Patent ID: 8086541

Claim:
A method for displaying targeted advertisements to users of workflow software executing on a workflow server, the method comprising: receiving at the workflow server, from a user, a request to display a first step in a workflow corresponding to a given industry; retrieving from a memory element provided by the workflow server a first advertisement associated with the first step of the workflow, the selection based on (i) the first step of the workflow, and (ii) the corresponding industry; transmitting from the workflow server, to the identified user, the first step of the workflow and the advertisement to be displayed in conjunction with the first step; determining at the workflow server, a subsequent step in the workflow to transmit to the user, based on the first step; retrieving from the memory element a second advertisement to be displayed in conjunction with the subsequent step of the workflow, the selection based on (i) the second step of the workflow, and (ii) the corresponding industry; and transmitting from the workflow server, to the identified user, the subsequent step of the workflow and the second advertisement to be displayed in conjunction with the subsequent step.