System and Method for Electronic Mail Approval Paths

An information handling system comprising:

• service layer processing circuitry to receive an electronic mail message;
• and
• server component processing circuitry to communicate with the service layer processing circuitry, the server component processing circuitry to:
• assign an approval card to the electronic mail message by a processor storing the approval card and the electronic mail message in a computer memory;
• determine whether a primary approver approved the electronic mail message within a predefined amount of time;
• in response to the primary approver not approving the electronic mail message within the predefined amount of time, send the electronic mail message to a secondary approver;
• in response to sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver, notify a sender of the electronic mail message that an intermediate action of the approval process card has been taken, wherein the intermediate action includes sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver;
• define criteria for passing a single level of the approval process card;
• determine whether the electronic mail message has passed the single level of the approval process card based on whether the criteria has been met in response to the electronic mail message passing the single level, provide an approval notification to the sender of the electronic mail message;
• and in response to the electronic mail message not passing the single level, providing a rejection notification to the sender of the electronic mail message.

A method comprising:

• creating an approval process card for an electronic mail message, wherein the approval process card includes an approval list of individuals needed for approval;
• storing, by a processor, the approval process card in a computer memory;
• determining whether a primary approver approved the electronic mail message within a predefined amount of time;
• in response to the primary approver not approving the electronic mail message within the predefined amount of time, sending the electronic mail message to a secondary approver;
• in response to sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver, notifying a sender of the electronic mail message that an intermediate action of the approval process card has been taken, wherein the intermediate action includes sending the electronic mail message to the secondary approver;
• receiving a reply electronic mail message;
• determining whether a subject line of the reply electronic mail message matches a subject line of the approval process card;
• and
• in response to the subject line of the reply electronic mail message matching the subject line of the approval process card, providing a message on a display device asking if a sender of the electronic mail message wants to close the approval process card.