Approver Identification Using Multiple Hierarchical Role Structures

Abstract

Systems and methods for automating and increasing the efficiency of business processes using multiple hierarchical role structures. In one embodiment, a method comprises defining two or more hierarchies, defining an approver for a business process where the approver is associated with at least a first role in a first one of the hierarchies and a second role in a second one of the hierarchies, and identifying an approver position within an organization where the approver position is associated with the first and second roles. The hierarchies may, for example, be selected from a hierarchy of functional roles, a hierarchy of legal roles and a hierarchy of level roles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 757,709, entitled “Signature Loop Authorizing Method and Apparatus”, by Paul Morinville, filed on Jun. 4, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 990,954, entitled “Signature Loop Authorizing Method and Apparatus”, by Paul Morinville, filed on Nov. 21, 2001, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 770,163, entitled “Signature Loop Authorizing Method and Apparatus”, by Paul Morinville, filed on Jan. 26, 2001, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 179,555, by Paul Morinville, filed on Feb. 1, 2000; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 417,929, entitled “Business Process Nesting Method and Apparatus”, by Paul Morinville, filed on Apr. 17, 2003, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 373,292, by Paul Morinville, filed Apr. 17, 2002; and U.S. patent ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020]One or more of the problems outlined above may be solved by the various embodiments of the invention. Broadly speaking, the invention comprises systems and methods for automating and increasing the efficiency of business processes using a role structure which is preferably hierarchical. The hierarchical role structure defines a plurality of roles within several hierarchical levels. Various rights (e.g., access rights or authorization rights) are associated with the different roles or levels to enable positions which are associated with the roles to have access to particular business processes (e.g., purchasing or hiring). In this way, access rights can be administered across more than one position at a time, and can be consistently applied across equivalent or similar positions. In one embodiment, the role structure is used in conjunction with a hierarchical organization structure to allow the organization structure to be searched for positions which are associated with a particular role. As a result, automatic authorization loops (signature loops) which are not restricted to direct superiors within the organization can be implemented. The hierarchical role structure can also be used in conjunction with a hierarchical content structure to enable employees having different roles within the organization to access different information, based upon rights which are associated with those roles.

[0021]In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a business process management system which is configured to utilize both an organizational structure and a role structure to identify positions within a company. These data structures, used in combination, may enable the efficiency of business processes to be improved in a number of ways. For example, signature looping processes can be configured to identify approvers or other participants in a business process based upon their roles in the company, and not simply their positions within the organization. A preferred embodiment implements a role-based search for these participants which is capable of identifying positions that are not directly up the chain of command from a particular position in the organization. The role based searching of the preferred embodiment also eliminates the need for maintaining individual lists of approvers / participants corresponding to each combination of positions and business processes. The preferred embodiment also implements a role structure which is hierarchical in order to facilitate propagation of information within the system. Roles within the hierarchical structure are able to inherit rights and / or restrictions from higher levels of the hierarchy, so that changes in these rights / restrictions need not be entered onto a position-by-position basis. the same is true for both accessing business processes and accessing company information.

Problems solved by technology

When a company reorganizes, it can take weeks to make all the necessary changes.

This can delay management access to critical information by days or weeks and often yields erroneous information.

This process can take weeks.

During this time, employees may or may not know what has changed, and the change has not been completely implemented, so it may be very difficult to enforce the modified business process.

Incredible inefficiencies and hard cash losses can be directly associated with poor business process management.

These systems can identify the direct reporting manager, the second level manager and any others up to the CEO, but they cannot identify functional approvers like Finance or HR employees who are not directly above the requester in the organization.

In a small organization, this type of approval may be manageable, but in complex, fast changing or geographically distributed organizations, it becomes very difficult.

This difficulty arises from a number of factors.

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