System and method for document isolation

A method for controlling access to operations that may be performed on a document, comprising:

• upon creation of a workflow, creating a copy of a base document;
• receiving a request to create a new operation that may be performed on the copy of the base document;
• assigning a unique identifier to the new operation;
• updating an access policy to include an entry for the unique identifier for the new operation;
• updating the access policy to include an entry identifying persons that have access to the new operation.

A computer-implemented method of controlling access to documents, comprising:

• maintaining a first list defining who may access a base document;
• maintaining a second list defining who may perform operations on the base document;
• upon receipt of a request from a user to create a workflow, accessing the first list and the second list to determine whether the user may create a workflow relating to the base document;
• if the first list and the second list indicate the user may create a workflow relating to the base document, creating a copy of the base document;
• and
• while the copy of the base document is in the workflow, in response to requests to access the base document, accessing at least the first list to determine whether to provide access to the copy of the base document.

A computer-implemented method of controlling access to documents, comprising:

• maintaining a list of security descriptors idefining who may access a base document;
• maintaining an access control list defining who may perform operations on the base document;
• upon receipt of a request from a user to create a workflow, accessing the list of security descriptors and the access control list to determine whether the user may create a workflow relating to the base document;
• if the list of security descriptors and the access control list indicate the user may create a workflow relating to the base document, creating a copy of the base document;
• and
• while the copy of the base document is in the workflow, in response to requests to access the base document, accessing at least the list of security descriptors to determine whether to provide access to the copy of the base document.