Workflow management method and workflow management apparatus

Abstract

A disclosed workflow management method includes a workflow starting step of determining a workflow based on one or more tags attached to a workflow document, attaching a status tag and a participant tag to the workflow document, and starting the workflow; and a review/approval step of requesting review and/or approval of the workflow document based on the status tag and the participant tag and updating the status tag and the participant tag after the review and/or approval.

1 . A management method, implemented on a management apparatus, the management method comprising:
 registering, at the management apparatus, one or more tags for determining a workflow in association with a document based on a received input from a user;   determining, at the management apparatus, the workflow for the document based on the one or more tags;   retrieving, at the management apparatus, a document type tag for filtering the document, a participant tag indicating a participant of the workflow, and a status tag indicating a status of the workflow from a tag definition database; and   registering, at the management apparatus, the participant tag and the status tag in association with the document.   
     
     
         2 . The management method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 delivering, at the management apparatus, metadata of the document to a corresponding participant based on the participant tag to request review or approval of the document.   
     
     
         3 . The management method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the document is identified by searching a database of documents based on a tag specified in a request for metadata and the metadata of the identified document are delivered. 
     
     
         4 . The management method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 authenticating a user when the user tries to register the document or when the user tries to review and/or approve the document and allowing a subsequent process if the user is a legitimate user.   The management method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:   obtaining definitions of the status tag and the participant tag from the tag definition database containing the definitions when confirming a status and a participant of the workflow during the review and/or approval or when attaching or updating the status tag and the participant tag.   
     
     
         6 . The management method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the one or more tags for determining the workflow based on a user name and/or an organizational unit of a user.   
     
     
         7 . The management method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the one or more tags for determining the workflow based on a document type and/or an organizational unit selected by a user.   
     
     
         8 . A management apparatus, comprising:
 a non-transitory memory configured to store a tag definition database; and   a workflow starting unit configured   to register one or more tags for determining a workflow in association with a document based on a received input from a user,   to determine the workflow for the document based on the one or more tags;   to retrieve a document type tag for filtering the document, a participant tag indicating a participant of the workflow, and a status tag indicating a status of the workflow from the tag definition database, and   to register the participant tag and the status tag in association with the document.   
     
     
         9 . The management apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a review/approval unit configured to deliver metadata of the document to a corresponding participant based on the participant tag to request review or approval of the document.   
     
     
         10 . The management apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the review/approval unit is configured to identify the document by searching a database of documents based on a tag specified in a request for metadata and to deliver the metadata of the identified document. 
     
     
         11 . The management apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an authentication unit configured to authenticate a user when the user tries to register the document or when the user tries to review and/or approve the document and to allow a subsequent process if the user is a legitimate user.   
     
     
         12 . The management apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a tag analysis unit configured to obtain definitions of the status tag and the participant tag from the tag definition database for use by the workflow starting unit to attach the status tag and the participant tag to the document or for use by the review/approval unit to confirm a status and a participant of the workflow during the review and/or approval or to update the status tag and the participant tag.   
     
     
         13 . The management apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a tag management unit configured to determine the one or more tags for determining the workflow based on a user name and/or an organizational unit of a user.   
     
     
         14 . The management apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a tag management unit configured to determine the one or more tags for determining the workflow based on a document type and/or an organizational unit selected by a user.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a management method, the management method comprising:
 registering one or more tags for determining a workflow in association with a document based on a received input from a user;   determining the workflow for the document based on the one or more tags;   retrieving a document type tag for filtering the document, a participant tag indicating a participant of the workflow, and a status tag indicating a status of the workflow from a tag definition database; and   registering the participant tag and the status tag in association with the document.