Automated electronic document workflows

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method of generating electronic document workflows is provided. The method includes receiving a request to create a workflow by a server from a client device operated by a first user. The server may receive one or more documents for the workflow, analyze each of the one or more documents to determine one or more fillable fields for each document, and receive workflow permission information for the workflow. The workflow permission information can indicate one or more recipients permitted to edit, share, and distribute the workflow. The server stores the workflow to a non-volatile computer memory. The workflow includes the workflow name, the one or more documents, the one or more fillable fields, and the workflow permission information for the workflow. The server shares and distributes the workflow in accordance with the permission information for the workflow.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method for creating end-to-end document workflows, comprising:
 receiving, within a web-based application, a workflow comprising an identifier, at least one document with one or more fillable fields, and permission information;   storing the workflow, on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, in a first database;   providing, by the web-based application, the at least one document to one or more recipient devices based on the permission information;   receiving, by the web-based application, from the one or more recipient devices, field information associated with the one or more fillable fields;   storing the field information, on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, in a second database; and   dynamically merging, by the web-based application, the field information with the at least one document to generate one or more completed documents.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one document is formatted as at least one of: PDF, DOCX, and JPEG. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more completed documents are generated in HTML. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising exporting at least a portion of the field information to an external application. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising exporting the one or more completed documents to an external application. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, by the web-based application, from the one or more recipient devices, an electronic signature. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the workflow further comprises a trigger to execute an application service. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is based on a time. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is based on a recipient. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is based on the field information. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is based a lifecycle of 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the application service is integrated using an Application Programming Interface. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving, within the web-based application, the workflow comprising the identifier, the at least one document with the one or more fillable fields, and the permission information further comprises:
 analyzing the at least one document to identify the one or more fillable fields.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving, within the web-based application, the workflow comprising the identifier, the at least one document with the one or more fillable fields, and the permission information further comprises:
 receiving input identifying the one or more fillable fields.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first database and the second database is cloud-based. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein providing, by the web-based application, the at least one document to the one or more recipient devices based on the permission information comprises providing each recipient device a unique resource locator. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the workflow further comprises a categorization. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is responsive to providing, by the web-based application, the at least one document to the one or more recipient devices based on the permission information. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is responsive to receiving, by the web-based application, from the one or more recipient devices, the field information associated with the one or more fillable fields; 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger to execute the application service is responsive to dynamically merging, by the web-based application, the field information with the at least one document to generate the one or more completed documents.