Patent ID: 6859823

Claim:
A workflow server which is connected to a plurality of client terminals for processing an electronic work item and which transfers a work item generated or processed at each of the client terminals to a next user in charge in accordance with a prespecified process flow, comprising: a process management table defining the relation between an identifier of each of nodes constructing a business process and a destination of a work item in correspondence with a business identifier; a user management table linked to management information of each of the users of the client terminals, for indicating a list of work items transferred to the user and information regarding a substitute user designated by the user in charge in association with each node operation; a controller for allowing according to the user management table, with respect to at least one work item, both a user in charge to whom the work item is transferred and a substitute user predesignated by the user in charge to access the work item, and directly or indirectly transferring the work item processed by either user to the next user in charge according to the process management table; and a display for displaying, in response to a request from any requesting client terminal, a list of users who are designating the user of the requesting client terminal as a substitute user on the client terminal, wherein the substitute user specifies the user in charge to access the work item by referring to the list of users.