Method for parallel approval of an electronic document

A method for parallel approval of an electronic document by a plurality of users, comprising the steps of:

• A) generating an original Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DAC 0”, linked to the electronic document;
• B) making the electronic document available to each user of said plurality of users;
• C) having each user of said plurality of users parallelly approve said electronic document, by performing the substeps of:
• i) opening the electronic document for approval;
• ii) each user approving the electronic document by generating approval information;
• iii) generating for the electronic document an approval Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DAC x”;
• iv) storing said approval information in a user Approval Data Packet, hereinafter referred to as “ADP x”;
• and
• D) authenticating the approval by each user, by performing for each DAC x the sub-steps of:
• i) retrieving DAC 0 and DAC x;
• and
• ii) comparing DAC x to DAC 0, and accepting the approval only if DAC x is equal to DAC 0.

A method for parallel approval of sections of an electronic document by a plurality of users, the method comprising the steps of:

• A) generating for each section of the electronic document an original section Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DACs 0”, linked to said section of the electronic document;
• B) making the electronic document available to each user of said plurality of users;
• and
• C) having each user of said plurality of users parallelly approve corresponding sections of the electronic document, by performing the sub-steps of:
• i) opening the electronic document for approval;
• ii) selecting the corresponding sections for approval;
• iii) retrieving each of the DACs 0 linked to the corresponding sections of the electronic document;
• iv) each user approving the corresponding sections of the electronic document by generating approval information;
• v) generating for each corresponding sections a section approval Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DACs x”;
• vi) comparing the DACs x to the corresponding DACs 0, and proceeding with the approval only if in each case DACs x is equal to DACs 0;
• and
• vii) storing said approval information in a user Approval Data Packet, hereinafter referred to as “ADPx”.

A method for parallel approval of sections of an electronic document by a plurality of users, each section being approved by a single user, the method comprising the steps of:

• A) making the electronic document available to each user of said plurality of users;
• and
• B) having each user of said plurality of users parallelly approve a corresponding section of the electronic document, by performing the sub-steps of:
• i) opening the electronic document for approval;
• ii) selecting the corresponding section for approval;
• iii) each user approving the corresponding section of the electronic document by generating approval information;
• iv) generating for the corresponding section a section approval Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DACs x”;
• v) storing said approval information in a user Approval Data Packet, hereinafter referred to as “ADP x”.

A method of merging a plurality of approved electronic documents or sections of a document into a single approved master document, the method comprising the steps of:

• A) approving the electronic documents by performing, for each of said electronic documents, the sub-steps of:
• i) generating an original Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DAC 0”, linked to the electronic document;
• ii) having the electronic document made available to each user of a plurality of users;
• iii) having said each user of a plurality of users approve said electronic document by performing the sub-steps of:
• a) opening the electronic document for approval;
• b) each user approving the electronic document by generating approval information;
• c) generating for the electronic document an approval Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DAC x”;
• d) storing approval information in a user Approval Data Packet, hereinafter referred to as “ADP x”;
• B) generating the master document;
• C) generating a master Data Authentication Code and a master Approval Data Packet, respectively hereinafter referred to as “DACm 0”, and ADPm, both linked to said master document;
• and
• D) for merging of each electronic document, performing the sub-steps of:
• i) opening the electronic document;
• i) retrieving the DAC 0 and DAC x linked to said electronic document;
• iii) comparing DAC x to DAC 0, and proceeding only if DAC x is equal to DAC 0;
• and
• iv) incorporating the electronic document into the master document;
• v) generating a new Data Authentication Code, hereinafter referred to as “DACm 0” linked to the master document incorporating said electronic document;
• and
• vi) storing ADP x corresponding to said electronic document into ADPm.