JPH1173335A - Work flow management system and method for controlling acquisition of task information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain a work flow management system capable of automatically providing a latest task information to each client without using user's specific operation. SOLUTION: Work flow client software 121 includes a latest task arrival check module 121a, which periodically issues a latest task information inquiry from a client to work flow management server software 111. Thereby the latest task information is automatically acquired from the software 111. Since the task information is acquired by an inquiry from the software 121 to the software 111, a function can be set up in each client so as to change an inquiry time interval in each client and set up no execution of automatic acquisition processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a client-server type workflow management system for supporting a flow of a series of work necessary for business processing and information transfer necessary for the work, and task information used in the system. It relates to an acquisition control method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in offices and business offices, the introduction of groupware for exchanging and sharing information between individuals and groups using a computer network has been promoted. By using this groupware, the productivity of groups and individuals can be significantly increased.

A typical groupware is a workflow management system. This workflow management system supports the execution of work by automating the flow of a series of work necessary for business processing and the transfer of information necessary for the work, and is realized as client-server type software. I have. In this case, management of individual work (tasks) and information (document) to be transferred required for business processing is performed by a server, and actual work, that is, task processing is performed in a distributed manner by each client.

[0004] The server manages the assignment of task processing to each client. Each client acquires task information indicating a task to be processed by the client from the server, and processes a task specified by the acquired task information. In this case, the task information acquired from the server is displayed on each client as a task list screen, and a task to be processed is individually selected from the task list screen.

By the way, the contents of tasks to be processed by each client are updated every time in accordance with a change in the progress of task processing in each client, addition or change of work, and the like. This is because there are tasks that can be processed only after completion of a certain task process, and tasks that are additionally defined as tasks are added or changed.

[0006] For example, "Create quote" → "Approve" →
In the case of a workflow consisting of three tasks called "estimate issuance", the client in charge of the "approval" task needs to refer to the "estimate" in order to perform the task processing. The "Approve" task
Only when the client in charge of the "quote creation" task creates the "quotation" can it be processed. Similarly, the “estimate issue” task can be processed after the “estimate” has been approved by the “approval” task.

[0007]

However, in the conventional workflow management system, acquisition of task information from the server is automatically performed when the client is started, but during operation, the user manually selects a menu. Task information could not be obtained unless a special operation such as pressing a button was performed.

For this reason, the user has to repeat the same operation at regular time intervals in order to obtain the latest task information, which causes a problem that the usability is deteriorated. Also, if the user does not perform the same operation, the user may not be aware of the occurrence of a new task to be processed.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and it is possible to automatically provide each client with the latest task information without using a special operation by a user even during operation of the client. It is an object to provide a simple workflow management system and a task information acquisition control method.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention uses a client-server type computer network to execute a series of operations necessary for business processing and the necessary operations for the operations. In a client-server type workflow management system that supports the transfer of information, a client periodically inquires of a server about task information indicating work contents to be processed by the client, and automatically updates the latest task information from the server. A task information acquiring means for acquiring is provided.

In this workflow management system, by providing task information acquisition means for each client, even during operation of the client, the client periodically issues an inquiry for a task information acquisition request to the server. As a result, the latest task information is automatically obtained from the server. Therefore, the task information can be updated to the latest contents without the user manually performing a special operation. In addition, since the acquisition of task information is performed by an inquiry from the client to the server, it is possible to set a function for each client, such as changing a time interval of the inquiry for each client, and setting not to perform the automatic acquisition processing. . Therefore, it is possible to set functions according to the use of the client, and it is possible to reduce unnecessary load on the server and the network.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a workflow management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This workflow management system uses a computer network to automate the flow of a series of work necessary for business processing and the transfer of information such as documents necessary for the work, and to support the execution of the work,
The workflow management server software 111 executed on the server computer 11 and the workflow clients executed on the respective client computers 12-1, 12-2,..., 12-N connected to the server computer 11 via the LAN 10 Software 1
21.

Workflow management server software 11
1 provides task information indicating the content of work to the workflow client software 121 corresponding to each person in charge according to the work progress procedure defined as a workflow, and a work screen or program execution required for each task processing. It controls and provides documents, and also manages the progress of each task process.

Workflow management server software 11
The management of tasks, documents, persons in charge, and the correspondence between them by the workflow database 1
12 is performed using the management information stored in the storage unit 12. As a result, the plurality of documents and the persons in charge are managed in association with each other, and the connection between each task which is a component of the workflow and the document necessary for the task processing is managed. In this case, each task constituting the flow is realized as an object of the object-oriented model, and the relation between the tasks is defined by the dependency between the objects.

The entity of information such as a document is stored in a repository file 113, and a document to be distributed to a client according to work progress is read out from the repository file 113 and provided to a corresponding client. .

The client computers 12-1 and 12
,..., 12-N execute task processing specified by the task information acquired from the workflow management server software 111. The workflow client software 121 includes: API (Application Program I) provided by the workflow management server software 111.
The interface 122 provides various functions such as task processing, task list display, and flow display.

Each task is created in accordance with the flow of information such as receiving a document, creating a new document while referring to the document, and passing it to the next person in charge. When the task list display function is started, the person in charge, that is, the workflow client software 12
Among the tasks assigned to one user, task information indicating a task being processed or a task that can be processed is obtained from the workflow management server software 111, and is listed on the task list screen. When a user selects a task to be processed on this task list screen,
The program execution environment and documents required for the task processing are stored in the workflow management server software 111.
To the workflow client software 121.

The workflow client software 121 has a latest task arrival check module 121a for automatically acquiring the latest task information from the workflow management server software 111.
Is incorporated. The latest task arrival check module 121a acquires the latest task information from the workflow management server software 111 by periodically inquiring the workflow management server software 111 for task information through the API 122, and checks the latest task arrival.

This latest task arrival check module 1
The setting of the execution time interval of the inquiry process to the server by 21a and the setting of whether or not to perform the inquiry process are as follows.
This can be performed individually for each client using the GUI of the corresponding client computer.

Next, a task management function by the workflow management server software 111 will be described with reference to FIG. Workflow management server software 11
Reference numeral 1 denotes a task management unit 201 that manages tasks according to a workflow definition and the like, and a document management unit 202 that manages documents such as text, graphics, and images necessary for the processing for each task. The task management by the task management unit 201 is performed using the task management information 112a in the workflow database 112.

As shown in the figure, the task management information 112a manages the tasks assigned to each user who is in charge of the work and the status of the tasks such as valid / invalid. Here, the validity of a task indicates that the task is being processed or is in a processable state, and the invalidity of the task indicates that the task is in a processable waiting state. The management of the valid / invalid state of each task is performed by the workflow client software 121.
This is performed based on the progress of task processing by each. In addition, the contents of the task management information 112a are dynamically updated in accordance with the addition / change of the business or the modification of the flow.

Workflow client software 1
When the latest task request inquiry is issued from 21,
The task management unit 201 searches the task management information 112a for a valid task assigned to the user based on the user name included in the latest task request, and uses the search result as a response to the inquiry in the workflow client software. Return to 121.

Next, a functional configuration of the workflow client software 121 will be described with reference to FIG. The workflow client software 121 includes the latest task arrival check module 121a described above,
A task list display module 121b for displaying a task list screen, a task processing module 121c for processing a task selected on the task list screen, and a screen showing a task flow to which the task selected on the task list screen belongs. A flow display module 121d to be displayed is incorporated.

The modules 121a to 121d communicate with the workflow management server software 111 using the API 122 described above. These modules 121a to 121d are provided by a GUI (Graphical).
In cooperation with the User Interface (121), it receives an operation instruction from a user and provides necessary information to the user. Each module 121a-12
The function 1d is executed by receiving an operation instruction message from the API 122 or the GUI 121e.

FIG. 4 shows the task list display module 12.
The example of the task list screen displayed by 1b is shown. When the workflow client software 121 logs in to the workflow management server software 111, a task list screen of FIG. 4 is displayed. This task list screen includes a task list, a toolbar, a status bar, and a menu bar.

In the task list, among tasks to be processed, each task that has already arrived at the user and information on the task are displayed with headings. The heading display items are the following seven items.

Task name The name of a task that can be processed is displayed. -Status Displays the status of the task, such as processable (unprocessed) or processing.

Deadline The processing deadline of the task is displayed in the format of year / month / day hour and minute. -Priority The priority set for the task is "high", "medium",
Displayed in "low" format.

Arrival time The date and time when the task can be processed is displayed in the format of year / month / day / hour. -Job name The job name corresponding to the task to which the task belongs is displayed.

The name of the user who created the job is displayed. The toolbar and menu bar allow the user to select the required function from the task list screen, and start functions such as starting the processing and displaying the flow for the task selected on the task list screen. It is used to activate functions such as displaying the latest information in the task list. The status bar is used not only for explanation of menus and commands, but also for notifying a user when the latest task has been acquired by the latest task arrival check module 121a.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a screen for setting the function of the latest task arrival check module 121a. This setting screen is started from, for example, "Tool" on the menu bar in the task list screen of FIG. 4, and is used to set whether or not to perform arrival check processing of the latest task as shown in the figure. It includes a check box 1, a field 2 for setting an execution time interval when the latest task arrives, and a radio button 3 for setting a display method when the latest task arrives.

(1) When the arrival check of the latest task is not performed: Check box 1 is turned off. Thus, the latest task arrival check module 121a can be used from the next startup of the workflow client software 121.
Will not be inquired of the latest task information from the server.

(2) Checking arrival of the latest task Check box 1 is turned on. Field 2
Set the execution time interval to. In field 2, 15 minutes is set as a default value of the execution time interval.
The time can be changed as needed. Thus, the server is queried for the latest task information at the time interval specified in the field 2. Further, using the radio button 3, “automatic redisplay when the task status is different from the display content” or “display a notification message when the task status is different from the display content” is selected. If "Redisplay automatically when the task status is different from the display content" is selected, the actual task information and the content of the task list displayed on the current task list screen will be displayed when the latest task arrives When is different,
The contents of the task list are updated and displayed again on the task list screen. On the other hand, if "Display notification message when task status is different from what is displayed" is selected,
When the latest task arrives, a message indicating the arrival is displayed on the status bar of the task list screen, and the user is prompted to perform an operation for displaying the latest information.

FIG. 6 shows how messages are exchanged between the client and the server when the latest task arrival check processing is set to be valid on the setting screen shown in FIG.

Each workflow client software 121 performs a workflow at a time interval designated on the setting screen of FIG. 5 in order to check the arrival of the latest task during the period of displaying the task list screen or performing the task processing. The management server software 111 is inquired about the latest information.

Workflow management server software 11
In response to this inquiry, the task management information 112a in FIG. 2 searches for a task in a valid state assigned to the user based on the user name, and returns the search result to the workflow client software 121 as a response to the inquiry. I do.

In the example of FIG. 6, the inquiry time interval of the latest task information is set to 20 minutes in the client computer # 1, and the inquiry time interval of the latest task information is set to 5 minutes in the client computer # 2. The case is shown. In this way, by setting the inquiry time interval of the latest task information to an appropriate time for each use of each client, it is possible to reduce unnecessary load on the network and the server.

Next, the processing procedure of each of the client and the server for checking the latest task arrival will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG.
Is the latest task arrival check module 121a incorporated in the workflow client software 121.
Is shown.

Latest task arrival check module 121
a monitors the time elapsed since the workflow client software 121 was started or the latest task information inquiry processing was completed last time;
When the elapsed time becomes equal to the time interval specified on the setting screen in FIG. 5 (steps S101 and S102), an inquiry about the latest task information is issued to the server (step S103).

In response to this inquiry, the workflow management server software 111 executes the task information acquisition process shown in FIG. That is, when the workflow management server software 111 receives an inquiry for the latest task information from the client (step S201), the workflow management server software 111 makes an inquiry for search to the workflow database 112 based on the user name included in the inquiry, and A task that is in a processable state among the tasks assigned to is searched for from the task management information 112a (steps S202 and S203). Information on all tasks obtained by this search is returned to the client that made the inquiry (step S204).

Workflow management server software 11
When a reply is made to the inquiry from No. 1, the latest task arrival check module 121a receives the task information included in the reply (step S104), and compares the received task information with the task information that has already arrived. Thus, it is checked whether a new task has arrived, that is, whether the latest task information is different from the contents of the task list on the current task list screen (step S).
105).

When a new task arrives and the latest task information is different from the content of the task list on the current task list screen, the latest task arrival check module 121a is specified on the setting screen of FIG. Depending on the display method, a message to notify the arrival of the latest task is displayed to urge the user to refresh, or the content of the task list on the task list screen is updated and the content is redisplayed. Perform (Step S106).

As described above, in the workflow management system of this embodiment, during the operation of the workflow client software 121, the client software 121 periodically inquires the workflow management server software 111 about the latest task information. Is issued, whereby the latest task information is automatically obtained from the server software 111. Therefore, the task information can be updated to the latest contents without the user manually performing a special operation. Further, the acquisition of task information is performed by an inquiry from the workflow client software 121 to the workflow management server software 111. Therefore, the time interval of the inquiry is changed for each client, or the setting for not performing the automatic acquisition processing is performed for each client. Can be set. Therefore, it is possible to set functions according to the use of the client, and it is possible to reduce unnecessary load on the server and the network.

The workflow client software 121 and the workflow management server software 1
11 can be recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM and distributed independently or together.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By setting the function of the latest task arrival check module provided on the client side, the latest task information can be automatically acquired from the server even during operation without using a special operation by the user. In addition, since the function setting of the latest task arrival check module can be performed individually for each client, it is possible to set not to perform the latest task arrival check processing, and to set the execution time interval of the inquiry for the latest task arrival check for each client. It is possible to reduce unnecessary load on the server or the network by appropriately setting according to the role of the person in charge.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a client-server type workflow management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a server used in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of each client used in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a task list screen displayed on each client of the system in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a function setting screen of a latest task arrival check process displayed on each client of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state of message exchange between a client and a server in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a latest task arrival check process executed by each client of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary flowchart showing the procedure of task information acquisition processing executed by the server of the system in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 LAN 11 Server computer 12-1, 12-2, 12-N Client computer 111 Workflow management server software 112 Workflow database 112a Task management information 113 Repository file 121 Workflow client software 121a Latest task arrival Check module 121b Task list display module 121c Task processing module 121d Flow display module 121e GUI 122 API 201 Task management unit 202 Document management unit

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A client-server type workflow management system that supports a flow of a series of operations required for business processing and exchange of information necessary for the operations using a client-server type computer network. A task information acquisition means for periodically inquiring the server about task information indicating the work contents to be processed by the client, and automatically acquiring the latest task information from the server. . 2. The workflow management system according to claim 1, further comprising means for setting validity / invalidity of inquiry processing by said task information acquisition means. 3. The workflow management system according to claim 1, further comprising means for setting a task information inquiry time interval by said task information acquisition means. 4. A means for displaying, on the client, a task list display screen showing work contents to be processed by the client, and displaying a message indicating when the latest task information is obtained by the task information obtaining means. 2. The workflow management system according to claim 1, further comprising means for updating task information on the task list display screen. 5. A client-server type workflow management system that supports a flow of a series of tasks necessary for business processing and exchange of information necessary for the tasks using a client-server type computer network. Means for displaying a setting screen for allowing the user to set whether or not to perform a latest task arrival check process for checking whether or not the latest task to be processed by the client has arrived; A task information obtaining means for periodically inquiring a server of task information indicating work contents to be processed by the client and automatically obtaining the latest task information from the server when the task arrival check processing is enabled; A workflow management system comprising: 6. The setting screen includes setting items for allowing a user to set an inquiry time interval of task information by the task information obtaining means, wherein the task information obtaining means displays the setting information on the setting screen. 6. The workflow management system according to claim 5, wherein when the arrival check processing of the latest task is set to be valid, the task information is queried at a time interval specified on the setting screen. 7. A server that manages task information indicating the work content assigned to each client, and a client that acquires the task information from the server and performs a task specified by the task information, In a client-server type workflow management system that supports the flow of a series of work necessary for business processing and the transfer of information necessary for the work, each of the clients displays a task list indicating the work to be performed by the client. Means for displaying a screen; setting means for setting the validity / invalidity of an automatic acquisition process for automatically acquiring, from the server, the latest contents of task information indicating work contents to be processed by the client; When the acquisition process is enabled, the client The task information acquisition means for periodically inquiring the task information indicating the work content to be processed, and automatically acquiring the latest task information from the server, when the latest task information is acquired by the task information acquisition means, Means for displaying a message indicating the above or updating task information on the task list display screen. 8. The setting means, further comprising: means for setting a task information inquiry time interval by the task information acquisition means, wherein the task information acquisition means issues a task information inquiry at the set time interval. The workflow management system according to claim 7, wherein the workflow management system performs the operation. 9. A task information acquisition control method used in a client-server type workflow management system for supporting a flow of a series of tasks necessary for business processing and passing of information required for the tasks, comprising: It is characterized in that the server periodically inquires of the server for task information indicating the work contents to be processed by the client, and automatically acquires the latest task information from the server using a response from the server in response to the inquiry. Task information acquisition control method. 10. When the content of the latest task information automatically acquired and the content of a task list display screen showing the content of work to be processed by the client are different, display a message indicating the difference, or display the task list. 10. The task information acquisition control method according to claim 9, wherein the content of the screen is updated and redisplayed. 11. A task information acquisition control method used in a client-server type workflow management system that supports a flow of a series of work necessary for business processing and information transfer required for the work, wherein the client Displays a setting screen for enabling / disabling automatic acquisition processing for automatically acquiring the latest contents of task information indicating work contents to be processed from a server, and for allowing a user of the client to set an execution time interval of the automatic acquisition. When the automatic acquisition process is enabled on the setting screen, task information indicating the content of work to be performed by the client on the server is periodically performed at a time interval specified on the setting screen. The latest task information is automatically acquired from the server using the response from the server to the inquiry. A task information acquisition control method characterized by acquiring the task information. 12. A computer-executable computer program used in a client-server type workflow management system for supporting a flow of a series of work necessary for business processing and information transfer necessary for the work is recorded. A recording medium, wherein the computer program uses a procedure for periodically inquiring the server of task information indicating work content to be processed by the client, and a response from the server to the inquiry. And a procedure for automatically acquiring the latest task information from the server. 13. When the contents of the latest task information automatically acquired and the contents of a task list display screen showing work contents to be processed by the client are different, the computer program displays a message indicating the difference. 13. The recording medium according to claim 12, further comprising a procedure for updating and redisplaying the contents of the task list display screen. 14. A computer-executable computer program used in a client-server type workflow management system for supporting a flow of a series of operations necessary for business processing and passing information required for the operations is recorded. A computer-readable recording medium, the computer program comprising: enabling / disabling an automatic acquisition process for automatically acquiring, from a server, the latest content of task information indicating work content to be processed by a client; and an execution time interval of the automatic acquisition. A procedure for displaying a setting screen for allowing the user of the client to set, and when the automatic acquisition process is enabled on the setting screen, the content of work to be performed by the client on the server At regular intervals at the time intervals specified on the setting screen A recording medium, which describes a procedure for matching and a procedure for automatically acquiring the latest task information from the server using a response from the server in response to the inquiry.