Patent ID: 8667491

Claim:
A method of executing a workflow in a computer; comprising: representing a main workflow of at least one computer as a series of steps which are linked to define the workflow, the steps of the main workflow being grouped in at least two swim lanes, the workflow repeatedly transitioning between ones of the at least two Swim lanes; representing a transition workflow as at least one predetermined transition step, the at least one predetermined transition step not being linked to the steps of the main workflow within the representation of the main workflow, the at least one predetermined transition step not being grouped within any of the at least two swim lanes; defining a rule for executing the transition workflow for each and every transition between the different swim lanes for storage in a database; executing in at least one computer using a workflow engine, the steps of the main workflow in an order defined by the links between the steps of the main workflow; evaluating the rule, by a lane change handler in communication with the database, to determine whether the rule applies each and every time during the executing that a step from one of the swim lanes is followed by a step from another of the swim lanes; and executing the steps of the same transition workflow each and every time the rule applies by the lane change handler, wherein the steps of the transition workflow are performed between the step of the one of the swim lanes and the step of the another of the swim lanes.