JPH1196248A - Work flow system and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simply and efficiently start a necessary work flow corresponding to an event by storing the correspondence relation information of a work flow of which the processing is required correspondingly to an event in each event and reading out a work flow corresponding to a specified event. SOLUTION: A user interface part 120 stores event-work flow correspondence relation information for one or more work flows of which processing is required correspondingly to each event in a work flow template/event correspondence table 121D in each event. In the case of processing a work flow consisting of plural working processes cooperated through information to be entered in a document, a work flow template selecting function part 121, a document displaying/editing function part 122 and a work flow editing function part 123 read out one or more corresponding work flows from the table 121D when an event is specified and start the read work flow.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a workflow system and a recording medium, and more particularly to a workflow system and a recording medium suitable for handling a plurality of related workflows.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, workflow systems applying computer technology and network technology have been developed and used.

[0003] Here, a workflow refers to a plurality of work steps (for example, a form →
It means a business consisting of approval → approval of the responsible department (for example, travel expense application, additional product bill etc). The workflow system calculates the process progress status in this workflow,
This system manages the transfer of information. Such a system is established because personal computers and the like are given to employees and the like, and these computers are networked by an in-house LAN or the like.

In a conventional workflow system,
Work efficiency is improved by using a workflow template for each task. Here, a workflow template refers to the order of the work steps that constitute one workflow,
And the type of business that defines the processing content of the work process.

[0005] That is, this workflow template is registered in advance, and when the user wants to start any work, the user himself selects a desired workflow template from a number of workflow templates and starts the workflow. You do it.

[0006]

In the case where the workflow system is a system that performs processes related to daily work such as permission in labor and accounting and slip processing, the user can use his / her own event (eg, transfer, Business trip et
The workflow is often started when c) occurs.

In many cases, it is necessary to start a plurality of workflows for one event that has occurred. For example, in the case of a business trip, a workflow for claim permission application and a workflow for a travel expense settlement are used.
Conversely, the same workflow may be started from different events.

As described above, the event and the workflow have an M: N relationship. Therefore, it is convenient if there is a workflow system that allows a user to easily start a necessary workflow without knowing which workflow needs to be started for an event that has occurred.

Data to be input to a plurality of workflows corresponding to one event often includes a large number of common items. However, if each workflow is independent as in the conventional case, the same item data must be repeatedly input even in such a case.

[0010] Therefore, there is a demand for a workflow system capable of inputting common data for these workflows only once when a plurality of workflows corresponding to one event are started.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a workflow system and a recording medium capable of easily and efficiently starting a required workflow in response to an event that has occurred for a user. The purpose is to provide.

[0012]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a workflow for processing a workflow including a plurality of work steps which cooperate with each other through information to be entered in a form. In the system, for one or more workflows that need to be processed in response to an event, event storage means for storing the event-workflow correspondence information for each event, and when an event is designated, the event storage means Corresponding one
A workflow system comprising: a workflow starting unit that reads the above workflow and starts the read workflow.

According to the present invention, such means are provided.
The necessary workflow can be started easily and efficiently in response to the event that has occurred for the user.

Next, the invention corresponding to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the workflow start means comprises:
A data item storage unit for storing information about data items input according to the type of the workflow, and when there are a plurality of workflows to be started, of the data items read from the data item storage unit, data items that are duplicated between the workflows Is a workflow system provided with data editing means for prompting a workflow initiator to input data so that only one input is required.

In the present invention, since such means are provided,
In addition to obtaining the same operation and effect as the invention according to claim 1, even when a plurality of workflows are started, only one input is required for the duplicated data items, and the work of the invoicing person is more efficiently performed. Things.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of workflows are started in response to an event in the first or second aspect, each workflow corresponding to the event is monitored. In both cases, when any one of the workflows started by the same event is canceled, the workflow system includes a monitor for canceling the remaining workflows.

According to the present invention, such means are provided.
The same operation and effect as the invention according to claim 1 or 2 can be obtained, and when there is a defect in a plurality of started workflows, all of them can be automatically canceled to provide an efficient workflow system. be able to.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of workflows corresponding to a certain event are read out from the event storage means. This is a workflow system in which two or more workflows having a common work process are started as one combined work process.

Since the present invention is provided with such means,
The same operation and effect as the first to third aspects of the invention can be obtained, and the common operation steps are combined, so that a more efficient workflow system can be provided.

Further, the invention corresponding to claim 5 is:
In a recording medium storing a program for realizing a workflow system for processing a workflow including a plurality of work processes that cooperate with each other using information to be entered in a form as a medium, the program requires processing corresponding to an event. When an event is designated, one or more corresponding workflows are read from the event storage means for storing the event-workflow correspondence information for each of the above workflows, and a function for starting the read workflow is provided. It is a computer-readable recording medium to be realized by a computer.

According to the present invention, such means are provided.
A computer can realize a workflow system that achieves the same functions and effects as the invention according to claim 1.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

(First Embodiment of the Invention) In this embodiment, a required workflow is automatically selected according to an event generated by a user, and the workflow is started.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a workflow system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

This workflow system includes a computer for implementing the workflow control function section 110, a computer for each user for implementing the user interface section 120, other section manager terminals 140, section manager terminals 150, and a main section system 160.
And a network system in which the labor section system 170 and the like are connected to the data transmission path 101. Here, the section manager terminal 140 and the section manager terminal 15
0, the accounting section system 160, the labor section system 170, and the like also function as the user interface section 120, and a workflow is flowed on these terminals and systems.

The workflow control function unit 110 manages the transition of the work process and the transfer of information to the person in charge of each work process. On the other hand, the user interface unit 120 is a work environment for a user to perform processing on data managed by the workflow control function unit 110.

The workflow control function unit 110 operates on a server machine such as a workstation having a file management device or a database management system, and includes a workflow template management unit 111, a workflow template storage unit 111D, a workflow progress management function. Unit 112, workflow progress information storage unit 112
D, document management function unit 113, workflow ID
/ Document content correspondence information storage section 113D1 and document content storage section 113D2.

Hereinafter, each component of the workflow control function unit 110 will be described.

Workflow template storage unit 111D
Stores each workflow template. The workflow template stored here is uniquely identified by the workflow template ID.

Workflow template management section 111
Manages the templates stored in the workflow template storage unit 111D.

The workflow progress information storage unit 112D
Stores the actual data of the workflow after the start, such as the workflow start date, the workflow initiator, the person in charge of each process of the workflow, or the status of each process (unprocessed / in process / completed). Each workflow is identified by a workflow ID.
Uniquely identified.

The workflow progress management function unit 112 manages the start of the workflow, the completion of the work, the assignment of a worker, and the like, that is, the progress management of each workflow. For example, the content of the document content storage unit 113D2 is sent to the worker in charge using a mail function or the like of the network system. Further, for example, a reply from the worker is received, and processing for performing the next step is performed.

For such progress management, information stored in the workflow progress information storage unit 112D and the workflow ID / document content correspondence information storage unit 113D1 is used. The workflow progress management function unit 11
2 issues a workflow ID for uniquely identifying the workflow when starting the workflow.

Document content storage section 113D2
Stores the substance of information necessary for each work to be transferred between work processes (for example, the contents of a form circulated in a workflow). The data items of each document content correspond to the workflow template / data item correspondence table 122D.

The workflow ID / document content correspondence information storage section 113D1 stores information on the relationship between the workflow ID and the document content.

The document management function unit 113 includes a document content storage unit 113D2, a workflow ID
/ Manages the document content correspondence information storage unit 113D1. For example, a new content is stored in the document content storage unit 113D2 according to a command from the workflow progress management function unit 112, or the content storage unit 11D
The contents of 3D2 are taken out for transmission.

On the other hand, the user interface unit 120
Runs on a terminal such as a PC (personal computer) used by each user who processes a workflow and has a graphical user interface such as a Windows application. The workflow template selection function unit 121, the event correspondence table 121D , Document display / edit function unit 122, data item correspondence table 1
22D, a data item attribute table 124D, a workflow editing function unit 123, and a process staff pattern table 123D.

Hereinafter, the user interface unit 120
Each configuration will be described.

The event correspondence table 121D stores a correspondence table indicating a relationship between a preset event and a workflow that can occur with respect to this event. In the correspondence table, events and workflow template IDs are associated with each other.

The workflow template selection function unit 12
1 retrieves the event correspondence table 121D based on the event input from the user through the input device 125, extracts the workflow template ID corresponding to the event, and displays the content on the display device 126. The input of the event is performed, for example, by the user selecting and inputting from a list box of the Windows system.

The data item correspondence table 122D is a table of necessary data items in the workflow corresponding to each workflow template ID. As mentioned above,
After the start of the workflow, the contents of this data item are stored as the document content of the workflow in the document content storage unit 11 of the workflow control function unit 110.
It is stored in 3D2.

The data item attribute table 124D stores attribute information such as the data type and the number of digits of the data items stored in the data item correspondence table 122D.

The document display / edit function unit 122 includes:
From the workflow template selected by the template selection function unit 121, a data item necessary for document content associated with each workflow is searched from the data item correspondence table 122D. In addition, the input data items common to a plurality of workflows corresponding to the event among the searched data items are subjected to deduplication processing so that only one input is required. Then, the data item attribute table 124
The data input field is displayed on the screen of the display device 126 according to the attribute of the data item of D.

The document display / edit function unit 12
Reference numeral 2 divides the data item contents input by the user for each workflow, registers them as documents, and sends them to the document management function unit 113 of the workflow control function unit 110 together with instructions for associating each workflow.

The process staff pattern table 123D is a table that stores the pattern of each work process staff in the workflow. It is provided for each user interface unit in the user terminal so that the user can edit the contents as necessary.

The workflow editing function unit 123 is a workflow control function for issuing commands such as the start of the workflow selected by the template selection function unit 121, the assignment of each process person according to the process person pattern table 123D, and the completion of the work process. Workflow progress management function unit 11 of unit 110
Send to 2.

Next, the operation of the workflow system configured as described above according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the workflow system of the present embodiment.

First, an event generated by the user (drafter) is input to the template selection function unit 121 (ST1). At this time, the drafter selects and inputs an event from the screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the event input screen of the present embodiment.

In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a business trip is selected from the events shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the connection relationship between the components described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing flow according to the configuration of the workflow system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows each processing flow (ST) in FIG.
1 to ST6) are described corresponding to the configuration. For example, in step ST1, the business trip is selected as an event by the input device shown in FIG.

Next, the template selection function unit 121 retrieves the workflow template ID for the input event from the event correspondence table 121D shown in FIG. 5 (FIG. 2: ST2).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the event correspondence table of this embodiment.

In the case of this operation example, since the event "business trip" has been selected, the business trip portion in FIG. Thus, the workflow template IDs: 0001 and 0002 are obtained from the event correspondence table 121D.

Next, the selected workflow template ID is passed from the template selection function unit 121 to the document display / selection function unit 122. Based on the template ID, the display / selection function unit 122 searches the data item correspondence table 122D shown in FIG. 6 for necessary data items, and sets the input fields of those data items in the data item attribute table 124D shown in FIG.
Are displayed on the screen as shown in FIG. 8 in accordance with the data item attributes (ST3).

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the data item correspondence table of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the data item attribute table of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an item data input screen according to the present embodiment.

That is, the screen shown in FIG.
For each workflow (template ID 0001, 0002) corresponding to the business trip entered in step 1, data items required for document content associated with this workflow: employee number, name, business trip date, transportation means,
The business trip destination, the purpose of the business trip, the settlement amount, and the application date are acquired, and the input is accepted and displayed.

The processing in step ST3 is shown in more detail in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the data item search and display processing of this embodiment.

First, based on the N template IDs obtained in steps ST1 and ST2 in FIG.
1) A data item search for a certain template ID is executed (ST12).

If all the retrieved data items have already been retrieved based on another template ID (ST
13), a search for the next template ID is performed (ST15, ST11, ST12).

On the other hand, if there is a data item that has not been added to the searched data item, the data item is added to the item to be displayed (ST14), and a search for the next template ID is performed (ST15, ST15). ST1
1, ST12).

Thus, all N template IDs
When the data item search for is completed, the display device 12
The item data input screen as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the screen 6 (ST16), and the step ST3 ends.

Next, the drafter inputs data for each item on the displayed data entry screen (S
T4).

After the data input is completed, the drafting person presses the input complete button on the data input screen of FIG. Based on this input completion button, a notification to that effect is displayed by the display / edit function unit 11.
2 to the workflow editing function unit 123. Then, the workflow editing function unit 123 sends a workflow start command for the template ID0001 and ID0002 and a command for assigning a person in charge of each process (information of each person in charge of the process) to the network. The data is passed to the workflow progress management function unit 110 at 110.

The workflow progress management function unit 112 stores the workflow template storage unit 1 in the workflow template management function unit 111 based on the received template ID.
11D is searched. Further, a workflow is started by assigning a workflow ID to the same type (template) found in the workflow template storage unit 111D, and the progress information is stored in the workflow progress information storage unit 112D (ST5).

On the other hand, the data input in step ST4 in FIG. 2 is sent to the workflow control function unit 110 as document content by the document display / edit function unit 122 of the user interface unit 120.
Further, a command for associating the document content with the workflow started in step ST5 is also sent from the document display / edit function unit 122 to the document management function unit 113.

The document management function unit 113 stores the received document content in the document content storage unit 113D2 and stores the correspondence between the document content and the workflow ID in 113D1 based on the command (ST6).

Hereinafter, the workflow progress management function unit 112
Thus, the workflow including the document content and the template is performed by, for example, the section manager terminal 140
A series of processes such as “0” is sent to the person in charge of each process to obtain approval or the like. When each step of the workflow is completed, the workflow is executed by the accounting section system 16.
0 and the final delivery destination such as the labor section system 170.

In the case of the present embodiment, a business trip application and business trip travel expense settlement are performed by the workflow processing, and a document (workflow) with the approval of the section manager or department manager is sent to the labor section or the accounting section. become.

As described above, the workflow system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the template selecting function unit 1
21 fetches one or more workflows corresponding to the event and starts the one or more workflows at the same time, so that the drafter can automatically execute all necessary multiple workflows for one event that has occurred. You can get started. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a human error such as "this application document has been issued but other application documents have been forgotten to be issued".

Further, since a plurality of workflows are started by one data input, work efficiency can be improved. For example, in the example shown in FIG.
Since the data items such as name and travel date are common data items for travel expense settlement and travel application, these data items eliminate the trouble of repeatedly inputting each workflow.

(Second Embodiment of the Invention) According to the workflow system of the first embodiment, a plurality of workflows corresponding to an event can be started simultaneously and efficiently.
Although each workflow is a workflow started by the same event, each workflow is independent. Therefore, for example, even if the drafter notices an input error or the like, and an exception process occurs such that one workflow is canceled during processing, the other workflow is processed in each work process as it is. May occur. In this case, if the initiator enters the correct information and starts the canceled workflow again, for the same event,
There is a possibility that a workflow of information with correct contents may flow at the same time.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, workflows started by the same event are bundled and managed as one to maintain consistency between different workflows.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a workflow system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. Only the part will be described.

The workflow system includes a workflow monitoring function unit 130 and a workflow / event I in a computer connected to the network system.
A D-corresponding information storage unit 130D is provided, and the configuration of the workflow editing function unit 123 is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the functions of the workflow editing function unit 123 are changed.

The workflow editing function unit 12 of the present embodiment
3, after starting a plurality of workflows related to one event, sends an instruction to the workflow monitoring function unit 130 to store the workflow ID issued by the progress management function unit 112 in the workflow / event ID correspondence information storage unit 130D. Other than that, the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.

The workflow monitoring function unit 130
Is transmitted from the workflow editing function unit 123 to the workflow I.
When D is received, an event ID that uniquely identifies the event in the entire system is numbered, and the workflow ID is associated with the event ID and stored in the workflow / event ID correspondence information storage unit 130D.

This workflow monitoring function unit 13
0 reads the event ID correspondence information storage unit 130D at regular intervals, and monitors the status of each associated workflow. Then, when an exception process such as cancellation / return occurs in any of these workflows, an instruction to bring the other related workflows into the same state is sent to the workflow control function unit 110.

Next, the operation of the workflow system according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the workflow system of the present embodiment.

The processing from step ST21 to step ST26 is the same as the processing from step ST1 to step ST6 in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

After the process of step ST 26, the workflow editing function unit 123 sends a command for managing a series of workflows corresponding to the event and the respective workflow IDs to the monitoring function unit 130. In the monitoring function unit 130, an event ID capable of uniquely identifying an event in the entire system is assigned in response to this command. Further, a series of workflow IDs and event IDs received from the workflow function unit 123 are associated with each other, and these are stored in the correspondence information storage unit 130D (ST27).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the work flow / event ID correspondence information storage unit of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which a plurality of workflow IDs correspond to one event ID.

Next, the monitoring function unit 130 searches the correspondence information storage unit 130D at regular intervals, and searches for the state of the workflow associated with the same event ID (ST28).

If at least one of the workflows associated with the same event ID is canceled (ST29), an instruction to cancel other workflows is sent to the progress management function unit 112, and the related workflow is canceled. Another workflow is canceled (ST30).

As described above, the workflow system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the monitoring function unit 130
Monitors the workflows associated with the event so that each workflow state is the same, so if one of the associated workflows is canceled, the other workflows will be canceled as well,
It is possible to prevent information inconsistency such that different contents of information flow simultaneously to different workflows for the same event.

In such a case, it is not necessary to cancel each workflow one by one, and the work efficiency can be improved.

(Third Embodiment of the Invention) A plurality of workflows linked by an event are combined and started as one workflow.

The workflow system of this embodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment except that a workflow merging function is added to the workflow editing function section 123.

The workflow editing function unit 12 of the present embodiment
3 retrieves the context of the work process of the workflow template selected by the template selection function unit 121, creates a workflow in which those workflow templates are combined in parallel, and notifies the progress management function unit 112 of the start of the workflow. Ask. The merging method basically merges workflows using the same workflow template in parallel. However, as a result of searching the process staff pattern table 123D, for a work process that satisfies certain conditions such as having a common work process, the common work process is merged even if a different workflow template is used. Create a workflow that is edited to be one work process.

Next, the operation of the workflow system configured as above according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the workflow system according to the present embodiment.

In the figure, steps ST31 to ST3
Steps ST4, ST36, and ST37 are the same as steps ST1 to ST6 in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. That is, in the present embodiment, step S
T35 is added to the first embodiment.

In the process of step ST35, step S
In T33, the context of the work process of the workflow template selected by the template selection function unit 121 is searched, and a workflow in which those workflow templates are combined in parallel is generated. Although the merging method is basically a parallel method, the process person pattern table 123D is searched, and if there is a work process that satisfies any of the following conditions, a work process on a different workflow template is executed. They are merged and the workflow is edited as one work step. However, the first operation step is unconditionally merged because the person in charge is the same in every workflow.

The first of the above-mentioned conditions is a case where a person in charge of a work process in a different workflow has the same work process, and the person in charge of the preceding process is also the same.

The second of the above-mentioned conditions is a case in which a person in charge of a work process on a different workflow has the same work process, and one of them is the last work process in the workflow. .

For example, when the event “business trip” satisfies the first condition, how the workflows of the claimed travel expense settlement and the business trip application are merged will be specifically described.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the contents of the process staff pattern table as to what kind of work process is performed in correspondence with each template ID of travel expense settlement / business trip application.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing each work flow of business trip travel expense settlement / business trip application and a workflow in which these are merged.

As shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the work steps in which the person in charge is the same on different templates of each workflow are “section manager approval” for travel expense settlement and “section manager approval” for business trip application. Both of the steps before these steps are “drafting” and the person in charge is User0, so that the above first condition can be satisfied and these workflow templates can be merged.

That is, in the case of the first embodiment, FIG.
Although two workflows shown in FIG. 15A are generated, according to the present embodiment, these are merged and the workflow shown in FIG.
One workflow shown in (b) is generated.

The start of the workflow edited by the workflow editing function unit 123 is performed by the progress management function unit 112.
And the merge workflow is started (FIG. 13: ST36). Here, the workflow template storage unit 1 of the workflow control function unit 110
Since the same information as the process person pattern table shown in FIG. 14 is recorded in 11D, the workflow progress management function unit 112 determines the merged workflow received from the workflow editing function unit 123 with the workflow template storage unit 111D. The progress management is performed while referring to the process person pattern information in the table.

As described above, in the workflow system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the workflows corresponding to one event are united and managed as one workflow. The integrity is not impaired, and by merging the processes, it is possible to reduce the number of work processes performed by each person in charge of the process, thereby improving work efficiency.

Although the present embodiment has been described in correspondence with the first embodiment, when a workflow that does not satisfy the merge condition is included, a plurality of workflows may be started for one event. is there. In this case,
The second embodiment is applied to the present embodiment, and a plurality of related workflows are applied to the workflow monitoring function unit 1.
The monitoring may be performed by 30 and when one workflow is canceled, the remaining workflow may be canceled.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, in each embodiment, the workflow system has been described, but the present invention can be applied not only to the workflow system but also to, for example, a mail system.

In this case, by providing a correspondence table between the keyword input in the body of the transmitted mail and the mail address, when transmitting a mail having a specific keyword in the body, the mail is automatically transmitted. Can be set. As a result, a mail having a specific content can be transmitted to a specific destination without omission of the destination.

The method described in the embodiment can be executed by a computer as a program (software means) such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM,
DVDs, etc.), and can be stored in a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, or transmitted and distributed via a communication medium. In addition,
The program stored on the medium side includes a setting program for causing a computer to execute software means (including not only an execution program but also a table and a data structure) to be executed in the computer. A computer that realizes the present apparatus reads a program recorded in a storage medium, and in some cases, constructs software means by using a setting program, and executes the above-described processing by controlling the operation of the software means.

[0116]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a workflow system and a recording medium capable of simply and efficiently starting a required workflow in response to an event generated by a user. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a workflow system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the workflow system of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing an example of an event input screen of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing a processing flow along the configuration of the workflow system of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing an example of the content of an event correspondence table according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing an example of the contents of a data item correspondence table according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing a content example of a data item attribute table according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing an example of an item data input screen of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a data item search and display process according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a workflow system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the workflow system of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary view showing an example of contents of a workflow / event ID correspondence information storage unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the workflow system of the embodiment.

[FIG. 14] Each template I for travel expense settlement and travel application
The figure which shows the content of the process person in charge pattern table about what kind of work process exists corresponding to D.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing workflows for travel expense settlement / business trip application and workflows in which these are merged.

[Explanation of symbols]

101: Data transmission path 110: Workflow control function unit 111: Workflow template management unit 111D: Workflow template storage unit 112: Workflow progress management function unit 112D: Workflow progress information storage unit 113: Document management function unit 113D1: Workflow ID / document content Correspondence information storage unit 113D2 Document content storage unit 120 User interface unit 121 Workflow template selection function unit 121D Event correspondence table 122 Document display / edit function unit 122D Data item correspondence table 123 Workflow edit function unit 123D Process Person pattern table 124D Data item attribute table 125 Input device 126 Display device 130 Workflow monitoring function unit 13 D ... Workflow / Event ID correspondence information storage unit 140 ... manager terminal 150 ... director terminal 160 ... the Budget Division system 170 ... Labor Division System

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A workflow system for processing a workflow including a plurality of work steps that cooperate with each other using information to be entered in a form as an intermediary. Event storage means for storing correspondence information for each workflow for each event, and, when an event is specified, one or more corresponding workflows are read from the event storage means, and a workflow start means for starting the read workflow is provided. A workflow system comprising: 2. The workflow start means includes: a data item storage means for storing information about a data item input according to a type of a workflow; and when there are a plurality of workflows to be started, the data is read from the data item storage means. 2. The workflow system according to claim 1, further comprising a data editing unit that prompts a workflow initiator to input data by inputting data items that are duplicated between workflows only once. 3. When a plurality of workflows are started in response to the event, each workflow corresponding to the event is monitored, and when one of the workflows started by the same event is canceled. 3. The workflow system according to claim 1, further comprising a monitor for canceling the remaining workflow. 4. When a plurality of workflows corresponding to a certain event are read from the event storage means,
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein two or more workflows having a common operation process among the plurality of workflows are started as one workflow in which the common operation process is united. 5. The described workflow system. 5. A recording medium recording a program for realizing a workflow system for processing a workflow including a plurality of work steps that cooperate with each other through information to be entered in a form, wherein the program corresponds to an event. When an event is designated, one or more workflows corresponding to one or more workflows requiring processing are read from the event storage means for storing the event-workflow correspondence information for each event. A computer-readable recording medium that causes a computer to realize a function of starting a workflow.