OA19438A - Method based on form fields for arranging examination and approval roles at workflow examination and approval nodes. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for setting approval roles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields is disclosed in the present invention, including: setting a system organization structure; and selecting one of a role attribute field, a department attribute field or a submission role of the approval process in a form as a level subject; after selecting the level subject, determining a level by using the selected subject as a judgment criterion; and filling in a specific level value. In the present invention, according to requirements, the role attribute Held, the department attribute field or the submission role involved in the form may be used as a criterion for determining a department level. If a signing role in a contract form is selected as a level subject, the signing role (rather than a submission role by default all the time) is used as a criterion for determining a level, so as to determine an approval role of an approval node. The method is more flexible and convenient in use. and high in universality. A system provides a specified group to approve an approval request submitted by a top-level department supervisor, thereby avoiding the problem that the top-level department supervisor cannot complete an approval process by means of level approval.

Description

[0077] The technical solutions of the présent invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the protection scope of the présent invention is not limited to the following descriptions.

[0078] [Embodiment 1] A method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields includes a step of setting a System organization structure and a step of setting an approval rôle according to a department level.

[0079] The step of setting the System organization structure includes the following sub-steps:

[0080] SS1: creating departments and rôles included in the System organization structure; and

[0081] SS2: setting a hierarchical relationship among the departments, where as shown in FIG. 4, a department A is one level higher than a department B, and the department A is two levels higher than a department C..., and setting a department supervisor rôle in each department.

[0082] The step of setting the approval rôle according to the department level includes:

[0083] SSS1 : Selecting a level-based method for setting an approval rôle.

[0084] SSS2: Selecting one of a rôle attribute field, a department attribute field, or a submission rôle of an approval process in a form corresponding to the approval process as a level subject; during sélection of the level subject, one and only one level subject can be selected; there may be multiple rôle attribute and department attribute fields on a form (for example, a signing rôle, a rôle in charge, a signing department, and a department in charge), but one process only has one process submission rôle.

[0085] SSS3: Filling in a spécifie level value η, n being a positive integer greater than or equal to 0 (the value of N may also be replaced with other symbols, for example, a, b, c, and d, where b is one level higher than a, c is two levels higher than a, d is three levels higher than a, and so on). (1) Selecting the rôle attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and detennining a level by using a rôle corresponding to the field as a judgment criterion. For example, if the submission rôle of the process is d2, but the selected rôle attribute field in the form is a signing rôle, the signing rôle is a rôle d3: (ï)when n=0, the selected rôle d3 serves as an approval rôle of the approval node; (2)when n=l, a department supervisor rôle dl in a department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and if the selected rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department to which the selected rôle belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @when n=2, a department supervisor rôle cl in a department C that is one level higher than the department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; (4)when n=3, a department supervisor rôle bl in a department B that is two levels higher than the department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @when n=4, a department supervisor rôle al in a department A that is three levels higher than the department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @the rest is done by that analogy; and ©when the setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; for example, for the rôle d3, the department level should be 4 at maximum, and when the department level is set to 6, the department supervisor rôle al of the top-level department A serves as the approval rôle of the approval node.

[0086] (2) Selecting the department attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and detennining a level by using the selected department as a judgment criterion. For example, the selected department attribute field in the form is a signing department, and the signing department is a department D: (î)when n=0, a department supervisor rôle dl of the selected department D serves as an approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=l, a department superviser rôle cl in a department C that is one level higher than the selected department D serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=2, a department superviser rôle bl in a department B that is two levels higher than the selected department D serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle al in a department A that is three levels higher than the selected department D serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @ the rest is done by that analogy; and ©when the setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the system organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; for example, for the department D, the department level should be 3 at maximum, and when the department level is set to 6, the department supervisor rôle al of the top-level department A serves as the approval rôle of the approval node.

[0087] (3) Selecting the submission rôle of the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using the submission rôle as a judgment criterion. For example, if the submission rôle is a rôle d2: ©when n=0, the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process serves as an approval rôle of the approval node. When an approval rôle is set at an approval node, a department level n may be set to 0, that is, the submission rôle d2 itself is selected as the approval rôle in the approval node. Before the approval process is ended, the submission rôle d2 itself may confirm the approval, and may go back to re-approval after choosing a disagreement or enter the next link after choosing an agreement. A submission rôle reviewing process is added, thus avoiding the problem that a new approval process needs to be created (re-submitted) because the approval resuit is incorrect or the approval resuit is not compilant with the expectation of the submission rôle, thereby reducing the internai friction of the System, and improving the effïciency and reliability of the approval process.

[0088] For example, when the submission rôle d2 submits a 10000 RMB reimbursement approval request, due to an error in the content submitted by the submission rôle d2 or other reasons, the approved reimbursement amount is modified to be 500 RMB after multistage approvals. Before the approval process is ended, the submission rôle d2, as the approval rôle, can review and confirm to find the problem, and may go back to re-approval after choosing a disagreement or enter the next link after choosing an agreement. Therefore, it is unnecessary to create a new approval process.

[0089] (©Xvhen n=l, a department supervisor rôle dl in a department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node (if the submission rôle is dl, i.e., the department supervisor rôle in the department D to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle cl in a department C that is one level higher than the department D to which the submission rôle belongs serves as the approval rôle of said approval node); @when n=2, the department supervisor rôle cl in the department C that is one level higher than the department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of said approval node; (4)when n=3, a department supervisor rôle bl in a department B that is two levels higher than the department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @when n=4, a department supervisor rôle al in a department A that is three levels higher than the department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @the rest is done by that analogy; and @ when the setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node. For example, for the rôle d2, the department level should be 4 at maximum, and when the department level is set to 6, the department supervisor rôle al of the top-level department A serves as the approval rôle of the approval node.

[0090] Based on the advantage of the original submission rôle level-based authorization method, the solution in the présent application has another advantage: rôles of different attributes may be selected. For example, there are a contract signing rôle, a rôle newly added in. the contract. and a rôle in charge of the contract in a contract form. The approval node should not hâve determined the level according to the submission rôle, but should détermine the level according to the contract signing rôle. For example, at a first approval node of a reimbursement form, approval should be performed by a superior of a submission rôle, and at another approval node, the approval should be performed by a superior of a reimbursement rôle (the reimbursement rôle and the submission rôle may be different rôles).

[0091] In a conventional level approval method, only a submission rôle of an approval process can be used as a judgment criterion to détermine a department level, and other rôles or departments involved in a form cannot be customized as a criterion for determining the department level. There is certain limitation in usage.

[0092] For example, in an approval process of a contract, a rôle signing the contract is on a leave and asks his/her colleague to initiate a contract approval process on behalf of him/her; the System considers his/her colleague as a submission rôle of the process, and détermines a level based on the colleague during level approval, which cannot objectively reflect the department and position of the rôle signing the contract. For example, the rôle signing the contract is a salesman 1 in a market department, but the rôle of his/her colleague is a developer 1 in a research and development department. The contract should be originally approved by a superviser of the department to which the signing rôle belongs, that is, a superviser rôle in the market department. When an approval level of an approval node is set to 1, the System will assign the contract to be approved by a superviser of the department to which the developer 1 belongs, that is, a superviser rôle in the research and development department, causing an assignment error of the approval process and inconvenience in use.

[0093] In the présent application, according to requirements, in the case that an approval node is set, a signing rôle in a contract form may be selected as a level subject, and the signing rôle (rather than the submission rôle by default ail the time) is used as a criterion for determining a level, so as to détermine that the approval rôle is the supervisor rôle in the market department. The use is more flexible and convenient, and high universality is àchîeved.

[0094] [Embodiment 2] A method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields includes a step of setting a system organization structure and a step of setting an approval rôle according to a department level. The step of setting the system organization structure includes the following sub-steps: SS1: creating departments and rôles included in the system organization structure; and SS2: setting a hierarchical relationship among the departments, and setting a department supervisor rôle in each department, where as shown in FIG. 4, a department A is one level higher than a department B, and the department A is two levels higher than a department C.... The step of setting the approval rôle according to the department level includes: SSS1: selecting a level-based method for setting an approval rôle; SSS2: selecting one of a rôle attribute field, a department attribute field, or a submission rôle of an approval process in a form corresponding to the approval process as a level subject; and SSS3: filling in a spécifie level value η, n being a positive integer greater than or equal to 0 (the value of N may also be replaced with other symbols, for example, a, b, c, and d, where b is one level higher than a, c is two levels higher than a, d is three levels higher than a, and so on): selecting the rôle attribute field in the fonn corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using the selected rôle as a judgment criterion; for example, when the submission rôle of the process is d2, but the selected rôle attribute field in the form is a signing rôle, the signing rôle is a rôle d3: ©when n=0, the selected rôle d3 serves as an approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle dl in a department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and if the selected rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department to which the selected rôle belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=2, a department supervisor rôle cl in the department C that is one level higher than the department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle bl in a department B that is two levels higher than the department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=4, a department supervisor rôle al in a department A that is three levels higher than the department D to which the selected rôle d3 belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©he rest is done by that analogy; ©when the setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; for example, for the rôle d3, the department level should be 4 at maximum, and when the department level is set to 6, the department supervisor rôle al of the top-level department A serves as the approval rôle of the approval node.

[0095] ©when n>l, it is necessary to set that the approval node is approved by a specified group when the selected rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs and there is no higher level department over this department.

[0096] (2) Selecting the department attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using the selected department as a judgment criterion: for example, the selected department attribute field in the form is a signing department, and the signing department is a department D: ©when n=0, a department supervisor rôle dl of the selected department D serves as an approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle cl in a department C that is one level higher than the selected department D serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=2, a department supervisor rôle bl in a department B that is two levels higher than the selected department D serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle al in a department A that is three levels higher than the selected department D serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @ the rest is donc by that analogy; ©when the setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; for example, for the department D, the department level should be 3 at maximum, and when the department level is set to 6, the department supervisor rôle al of the top-level department A serves as the approval rôle of the approval node.

[0097] ©when n>l, it is necessary to set that the approval node is approved by a specified group when there is no higher level department over the selected department.

[0098] (3) Selecting the submission rôle of the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using the submission rôle as a judgment criterion. For example, if the submission rôle is a rôle d2: ©when n=0, the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process serves as an approval rôle of the approval node. When an approval rôle is set at an approval node, a department level n may be set to 0, that is, the submission rôle d2 itself is selected as the approval rôle in the approval node. Before the approval process is ended, the submission rôle d2 itself may confirm the approval, and may go back to re-approval after choosing a disagreement or enter the next link after choosing an agreement. A submission rôle reviewing process is added, thus avoiding the problem that a new approval process needs to be created (re-submitted) because the approval resuit is incorrect or the approval resuit is not compilant with the expectation of the submission rôle, thereby reducing the internai friction of the system, and improving the efficiency and reliability of the approval process.

[0099] For example, when the submission rôle d2 submits a 10000 RMB reimbursement approval request, due to an error in the content submitted by the submission rôle d2 or other reasons, the approved reimbursement amount is modified to be 500 RMB after multistage approvals. Before the approval process is ended, the submission rôle, as the approval rôle, can review and confirm to fînd the problem, and may go back to re-approval after choosing a disagreement or enter the next link after choosing an agreement. Therefore, it is unnecessary to create a new approval process.

[0100] ©When n=l, a department supervisor rôle dl in a department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node (if the submission rôle is dl, i.e., the department supervisor rôle in the department D to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle cl in a department C that is one level higher than the department D to which the submission rôle belongs serves as the approval rôle of said approval node); ©when n=2, the department supervisor rôle cl in the department C that is one level higher than the department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of said approval node; ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle bl in a department B that is two levels higher than the department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; ©when n=4, a department superviser rôle al in a department A that is three levels higher than the department D to which the submission rôle d2 of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; @the rest is done by that analogy; (7)when the setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node. For example, for the rôle d2, the department level should be 4 at maximum, and when the department level is set to 6, the department supervisor rôle al of the top-level department A seives as the approval rôle of the approval node.

[0101] @when n>l, it is necessary to set that the approval node is approved by a specified group when the submission rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs and there is no higher level department over this department. The approval by the specified group includes one of the following three cases: (1) the specified group is composed of one or more approval rôles; (2) the specified group is determined according to the department level, during sélection of the level subject, only the level subject selected for the approval node can be used continuously, and the level value n can only be set to 0; and (3) the specified group is determined according to the department level, the level subject can be selected independently, the specified group includes one or more specified nodes, and when the level value n of the specified node is not 0, a next-level specified node needs to be set, until the level value n of the specified node is 0, thereby completing the setting of the specified group of the approval node.

[0102] A system provides an approval mechanism for a top-level department supervisor, which avoids the problem that the top-level department supervisor cannot finish the approval process by means of level approval.

[0103] For example, when a chairman, as the top-level leader of an enterprise, submits an approval request, although there is no superior department over the chairman in level approval, a specified group is set to approve the approval request submitted by the chairman.

[0104] The approval by the specified group includes one of the following three cases: (j)the specified group is composed of one or more approval rôles. For example, a plurality of members of the board of supervisors forms the specified group, and the approval request of the chaimian is approved by the members of the board of supervisors. (Dfhe specified group is determined according to the départaient level, during sélection of 5 the level subject, only the level subject selected for the approval node can be used continuously, and the level value n can only be set to 0. This is applicable to a case where the enterprise organization structure changes. For example, the original top-level supervisor of a company is a general manager, but after the organization structure has changed, a board of directors is newly added to the organization structure, and a chaimian becomes the 10 top-level supervisor; the level value in the approval node is 0, and then the approval rôle automatically becomes the chairman, rather than the general manager unchanged. This avoids the problem that the approval rôle cannot fit the change in the organization structure. @The specified group is determined according to the départaient level, the level subject can be selected independently, the specified group includes one or more specified nodes, 15 and when the level value n of the specified node is not 0, a next-level specified node needs to be set, until the level value n of the specified node is 0, thereby completing the setting of the specified group of the approval node. This is applicable to a case where an ordinary department rôle approves an approval request submitted by a top-level départaient supervisor. For example, a Financial supervisor of a fmancial department can approve 20 invoice information involved in a contract approval request submitted by a chairman, and a final resuit needs to be confirmed by the chaimian.

[0105] When level approval is selected at an approval node, an approval permission is granted to each corresponding approval rôle in a level, and then ail corresponding approval rôles in the level hâve the same approval permission.

[0106] For example, when n=l and a3, b3, c3, and d3 submit approval processes respectively, corresponding approval supervisors are respectively al, bl, cl, and dl that hâve the same approval permission.

[0107] [Embodiment 3] As shown in FIG. 5, a workflow control method includes the following steps: SI: building a three-layer structure model of user-role-permission that includes: a rôle layer, wherein an operation subject of process approval in a workflow is a rôle, each rôle is an independent individual rather than a group or class, one rôle can only be related to a unique user during the same period, and one user is related to one or more rôles; a permission layer composed of permissions required to be used in the execution of 5 the workflow, wherein each permission is directly granted to a rôle, and a user layer, wherein a user détermines an approval task in the workflow through a related rôle, and perforais an approval operation with the permission of the related rôle; S2: as shown in FIG. 7, using the three-layer structure model to control the workflow, wherein one approval process includes a start node, at least one approval node, and an end node. The start node initiâtes or requests or submits the workflow. Further, the submission rôle initiâtes or requests or submits the workflow. Only a rôle having the permission to start a workflow can initiate or request or submit the workflow as the submission rôle. A System déterminés an approval process based on a form submitted by the submission rôle. One or more approval processes are designed for a form that requires a workflow, but one rôle can only 15 select one approval process under the form (the same rôle can exist only in one of the processes of the same form). For example, there are two processes such as a PI process and a P2 process in a purchase contract. If a rôle A is selected at a start node of the P1 process, the rôle A cannot be selected any more at the start node of the P2 process. In this case, approval of the purchase contract is added to the rôle A, and the purchase contract submitted for approval enters the PI process automatically.

[0108] The approval node sets a level of an approval department and grants an approval permission to a corresponding approval rôle in the level. The process cornes to the end node and is then ended. S3: determining, according to a user's related rôle, an approval task to be processed, and performing an approval operation with the permission of the 25 related rôle.

[0109] One or more approval rôles are selected at an approval node, one rôle can exist at different approval nodes in one approval process, and the approval rôle may own different permissions for viewing and mo^:difying a form field at different approval nodes. Exemplary advantages are as follows: A rôle is a Chengdu sales manager 3, and in a contact approval workflow, the rôle exists at both approval nodes of Chengdu sales contract and Shanghai sales contract. At the approval node of the Chengdu sales contact, the rôle can view the content of ail fields of the contract, such as a customer name, a contact person, contact information, a product quantity, a unit price of products, and a contract amount, and may modify the unit price of products and the contract amount. However, at the approval node of the Shanghai sales contract, the rôle cannot view the sensitive fields such as a customer name, a contact person, and contact information, and the like, and cannot make any modifications (altematively, the rôle may be set to hâve the view permission but no modification permission).

[0110] One or more approval rôles are selected at an approval node, an approval role's permission is set at the approval node, and the permission can be independently set for each approval rôle of each approval node. For example, two approval rôles, namely, a rôle A and a rôle B, are set at an approval node in the approval process of a contract form. It may be set that the rôle A is allowed to view a contract amount field in the contract form and the value of this field, and allowed to view a customer address field in the contract form and the value of this field. The rôle B is not allowed to view the contract amount field in the contract form, or is allowed to view the contract amount field but not allowed to view the value of this field. The value not allowed to be viewed may be shown with other symbols such as *. The rôle B can view the customer address field in the contract form and the value of this field.

[0111] [Embodiment 4] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, the step SI includes the following sequential sub-steps: S101 : creating a rôle, wherein each rôle is an independent individual rather than a group or class; S102: authorizing the rôles created in the step S101 respectively; and S103: relating a user to a rôle, wherein one rôle can only be related to a unique user during the same period, and one user is related to one or more rôles. The user détermines the permissions through its relation to the rôle. If the permissions of the user need to be modified, the permissions possessedby the rôle are adjusted to achieve the purpose of changing the permissions of the user related tb the rôle. Once the user is related to the rôle, the user owns ail operation permissions of the rôle.

[0112] A rôle is in a one-to-one relation to a user (when the rôle is related to one user, other users can no longer be related to the rôle; and if the rôle is not related to the user, the rôle can be selected to be related to another user). A user is in a one-to-many relation to rôles (one user can be related to multiple rôles at the same time).

[0113] Définition of a rôle: A rôle is not in the nature of a group/class/category/post/position/work type or the like, but is of a non-collective nature. The rôle is unique and is an independent individual. Applied in an enterprise or an institution, the rôle corresponds to a post number (the post number herein is not a post, and one post may hâve multiple employées at the same time, but one post number can only correspond to one employée during the same period).

[0114] For example, in a company System, the following rôles may be created: a general manager, a deputy general manager 1, a deputy general manager 2, a manager of Beijing sales department I, a manager of Beijing sales department II, a manager of Beijing sales department III, a Shanghai sales engineer 1, a Shanghai sales engineer 2, a Shanghai sales engineer 3, a Shanghai sales engineer 4, a Shanghai sales engineer 5, and so on. The relation between users and rôles is as follows: if Zhang San, the company's employée, serves as a deputy general manager 2 of the company and also serves as a manager of Beijing sales department I, rôles to which Zhang San needs to be related are the deputy general manager 2 and the manager of Beijing sales department I, and Zhang San owns the permissions of the two rôles.

[0115] Authorization for a rôle: the system's authorization for a rôle includes, but is not limited to, authorization of a form, authorization of a menu, or authorization of a function. Authorization for the operation of a form includes, but is not limited to, addition, délétion, search and modification.

[0116] The concept of conventional rôles is a group/class/post/position/work type in nature, and one rôle can correspond to multiple users. In the présent application, the concept of rôle is équivalent to a post number/work station number, and is also similar to the rôle in a film and télévision drama: one rôle in the same period (in childhood, juvénile, middle-age...) can be played by only one actor or actress at the same time, but one actor or actress may play multiple rôles.

[0117] Authorization for a rôle includes, but is not limited to, authorization of a form, authorization of a menu, or authorization of a fonction.

[0118] The rôle belongs to a certain department, a name of the rôle is unique under the department, a number of the rôle is unique in a system, and the rôle is authorized according to work content of the rôle.

[0119] If the user wants to change a department, it involves cross-department transfer. The spécifie operation process includes: (1) canceling the user's relation to the rôle in the original department; and (2) relating the user to a rôle in a new department.

[0120] After the rôle is created, a user may be related to the rôle in the process of creating the user, or may be related to the rôle at any time after the user is created. After the user is related to the rôle, the user can be released from the relation to the rôle at any time, and the relation between the user and another rôle may be created at any time.

[0121] [Embodiment 5] The step SI includes the following sequential sub-steps: S101: creating a rôle, wherein each rôle is an independent individual rather than a group or class; S102: relating a user to a rôle, wherein one rôle can only be related to a unique user during the same period, and one user is related to one or more rôles; and S103: authorizing the rôles created in the step S101 respectively.

[0122] The rôle belongs to a certain department, a name of the rôle is unique under the department, and a number of the rôle is unique in a System.

[0123] The workflow control method further includes a step of managing cross-department transfer of a user, which specifically includes: (1) canceling the user's relation to the rôle in the original department; and (2) relating the user to a rôle in a new department.

[0124] [Embodiment 6] The rôle is composed of: a post,name + a post number, for example, a workshop worker l , a workshop worker 2, a workshop worker 3, and so on. The rôle is an independent individual, and is équivalent to a concept of a post number or a work station number, but different from a rôle in a conventional permission management system.

The concept of the rôle in the conventional permission management System is of a group or class nature such as a post, a position, a work type or the like.

[0125] [Embodiment 7] The following example shows the relationship among an employée, a user, and a rôle after Zhang San, an employée, enters a company as follows: 1. Recruiting: after the employée is recruited, the rôle of the corresponding post number or work station number is directly selected for the user (employée) to be related. For example, when Zhang San has joined the company (the company has assigned a user for Zhang San) and works at the sales department I to be responsible for sales of refrigerator products in Beijing area (the corresponding rôle is sales engineer 5 under the sales department I), then the user Zhang San directly selects and is related to the rôle sales engineer 5.

[0126] 2. Adding position: After Zhang San has worked for a period of time, the company will arrange Zhang San to be responsible for sales of TV products in Beijing area (the corresponding rôle is sales engineer 8 under the sales department I) and to serve as a supervisor of an after-sales department (the corresponding rôle is after-sales department supervisor 1). Therefore, two rôles, that is, sales engineer 8 under the sales department I and after-sales department supervisor 1 under the after-sales department, are additionally related to the user Zhang San. In this case, the employée Zhang San is related to three rôles: sales engineer 5 and sales engineer 8 under the sales department I, and after-sales department supervisor 1 under the after-sales department. Therefore, the user Zhang San owns the permissions of the three rôles.

[0127] 3. Reducing position: After a while, the company has decided to let Zhang

San serve as an after-sales department manager (corresponding to a rôle after-sales manager under the after-sales department) without taking up other positions any more. Therefore, the user Zhang San is related to the rôle after-sales department manager under the after-sales department, and is released from the relation to the previous three rôles (sales engineer 5 and sales engineer 8 under the sales department I, and after-sales department supervisor 1 undef'the sales department). In this case, the user Zhang San owns only the permissions of the rôle after-sales department manager under the after-sales department.

[0128] 4. Adjusting permissions of a rôle (adjusting the permissions of the rôle itself): if the company has decided to add permissions to the after-sales department manager, the permissions only need to be added to the rôle of the after-sales department manager. With the increase in the permissions of the rôle of the after-sales department 5 manager, the permissions of the user Zhang San are also increased.

[0129] 5. Resigning: After one year, Zhang San resigns. It is only necessary to cancel the relation between the user Zhang San and the rôle after-sales department manager under the after-sales department.

[0130] For example, during the dynamic operation of the company, recruiting and 10 resigning of staff often occur continuously, but post numbers or work station numbers seldom change (or even remain unchanged within a period of time).

[0131] Conventional authorization method: In the case of a large quantity of System functions, authorizing a rôle conventionally as a group or class in nature involves a large and cumbersome workload and is very error-prone, and errors are not easily détectable in a 15 short time and tend to cause loss to a System user.

[0132] Authorization method of the présent application: in the présent application, the rôle being a post number or work station number in nature is authorized, and the user is related to the rôle to détermine its permissions. Therefore, the permissions of the user are controlled by only a simple user-role relation. Controlling the permissions is simple, easily 20 opérable, clear, and explicit, thereby significantly improving the efficiency and reliability of authorization.

[0133] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the présent invention, and it should be understood that the présent invention is not limited to the forms disclosed herein, and is not to be construed as being limited to the other embodiments, but may be used in 25 various other combinations, modifications and environments. Modification can be made in by the techniques or knowledge of.the above teachings or related art within the scope of the teachings herein. Ail changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art are intended to be within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims (2)

1. ( 1 ) selecting the rôle attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using a rôle corresponding to the field as a judgment criterion:

   (T)when n=0, the rôle corresponding to the field serves as an approval rôle of the approval node;

   (©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle in a department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and if the rôle corresponding to the field is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (3)when n=2, the department supervisor rôle in the department that is one level higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is two levels higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (©when n=4, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is three levels higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (©the rest is done by that analogy;

   (©when setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and (©when n>l, it is necessary to set that the approval node is approved by a specified group when the rôle corresponding to the field is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs and there is no higher level department over the department;

   (2) selecting the department attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using a department corresponding to the field as a judgment criterion:

   (©when n=0, a department supervisor rôle in the department corresponding to the field serves as an approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department corresponding to the field serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=2, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is two levels higher than the department corresponding to the field serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is three levels higher than the department corresponding to the field serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©the rest is done by that analogy;

   ©when setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and ©when n>l, it is necessary to set that the approval node is approved by a specified group when there is no higher level department over the department corresponding to the field;

   (3) selecting the submission rôle of the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using the submission rôle as a judgment criterion:

   ©when n=0, the submission rôle of the workflow approval process serves as an approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle in a department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and if the submission rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department to which the submission rôle belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=2, the department supervisor rôle in the department that is one level higher than the department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is two levels higher than the department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=4, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is three levels higher than the department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©he rest is done by that analogy;

   ©when setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and ©when n>l, it is necessary to set that the approval node is approved by a specified group when the submission rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs and there is no higher level department over the department;

   the approval by the specified group comprises one of the following three cases:

   (l) the specified group is composed of one or more approval rôles;

   ( 1 ) canceling the user's relation to the rôle in the original department; and (2) relating the user to a rôle in a new department.

   9. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields according to claim 1, wherein the user détermines a permission through its relation to the rôle, one employée corresponds to one user account, and one user account corresponds to one employée.

   10. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields according to claim 1, wherein the rôle is composed of: a post name + a post number.

   11. A method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields, comprising a step of setting a System organization structure and a step of setting an approval rôle according to a department level:

   wherein the step of setting the System organization structure comprises the following sub-steps:

   SS1: creating departments and rôles included in the System organization structure; and

   SS2: setting a hierarchical relationship among the departments, and setting a department supervisor rôle in each department;

   the step of setting the approval rôle according to the department level comprises:

   SSS1 : selecting a level-based method for setting an approval rôle;

   SSS2: selecting one of a rôle attribute field, a department attribute field, or a submission rôle of an approval process in a form corresponding to the approval process as a level subject; and

   SSS3: filling in a spécifie level value η, n being a positive integer greater than or equal to 0:

   (1) selecting the rôle attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process 20 as the level subject, and determining a level by using a rôle corresponding to the field as a judgment criterion:

   (T)when n=0, the rôle corresponding to the field serves as an approval rôle of the approval node;

   @when n=l, a department supervisor rôle in a department to which the rôle 25 corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and if the rôle corresponding to the field is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=2, the department supervisor rôle in the department that is one level higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is two levels higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=4, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is three levels higher than the department to which the rôle corresponding to the field belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©he rest is done by that analogy; and ©when setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the system organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (2) selecting the department attribute field in the form corresponding to the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using a department corresponding to the field as a judgment criterion:

   ©when n=0, a department supervisor rôle in the department corresponding to the field serves as an approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department corresponding to the field serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=2, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is two levels higher than the department corresponding to the field serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is three levels higher than the department corresponding to the field serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©he rest is done by that analogy; and ©when setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (3) selecting the submission rôle of the approval process as the level subject, and determining a level by using the submission rôle as a judgment criterion:

   ©when n=0, the submission rôle of the workflow approval process serves as an approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=l, a department supervisor rôle in a department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node; and if the submission rôle is the department supervisor rôle in the department to which it belongs, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is one level higher than the department to which the submission rôle belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=2, the department supervisor rôle in the department that is one level higher than the department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   (©when n=3, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is two levels higher than the department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©when n=4, a department supervisor rôle in a department that is three levels higher than the department to which the submission rôle of the workflow approval process belongs serves as the approval rôle of the approval node;

   ©he rest is done by that analogy; and (©when setting of the department level exceeds a top-level department in the System organization structure, a department supervisor rôle in the top-level department serves as the approval rôle of the approval node.

   2. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields according to claim 1, wherein when level approval is selected at an approval node, an approval permission is granted to each corresponding approval rôle in a level, and then ail corresponding approval rôles in the level hâve the same approval permission.

   3. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields according to claim 1, wherein the rôle attribute field and the department attribute field in the form are mandatory options.

   4. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields according to claim 1, wherein the workflow control method comprises the following steps:

   SI: building a three-layer structure model of user-role-permission that comprises:

   a rôle layer, wherein an operation subject of process approval in a workflow is a rôle, each rôle is an independent individual rather than a group or class, one rôle can only be related to a unique user during the same period, and one user is related to one or more rôles;

   a permission layer composed of pennissions required to be used in the execution of the workflow, wherein each permission is directly granted to a rôle; and a user layer, wherein a user détermines an approval task in the workflow through a related rôle, and performs an approval operation with the permission of the related rôle;

   S2: using the three-layer structure model to control the workflow, wherein one approval process comprises:

   one start node for initiating or requesting or submitting the workflow;

   at least one approval node for setting a level of an approval department and granting an approval permission to a corresponding approval rôle in the level; and one end node, to which the approval process cornes and is then ended; and

   S3: determining, according to a user's related rôle, an approval task to be processed, and performing an approval operation with the permission of the related rôle.

   5. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fîelds according to claim 4, wherein one or more approval rôles are selected at an approval node, one rôle can exist at different approval nodes in one approval process, and the approval rôle may own different permissions for viewing and modifying a form field at different approval nodes.

   6. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fîelds according to claim 4, wherein one or more approval rôles are selected at an approval node, an approval role's permission is set at the approval node, and the permission can be independently set for each approval rôle of each approval node.

   7. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fîelds according to claim 4, wherein the step SI comprises the following sub-steps:

   ( l ) creating rôles, wherein each rôle is an independent individual rather than a group or class;

   (2 ) authorizing the rôles created in the step (1) respectively; and (3 ) relating a user to a rôle, wherein one rôle can only be related to a unique user during the same period, and one user is related to one or more rôles, wherein, the step (1) is performed first, and the step (2) and the step (3) hâve no sequential relationship.

   8. The method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fîelds according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the rôle belongs to a certain department, a name of the rôle is unique under the department, and a number of the rôle is unique in a System; and a spécifie step of managing cross-department transfer of a user comprises:

   1. A method for setting approval rôles at workflow approval nodes based on form fields, comprising a step of setting a System organization structure and a step of setting an 5 approval rôle according to a department level:

   wherein the step of setting the System organization structure comprises the following sub-steps:

   SS1: creating departments and rôles comprised in the System organization structure; and

   10 SS2: setting a hierarchical relationship among the departments, and setting a department supervisor rôle in each department;

   the step of setting the approval rôle according to the department level comprises:

   SSS1: selecting a level-based method for setting an approval rôle;

   SSS2: selecting one of a rôle attribute field, a department attribute field, or a 15 submission rôle of an approval process in a form corresponding to the approval process as a level subject; and

   SSS3: filling in a spécifie level value η, n being a positive integer greater than or equal to 0:
2. (2) the specified group is determined according to the department level, during sélection of the level subject, only the level subject selected for the approval node can be used continuously, and the level value n can only be set to 0; and (3) the specified group is determined according to the department level, the level subject can be selected independently, the specified group comprises one or more specified nodes, and when the level value n of the specified node is not 0, a next-level specified node needs to be set, until the level value n of the specified node is 0, thereby completing the setting of the specified group of the approval node.