System for automated workflow in a network management and operations system

A method for automating the production of service reports for use in an external service management system that is associated with a telecommunications network and a network site and topology data repository, the method comprising the steps of:

• creating a service report according to a format suitable for processing by the service management system;
• incorporating alarm report information received from at least one network element within the telecommunications network in the created service report;
• incorporating in the service report network site and topology data that is received from the network site and topology data repository;
• and
• automatically creating an event report that corresponds to the created service report, the event report indicating a logical group of the alarm report information and incorporating the alarm report information that is associated with the event, astatus of the alarm reports of the logical group being updated to indicate the alarm reports of the logical group have been associated with the event.

A workflow integration system for disseminating error information in a computer system associated with a telecommunications network, wherein the error information is generated by at least one network element within the telecommunications network, comprising:

• a computer memory configured to receive data representing alarm reports that correspond to alarms generated by the network element of the telecommunications network;
• a graphical user interface for depicting the received alarm reports;
• a selection mechanism for selecting and grouping individual alarm reports together to from a designated alarm report;
• and
• an event report generator that creates an event report that corresponds to the designated alarm report, automatically incorporates data form the grouped individual alarm reports into the event report and updates a status of the designated alarm report to indicate that the designated alarm report has been associated with the event.

A workflow integration system for dissemination of anomalies generated by at least one network element of a telecommunications network that is described in a network site and topology database, comprising:

• a computerized receiver for receiving alarm reports from the network element of a telecommunications network, the alarm reports containing anomaly information;
• a computerized selector for selecting and grouping individual alarm reports together to form an event report, the event report indicating a logical group of the alarm reports and incorporating the anomaly information from the alarm reports that is associated with the event, a status of the group of the alarm reports being updated to indicate that the group of the alarm reports have been associated with the event;
• and
• a computerized retrieval system for retrieving data from said network site and topology database and incorporating the retrieved data in the event report.