronic information exchange has improved workflow management problems to some extent, however differences between, for example, two companies interested in making a deal still exist. Legacy formatting issues between the companies and differences in procedures have left much of the inefficiencies found in paper based methods unaffected. For example, time expended manually in gathering information regarding the deal and possibly converting the information into a different format contribute to the inefficiencies. Overall, both the traditional paper methods and known electronic methods can be very frustrating and may not necessarily facilitate resolving workflow management issues. 
     It would be desirable to manage workflow issues by implementing a web-based system that allows real-time access to project status, both internally to the supplier of services and externally to the customer where they can monitor the workflow of services provided, while eliminating the inefficiencies of known systems thereby providing higher customer satisfaction and reduction in deal cycle time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A workflow management system providing an integrated approach to exchanging information real-time and notifying responsible persons to pending commitments concerning a particular deal is disclosed. The web-based system includes a server having a centralized database of deal data. The connecting of at least one client system to the server facilitates a method of uploading initial proposed deal data, notifying an underwriter of the uploaded proposal, uploading a workflow timeline for the proposed deal and notifying responsible persons that actions for tasks are due according to the timeline. 
     The workflow management system is further configured to restrict database access only to authorized users for viewing of and providing updates to the deal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a system diagram; 
     FIG. 2 is a flowchart giving an overview of a web-based workflow management system; 
     FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for setting up a proposed deal; 
     FIG. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for setting up basic deal member information; 
     FIG. 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for setting up a workflow timeline; 
     FIG. 6 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for entering deal data; 
     FIG. 7 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for entering a company selection; 
     FIG. 8 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for reviewing and choosing tasks from a company&#39;s deal; 
     FIG. 9 is an exemplary embodiment of a web page for updating a deal; and 
     FIG. 10 is an exemplary example of a web page for viewing a user&#39;s documents. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. System  10  includes a server system  12  and a plurality of client systems  14  connected to server system  12 . In one embodiment, a client system  14  is a computer including a web browser. Server system  12  is accessible to client system  14  via the Internet. Client system  14  is interconnected to the Internet through many interfaces including dial-in-connections, cable modems, special high-speed ISDN lines and networks such as local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs). Client system  14  could be any client system capable of interconnecting to the Internet including a web-based phone or other web-based connectable equipment. Server  12  is configured with a workflow management program and associated web pages and further includes a database  16  configured with, for example, data from multiple projects which can be accessed and updated by registered users, both internal and external to the company providing the services, through the web pages at one of client systems  14  by logging onto server system  12 . 
     FIG. 2 is a flowchart  20  giving an overview of a workflow management method and system. An originator inputs  22  data of the contemplated deal into client system  14  (shown in FIG. 1) to be uploaded  24  to server  12  to be stored within database  16 . Once a proposal is given preliminary approval, an underwriter uploads  26  information regarding access privileges for those individuals inside and outside of the company that require access to the proposal information. The underwriter also uploads  28  a workflow timeline, and appropriate documents to server  12  so that those with access rights may view and update progress of the deal. Server  12  is configured to monitor progress of the deal, and when a task has been completed and a responsible person for a task has uploaded a completion for an action item or task, a notification is sent  30  to the responsible person for the next task or tasks that appear on the workflow timeline. The underwriter also monitors overdue tasks and sends reminders to the responsible party about that event. If a task within a deal is completed and is a last task, system  10  verifies the deal is closed  32 . If the deal has closed, no further notifications are sent and the deal is considered to be at the end of the timeline  34 . Alternatively, if the deal is not closed, system  10  waits for updates to be uploaded  28  regarding the timeline, deal information or status and prepares to send the notification to the next responsible person. 
     FIG. 3 is an exemplary deal input page  40  as described above. Page  40  includes formatted information from database  16  (shown in FIG. 1) and includes data entry fields used to setup up access to information regarding a particular deal. Page  40  includes a deal name field  42 , an identification assignment field  44  and a password assignment field  46 . Deal name field  42  may be configured as a pull down menu. Links exist to either submit the entered information to database  16  or to cancel the deal access setup. A submit link  48  causes the information entered into the data entry fields to be uploaded to server  12  and stored in database  16  and a cancel link  50  causes the deal access setup to be cancelled. 
     FIG. 4 is an exemplary contact page  60  used to enter basic deal member contact information. Page  60  includes data entry fields used to enter contact information to be uploaded to server  12  and stored in database  16 . Data entry fields include an originator field  62 , an underwriter field  64 , a portfolio manager field  66 , an auditor field  68 , an internal legal counsel field  70 , and an external legal counsel field  72 . The data entry fields are configured as pull down menus with selections stored in server  12 . Reminder fields  74  are located adjacent the data entry fields described above and are configured to notify the contacts entered, in one embodiment via E-mail, if reminder field  74  is checked. Similarly, primary contact fields  76  are adjacent to reminder fields  74 . If checked, primary contact fields  76  notify other users who the primary contacts for the deal being accessed. Links exist to either submit the entered information to database  16  or to cancel the basic contact information setup. Selection of a continue link  78  causes server  12  to upload the information entered into the data entry fields and store that information in database  16  and selection of a cancel link  80  causes server  12  to cancel the basic contact information setup. 
     FIG. 5 is an exemplary timeline page  90  used to enter initial timeline information. Page  90  includes data entry fields used to enter initial timeline information to be uploaded to server  12  and stored in database  16 . Initial timeline information includes a deal process type  92 , a due date  94  for each task  96  listed, and a responsible person  98  for each task  96 . Deal process type  92 , due date  94 , responsible person  98  may be configured as pull down menus with selections stored in server  12 . Omit fields  100  may be selected which omit the particular task  96  omitted from the timeline. Hide fields  102  may be selected to hide the particular task  96  from an authorized external user. 
     FIG. 6 is an exemplary deal page  110 . Deal page  110  includes data entry fields to be used in uploading the parameters of a deal to server  12 . Included on page  110  are data entry fields for company identifier codes  112 , deal category  114 , deal type  116 , deal class  118 , financial commitment  120 , deal status  122  and financing need  124 . The fields regarding the deal parameters are updated with deal parameter information when the timeline parameters (described above) are entered and are used in reviewing the deal for approval. Also included in FIG. 6, are lost deal fields  126  which are used to enter data on why a particular deal was lost. Lost deal fields  126  are not used when entering deal parameters. 
     FIG. 7 is an exemplary company selection page  140 . Page  140  is downloaded from server  12 , in one embodiment, based upon the role of the user in the organization. Based upon the user&#39;s role a menu  142  is presented to the user with an appropriate list of companies in the deal process. Role definitions include, but are not limited to a user&#39;s deals, a users team&#39;s deals, deals from a region, or all deals. Using page  140 , the user simply chooses one of a number of appropriate companies with which deals are in progress. Page  140  includes a menu  142  from which companies are selected. Once a company is selected from menu  142  an open link  144  causes the company selection from menu  142  to be uploaded to server  12  and the timeline for that deal to be downloaded to the user&#39;s client system  14 . 
     FIG. 8 shows an exemplary company timeline page  150 , where a user has selected from menu  142  (shown in FIG.  7 ). Page  150  is downloaded from server  12  to client system  14  and provides information regarding the various tasks involved with a deal such as an original due date  152 , a current due date  154 , an actual completion date  156 , a task list  158 , a responsible person  160  for each task, and a go link  162 . Go links  162  enable a user to access an update page for each task within a deal (described below). 
     FIG. 9 is an exemplary updates page  170 . Updates page  170  is accessed by an authorized user when task parameters, such as dates and responsibilities, need updating. In one embodiment, page  170  includes data entry fields for an actual completion date  172 , a current due date  174 , a responsible person  176 , a task description  178 , and a comments field  180 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the task to be updated represents a pre-investment committee (PIC) approval task, selected from a go link  162  within deal page  150  (both shown in FIG.  8 ). The task description  178  field and comments field  180  are textual entry fields while completion date  172 , due date  174  and responsible person  176  data entry fields may be configured as pull down menus. Links on page  170  exist to either save the entered information to database  16  or to cancel the update. A save link  182  causes the information entered into the data entry fields on page  170  to be uploaded to server  12  and stored in database  16  and a cancel link  184  causes the update to be cancelled. 
     FIG. 10 is an exemplary documents page  190  which downloads from server  12  and displays at client system  14  documents posted by a user. A view selection field  192  accepts user input as to which, if not all, documents are to be viewed. After uploading a selection from field  192 , a list of deals is downloaded from server  12 . Included in the list of deals is a posting date  194 , which is the date the document was posted, a document name  196 , a version number  198  for the document, and a user name  200  of the person who posted the document. A posting link  202  provides a user interface (not shown) where a user may enter and cause to be uploaded to server  12 , a document pertaining to a deal. 
     As described above, the workflow management system greatly reduces the cycle time spent on a deal by improving work prioritization for more efficient deal execution. Deal execution is more efficient because transaction flow management is proactive instead of reactive. Proactive management helps increase customer satisfaction. Real-time, on-line information enhances communication and the need for live meetings regarding the deal and the associated costs in preparation for such meetings is reduced. In addition, performances of responsible persons are enhanced as the online viewing of the deal&#39;s progress enables better preparations for any arising problems to be dealt with or that may arise. 
     Performances in turning around tasks are capable of being analyzed. Estimates used when setting up the timeline for the length of each task are compared with the actual times expended in performance of the tasks. Tasks that take longer than estimated are addressed, and tasks being completed in shorter times than the estimates are noted for a knowledge base to be used in setting up future timelines. The goal being to further reduce the cycle times of tasks and the times of an entire deal process. 
     A single document repository, including version control and a document check in/check out feature enhances communications capabilities and E-mail notification provides for better, faster response times across all facets of deal workflow management and encourages proactivity regarding issues and opportunities. Security regarding a customer&#39;s deals is addressed since only authorized users are able to access a customer&#39;s potential deals. In addition, the internal company&#39;s concerns regarding confidential deal information is addressed since the authorized external company&#39;s authorized users are limited as to which deal information pages can be downloaded for viewing. The external company users can view deal workflow progress, for example, but are not able to access all areas of the deal database. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.