Secure workflow and data management facility

A method of securely managing information implemented on a server in a cloud computing facility, the server having at least one processor, and at least one memory, the method including the steps of:

• providing a secure workflow environment through the cloud computing facility, wherein the secure workflow environment is adapted to provide a plurality of end users with a workspace that is adapted to provide secure management of the information on the server to be shared among the plurality of end users, wherein the plurality of end users includes at least one participant end user and at least one subscriber end user, the subscriber end user having control authority within the workspace that exceeds that of the participant end user and the participant end user having control over at least some of the participant end user's own interactions with the workspace;
• maintaining a secure instance of the information provided by each of the plurality of end users such that the information can be managed within the workspace;
• maintaining a secure instance of each interaction by each of the plurality of end users with the information such that each interaction can be managed within the workspace;
• extending the secure workflow environment to the plurality of end users through a secure communications network connection;
• storing the information in the memory of the server;
• transmitting the information to a computing device used by at least one of the plurality of end users that is communicatively coupled to the server via a secure receiving unit operating in a memory of the computing device;
• displaying the information on the computing device via a display unit coupled to the computing device;
• and
• deleting the information from the memory of the computing device by the secure receiving unit after the transmitted information is displayed by the computing device,
• wherein the server maintains exclusive control of at least one of the plurality of end user's ability to interact with the workspace in the secure workflow environment.

A non-transitory computer-readable tangible medium that stores a computer program for securely managing a plurality of documents, wherein the computer program includes instructions for:

• providing a secure workflow environment through a cloud computing facility, wherein the secure workflow environment is adapted to provide a plurality of end users with a workspace that is adapted to provide secure management of the documents on a server to be shared among the plurality of end users, wherein the plurality of end users includes at least one participant end user and at least one subscriber end user, the subscriber end user having control authority within the workspace that exceeds that of the participant end user and the participant end user having control over at least some of the participant end user's own interactions with the workspace;
• maintaining a secure instance of the documents provided by each of the plurality of end users such that the documents can be managed within the workspace;
• maintaining a secure instance of each interaction by each of the plurality of end users with the documents such that each interaction can be managed within the workspace;
• extending the secure workflow environment to the plurality of end users through a secure communications network connection;
• storing the documents in a memory of the server;
• transmitting at least one of the documents to a computing device used by at least one of the plurality of end users communicatively coupled to the server via a secure receiving unit operating in a memory of the computing device;
• displaying at least one of the documents on the computing device via a display unit coupled to the computing device;
• and
• deleting each of the transmitted documents from the memory of the computing device by the secure receiving unit after each of the transmitted documents is displayed by the computing device,
• wherein the server maintains exclusive control of at least one of the plurality of end user's ability to interact with the workspace in the secure workflow environment.

A method of providing a secure workflow environment for providing secure document management, the method performed on at least one server computer including at least one processor, the method comprising:

• providing a secure workflow environment through a cloud computing facility, wherein the secure workflow environment is adapted to provide a plurality of end users with a workspace that is adapted to provide secure management of a plurality of documents on the at least one server computer to be shared among the plurality of end users, wherein the plurality of end users includes at least one participant end user and at least one subscriber end user, the subscriber end user having control authority within the workspace that exceeds that of the participant end user and the participant end user having control over at least some of the participant end user's own interactions with the workspace;
• maintaining a secure instance of the documents provided by each of the plurality of end users such that the documents can be managed within the workspace;
• maintaining a secure instance of each interaction by each of the plurality of end users with the documents such that each interaction can be managed within the workspace;
• extending the secure workflow environment to the plurality of end users through a secure communications network connection;
• receiving, from a subscriber computing device used by the subscriber end user, at least one document of the plurality of documents, at least one restriction for the at least one document, and at least one duration for the at least one document;
• storing the at least one document on a storage device in communication with the at least one server computer;
• displaying, on a display unit of a participant computing device used by the participant end user, at least a portion of the at least one document for at least a portion of the at least one duration;
• restricting the participant end user's interaction with the at least one document at the participant computing device based at least partially on the at least one restriction;
• and
• recording an access history for the at least one document,
• wherein the at least one server computer maintains exclusive control of at least one of the plurality of end user's ability to interact with the workspace in the secure workflow environment.