Defining an approval process for requests for approval
AssigneeSiebel Systems, Inc.
InventorsPrasad Gune, Anthony Deighton, Mingte Chen, Richard Kuo, Wister Walcott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A facility for defining a process for approving requests for approval of a selected type is described. The facility displays a palette containing visual representations of each of a plurality of approval process elements. The facility then receives a number of user input instances, each user input instance dragging one of the visual representations into a selected location in a workspace, so as to form an arrangement of approval process elements. The facility then stores a process definition corresponding to the formed arrangement of approval process elements.
Claims23
A method in a computing system for defining a process for approving requests for approval of a selected type, comprising:
- displaying a palette containing visual representations of each of a plurality of approval process elements;
- receiving a plurality of instances of user input, each instance of user input dragging one of the visual representations into a selected location in a workspace to form an arrangement of approval process elements;
- and
- storing a process definition corresponding to the formed arrangement of approval process elements.
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing system to define a process for approving requests for approval of a selected type by:
- displaying a palette containing visual representations of each of a plurality of approval process elements;
- receiving a plurality of instances of user input, each instance of user input dragging one of the visual representations into a selected location in a workspace to form an arrangement of approval process elements;
- and
- storing a process definition corresponding to the formed arrangement of approval process elements.
A computing system for defining a process for approving requests for approval of a selected type, comprising:
- a display device that displays a palette containing visual representations of each of a plurality of approval process elements;
- a user input module that receives a plurality of instances of user input, each instance of user input dragging one of the visual representations into a selected location in a workspace to form an arrangement of approval process elements;
- and
- a storage device that stores a process definition corresponding to the formed arrangement of approval process elements.
A method in a computing system for defining a process for approving approval requests of a first type, comprising:
- retrieving a process definition stored for approving approval requests of a second type that is distinct from the first type;
- displaying a pictorial representation of the retrieved process definition;
- receiving user input modifying the displayed pictorial representation;
- and
- storing a process definition corresponding to the modified pictorial representation, the stored process definition defining a process for approving approval requests of the first type.
A computer memory containing an approval request routing data structure, the data structure comprising information identifying a group of two or more approval request approvers to whom, when the data structure is used to route an approval request, the approval request will be presented approximately simultaneously, and presented only until the first approver acts on the approval request.
A computer memory containing an approval request routing data structure, the data structure comprising:
- information indicating a test to be performed when the data structure is used to route an approval request;
- an identification of a first approval path to be followed if the test succeeds;
- and
- an identification of a second approval path to be followed if the test fails, the second approval path being distinct from the first approval path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.