JP2011040005A - Workflow server, workflow system, control method, program and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workflow system for controlling whether to permit access to related items attached to an item, according to the state of the item. <P>SOLUTION: The workflow system manages the items in a workflow composed of a plurality of activities, accepts a designation as to whether to permit access to the second item referred to from the first item and each activity with respect to the first item in the workflow, sets whether to permit access to the second item for each activity based on the accepted designation, and determines whether to permit access to the second item from the first item based on the settings. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a workflow system capable of attaching another item to a workflow item.

  In the workflow system, business information is flowed in the form of a matter according to a route designated in advance or at the time of execution. At that time, a document such as a word processor or a spreadsheet is generally allowed to flow as an attachment to the case together with the case itself, and related information can be referred to collectively.

  As a function of the workflow system, when an approval process is performed on an activity for a business case A, another business case B can be created using the approval process for the business case A as a trigger, and a predetermined route can be separately flowed. There is a matter creation function.

  In this case, business case A and business case B flow through different paths as separate business cases. Therefore, in many cases, information transfer takes place when creating business case B. This can only be realized by copying a part or all of the contents of the business item A to B.

  In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-219401, it is realized that the basic document B is made to flow by attaching or document linking the basic document A to the basic document B that inherits the information of the basic document A. As a result, the reference person of the basic document B can refer to the basic document A via the basic document A itself attached to the basic document B or a link to the basic document A.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-219401

However, in this method, the workflow flows in a state where the created basic document B includes the basic document A. Therefore, when referring to the basic document B, the basic document A can be referred to and is originally referred to. Even documents that you do not want will be referred to.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a workflow system capable of controlling whether or not related matters can be referred to according to the state of the matters.

  The present invention is a workflow server in which a client device can communicate via a network, and a management means for managing a matter in a workflow composed of a plurality of activities, and the first matter for the first matter in the workflow Based on the second case referenced from the case and the designation of whether to refer to each activity from the client device, and the designation received by the reference case accepting unit, the second case, A setting unit configured to set a reference permission for each activity; and a reference permission determination unit configured to determine whether the reference from the first case to the second case is performed based on the setting by the setting unit. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to control whether or not a related document can be referred to according to the state of the document.

System configuration diagram showing the configuration of the workflow system The figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the various terminals of embodiment Diagram showing an example of functional configuration Example of personnel evaluation sheet workflow Example of fault management workflow An example of a form with a referenceable matter attached An example of a form in which the attached matter cannot be referenced Example of the setting screen for the file attachment control used during design An example of the format for saving the settings of the file attachment control An example of the screen when attaching a matter An example of matter attachment information stored as an attachment file when attaching a matter Example of a screen when attaching an Item when Item attachment is not defined Process flow when attaching a matter Processing flow for displaying the attached form Attached matter display processing flow

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a workflow system according to an embodiment of this invention.
In FIG. 1, in the workflow system, at least one server 101 and a client 102 are connected via a network.

The user makes a workflow progress request or the like from the client 102 to the server 101 using, for example, a web browser or client software. The server 101 performs processing and management according to the request, and transmits the result to the client 102 if necessary.
The communication between the server 101 and the client 102 may be a normal HTTP request or a web service request using SOAP or the like.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of various terminals according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, the CPU 201 comprehensively controls each device connected to the system bus 204. The ROM 203 or the external memory 211 stores an operating system (OS) that is a control program of the CPU 201 and programs for realizing various functions described later of each server or each client. The RAM 202 functions as a main memory, work area, temporary save area, and the like for the CPU 201.

  The input controller 205 controls input from the input unit 209. Examples of the input unit 209 include a pointing device such as a keyboard and a mouse in a terminal such as a server or a client.

  Moreover, in a printing apparatus etc., a touch panel, a button, a switch, etc. are mentioned. The output controller 206 controls the display of the output unit 210. Examples of the output unit 210 include a CRT and a liquid crystal.

  The external memory controller 207 controls access to the external memory 211 that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, printer drivers, and the like. In addition, various tables and parameters for realizing various functions of each server or each client are stored.

Examples of the external memory 211 include a hard disk (HD), a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD), a compact flash (registered trademark) connected to a PCMCIA card slot via an adapter, and smart media.
The communication I / F controller 208 executes communication control processing with an external device via the network 214.

A program 212 for realizing the present invention is recorded in the external memory 211 and is executed by the CPU 201 by being loaded into the RAM 202 as necessary.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration realized in the server 101 and each client 102.

  The server 101 has, as its functional configuration, a form definition information storage unit 304 that stores form definition information, a case information storage unit 307 that stores item information, a form information processing unit 302 that performs processing related to form information, and an attachment And an attached file processing unit 303 that performs processing related to the file.

  The form definition information storage unit 304 stores form definition information 305 including a definition such as a form layout and case attachment definition information 306 including a setting for attaching a case as form definition information.

  In the case information storage unit 307, as the case information, the case data 308 that is the case data itself, the attached file information 309 that indicates what kind of file is attached, and the attached file data 310 that is the attached file main body. Is stored. The case management unit 311 manages cases in a workflow including a plurality of activities.

  The form information processing unit 302 performs processing for combining form information 305 and attached file information 309 related to the case information 308 and transmitting the combined information.

The attached file processing unit 303 performs processing of transmitting corresponding attached file data and information related thereto in response to an attached file data request from the client 102.
FIG. 4 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a personnel evaluation workflow.

  For example, in the personnel evaluation workflow as shown in FIG. 4, a section 401 drafts a self-evaluation sheet, applies to the section manager 403, and then returns to the section staff for confirmation.

  In that case, when the section 401 submits a proposal for the self-evaluation sheet in which the self-evaluation is entered in the drafting activity 402, when the section manager 403 approves the subordinate's self-evaluation (activity 404), the personnel evaluation sheet is drafted as a separate project ( Activity 405) is attached as an attached matter 406 to the self-evaluation sheet.

  In this way, the member 401 who drafted the self-evaluation sheet can refer to the personnel evaluation sheet as the attached item 406 attached thereto in the confirmation activity 407, and can refer to the evaluation comment and the like about himself / herself.

  Further, when the evaluation within the department is over and the sheet is passed to the human resources department or the like and the final evaluation adjustment stage is reached (activity 408), the section 401 can be referred to.

By adopting this attachment form, it is possible to perform control to disable the reference when the state of the activity becomes a state in which the referee of the attachment destination case should not refer to the attached case.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to take an attached form in which attachment can be referred to, for example, depending on the state of the attached matter due to the progress of the business flow.
FIG. 5 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a workflow for operation of fault management.

For example, in the failure management workflow as shown in FIG. 5, in response to an inquiry form drafted by an external customer 501, the person in charge of inquiry 502 makes a primary answer in activity 503 and drafts an internal failure management slip. (Activity 504) and attach it as an attached matter 505 to the original inquiry slip.
Since the inquiry slip transitions to the reply confirmation activity 509 with the attached item 505, the customer 501 can refer to the contents of the inquiry slip.

  However, until the failure management slip is resolved through the activities such as the cause investigation 506 and the countermeasure 507 until the status of the failure management slip is resolved, the inquiry slip attached to this slip may be referred to. It is possible to prevent the failure management form of the attached item 505 from being referred to. (When the status of the attached fault management slip is the cause investigation activity 506 and the countermeasure activity 507, the reference addition is set)

  Then, it is possible to control so that the customer who has made the inquiry can refer to the failure management slip for the first time when the solution of the failure is confirmed and the state of the failure management slip becomes “solved” (solution confirmation activity 508). .

  By adopting this attachment form, it is possible to perform control that enables reference when the state of the activity becomes a state in which the reference to the attachment destination case may refer to the attached case.

  Furthermore, by combining the above two forms, it is possible to control the reference to the attached item more finely. In the above example, the attachment destination matter is created during processing of the attached matter, but the attachment matter is created first, and the attached matter is created and attached during the processing. Such a form is also possible.

  When attachment of a case according to the present invention is enabled, even if a user is not in charge of the attached case A and is not authorized to refer to it, the attached case A can be referred to by being in charge of the attached case. Will be able to do. In addition, by setting a display form for attachment reference for the case A to be attached, it is possible to mask a portion that should not be disclosed to a user who is not originally authorized.

  As a result, the display form for attachment reference is also used when a user who originally has the reference authority for the Attached matter A refers to the Attached matter A via the attachment destination matter. You can switch to the display form.

  FIG. 6 is an example of a slip form displayed by the form display unit 301 of the client. It shows that the item information 308 is laid out and displayed according to the form definition information 305 (602).

  Further, according to the attached file information 309, an icon indicating that the file is attached is displayed in the attached file display area 603. When a matter is attached, the link icon 604 indicating that the latest status of the attached matter can be referred to, and the situation at the time of attaching the matter status when the attachment operation is performed can be referred. An attachment icon 605 indicating that the file is attached is displayed as an icon indicating file attachment.

  When the attached matter is in a state where reference cannot be made, an icon including a mark indicating that the reference cannot be made at present is displayed like icons 702 and 703 in the attached file display area 701 as shown in FIG. You can switch to In addition, the icon may be grayed out or the icon may not be displayed to indicate that reference is currently impossible.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a case attachment operation performed in the self-evaluation sheet approval activity 404 as an example of FIG. 4 and the inquiry slip reception activity 503 as an example of FIG. This is executed when the user starts attachment processing in the client.
Steps 1306 and 1307 are processing on the server side, and other processing is processing on the client side.
In step 1301, it is determined whether or not the case attachment definition information 306 is defined in advance in the file attachment area.

  A screen for setting the case attachment definition information 306 is shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is an example of a screen for setting the case attachment definition information 306. The case attachment definition information 306 is set in advance when defining the form layout.

  The case attachment definition information setting screen 800 includes a drop-down list 802 for selecting a business ID to be attached as a setting for designating a case to be attached as the attachment ID 801 of the current case. A business name may be selected, or a business ID may be selected.

  It is also possible to use the radio button 804 to select whether the attachment method is an attachment that can refer to the case data at the time of attachment or a link that can refer to the latest case data. Referenceable attachment means attaching matter data (referenced matter) itself to the attachment source matter. Referenceable link means attaching a link to matter data (referenced matter) to the attachment source matter. That means.

  In the reference setting 803, the setting of whether or not the reference can be made depending on the state of the attached matter is performed by setting to which activity the matter to be attached is to be referred to or cannot be referred to. The set information is as shown in FIG. 9, for example, and is stored in the form definition information storage unit 304 as the case attachment definition information 306.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of the case attachment definition information 306. Reference numeral 901 describes information related to the attached item. Reference numeral 902 indicates a work ID of the attached case, 903 indicates the type of the attached condition of the case, and 904 describes the activity name and whether or not it can be referred to. The contents described are the contents set on the case attachment definition information setting screen 800, and the numbers 801 to 804 in the drawing correspond to 901 to 904, respectively.

  If the case attachment definition information 306 is not defined in advance, the process advances to step 1303, and the form display unit 301 displays a case attachment setting screen as shown in FIG. Whether this screen is displayed or not can be switched between displaying and not displaying in advance.

  FIG. 12 is an example of a setting screen for attaching a matter. As settings for specifying a case to be attached as an attachment ID 1201 of the current case, there are a text box with search 1202 for specifying a business ID and a text with search 1203 for specifying the ID of the case. It is also possible to use the radio button 1205 to select whether the attachment method is an attachment that can refer to the case data at the time of attachment or a link that can refer to the latest case data.

  Further, in the reference setting 1204, the setting of whether or not the reference can be made depending on the state of the attached matter is performed by setting to which activity the attached matter transitions to which the matter can be referred to. When the setting for case attachment is completed, the process proceeds to step 1304.

  On the other hand, if the case attachment definition information 306 has been defined in step 1301, the process proceeds to step 1302, and the form display unit 301 displays an attached file attachment definition setting screen.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an attached defined setting screen. In the figure, there are a text box 1002 for displaying a specified business ID and a text with search 1003 for specifying a case ID as settings for specifying a case to be attached as the attachment ID 1001 of the current case. When the setting for case attachment is completed, the process proceeds to step 1304.

  In step 1304, the client 102 serializes the information related to the attachment of the case designated in the previous step (step 1301 or step 1302) and stores the information as the case attachment information in a memory or in a temporary file.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of serialized case attachment information. The case attachment information stores a case attachment ID 1101, a case attachment type 1102, a business ID 1103, a case ID 1104, and a reference setting 1105. In this example, it is expressed in XML, but it goes without saying that the same applies to other formats (such as binary files).
In step 1305, the case attachment information serialized in step 1304 is transmitted to the server 101 as an attached file.

In step 1306, the server 101 that has received the case attachment information as an attachment file stores the received file. There is no problem whether the storage destination at this time is, for example, a database or a file.
In step 1307, the server 101 records that a file has been attached to the case, and notifies the client of the completion of processing.

  Upon receiving the attachment completion notification, the client 102 displays an icon indicating that the file has been attached in the attached file display area 603 in step 1308. When an icon corresponding to an application corresponding to a general attached file is displayed, it is easy to understand that a workflow matter is attached by using the icon of the workflow system.

FIG. 14 is a flow when displaying an attached item. Steps 1402 and 1406 are processed on the server side, and the rest are processed on the client side. This process is executed by the attached file processing unit 303 when the first case is displayed on the client, such as when the activity is transferred or when the server receives a request for acquiring the first case from the client. .
First, in step 1401, the client 102 transmits the ID of the case designated from the list of cases waiting for processing or the processing request mail to the server.

  The server 101 acquires the case information 308 of the case corresponding to the received ID in the same manner as in the case of the normal case in step 1402, and transmits it to the client together with the related form definition information 305 and attached file information 309.

  The client 102 lays out a form based on the case information 308 and the form definition information 305 received from the server in step 1403 and displays the case, and proceeds to step 1404. In step 1404, it is determined whether or not the attached file information 309 is included in the case information received in step 1403. If not included, the case display processing is completed.

  On the other hand, if the attached file information 309 is included, the ID of the item attached to the server is transmitted in order to perform processing for confirming the state of the attached item in step 1405.

  In step 1406, the server 101 obtains from the matter information storage unit 307 a status indicating in which activity the matter corresponding to the received ID is being processed, and transmits it to the client.

  The client 102 determines whether or not the activity status of the attached matter received from the server in step 1407 can be referred to in the reference setting 1105 of the matter attached information. If the reference is possible, an icon indicating attachment of the matter is displayed in step 1408 (see FIG. 6 is displayed).

  On the other hand, if reference is impossible, an icon indicating attachment of a non-referenceable case is displayed in step 1409 (a screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed), and the display processing of the case with the case attached is completed.

  When an opening operation such as double-clicking on an attached matter icon that can be referred to by the client 102 is performed, processing for opening the attached matter is executed as shown in the flow of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a flow for performing processing for opening an attached item. Steps 1501, 1505 and 1506 are processed on the client side, and steps 1502 to 1504 are processed on the server side.
In step 1501, the client transmits item attachment information about the item to be displayed to the server, and issues an item data acquisition request.

  In step 1502, the server identifies which activity is being processed for the case specified by the received case attachment information, and determines whether it can be referred to in the reference setting 1105 of the case attachment information received in step 1503. Do.

  If it can be referred to, as step 1504, as in step 1402 of FIG. 4, the matter information 308 of the matter corresponding to the received ID is acquired in the same way as in the case of a normal matter, and the associated form definition information 305 is attached. The file information 309 is transmitted to the client.

  In step 1505, the client 102 that has received the case data lays out and displays the case on a form. Thereafter, the same processing as step 1403 of step FIG. 4 is performed. Then, if there is an attached matter in the layout, processing for displaying the matter is performed.

  If it is determined in step 1503 that reference cannot be made, the server 101 notifies the client to that effect, and the client 102 displays a message or the like informing that the case attached as step 1506 is currently unreferenceable, and performs processing. finish.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible for a user who does not have reference authority to refer to an attached case through an attached case. However, there may be a case where it is not desirable to enable reference when there is originally no reference authority. In addition, there is a case where the attached case cannot be referred to even though the user has the reference authority.
Therefore, as another embodiment, this problem can be solved by changing the reference right to the attached case to the access right originally possessed by the user.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart of another embodiment when setting overwriting (changing) of reference authority to an attached matter. Specifically, this is executed during the processing of step 1402 in FIG.

  In step 1601, the reference setting of the attached matter is acquired and confirmed by the matter attachment definition 306. In step 1602, it is determined whether or not the referenced case is in a referable state.

  If it is in a referable state, it is checked in step 1603 whether or not the currently operating user has the authority to refer to the corresponding attached case. This is set with the access right to the matter in the normal workflow system.

  If the user has the reference authority, the process proceeds to step 1605 but the setting is not changed. On the other hand, if the user does not have the reference authority, in step 1605, the reference authority to the attached case is changed to be impossible.

  If it is determined in step 1602 that reference is impossible, the process proceeds to step 1604. In step 1604, it is confirmed whether or not the currently operating user has the authority to refer to the attached case.

  If the user has no reference authority, the process proceeds to step 1606, but the setting is not changed. On the other hand, if the user has the reference authority, in step 1607, the reference authority for the attached case is changed to referable.

In step 1608, the reference settings determined in steps 1605 to 1607 are transmitted to the client, and the process ends. Note that it is possible to execute all the processes in steps 1605 to 1607, or to set only necessary steps.
Thereby, it becomes possible to control flexibly by the reference setting for each activity and the access right (reference authority) of the original user.

  Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention can take an embodiment as, for example, a system, apparatus, method, program, or recording medium, and specifically includes a plurality of devices. The present invention may be applied to a system including a single device.

  Also, a recording medium that records a program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program stored in the recording medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved. In this case, the program itself read from the recording medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the recording medium storing the program constitutes the present invention.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, silicon A disk or the like can be used.

  Further, by executing the program read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on an instruction of the program is actually Needless to say, a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program read from the recording medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board is based on the instructions of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Further, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or apparatus. In this case, by reading a recording medium storing a program for achieving the present invention into the system or apparatus, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.

Furthermore, by downloading and reading a program for achieving the present invention from a server, database, etc. on a network by a communication program, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.
In addition, all the structures which combined each embodiment mentioned above and its modification are also included in this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Server 102 ... Client 103 ... Network 301 ... Form display part 302 ... Form information processing part 303 ... Attached file processing part 304 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Form definition information storage unit 307 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Matter information storage unit

Claims (8)

A workflow server in which a client device can communicate via a network,
Management means for managing matters in a workflow consisting of multiple activities,
A reference item accepting means for accepting, from the client device, a second matter to be referred to from the first matter and a designation of whether to refer to each activity for the first matter in the workflow;
A setting unit configured to set whether to refer to each activity of the second case based on the designation received by the reference case receiving unit;
Based on the setting by the setting means, a reference availability determination means for determining whether to allow reference from the first case to the second case;
A workflow server characterized by comprising:   The workflow server according to claim 1, wherein the reference availability determination unit preferentially determines whether the reference authority set in the workflow system can be referred to, rather than the setting by the setting unit.   The reference availability determination unit determines whether the reference from the first case to the second case is possible when the reference availability determined by the setting unit is different from the reference authority set in the workflow system. 3. The workflow server according to claim 1, wherein the workflow is changed to a reference setting set for the reference authority. When it is determined by the reference availability determination means that the second case can be referred to, the display of the case is made referable, and when the reference is impossible, the display of the case is made unreferenceable. Reference matter processing means for controlling to display,
The workflow server according to claim 1, further comprising: A workflow system in which a client device and a workflow server can communicate via a network,
The client device is
A reference item designating means for designating whether or not to refer to each second activity and the second item referred to from the first item for the first item in the workflow;
A case designation determination means for judging whether the second case is designated in the first case;
Management means for managing matters in a workflow consisting of multiple activities,
A setting unit configured to set whether to refer to each activity of the second item based on the specification by the reference item specifying unit;
Based on the setting by the setting means, a reference availability determination means for determining whether to allow reference from the first case to the second case;
A workflow system characterized by comprising: A workflow control method in a workflow server in which a client device can communicate via a network,
Management steps to manage matters in a workflow consisting of multiple activities,
A reference case receiving step for receiving, from the client device, a second case that is referred to from the first case and a designation of whether to refer to each activity for the first case in the workflow;
A setting step for setting whether to allow or not refer to each activity of the second case based on the designation received in the reference case receiving step;
A reference permission determination step for determining whether reference to the second case from the first case is based on the setting by the setting unit;
A workflow control method characterized by comprising: A program that can be executed in a workflow server that allows a client device to communicate via a network,
The program is
Management means for managing matters in a workflow consisting of multiple activities,
A reference item accepting means for accepting, from the client device, a second matter to be referred from the first matter and a designation of whether to refer to each activity for the first matter in the workflow;
A setting unit configured to set whether to refer to each activity of the second case based on the designation received by the reference case receiving unit;
A program that causes the workflow server to function as a reference availability determination unit that determines whether to refer to the second case from the first case based on the setting by the setting unit.   A recording medium on which the program according to claim 7 is recorded so as to be readable by a computer.

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