# US 12,007,950 B2 · Systems and methods for content sharing using template-driven workflows > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,950 B2 - Document ID: US12007950B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/492,848 - Filed: 2021-10-04 - Published: 2022-01-27 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-26 - Assignees: Open Text SA ULC - Applicants: Open Text SA ULC - Inventors: Kyle Anthony Aziz; Scott Grasley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007950B2 ## CPC - G06F 16/176: Support for shared access to files; File sharing support - G06F 16/1774: {Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files} - H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload} - H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles} - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/08: Access security - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems and methods for cloud-based file sharing, where templates are provided for creating workflow instances which enable the sharing of managed objects. Reusable workflow templates are stored in the repository of a cloud-based file sharing system as objects that define components of the workflow, or placeholders for these components. A user instantiates a workflow instance from one of the templates and configures the workflow instance to identify content objects or forms, tasks related to the content objects, and users assigned to perform the tasks. The workflow instance is stored as an object in the repository. Users assigned to tasks are authorized through the workflow instance to access the content objects or forms to perform the tasks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for enabling use of workflows in a multitenant environment, the method comprising: storing, by a multitenant content sharing system, a plurality of content objects that are encrypted with keys of corresponding tenants; enabling, by the multitenant content sharing system, a first user to: initiate a workflow instance which is associated with a content object that is accessible by the first user according to tenant access rules of an owner of the content object, wherein when the workflow instance is initiated, a second user is not explicitly authorized to access the content object by the tenant access rules of the owner of the content object; assign to the second user a task of the workflow instance, wherein the task is associated with the content object; and automatically enabling, by the multitenant content sharing system in response to the first user assigning the second user to the task of the workflow instance, the second user to access the content object associated with the task according to a configuration of the workflow instance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second user is an external user that is not associated with the tenant-owner of the content object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the multitenant content sharing system enabling the second user to access the content object comprises the multitenant content sharing system enabling ad hoc authorization of the second user to access the content object without prior system-level authorization of the second user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the multitenant content sharing system storing one or more workflow templates, wherein the multitenant content sharing system enables the first user to initiate the workflow instance comprises enabling the first user to instantiate the workflow as an instance of one of the workflow templates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein each of the workflow templates comprises a template object that is stored in the data repository, each template object including one or more task attributes, one or more content object attributes and one or more associated user attributes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein each instance of a workflow template contains metadata defining one or more tasks, one or more content objects and one or more associated users. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the multitenant content sharing system, in response to completion of the task of the workflow instance, automatically revoking authorization of the second user to access the content object via association of the content object with the task of according to the configuration of the workflow instance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the metadata includes an indicator corresponding to each of the one or more content objects, wherein the indicator indicates whether the content object is a working document or a reference document, and wherein if the indicator indicates that the content object is a working document the multitenant content sharing system enables the second user to edit the content object, and wherein if the indicator indicates that the content object is a reference document the multitenant content sharing system prevents the second user from editing the content object. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multitenant content sharing system enabling the second user to access the content comprises decrypting the content object using a decryption key of a tenant-owner of the content object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multitenant content sharing system enabling the first user to associate the content object with the workflow instance comprises: determining whether the first user is authorized to access the content object according to the tenant access rules of the tenant-owner of the content object, if the first user is authorized to access the content object, enabling the first user to associate the content object with the workflow instance, and if the first user is not authorized to access the content object, preventing the first user from associating the content object with the workflow instance. ### Claim 11 A system for enabling use of workflow instances in a multitenant environment, comprising: a processor; a data repository communicatively coupled to the processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores instructions which are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform: storing, by a multitenant content sharing system, a plurality of content objects that are encrypted with keys of corresponding tenants; enabling, by the multitenant content sharing system, a first user to: initiate a workflow instance which is associated with a content object that is accessible by the first user according to tenant access rules of an owner of the content object, wherein when the workflow instance is initiated, a second user is not explicitly authorized to access the content object by the tenant access rules of the owner of the content object; assign to the second user a task of the workflow instance, wherein the task is associated with the content object; and automatically enabling, by the multitenant content sharing system in response to the first user assigning the second user to the task of the workflow instance, the second user to access the content object associated with the task according to a configuration of the workflow instance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the second user is not associated with the tenant-owner of the content object, and wherein enabling the second user to access the content object comprises enabling ad hoc authorization of the second user to access the content object without prior system-level authorization of the second user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform storing one or more workflow templates; wherein each of the workflow templates comprises a template object that is stored in the data repository, each template object including at least one attribute selected from the group consisting of a task attribute, a content object attribute, and a user attribute; and wherein enabling the first user to initiate the workflow instance comprises enabling the first user to instantiate the workflow as an instance of one of the workflow templates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one attribute includes an indicator corresponding to the content object, wherein the indicator indicates whether the content object is a working document or a reference document, and wherein if the indicator indicates that the content object is a working document the multitenant content sharing system enables the second user to edit the content object, and wherein if the indicator indicates that the content object is a reference document the multitenant content sharing system prevents the second user from editing the content object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein enabling the second user to access the content comprises decrypting the content object using a decryption key of a tenant-owner of the content object. ### Claim 16 A computer program product for content sharing through external systems, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor for: storing, by a multitenant content sharing system, a plurality of content objects that are encrypted with keys of corresponding tenants; enabling, by the multitenant content sharing system, a first user to: initiate a workflow instance which is associated with a content object that is accessible by the first user according to tenant access rules of an owner of the content object, wherein when the workflow instance is initiated, a second user is not explicitly authorized to access the content object by the tenant access rules of the owner of the content object; assign to the second user a task of the workflow instance, wherein the task is associated with the content object; and automatically enabling, by the multitenant content sharing system in response to the first user assigning the second user to the task of the workflow instance, the second user to access the content object associated with the task according to a configuration of the workflow instance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the second user is not associated with the tenant-owner of the content object, and wherein enabling the second user to access the content object comprises enabling ad hoc authorization of the second user to access the content object without prior system-level authorization of the second user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform storing one or more workflow templates; wherein each of the workflow templates comprises a template object that is stored in the data repository, each template object including at least one attribute selected from the group consisting of a task attribute, a content object attribute, and a user attribute; and wherein enabling the first user to initiate the workflow instance comprises enabling the first user to instantiate the workflow as an instance of one of the workflow templates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the at least one attribute includes an indicator corresponding to the content object, wherein the indicator indicates whether the content object is a working document or a reference document, and wherein if the indicator indicates that the content object is a working document the multitenant content sharing system enables the second user to edit the content object, and wherein if the indicator indicates that the content object is a reference document the multitenant content sharing system prevents the second user from editing the content object. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, wherein enabling the second user to access the content comprises decrypting the content object using a decryption key of a tenant-owner of the content object.