JP2007179251A - Electronic document management system, server for same and program therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic document management system, allowing a user to dynamically change an allocation destination of work or a delegation destination of the work according to an allocated role, and to provide a server for the electronic document management system and a program therefor. <P>SOLUTION: In this document management system 1, the management server 2 reads each step of a workflow during processing into a work area from the first step to the last step in turn, distinguishes whether the same value as a role name is set to a name of the step or not, distinguishes whether user information to the role name is set or not when the same value as the role name is set to the name of the step, and a specific target user is allocated to the step when the user information to the role name is set. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic document management system, an electronic document management system server, and a program thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic document management system and an electronic document management system server in a workflow system that automates cooperation of tasks in an arbitrary group and the program thereof. About.

  In recent years, there have been a series of scandals by companies, and the development of laws and regulations to prevent scandals, such as the enforcement of the SOX Act, has progressed. Companies are urgently required to strengthen internal controls in order to comply with these laws. Companies must be able to explain and prove their activities in response to information disclosure requests from stakeholders such as auditors and customers. As a result, companies need to save their activities as records and save them as evidence.

  Conventionally, there is a method using a workflow as one of methods for storing business activities as a record. First, application work and approval work in corporate activities are expressed in a workflow on a computer. A history can be left on the computer by sending a document or performing an approval operation in accordance with this workflow. This history is a record of corporate activity.

  At present, various means for efficiently operating the workflow have been created. As one of them, a parallel circulation method that allows a plurality of users to be assigned to a certain work step on a workflow system is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, in this system, when a plurality of people are assigned, it is possible to select a user who wants to circulate among them.

In addition, a design computer terminal that designs a workflow by designating project variables for multiplexing a plurality of paths to a node, and manages the designed workflow, and an activity that is a process assigned to the node Correspondingly, there is disclosed a workflow system that includes a workflow server that accesses an operation computer terminal, and realizes a complex workflow with a simple definition, such as circulation of a plurality of departments having different circulation routes for each department (for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-311889 JP 2002-99686 A

  However, in the above conventional workflow system, it is possible to assign to a plurality of users for each step, and it is not necessary to create workflows for the number of assigned users. However, since the assignment destination is fixed, the number of workflows is reduced. It does not lead to a significant reduction. Further, since it is not assumed that a certain user has a plurality of roles and a plurality of delegation destinations, there is a problem that the number of workflows increases and the maintenance man-hours of the workflows increase.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and electronic document management capable of dynamically changing a work assignment destination or a work delegation destination according to a role to which a user is assigned. A system and a server of an electronic document management system and a program thereof are provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, a document management system according to claim 1 is an electronic document that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices via a network and is transmitted / received via the network between users using the terminal device. An electronic document management system for managing a transmission destination according to a workflow of the electronic document, the storage unit storing registration information including a role for each user, and the electronic document in the workflow of the electronic document started by one of the users And a determination unit that determines a transmission destination of the document based on the type of the electronic document and the role of each user stored in the storage unit.

  According to the invention of claim 1, claim 6 or claim 7, registration information for each user is stored, and the transmission destination of the electronic document in the workflow of the electronic document started by one of the users is stored in the electronic document. Since it is determined based on the type and the role in the stored registration information for each user, it is possible to dynamically change the work assignment destination according to the role to which the user is assigned, and the workflow creation man-hours And maintenance man-hours can be reduced.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the delegation information for each user is further stored, and the registration information and delegation information for each user in which the transmission destination of the electronic document in the workflow of the electronic document started by one of the users is stored. Therefore, it is possible to dynamically change the work assignment destination or work delegation destination according to the role to which the user is assigned, reducing the number of workflow creation man-hours and maintenance man-hours. it can.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an electronic document management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an electronic document management system 1 includes a management server 2 and a client terminal 3, which are connected via a communication line 4. In FIG. 1, only one client terminal 3 is connected, but a plurality of client terminals 3 are actually connected.

  The management server 2 is typically a personal computer server or Unix (registered trademark) server, but may be a normal personal computer or office computer.

  The client terminal 3 is typically a personal computer, but may be, for example, a mobile phone or a PDA (personal data assistant).

  The communication line 4 is typically realized by at least one of the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, a telephone line, a dedicated digital line, ATM, a frame relay line, a communication satellite line, a cable TV line, and a data broadcasting radio line. It may be a communication network that can transmit and receive data.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of the management server 2 in FIG.

  The following description is also applied to the hardware configuration of the client terminal 3.

  The management server 2 in FIG. 2 includes a CPU 21, a RAM 22, a ROM 23, a LAN adapter 24, a video adapter 25, a keyboard 26, a mouse 27, a hard disk 28, and a CD-ROM drive 29, which are mutually connected via the system bus 20. It is connected.

  The CPU 21 performs various operations such as four arithmetic operations and comparison operations and hardware control based on an operation system program and an application program. The RAM 22 stores an operating system program, application program, and the like read from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or CD-R mounted in the hard disk 28 or the CD-ROM drive 29, and these are controlled by the CPU 21. Executed.

  The ROM 23 stores a BIOS or the like that controls input / output to the hard disk 28 or the like in cooperation with the operation system. The LAN adapter 24 communicates with the outside via a network in cooperation with a communication program of the operation system controlled by the CPU 21. The video adapter 25 generates an image signal to be output to the display device, and the keyboard 26 and the mouse 27 are used for inputting instructions to the information processing device.

  The hard disk 28 stores an operation system, application programs, and various data. The hard disk 28 of the management server 2 has a user master for each user (user ID, user name, affiliation code, number of cases waiting to be processed and number of delegated cases), workflow table (FIG. 14), and in-process workflow table (FIG. 15). ), Various tables (FIGS. 6, 9, and 12), applications, and the like are stored, and the management server 2 executes normal workflow processing and delegation processing based on a request from the client terminal 3. Details of each process will be described in detail with reference to flowcharts described later.

  The CD-ROM drive 29 is loaded with a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or CD-R / W, and is used to install an application program on the hard disk 28. Instead of the CD-ROM drive 29, a CD-R drive, a CD-R / W drive, or an MO drive may be used.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of workflow role setting processing executed by the management server 2 in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, each step of the workflow is input in advance from the keyboard or the like of the client terminal 3 and transmitted to the management server 2 via the communication line 4, and the workflow table of the hard disk 28 of the document management server 2 (FIG. 14). ). The workflow table stores a workflow ID, a workflow name, an organization code (can be plural) of a target organization, a step number of each step of the workflow, and a role of a processor in the step.

  When the client terminal 3 starts a workflow, the management server 2 reads the specific workflow table selected by the workflow initiator from the hard disk 28 to the RAM 22, and determines the workflow authorizer in the in-process workflow table (FIG. 15) in the hard disk. , Payment date and processing status (status) (for example, payment waiting (1), approval (2), denial (3), unprocessed (0), etc.) Step (0)) is added. In the process of FIG. 3, the data of each step of the workflow table (actual data of individual workflow) is read, and a specific user is assigned to the role to advance the workflow process.

  In FIG. 3, first, each step of the workflow being processed is read into the work area of the RAM 22 from the first step to the last step (step S301), and whether or not the same value as the role name is set in the step name. (Step S302), and when the same value as the role name is set in the step name, it is determined whether or not user information for the role name is set (step S303), and the user information for the role name is determined. Is set, a specific target user is assigned to the step (step S304), and the process is terminated.

  As a result of the determination in step S302, when the same value as the role name is not set in the step name, or when the user information for the role name is not set as a result of the determination in step S303, this process is terminated.

  According to the process of FIG. 3, when the same value as the role name is set in the step name (YES in step S302), and the user information for the role name is set (YES in step S303), the step Since a specific target user is assigned to the task, it is possible to dynamically change the work assignment destination in accordance with the role to which the user is assigned, thereby reducing the number of workflow creation man-hours and maintenance man-hours.

  As described above, in the process of FIG. 3, for example, if Mr. A has set Mr. B as “section manager” and Mr. C has set Mr. D as “section manager”, Mr. A starts in the “section manager” step. Mr. B is assigned in the workflow, and Mr. D is assigned in the workflow started by Mr. C.

  Hereinafter, a case where a user to whom a step is assigned delegates the step will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of delegation destination designation processing executed by the management server 2 in FIG.

  This embodiment is applied when a user assigned to a step cannot execute the step for convenience and wants to delegate the step to another user.

  In the present embodiment, a user who performs delegation inputs in advance a role, a delegation user according to the role, an expiration date, and an instruction to the delegation user from the delegation information setting screen illustrated in FIG. Then, the management server 2 adds the delegation information input to the delegation information management table shown in FIG. This delegation information management table is stored in the hard disk 28 of the management server 2.

  In FIG. 4, first, the workflow step assigned by the role of the user A arrives. Here, in the actual processing, the status flag of the step assigned to the role of the user A in the processing workflow table is changed to “processing” (1).

  Next, it is determined whether or not there is a delegation setting by the user A (step S402). When there is a delegation setting, the delegation information management table is referred to (step S403), and the current date is within the validity period of the delegation information. (Step S404), and if it is within the expiration date, the delegation process of this step is executed for other users in the delegation list (step S405), and this process is terminated.

  If the result of determination in step S402 is that there is no delegation setting, or if the result of determination in step S404 is that it is not within the expiration date, this process ends.

  In step S403, the user A as shown in FIG. 6 refers to the delegation information in the delegation information management table set in advance and stored in the hard disk of the management server 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the user ID of user A is 1000 and the role of section manager is given, the process of step is delegated to the user with user ID 1001. Specifically, in actual processing, the user ID of the step assigned to the role of user A in the processing workflow table is changed to 1001, 1000 is stored as the delegation source user, and the status flag is “processing”. Change to (1). The delegated user ID 1001 user can execute the workflow process as a proxy by executing the process of this step as a proxy.

  According to the delegation destination designation process of FIG. 4, when there is delegation setting by user A (YES in step S402), when the current date in the delegation information management table is within the expiration date of delegation information (in step S404) YES) Since the delegation process of this step is executed for the other users on the delegation list, the work delegation destination can be dynamically changed according to the role to which the user is assigned.

  In the process of FIG. 4, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, Mr. B, who has been assigned the role of “section manager” from Mr. A, has been assigned the role of “leader” from Mr. E. And “Leader” are assigned two roles. In addition, when Mr. B delegates, he wants to delegate the duties as the section manager to Mr. X as the manager of the section manager and the duties as the leader to Mr. Y as the sub-leader. In the process of FIG. 4, when Mr. B performs the delegation in the workflow executed by Mr. A, Mr. B assumes the role of “section manager”. Also, in the workflow executed by Mr. E, Mr. B plays the role of “leader”, so the delegation destination is Mr. Y who is the sub-leader.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the first modification of the delegation process in step S405 in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the maximum number of processing cases is input in advance from the maximum processing number setting screen shown in FIG. 8 and the management server 2 stores the maximum processing number storage table shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 7, first, referring to the maximum processing number storage table of the delegation destination user (step S701), it is determined whether or not the total number of processing waiting is less than the maximum processing number (step S702), and less than the maximum processing number. If it is, the delegation process of the step is executed to the delegation destination user (step S703). If it is not less than the maximum number of processes, the delegation process of the step is returned to the delegation source user (step S704), and this process is terminated. To do.

  According to the processing of FIG. 7, when the total number of processing waiting for the delegation destination user is not less than the maximum number of processing (NO in step S702), the delegation processing of the step is returned to the delegation source user. On the other hand, it is possible to prevent the delegation processing from being concentrated.

  According to the present embodiment, the maximum number of processes is set as a discrimination criterion, but the number of delegated processes may be set.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the second modification of the delegation process in step S405 in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the priority of the delegation destination user is input in advance from the priority order setting screen shown in FIG. 11, and the delegation destination priority management table shown in FIG. 12 is stored in the management server.

  In FIG. 10, first, it is determined whether or not the delegation destination user can be delegated (step S1001). When delegation is possible, the delegation processing of the step is executed to the delegation destination user (step S1002). This process ends.

  If the result of the determination in step S1001 is that the delegation destination user is not delegable, it is determined whether or not there is a lower priority user by referring to the delegation destination priority management table (step S1003), and the lower priority user If there is not, the delegation process in this step is returned to the delegation source user (step S1004), and this process ends.

  If the result of determination in step S1003 is that there is a user with a lower priority, it is selected as the next candidate delegation destination user (step S1005), and the process returns to step S1001.

  According to the process of FIG. 10, when the delegation destination user is not delegable (NO in step S1001), when there is a user with a lower priority with reference to the delegation destination priority management table (YES in step S1003), Since it is selected as the next candidate delegation destination user (step S1005), even when the delegation destination user cannot receive the delegation process for some reason, the delegation process is not immediately returned, but the delegation process is performed to another user. Can be requested.

  Further, in this embodiment, when a user with a higher priority receives a delegation process, the delegation information does not flow to a lower-level user.

  Hereinafter, a case where a staying matter in the workflow is detected and delegation setting according to the role is performed in conjunction with the scheduler will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, a process for setting delegation information in consideration of linkage with the scheduler will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a procedure of role information / delegation information registration processing executed by the electronic document management system 1 of FIG.

  Before executing the role information / delegation information registration processing of FIG. 16, it is assumed that the workflow data is registered in the processing workflow table of the hard disk 28 of the management server 2 and the desired settlement date is set in the workflow data. .

  In FIG. 16, first, the client terminal 3 connects to the management server 2 by specifying a predetermined URL, and establishes a session by inputting the user ID and password on the authentication screen received from the management server 2 (step S1601). .

  Next, the management server 2 secures a session area on the authentication process and RAM (step S1621), and displays registration screen information for causing the client terminal 3 to display the role-by-role approval / delegation destination registration screen (FIG. 17). Transmit (step S1622).

  Next, the client terminal 3 displays the role-by-role approval destination / delegation destination registration screen shown in FIG. 17 (step S1602). In the registration screen of FIG. 17, the employee name specified from the user ID, the role name list box, the approval destination list box, the search character input field and search button, the plurality of delegation destination list boxes, and the search Character entry field and search button, delegation conditions ("scheduler reference" for delegation by referring to the scheduler for multiple delegation destinations, and "individual designation" for delegation to the priority level 1 designated for each role individually , A “registration” button for executing registration processing, and a “cancel” button for canceling registration are displayed.

  Next, the client terminal 3 determines whether or not the registration button in FIG. 17 has been pressed (step S1603). When the registration button is pressed, the process proceeds to step S1604, and when the registration button is not pressed, The process returns to step S1602. When the cancel button in FIG. 17 is pressed, a session end request is transmitted to the management server 2 and the process ends (not shown).

  Next, the client terminal 3 transmits the registration information input from the registration screen of FIG. 17 to the management server 2 together with the session ID and the user ID (step S1604).

  Next, the management server 2 receives the registration information (step S1623), stores it in the hard disk via the RAM (step S1624), and ends this process.

  Next, processing for determining a delegation destination with reference to the scheduler when finding a stay in the workflow will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a procedure of delegation processing executed by the electronic document management system 1 of FIG.

  In FIG. 18, first, the management server 2 executes a search process for an unprocessed workflow matter that has stayed for a predetermined number of days at a predetermined time interval (the delegation process is not performed or the warning process is not performed) (step S1801). It is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed staying workflow matter (step S1802).

  If there is an unprocessed staying workflow case as a result of the determination in step S1802, it is determined whether or not there is a delegation setting for the staying case (step S1803). An e-mail warning the stay is sent to the superior of the employee who is the cause or to the progress manager of the workflow (step S1804), and the process returns to step S1802.

  As a result of the determination in step S1803, if there is a delegation setting, it is determined whether or not there is a scheduler reference delegation condition setting in the staying case (step S1805). When the destination setting is singular or the approval expiry date is not set, a delegation process is performed on the delegation destination of the delegation destination 1 (step S1806), and the process returns to step S1802. Specifically, in step S1806, after the step ID (for example, step 2ID) of the in-process workflow table is recorded in the delegation source ID of the step, the step ID is changed to the delegation destination user ID. In addition, in order to notify the delegation, an e-mail including the outline of the staying matter may be transmitted to the delegation destination e-mail address.

  As a result of the determination in step S1805, when there is a delegation setting for scheduler reference, or when there are a plurality of delegation destinations and a desired expiration date is set, the management server 2 transmits a user ID and a password to the scheduler server. Then, a session request is executed (step S1807).

  Next, the scheduler server executes authentication processing, secures a session area on the RAM, establishes a session, and enters a waiting state for receiving inquiry information (step S1821).

  Next, the management server 2 requests the schedule information of the delegation destination users 1 and 2 (step S1808). In step S1808, if there is a delegation period setting, the schedule of the delegation period is inquired. If there is no delegation period setting, schedule information from that point to the desired expiration date is requested.

  Next, when the scheduler server receives the inquiry information, the scheduler server searches the requested user's schedule for the requested period based on the inquiry information (step S1822), and the searched schedule information (employee name, presence of going out or business trip absence / absence) In addition, the schedule and the start time and end time of each schedule whose time is specified are transmitted to the management server 2 (step S1823).

  Next, the management server 2 receives the schedule information (step S1809), determines whether or not delegation is possible based on the received delegation destination user schedule information of the delegation destination 1 (step S1810), and delegates 1 When the user can be delegated, the delegation process is performed on the user of the delegation destination 1 (step S1811), and the process returns to step S1802.

  As a result of the determination in step S1810, when the user of the delegation destination 1 is not capable of delegation, it is determined whether or not delegation is possible based on the received schedule information of the delegation destination user of the delegation destination 2 (step S1812). When the user of the delegation destination 2 can perform delegation, delegation processing is performed on the user of the delegation destination 2 (step S1813), and the process returns to step S1802.

  As a result of the determination in step S1812, if the user of the delegation destination 2 cannot perform delegation, an e-mail alerting the stay to the superior of the user who is staying in the stay case or to the progress manager of the workflow And returns to the process of step S1802.

  If the result of determination in step S1802 is that there is no unprocessed staying workflow matter, this processing ends.

  In step S1810 and step S1812, the ratio of the absence date included in the scheduler information and the time during which the schedule is input exceeds a predetermined ratio (for example, 80% of the remaining time from the current time to the desired settlement date). If it is, the delegation is impossible.

  According to the delegation process of FIG. 18, it is determined whether or not delegation is possible based on the schedule information of the delegation destination users 1 and 2 received from the scheduler server (step S1810), and delegation is possible. Since the delegation process is performed on the delegation destination user at a certain time (step S1811 or step S1813), the delegation process can be executed based on the schedule information of the delegation destination user.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an electronic document management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the hardware constitutions of the management server in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the setting process classified by workflow role which the management server in FIG. 1 performs. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the delegation destination designation | designated process which the management server in FIG. 1 performs. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a delegation user setting screen used in the delegation destination designation process of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a delegation information management table used in the delegation destination designation process of FIG. 4. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the 1st modification of the delegation process of step S405 in FIG. It is a figure explaining the maximum process number setting screen used by the delegation process of FIG. It is a figure explaining the maximum process number storage table used by the delegation process of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the 2nd modification of the delegation process of step S405 in FIG. It is a figure explaining the priority order setting screen of the delegation destination used by the delegation process of FIG. It is a figure explaining the priority management table of a delegation destination used by the delegation process of FIG. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the delegation destination designation | designated process of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a workflow table used in the workflow role-specific setting process in FIG. 3 and the delegation destination designation process in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an in-process workflow table used in the workflow role-specific setting process in FIG. 3 and the delegation destination designation process in FIG. 4. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of role information / delegation information registration processing executed by the electronic document management system of FIG. 1. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a role-by-role approval / delegation destination registration setting screen used in the role information / delegation information registration process of FIG. 16. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the delegation process which the electronic document management system of FIG. 1 performs.

Explanation of symbols

1 Electronic Document Management System 2 Management Server 3 Client Terminal 21 CPU
22 RAM
28 hard disk

Claims (7)

An electronic document management system for managing a transmission destination of an electronic document connected to a plurality of terminal devices via a network and transmitted / received via the network between users using the terminal device according to the workflow of the electronic document. ,
Storage means for storing registration information including a role for each user;
A determination unit configured to determine a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users based on the type of the electronic document and the role for each user stored in the storage unit; A featured electronic document management system. The storage means further stores delegation information for each user,
The determination unit determines a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users based on registration information and delegation information for each user stored in the storage unit. The electronic document management system according to claim 1. The storage means further stores maximum processing number information for each user,
The determination unit determines a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users based on registration information, delegation information, and maximum processing number information for each user stored in the storage unit. The electronic document management system according to claim 2. The storage means further stores delegation priority information for each user,
The determination unit includes registration information, delegation information, maximum processing number information, and delegation priority information for each user stored in the storage unit as a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users. 4. The electronic document management system according to claim 3, wherein the determination is made based on The storage means further stores schedule information for each user,
The determination means includes registration information, delegation information, maximum processing number information, delegation priority information for each user stored in the storage means as a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users. 5. The electronic document management system according to claim 4, wherein the electronic document management system is determined based on the schedule information. A server of an electronic document management system that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices via a network and manages a transmission destination of an electronic document transmitted / received via the network between users using the terminal device according to the workflow of the electronic document. There,
Storage means for storing registration information including a role for each user;
A determination unit configured to determine a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users based on the type of the electronic document and the role for each user stored in the storage unit; Feature server. A server of an electronic document management system, which is connected to a plurality of terminal devices via a network and manages a transmission destination of an electronic document transmitted / received via a network between users using the terminal device according to the workflow of the electronic document A control program,
The server,
Storage means for storing registration information including a role for each user;
A function for determining a transmission destination of the electronic document in an electronic document workflow started by one of the users based on a type of the electronic document and the role for each user stored in the storage unit; program.

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