# US 8,788,313 B2 · Decentralised audit system in collaborative workflow environment

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- Number: US 8,788,313 B2
- Document ID: US8788313B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/335,488
- Filed: 2006-01-18
- Published: 2007-06-07
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2005-12-05
- Assignees: Sap SE
- Applicants: Andreas Schaad
- Inventors: Andreas Schaad
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788313B2

## CPC

- G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
- G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management
- G06Q 10/0633: Workflow analysis
- G06Q 50/188: {Electronic negotiation}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A system to manage a workflow includes a workflow model having a version, the version being executable by an execution engine as a specific workflow instance. The system includes a workflow data monitor to receive and associate audit information with an object processed by an execution engine in terms of the specific instance of the workflow model.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system including:
a non-transitory memory to store a workflow model having at least one version, the at least one version being executable by an execution engine as a specific workflow instance, the specific workflow instance associated with context information, the context information comprising model information identifying the workflow model and version information identifying the at least one version of the workflow model; and
a processor to implement a workflow data monitor to receive and associate audit information with an object processed by an execution engine in terms of the specific instance of the workflow model, the audit information comprising the context information and execution information, the workflow data monitor further to receive an audit request with respect to the object processed in terms of a specific workflow instance and, responsive to receipt of the audit request with respect to the object is to:
retrieve the associated audit information associated with the object;
retrieve further audit information from at least one of the workflow model and the execution engine; and
compare the associated audit information with the further audit information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow data monitor is to store the audit information such that it is attached to the object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the audit information includes receiving execution information pertaining to execution by the execution engine of the specific instance of the workflow model.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the execution information identifies an execution path, specified by the specific workflow instance, followed by the execution engine in processing of the object.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the specific workflow instance is characterized by at least one principle and at least one object.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow data monitor is to process the audit information prior to associating the audit information with the object.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the workflow data monitor is to process the audit information by creating a hash value based on the audit information.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow data monitor is to generate an audit result based on the comparison of the associated audit information with the further audit information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the audit result indicates whether or not the associated audit information corresponds to the further audit information.

### Claim 10

A method including:
receiving, as a workflow monitor, audit information generated in connection with processing of an object by an execution engine in terms of a specific instance of a workflow model, the specific workflow instance associated with context information, the context information comprising model information identifying the workflow model and version information identifying the at least one version of the workflow model;
using one or more processors, associating the audit information with an object such that the audit information is stored in a decentralized manner in association with the object, the audit information comprising the context information and execution information;
receiving an audit request with respect to the object processed in terms of the specific instance of the workflow model;
retrieving the associated audit information associated with the object;
retrieving further audit information from at least one of the workflow model and the execution engine; and
comparing the associated audit information with the further audit information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the associating of the audit information with the object includes storing the audit information such that it is attached to the object.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving of the audit information includes receiving, at the workflow for data monitor, execution information pertaining to execution of the specific instance of the workflow model.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the execution information identifies an execution path, within the specific instance of the workflow model, followed by the execution engine in processing of the object.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the specific instance of the workflow model is characterized by at least one principle and at least one object.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, including processing the audit information prior to associating the audit information with the object.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the processing of the audit information includes creating a hash value based on the audit information.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, including generating an audit result based on the comparison of the associated audit information with the further audit information.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the audit result indicates whether or not the associated audit information corresponds to the further audit information.

### Claim 19

A system including:
a non-transitory memory to store a workflow model having at least one version, the at least one version being executable by an execution engine as a specific workflow instance, the specific workflow instance associated with context information, the context information comprising model information identifying the workflow model and version information identifying the at least one version of the workflow model; and
means for receiving and associating audit information with an object processed by an execution engine in terms of the specific instance of the workflow model, the audit information comprising the context information and execution information, the means further to receive an audit request with respect to the object processed in terms of a specific workflow instance and, responsive to receipt of the audit request with respect to the object is to:
retrieve the associated audit information associated with the object;
retrieve further audit information from at least one of the workflow model and the execution engine; and
compare the associated audit information with the further audit information.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
receiving, as a workflow monitor, audit information generated in connection with processing of an object by an execution engine in terms of a specific instance of a workflow model, the specific workflow instance associated with context information, the context information comprising model information identifying the workflow model and version information identifying the at least one version of the workflow model;
associating the audit information with an object such that the audit information is stored in a decentralized manner in association with the object, the audit information comprising the context information and execution information;
receiving an audit request with respect to the object processed in terms of the specific instance of the workflow model;
retrieving the associated audit information associated with the object;
retrieving further audit information from at least one of the workflow model and the execution engine; and
comparing the associated audit information with the further audit information.