JP2010061349A - Workflow management device, workflow management program, and workflow system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workflow management device, a workflow management program, and a workflow system, which prevent a highly confidential document from being left in a printer, in a stage of printing a workflow, without requiring a complicated definition by a workflow manager. <P>SOLUTION: The highly confidential and important document is determined not to be directly printed, based on a document attribute value and a user attribute value acquired by an attribute value acquisition part 36. The prohibited document is suspended from printing. A user terminal 20 of the user in charge of processing the printed document is notified of that the document printing is suspended. When the printing of the document is instructed from the user who has received the notification, the document is printed by a printer B 18 designated by the user. Also, an unprohibited document is printed by a printer A 16 specified in the workflow print processing without suspension. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a workflow management device, a workflow management program, and a workflow system.

  Some workflows that define a multi-stage process (procedure) define the stages of print processing. For example, in Patent Document 1, when printing an electronic document used in a workflow, the electronic document is printed together with identification information that can identify the workflow or activity. Further, in Patent Document 2, when a user executes a process (task) defined in the workflow, the user selects the task displayed or printed out on the device, thereby changing the state or configuration of the workflow. .

  In general, at the print processing stage, after a document is automatically printed by a printing device such as a printer designated as a printing destination by a workflow administrator (definition person), it is in charge of processing (approval) of the printed document. A procedure for notifying a user that a document has been printed is defined. Since the document is automatically printed, the document may be left in the printing apparatus.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 3, when a requester sets a security to a person in charge of a workflow, which is in principle one person, to process a document received by facsimile in the workflow, the person in charge is on the side of the facsimile machine. There is known a technique for forcibly printing a document when a password is entered. In this technology, if a workflow is defined so that a requester requests different persons in charge for processing at a plurality of stages in a workflow for processing a document, the presence or absence of security is set for each process stage and person in charge. .
JP 2007-164224 A JP 2006-243830 A JP 2003-348284 A

  The present invention relates to a workflow management device capable of preventing a highly confidential document from being left in the printing apparatus in a workflow printing process stage without complicated definition by a workflow administrator, It is an object to provide a workflow management program and a workflow system.

  In order to achieve the above object, a workflow management apparatus according to claim 1 is provided for document data of a document in which a printing process is defined so as to be printed by a printing apparatus predetermined by a workflow that defines a multi-stage process. Document attribute value acquisition means for acquiring a document attribute value representing an attribute; user attribute value acquisition means for acquiring a user attribute value of a user defined in the workflow so as to process the document printed by the printing process; Based on at least one of the document attribute value acquired by the document attribute value acquisition unit and the user attribute value acquired by the user attribute value acquisition unit, the document is printed until the user's print instruction is input Identification means for identifying whether or not the document is a standby document that waits, and when the identification unit identifies the document as the standby document, Includes a print control means for controlling so as to wait for a print waiting document, a notification unit that notifies the document information about the controlled the waiting document to wait for printing by the print control unit to the user.

  The workflow management device according to claim 2 is the workflow management device according to claim 1, wherein document attribute information acquisition means for acquiring document attribute information included in the document data, the document attribute information, and the document attribute value Storage means for storing the correspondence relationship between the document attribute value acquisition means and the document attribute value acquisition means when the document attribute value is not added to the document data The document attribute value corresponding to the document attribute information is acquired from the storage means.

  A workflow management device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the workflow management device according to the first or second aspect, further comprising user attribute value setting means for setting the user attribute value.

  4. The workflow management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in the workflow management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which attribute value of the document attribute value or the user attribute value is prioritized. Priority setting means for setting is further provided, and the identification means identifies whether the document is the standby document based on the attribute value set in the priority setting means.

  The workflow management device according to claim 5 is the workflow management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the print control unit receives a print instruction from the user notified by the notification unit. If there is, control is performed to print the standby document.

  The workflow management device according to claim 6 is the workflow management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the predetermined printing device and the predetermined printing device are different from each other. The printing apparatus is further provided with a printing apparatus instruction means for instructing which of the printing apparatuses to print the standby document, and the printing control means is configured to print the printing apparatus when there is a printing instruction from the user notified by the notification means. Control is performed so that the standby document is printed by the printing apparatus instructed by the instruction means.

  The workflow management apparatus according to claim 7 is the workflow management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the print control unit is configured to output a print instruction from the user notified by the notification unit. When the standby document is input from a printing device that prints the standby document, control is performed so that the standby document is printed from the printing device to which the print instruction is input.

  The workflow management device according to claim 8 is the workflow management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the print control unit, when the document is not identified as the standby document, Control is performed so that the document is printed without waiting in a predetermined printing apparatus.

  The workflow management program according to claim 9 is the document attribute value acquisition unit, the user attribute value acquisition unit, the identification unit, and the identification unit in the workflow management device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. This is for causing a computer to function as print control means.

  A workflow system according to a tenth aspect includes the workflow management apparatus according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, and a printing apparatus in which printing of the document is controlled by the workflow management apparatus.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a highly confidential document from being left in the printing apparatus in the print processing stage of the workflow without a complicated definition by the workflow administrator. The effect that it can do is acquired.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain the document attribute value from the document data of the document even when the document attribute value is not added to the document data in advance.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the standby document can be identified based on the set user attribute value.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the document attribute value and the user attribute value are different, the standby document can be identified based on the priority attribute value.

  According to the present invention described in claim 5, it is possible to obtain an effect of waiting for printing of a standby document until a user gives a print instruction.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the standby document can be printed by a printing apparatus different from the printing apparatus defined in the workflow.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the standby document can be printed by the printing apparatus on the side of the user.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect that documents other than the standby document are printed without waiting.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a highly confidential document is left in the printing apparatus at the print processing stage of the workflow without a complicated definition by the computer by the computer. The effect that it can prevent is acquired.

  According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a highly confidential document from being left in the printing apparatus in the print processing stage of the workflow without making a complicated definition by the workflow administrator. The effect that it can do is acquired.

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

  In the present embodiment, a document refers to a document including images such as characters, symbols, and seals.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a workflow system 10 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, a workflow system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a workflow execution device 12, a workflow management device 14, a printer A16, a printer B18, and n user terminals 20 (user terminals 20 _{1 to} 20 _n , n Is a natural number of 1 or more), and a network 22 such as a LAN (local area network) or the Internet. The workflow execution device 12, the workflow management device 14, the printer A16, the printer B18, and the n user terminals 20 are Are connected to each other via a network 22.

  The workflow execution device 12 is a device for executing a workflow in which a plurality of stages of processes (procedures) are defined in advance by an administrator who defines the workflow. A specific example of the configuration of the workflow execution device 12 is a device that executes a program in which a workflow is defined by a computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an HDD, and the like.

  The workflow management device 14 is for managing the execution of the workflow by the workflow execution device 12. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the print management is performed at the stage of the print processing in the workflow, and printing is performed. Either direct printing or printing standby for printing immediately without waiting. A functional block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the workflow management apparatus 14 is shown in FIG.

  The workflow management apparatus 14 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 30, a user I / F 32, an operation / display device 34, an attribute value acquisition unit 36, an attribute value setting unit 38, and a network I / F 40. .

The control unit 30 controls the entire workflow management apparatus 14 and includes a CPU 42, a ROM 44, a RAM 48, and an HDD 50. The CPU 42 executes a workflow management process that will be described in detail later.
Thus, it is identified whether or not to wait for the printing of the document, and when waiting, the printing process is made to wait until there is a printing instruction from the user in charge of the processing. A workflow management program 46 for workflow management processing is stored in a ROM 44 as a recording medium. The workflow management program is recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (not shown), a DVD-ROM (not shown), a removable disk (not shown), installed on the HDD 50, and read by the CPU 42. It may be executed rarely. The ROM 44 stores various programs such as a workflow management program, parameters, and the like, and the RAM 48 is used as a work area when the CPU 42 executes various programs such as the workflow management program.

  The user I / F 32 is used for exchanging information and the like regarding workflow management (printing control) with the workflow manager via the operation / display device 34. Specific examples of the operation / display device 34 include a touch panel, a display, a mouse, and a keyboard.

  The attribute value acquisition unit 36 acquires the document attribute value if it is added to the document data of the document for which the printing process is specified, and otherwise acquires the document attribute from the document attribute information included in the document data. It is for acquiring a value. Moreover, it is for acquiring a user attribute value (details will be described later).

  The attribute value setting unit 38 includes an attribute information storage unit 52, and sets the relationship between document attribute information and document attribute values, sets user attribute values, and sets document attribute values and user attributes. It is for setting which of these should be given priority. The attribute information storage unit 52 stores the relationship between the set document attribute information and the document attribute value, the user attribute value, and the like.

  The network I / F 40 is a network interface for connecting to the network 22.

  The control unit 30, user I / F 32, operation / display device 34, attribute value acquisition unit 36, attribute value setting unit 38, and network I / F 40 communicate information and the like with each other via a bus 54 such as a control bus or a data bus. Connection is possible.

  On the other hand, the printer A is for printing a document or the like. In the present embodiment, the printer is defined to print a document in advance in the workflow printing process, and is set to perform direct printing. The printer B 18 is set to wait for the accepted printing process and print the document or the like according to the user's instruction. Note that the printer A16 and the printer B18 are not limited to printers having only a printing function, but may be an image reading apparatus such as a scanner or a multifunction machine having other functions such as a fax machine.

  The user terminal 20 is for use by each user in charge of each process defined in the workflow for the process. In the present embodiment, the user in charge of processing a document printed by the printing process is presented with information related to the waiting printing process, or the printing destination of the waiting printing process is instructed by the user. To do. Specific examples include a computer constituted by a CPU, ROM, RAM, HDD, and the like, a portable terminal device, and the like.

  Next, workflow management processing executed by the workflow management apparatus 14 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the case where the user attribute value is set in advance in the attribute value setting unit 38 so as to have priority over the document attribute value will be described in detail.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the workflow management process. This process is executed when a workflow is executed by the workflow execution device 12.

  First, in step 100, it is determined whether or not the next process to be executed in the workflow is a printing process. If it is a process other than the print process, the process is denied and the process ends, and the process defined as the next process of the print process is executed in the prescribed workflow. On the other hand, in the case of print processing, the determination is affirmative and the routine proceeds to step 102. If it is determined that the printing process is being performed, execution of the workflow in the workflow execution device 12 is temporarily suspended.

  In step 102, it is determined whether or not a document attribute value is added in advance to the document data of the document to be printed. If a document attribute value is added, the determination is affirmative and the routine proceeds to step 108. On the other hand, if no document attribute value is added, the result is negative and the process proceeds to step 104. In step 104, document attribute information is read from the document data.

  The document attribute value is a value indicating the attribute of the document (document data). For example, the document name, the date and time when the document was updated, the business content (workflow content), the document type, the document type (for example, a request document, a quote, a consignment document, etc.), a print form, etc., and whether or not to perform direct printing It is an attribute value that can be determined. A specific example of the document attribute value is shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the attribute indicating whether or not to perform direct printing is used as the print mode as the document attribute value, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  The document attribute information is information indicating a document attribute value. In the present embodiment, the document attribute information is information regarding an attribute value indicating whether direct printing is performed. Specific examples include information indicating the confidentiality / importance of a document, such as approval marks, signatures, personal information, business contents, confidential business information, and confidential information.

  In the next step 106, document attribute value information is acquired based on the read document attribute information. In the present embodiment, the relationship between the document attribute information and the document attribute value information is stored in the attribute information storage unit 52 in advance. That is, the relationship between the document attribute information and whether or not to perform direct printing is stored. As a specific example, a relationship such as prohibiting direct printing after an approval mark or a specific workflow processing stage is stored. In this embodiment, the relationship between the document attribute information and the document attribute value information is not only stored in advance, but also set by the workflow administrator using the operation / display device 34, or the user in charge of the process is the user It can be set by the terminal 20 via the network 22 and the network I / F 40.

  In the next step 108, it is determined from the document attribute value whether direct printing is prohibited. If it is prohibited, the determination is affirmative and the routine proceeds to step 116. On the other hand, if it is not prohibited, the process proceeds to step 110.

  In step 110, the user attribute value of the user who is in charge of processing the document that has been printed is acquired. The user attribute value is, for example, the print process (process of the printed document) such as the user name in charge of the print process (process of the printed document), the user's email address, the affiliation, the class, the job type, and the print form. ) Is an attribute value that can determine whether or not to perform direct printing. A specific example of the user attribute value is shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the attribute indicating whether or not to perform direct printing is used as the print mode as the user attribute value, but the present invention is not limited to this. The user attribute value can be obtained by reading the user attribute value stored in the attribute information storage unit 52, reading the user attribute value previously added to the document, or reading from the directory service. Good. The user attribute value can be set by the workflow administrator using the operation / display device 34, or the user in charge of processing can be set by the user terminal 20 via the network 22 and the network I / F 40. Since the user in charge of the process can set the user attribute value, the administrator does not have to set it even when the attribute or state of each user changes. In this way, when the user in charge of processing performs printing in a place where information leakage may occur or when the affiliation is temporarily changed, the user himself / herself sets the user attribute value. Since it is possible to deal with it, there is no need to change the workflow definition.

  In the next step 112, it is determined from the user attribute value whether direct printing is prohibited. If it is prohibited, the determination is affirmative and the routine proceeds to step 116. On the other hand, if not prohibited, the process proceeds to step 114.

  In step 114, the document data is transmitted to the printer A16, which is a printing apparatus defined in the printing process, and an instruction is given to perform printing. As a result, the execution of the workflow in the workflow execution device 12 is resumed, and the printer A16 prints the document. When the printing of the document is completed, a notification that the document has been printed is sent to the user terminal 20 of the user who is in charge of processing.

  On the other hand, in step 116 in the case where direct printing is prohibited, a notification of contents indicating that direct printing of the document is prohibited is notified to the user terminal 20 of the user in charge of processing. That is, the user in charge of processing is notified that the printing of the document is in a standby state. A specific example of the notification is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, specific examples of the notification include a document name, a document type, information indicating a printer defined as a printing destination, document data, and the like. With this notification, the user recognizes that the document is in a print standby state.

  In the present embodiment, the user can change the printer that prints a document from the user terminal 20 to a printer other than the printer specified in the workflow. As a specific example, information indicating the change destination printer may be returned in response to the sent notification. In the present embodiment, as a specific example, when the user designates the printer B18 as the change destination, that is, “Yes” is set for “Do you want to change the output destination?” In FIG. A case where “Printer B” is input to the information and then “OK” is selected will be described in detail.

  In the next step 118, it is determined whether or not there is an input from the user. If there is no input, the result is denied and the apparatus enters a standby state. For example, when the user selects OK in response to the notification shown in FIG.

  In step 120, the document data is transmitted to the designated printer, and an instruction is given to wait for printing. In this embodiment, when there is no instruction to change the output destination, the designated destination is the printer A16, and the document data is sent to the printer A16. When there is a change, the designated destination is sent to the designated destination printer (printer B18).

  In step 122, it is confirmed whether or not a print instruction has been issued by the user at the designated printer. If no print instruction is given, a negative determination is made and the process waits until a print instruction is given. If it is confirmed that the print instruction has been issued, an affirmative determination is made, and the routine proceeds to the next step 124.

  In step 124, the suspended workflow is resumed. If the next process of the print process is defined in the workflow, the next process is executed. If the next process is not defined, the process of the entire workflow is completed.

  Through the process of step 120 described above, the printer B 18 receives document data and enters a standby state for waiting for printing. In the present embodiment, when a user who designates the printer B18 as an output destination goes to the printer B18 and instructs to print a document, the printer B18 prints the document. In step 122 described above, when it is confirmed that the user has instructed printing of the document in the printer B18, the workflow is resumed in step 124. Accordingly, the user can restart the workflow by instructing printing from the printer B18 or instructing other printers to perform printing. For example, the user gives an instruction using an external application running on an external server by a Web browser. An external application is a function for instructing restart of a workflow by a print instruction, a function for changing printer parameters, a function for changing printer information defined in the workflow, and a function for creating a preview of a document to be printed And a Web application that can execute various functions such as these with a Web user interface.

  A specific example of the user interface will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a specific example of a user interface by a display device (not shown) such as a touch panel provided in the printer B18.

  When information for authenticating the user, such as a password and a user ID, is input to the printer B18 by the user, the user interface shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. FIG. 7A shows a list of information on documents in a standby state in which a user (here, “taro” as an example) is in charge of processing, and shows that five documents 001 to 005 are in a standby state. Yes. The user selects a document to be printed from these. FIG. 7B shows the print format of the document selected by the user. The user confirms the print format (here, as a specific example, color mode, double-sided or single-sided, output destination printer) and the content of the print target document, and issues a change, cancel, print execution instruction, and the like.

  In the present embodiment, the printer B18 is the change destination printer, but the printer B18 is not limited to this, and other printers (not shown) connected to the network 22 may be used.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the printing process in the workflow, the workflow is paused, and a document with high confidentiality and importance is obtained by the document attribute value and the user attribute value acquired by the attribute value acquisition unit 36. The document is determined as a document for which direct printing is prohibited, and the document for which direct printing is prohibited is put on standby for printing. In addition, the user terminal 20 of the user who is in charge of processing the printed document is notified that the printing of the document is waiting. When printing is instructed by the user who has received the notification, the document is printed by the printer B18 designated by the user. A document that does not prohibit direct printing is printed without waiting on the printer A16 defined in the print processing of the workflow. The workflow is resumed by a print instruction.

  As described above, the workflow management apparatus 14 according to the present embodiment identifies a highly confidential document based on the document attribute value and the user attribute value, and prints the identified document until there is a print instruction from the user in charge of processing. Since it waits, a highly confidential document is not left in the printing apparatus. Also, the workflow administrator does not make complicated definitions.

It is a schematic structure figure showing an example of a schematic structure of a workflow system concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the workflow management apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the workflow management process performed with the workflow management apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating a specific example of the document attribute value which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating a specific example of the user attribute value which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating a specific example of the content of notification to the user in charge of the process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating a specific example of the user interface displayed on the display apparatus with which the printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention was equipped.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Workflow system 12 Workflow execution apparatus 14 Workflow management apparatus 16 Printer A
18 Printer B
30 Control Unit 36 Attribute Value Acquisition Unit 38 Attribute Value Setting Unit 40 Network I / F (Interface)
42 CPU
46 Workflow Management Program 52 Attribute Information Storage Unit

Claims (10)

A document attribute value acquisition means for acquiring a document attribute value representing a document data attribute of a document for which printing processing is specified so as to be printed by a printing apparatus determined in advance by a workflow for specifying processing in a plurality of stages;
User attribute value acquisition means for acquiring a user attribute value of a user defined in the workflow so as to process the document printed by the printing process;
Based on at least one of the document attribute value acquired by the document attribute value acquisition unit and the user attribute value acquired by the user attribute value acquisition unit, the document is printed until the user's print instruction is input Identification means for identifying whether the document is a waiting document waiting for
A print control means for controlling to wait for printing of the standby document when the identification means identifies the document as the standby document;
Notification means for notifying the user of document information relating to the standby document controlled to wait for printing by the print control means;
Workflow management device with Document attribute information acquisition means for acquiring document attribute information included in the document data;
Storage means for storing a correspondence relationship between the document attribute information and the document attribute value;
When the document attribute value is not added to the document data, the document attribute value acquisition unit retrieves the document attribute value corresponding to the document attribute information acquired by the document attribute information acquisition unit from the storage unit. The workflow management apparatus according to claim 1, which is acquired. A user attribute value setting means for setting the user attribute value;
The workflow management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. Priority setting means for setting which attribute value of the document attribute value and the user attribute value is prioritized;
4. The workflow management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identifying unit identifies whether the document is the standby document based on an attribute value set in the priority setting unit. 5.   5. The workflow according to claim 1, wherein the print control unit controls to print the standby document when there is a print instruction from the user notified by the notification unit. 6. Management device. A printing apparatus instruction means for instructing which of the predetermined printing apparatus and another printing apparatus different from the predetermined printing apparatus to print the standby document;
The printing control unit controls the printing of the standby document by the printing apparatus instructed by the printing apparatus instruction unit when there is a printing instruction from the user notified by the notification unit. The workflow management device according to claim 5.   The print control means, when the print instruction of the user notified by the notification means is input from a printing apparatus that prints the standby document, receives the standby document from the printing apparatus to which the print instruction is input. The workflow management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the workflow management apparatus controls printing.   8. The print control unit according to claim 1, wherein if the document is not identified as the standby document, the print control unit controls to print the document without waiting on the predetermined printing apparatus. The workflow management device according to item.   9. A workflow for causing a computer to function as the document attribute value acquisition unit, the user attribute value acquisition unit, the identification unit, and the print control unit in the workflow management apparatus according to claim 1. Management program. The workflow management device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A printing apparatus in which printing of the document is controlled by the workflow management apparatus;
Workflow system with

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