A workflow approval method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of process management, and discloses a workflow approval method, which comprises the following steps of: calling a process definition and a process form corresponding to a target process, performing sequential approval on nodes in the target process based on the process definition, and determining a corresponding target group when executing to a node with an approver rule; based on the flow form data and the flow context information, all members meeting conditions are screened out to form an actual approver set, so that the approver screening process can accurately perceive the real-time state of flow execution and historical flow examples, approval tasks are allocated to the members in the actual approver set, and after the approval task of the current node is completed, the approval task of the current node is allocated to the members in the actual approver set. According to the method, the next transfer node can be determined based on the transfer relationship between the nodes and the process form, so that complex and flexible examination and approval logic is supported, the flexibility of process examination and approval is improved while the examination and approval process is standardized, and the method adapts to the actual scene that the internal organization structure of an enterprise is complex and the business demand is rapidly iterated.

Description

(19) State Intellectual Property Office (12) Invention Patent Application (10) Application Publication Number (43) Application Publication Date (21) Application Number 202511843749.7 (22) Application Date 2025.12.08 (71) Applicant CITIC International Telecommunications (Information Technology) Limited Address 20 / F, Lincoln Tower, Taikoo Place, 979 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Applicant China Enterprise Network Communication Technology Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Li Chaoqun (74) Patent Agency Beijing Sanju Sunshine Intellectual Property Agency Co., Ltd. 11250 Patent Attorney Guo Xinyue (51) Int.Cl. G06Q 10 / 10 (2023.01) G06Q 10 / 0633 (2023.01) G06F 9 / 451 (2018.01) G06F 3 / 0481 (2022.01) G06F 3 / 0486(2013.01) (54) Invention Title: A Workflow Approval Method (57) Abstract: This invention relates to the field of process management technology and discloses a workflow approval method. This invention calls the process definition and process form corresponding to the target process, and performs sequential approval on the nodes in the target process based on the process definition. When the execution reaches the node with approver rules, the corresponding target group can be determined. Then, based on the process form data and process context information, all members who meet the conditions are selected to form an actual approver set. This allows the approver selection process to accurately perceive the real-time status of process execution and historical process examples, and assign approval tasks to the members in the actual approver set. After the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node can be determined based on the flow relationship between nodes and the process form. This enables support for complex and flexible approval logic, improves the flexibility of process approval while standardizing the approval process, and adapts to the actual scenario of complex internal organizational structure and rapid iteration of business needs of enterprises. Claims 3 pages, Description 13 pages, Drawings 13 pages, CN 121961444 A 2026.05.01 CN 1 21 96 14 44 A 1. A workflow approval method, characterized in that the method includes: in response to receiving a target workflow execution instruction, invoking a workflow definition and workflow form associated with the target workflow, wherein the workflow definition data includes at least multiple nodes, flow relationships between nodes, and approver rules configured for at least one node, the approver rules are associated with at least one predefined group, the group is used to define a group of candidate approval members, and the workflow form data includes at least task approval permissions configured for at least one node; performing sequential approval on the nodes in the target workflow based on the workflow definition; when execution reaches the current node with an approver rule, determining the corresponding target group according to the approver rule;Based on the process form data and process context information, all members meeting preset conditions are selected from the target group to form an actual approver set, and approval tasks are assigned to members in the actual approver set so that the actual approvers can approve tasks based on their corresponding task approval permissions; after the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node is determined based on the flow relationship between the nodes and the process form data. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the process form is obtained through the following steps: in response to receiving a form customization instruction, a visual operation interface is provided to the user, the operation interface including a form component library and a form canvas area; receiving the user's selection operation in the form component library and drag operation to the form canvas area, rendering and positioning the selected form component in the corresponding position of the form canvas area; receiving the user's configuration operation for the current form component, the configuration operation including at least setting the configuration data corresponding to the form component; repeating the steps of receiving the user's selection operation in the form component library and drag operation to the form canvas area until receiving the user's configuration operation for the current form component, until a customized process form is generated. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the process form is obtained through the following steps: In response to receiving an external form association instruction, calling external form data, and receiving external form attribute information entered by the user through an external form registration interface; merging the external form data and external form attribute information to obtain an external form, wherein the external form attribute information includes at least a form identifier, and the external form data has been developed by an upstream system; binding the external form to at least one target process definition, so that when an execution instruction is initiated for the target process, the external form is called through an interface based on the form identifier and the target process identifier, serving as the process form corresponding to the target process. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the grouping includes at least a role group, a user group, a business group, and an approval group, the business group is defined by a logical expression, the approval group is associated with the process initiator and is pre-configured as an approver path with an approval order, and the step of filtering all members that meet the preset conditions from the target group as the actual approver set based on the process form data and process context information includes: when the target group is a role group, filtering members whose jurisdiction matches the region information from the members of the role group based on the region information in the process context information to form the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a user group, determining all pre-configured members in the user group as the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a business group, substituting the field values ​​corresponding to the logical expression variables in the process form data into...The calculation is performed in the logical expression of the business group to determine the actual approver set, or, when the target group is an approval group, based on the initiator identity corresponding to the target process, the approval group related to the initiator and its corresponding approver path are matched, all users defined in the approver path are determined as the actual approver set, and the corresponding approval order is recorded so that subsequent actual approvers can approve tasks based on the approval order. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method further includes: in response to receiving a target process adjustment instruction, obtaining the process definition data corresponding to the target process; displaying the logical structure of the process definition through a visual interface, the logical structure including at least multiple nodes and the flow relationship between nodes; receiving the user's modification operation on the logical structure; generating the modified process definition data according to the modification operation, and binding the modified process definition data with the target process. 6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, before binding the modified process definition data with the target process, the method further includes: pre-storing the modified process definition data when the target process is detected to be in an approval state; and binding the modified process definition data with the target process after the target process approval is detected. 7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, before binding the modified process definition data with the target process, the method further includes: inputting preset process execution parameters and process form data into the modified process definition data, performing a simulation to obtain a simulation result; if the simulation result meets preset process requirements, binding the modified process definition data with the target process; if the simulation result does not meet preset process requirements, sending a prompt message indicating a process execution abnormality to the user, so that the user can adjust the process definition data. 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, determining the next flow node based on the flow relationship between the nodes and the process form data includes: when the process executes to a conditional branch node, obtaining multiple candidate branches associated with the conditional branch node and their respective configured condition judgment rules; calculating the condition judgment rules of the multiple candidate branches based on the process form data to obtain a calculation result; if the calculation result indicates that only one candidate branch's condition is satisfied, determining the node corresponding to the candidate branch whose condition is satisfied as the next flow node; if the calculation result indicates that at least two candidate branches' conditions are satisfied, determining the node corresponding to the candidate branch with the highest priority as the next flow node according to the preset priority order of each candidate branch; if the calculation result indicates that no candidate branch's condition is satisfied, determining the node corresponding to the preset default branch as the next flow node.9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method further comprises: when it is detected that the actual approver set is empty, or a member in the actual approver set is a process initiator, automatically transferring to the next node, or assigning the approval task to a preset approver. 10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method further comprises: in response to receiving an approval return instruction submitted by the approver of the current node, returning the approval task to the first approval node for task approval, wherein the first approval node is the approval node specified by the user in the approval return instruction; after the task approval is completed at the first approval node, transferring the approval task to the current node. Claims 3 / 3 page 4 CN 121961444 A A Workflow Approval Method Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of process management technology, specifically to a workflow approval method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous expansion and complexity of enterprise business and the accelerated advancement of digital transformation, traditional process management methods have gradually revealed their limitations. In order to more efficiently cope with rapidly changing market scenarios and business needs, visual process configuration has emerged. Visual process configuration, through a graphical interface and guided operation, enables business personnel without technical backgrounds to participate in the design and optimization of processes. This method greatly reduces the technical threshold and shortens the cycle from the proposal to the implementation of requirements.

[0003] However, with the intricate internal organizational structure of enterprises and the complex and ever-changing business needs, the node approval personnel settings are too simple, with poor scalability and a lack of awareness of dynamic context and historical process instances. It is difficult to realize complex and flexible approval logic such as dynamically determining the approver of the next stage based on the processor or processing result of the previous stage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a workflow approval method to solve the problem that traditional approval processes cannot cope with the complex and ever-changing business needs.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a workflow approval method, the method comprising: responding to receiving a target workflow execution instruction, invoking a workflow definition and a workflow form associated with the target workflow, wherein the workflow definition data includes at least multiple nodes, flow relationships between nodes, and approver rules configured for at least one node, the approver rules being associated with at least one predefined group, the group being used to define a group of candidate approvers, and the workflow form data including at least one task approval permission configured for at least one node; performing sequential approval on nodes in the target workflow based on the workflow definition; when execution reaches the current node with an approver rule, determining the corresponding target group according to the approver rule; and filtering all nodes that meet preset conditions from the target group based on the workflow form data and workflow context information.Members form an actual approver set, and approval tasks are assigned to members in the actual approver set so that the actual approvers can approve tasks based on their corresponding task approval permissions; after the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node is determined based on the flow relationship between the nodes and the process form data.

[0006] In an optional embodiment, the process form is obtained through the following steps: in response to receiving a form customization instruction, a visual operation interface is provided to the user, the operation interface including a form component library and a form canvas area; the user's selection operation in the form component library and drag operation to the form canvas area are received, the user's selected form component is rendered and positioned at the corresponding position in the form canvas area; the user's configuration operation for the current form component is received, the configuration operation includes at least setting the configuration data corresponding to the form component; the steps of receiving the user's selection operation in the form component library and drag operation to the form canvas area are repeated until the user's configuration operation for the current form component is received, until a custom process form is generated.

[0007] In an optional embodiment, the process form is obtained through the following steps: in response to receiving an external form association instruction, external form data is called, and external form attribute information entered by the user is received through the external form registration interface; the external form data and external form attribute information are merged to obtain an external form, wherein the external form attribute information includes at least a form identifier, and the external form data has been developed by the upstream system; the external form is bound to at least one target process definition, so that when an execution instruction is initiated for the target process, the external form is called through the interface based on the form identifier and the target process identifier, serving as the process form corresponding to the target process.

[0008] In an optional implementation, the grouping includes at least a role group, a user group, a business group, and an approval group. The business group is defined by a logical expression. The approval group is associated with the process initiator and is pre-configured as an approver path with an approval order. The step of filtering all members that meet preset conditions from the target group as the actual approver set based on the process form data and process context information includes: when the target group is a role group, filtering members whose jurisdiction matches the region information from the members of the role group based on the region information in the process context information to form the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a user group, determining all pre-configured members in the user group as the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a business group, substituting the field values ​​corresponding to the logical expression variables in the process form data into the logical expression of the business group for calculation.The method further includes: determining the actual approver set; or, when the target group is an approval group, matching the approval group related to the initiator and its corresponding approver path based on the initiator's identity corresponding to the target process; determining all users defined in the approver path as the actual approver set and recording the corresponding approval order so that subsequent actual approvers can approve tasks based on the approval order.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: in response to receiving a target process adjustment instruction, obtaining process definition data corresponding to the target process; displaying the logical structure of the process definition through a visual interface, the logical structure including at least multiple nodes and the flow relationship between nodes; receiving a user's modification operation on the logical structure; generating modified process definition data according to the modification operation, and binding the modified process definition data with the target process.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, before binding the modified process definition data with the target process, the method further includes: pre-storing the modified process definition data when the target process is detected to be in the approval state; binding the modified process definition data with the target process after the target process approval is detected to be completed.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, before binding the modified process definition data with the target process, the method further includes: inputting preset process execution parameters and process form data into the modified process definition data, performing a sandbox simulation to obtain the simulation result; if the simulation result meets the preset process requirements, binding the modified process definition data with the target process; if the simulation result does not meet the preset process requirements, sending a prompt message indicating a process execution abnormality to the user so that the user can adjust the process definition data.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, determining the next flow node based on the flow relationship between the nodes and the process form data includes: when the process executes to a condition branch node, obtaining multiple candidate branches associated with the condition branch node and their respective configured condition judgment rules; calculating the condition judgment rules of the multiple candidate branches based on the process form data to obtain a calculation result; if the calculation result indicates that only one candidate branch's condition is met, determining the node corresponding to the candidate branch whose condition is met as the next flow node; if the calculation result indicates that at least two candidate branches' conditions are met, determining the node corresponding to the candidate branch with the highest priority as the next flow node according to the preset priority order of each candidate branch; if the calculation result indicates that no candidate branch's condition is met, determining the node corresponding to the preset default branch as the next flow node.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: when it is detected that the actual approver set is empty,When a member of the actual approver set is the process initiator, the process automatically flows to the next node, or the approval task is assigned to the preset approver as specified on page 2 / 13 of the specification, CN 121961444 A.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: in response to receiving an approval return instruction submitted by the approver of the current node, the approval task is returned to the first approval node for task approval, the first approval node being the approval node specified by the user in the approval return instruction; after the task approval is completed at the first approval node, the approval task is flowed to the current node.

[0015] The present invention has the following technical effects: The workflow approval method provided by the present invention calls the workflow definition and workflow form corresponding to the target workflow, and sequentially approves the nodes in the target workflow based on the workflow definition. When the execution reaches the node with approver rules, the corresponding target group can be determined according to the approver rules. This enables flexible maintenance of approvers through approval grouping, significantly improving the flexibility of approver configuration. Then, based on workflow form data and workflow context information, all members who meet the preset conditions are selected from the target group to form the actual approver set. This allows the approver selection process to accurately perceive the real-time status of workflow execution and historical workflow examples, making the approval decision more in line with the actual business scenario. Approval tasks are assigned to members in the actual approver set. After the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node can be determined based on the flow relationship between nodes and workflow form data until the approval is completed. This supports complex and flexible approval logic, improves the flexibility of workflow approval while standardizing the approval process, and adapts to the actual scenario of complex internal organizational structure and rapid iteration of business needs within enterprises.

[0016] Brief Description of the Drawings: In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the first type of workflow approval method according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an example interface diagram of form data read and write permission settings according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the second type of workflow approval method according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is an example interface diagram of a custom form according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is an example interface diagram of an external form according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is an example interface diagram of approver flow settings according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is an example interface diagram of role group settings according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is an example interface diagram of user group settings according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is an example interface diagram of business group settings according to an embodiment of the present invention.Figure 10 is an example interface diagram of the approval group setting according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 is an example interface diagram of the approval operation permission according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 is an example interface diagram of the email sending setting according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 is an example interface diagram of the approval rule setting according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 is an example interface diagram of the approval delegation setting according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15 is an example interface diagram of the process logic structure visualization according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 is an example process diagram of the process sand table simulation according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 is a specific example diagram of the workflow approval according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 18 is a structural block diagram of the workflow approval system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Specification 3 / 13 pages 7 CN 121961444 A Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] The terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as “first” or “second” may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present invention, “multiple” means two or more unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a workflow approval method embodiment is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions, and although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0021] In this embodiment, a workflow approval method is provided. FIG1 is a flowchart of a workflow approval method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG1, the process includes the following steps: Step S101, in response to receiving a target workflow execution instruction, calling the workflow definition and workflow form associated with the target workflow.

[0022] The process definition data includes at least multiple nodes, the flow relationships between nodes, and approver rules configured for at least one node. Each approver rule is associated with at least one predefined group, which defines a group of candidate approvers. The process form data includes at least the task approval permissions configured for at least one node.

[0023] In embodiments of the present invention, the corresponding process definition and process form definition can be pre-set for the target process, wherein, The process form includes at least task approval permissions, business form fields, and other business data and permission configurations for at least one node. This clarifies the approval permissions of the approver and the business data to be processed. It allows manual configuration of field information and setting of usage permissions through custom menus and drag-and-drop design, generating the form structure. The process definition data includes at least multiple nodes (not limited to approval nodes, copy nodes, and processing nodes, enabling functions beyond just approval and rejection; nodes can automatically attach and trigger custom actions in different states, improving the automation depth and business fit of the process), the flow relationships and conditions between nodes, and approver rules configured for at least one node. This supports task approval by approvers from different dimensions, enabling more flexible process control. Each approver rule is associated with at least one predefined group, which defines a set of candidate approval members. For example, if node A is configured with a group of department A or department B, the corresponding candidate approval members are all members of department A or department B. Or, if node A is configured with a group of department managers, the corresponding candidate approval members include all members at the department manager level. This is just an example. The process definition defines a complete business process by binding process form information and configuring process conditions and approval nodes.

[0024] In this embodiment of the invention, before configuring the process definition, configuration information related to the process form can be prepared. The configuration information may include, but is not limited to, form identifiers (such as form keys) and field information. The form identifier is a unique corresponding value used to associate with the specific process definition. When the target process is executed by calling the Application Programming Interface (API) interface, the corresponding approval process can be initiated and executed by specifying the form identifier. Therefore, when responding to the user's submitted target process approval instruction, the process definition corresponding to the target process can be called first. Then, based on the form identifier associated with the process definition in the process specification (page 4 / 13, CN 121961444 A), the corresponding process form can be called. Finally, the retrieved process definition and process form are associated and integrated to form the complete data set required for the target process approval. The field information is further divided into multiple applicable conditions, form permissions, and contacts within the form. Conditions: configured within the node to control the flow of process nodes; Form permissions: configured within the node to control the read and write permissions of the approver to the form data when the flow reaches the node; Contacts within the form: configured within the node to set the approver of the node to a dynamic person within the form.

[0025] Step S102: Based on the process definition, sequentially approve the nodes in the target process.

[0026] This embodiment of the invention can, based on the invoked process definition, approve nodes according to their flow relationship and sequential approval order.The process begins by initiating the approval process and proceeding through each node sequentially. If a node does not require configuration of approver rules (e.g., the node where the initiator submits the approval), the node can be completed directly and the process can automatically proceed to the next node.

[0027] Step S103: When the current node with approver rules is reached, the corresponding target group is determined according to the approver rules.

[0028] In this embodiment of the invention, when the current node with approver rules is reached, the associated target group can be matched according to the approver rules set for that node, such as Department A, which is only an example.

[0029] Step S104: Based on the process form data and process context information, all members who meet the preset conditions are selected from the target group to form an actual approver set, and approval tasks are assigned to the members in the actual approver set so that the actual approvers can perform task approval based on the corresponding task approval permissions.

[0030] This invention can further filter all members who meet preset conditions from a target group based on process form data and process context information to form an actual approver set. For example, the process form data includes node approval permission requirements, and the process context information includes at least the approver's on-duty status and the applicant's department. Then, members who meet the conditions can be filtered from the target group. For instance, from all members of department A, those on leave can be excluded, and members with business permissions can be extracted to form the actual approver set. Approval tasks can then be assigned to members in the actual approver set, allowing them to perform task approvals based on their corresponding task approval permissions. In this context, task approval permissions can be set for different actual approval members. For example, Department A includes management, frontline employees, and financial specialists. Different levels of personnel have different operation permissions for approval. For example, frontline employees can view approval tasks but do not have permission to approve or modify the approval content, while management can not only view approval tasks but also perform operations such as approval / rejection. As shown in Figure 2, read and write permissions for the content in the form can also be set for the approvers. Different levels of approvers have different read and write permissions for the content. For example, frontline employees can only be set to have read permissions, while management can be set to have edit permissions. This is just an example.

[0031] Step S105: After the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node is determined based on the flow relationship between nodes and the process form data.

[0032] In this embodiment of the invention, after the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node to be executed can be determined based on the flow relationship between nodes in the process definition (such as sequential flow, branch flow), combined with the process form data (such as approval result). For example, if the approval is approved, the flow will proceed to the next node; if the approval is rejected, the flow will proceed to the initiator node, and the approval process of the new node will continue to proceed in sequence until the approval is completed.

[0033] The workflow approval method provided by this invention calls the process definition and process table corresponding to the target process.This system allows for sequential approval of nodes within a target process based on process definitions. When execution reaches a node with approver rules, the corresponding target group can be determined according to these rules. This allows for flexible maintenance of approvers through approval grouping, significantly improving the flexibility of approver configuration. Based on process form data and process context information, all members meeting preset conditions are selected from the target group to form the actual approver set. This enables the approver selection process to accurately perceive the real-time status of process execution and historical process examples, making approval decisions more aligned with actual business scenarios. Approval tasks are then assigned to members in the actual approver set. After the approval task at the current node is completed, the next flow node can be determined based on the flow relationship between nodes and process form data, until the approval is completed. This supports complex and flexible approval logic, improving the flexibility of process approval while standardizing the approval process, and adapting to the actual scenarios of complex internal organizational structures and rapidly iterating business needs.

[0034] This embodiment provides a workflow approval method. Figure 3 is a flowchart of the workflow approval method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the process includes the following steps: Step S301, in response to receiving a target workflow execution instruction, calling the workflow definition and workflow form associated with the target workflow.

[0035] Wherein, the workflow definition data includes at least multiple nodes, the flow relationship between nodes, and approver rules configured for at least one node. The approver rules are associated with at least one predefined group. The group is used to define a group of candidate approval members. The workflow form data includes at least the task approval permissions configured for at least one node.

[0036] Specifically, the process form type can be a custom form, and the corresponding process form is obtained through the following steps: In response to receiving a form customization instruction, a visual operation interface is provided to the user, which includes a form component library and a form canvas area; the user's selection operation in the form component library and drag operation to the form canvas area are received, and the selected form component is rendered and positioned at the corresponding position in the form canvas area; the user's configuration operation for the current form component is received, and the configuration operation includes at least setting the configuration data corresponding to the form component; the steps of receiving the user's selection operation in the form component library and drag operation to the form canvas area are repeated until the user's configuration operation for the current form component is received, until a custom process form is generated.

[0037] The process form designed in this embodiment of the invention can be a custom form. When configuring process form information, in response to receiving a form customization instruction selected by the user, it indicates that the user has selected a custom form. After the selection is completed, a "Design" button will appear in the operation bar of the data. The user can enter the form design page (visual) through this button.The user interface is used to design forms. The form design page includes a form component library (such as input boxes, radio buttons, etc.) and a form canvas area. Users can select target components in the form component library by clicking or other operations to trigger the component selection state. Users can drag the selected form component to a specified position in the form canvas area. The dragging action is responded to in real time, and the component is previewed in the canvas. When the user releases the drag operation, a visual example of the component is rendered in the canvas according to the coordinates of the drag endpoint, and the basic layout information such as the position and layer of the component is automatically recorded.

[0038] After the user selects the target component in the canvas area in this embodiment of the invention, the user can set the corresponding configuration data for the target component, such as basic attributes, business attributes (the form data corresponding to the component), etc. After the configuration is completed, the configuration data can be saved in real time. The above component configuration steps are repeated until the user completes the addition and configuration of all components. After clicking the "Complete" or "Save" buttons, which can be set according to the actual situation, a custom process form can be generated. The example content of the process form can be seen in Figure 4, which is only used as an example.

[0039] The present invention allows for the design of custom forms according to specific needs, making them easy to modify and expand without redeveloping the entire system. Only the structure and logic of the form need to be adjusted to meet new requirements, significantly reducing iteration and maintenance costs and improving the flexibility of process configuration.

[0040] In an optional embodiment, the process form type can also be an external form. The corresponding process form is obtained through the following steps: In response to receiving an external form association instruction, external form data is called, and external form attribute information entered by the user is received through the external form registration interface; the external form data and external form attribute information are merged to obtain an external form, where the external form attribute information includes at least a form identifier, and the external form data has been developed by the upstream system; the external form is bound to at least one target process definition so that when an execution instruction is initiated for the target process, the external form is called through an interface based on the form identifier and the target process identifier, serving as the process table corresponding to the target process. (See page 6 / 13 of the specification, 10 CN 121961444 A).

[0041] The external form designed in this embodiment of the invention does not use the built-in form function. It is developed by the upstream system and the relevant form data is saved. As shown in Figure 5, the form identifier (form key) and related field information (such as form name, type, and other field information, which are not limited) of the external form can be manually entered without designing a form definition. In a specific embodiment, in response to receiving the external form association instruction, the external form registration interface is loaded and displayed. This interface serves as the entry point for the association between the external form and the system process. It can call the external form data developed by the upstream system developers.Users can manually enter the corresponding attribute information of the external form through the external form registration interface. The attribute information includes at least the form identifier and related field information. After the data is entered, the system can merge the external form data and external form attribute information to obtain the external form. Subsequently, users can select at least one target process definition and bind the registered external form to the target process definition through interface operations. It supports binding one external form to multiple process definitions, or binding one process definition to multiple external forms (adapted to the scenario). Because different flow conditions, node approvers, and read / write permissions of form fields can be configured in the process definition, the relevant form field values ​​must be passed when calling the API interface to execute the process to ensure the correct flow of the process. After the execution command is issued to the target process, the system can match the corresponding process form identifier and upstream system interface information according to the current process identifier, and call the external form through the API interface as the process form of the target process for subsequent task approval.

[0042] This invention expands the process carrier to include custom forms and external forms through an external form registration and binding mechanism, enriching the types and functional coverage of process forms. Furthermore, form data can be called in real time via an interface, enabling real-time linkage between external forms and process execution, thus improving the integrity and continuity of the business process.

[0043] Step S302: Based on the process definition, sequential approval is performed on the nodes in the target process.

[0044] Specifically, the process definition supports multiple methods such as graphical configuration and JSON data import to define business processes. There are no restrictions on the node types in the process definition, including but not limited to approval nodes, copy nodes, processing nodes, and conditional branches. Among them, the approval node can perform functions such as approving, canceling, returning, transferring, and adding or removing signatures for tasks; the copy node can be set to copy the task to a designated member when the process flows to the current route. The copy settings can be set within the node, and copy can be sent when agreeing or rejecting. The copy node can also be used to send copy tasks in a variety of ways. For example, the copy prerequisites and copy targets can be set, such as copying when all agree / reject, or when agreeing or rejecting. The copy target can be the direct superior, the head of the direct department, the role group, the user group, the designated member, or the submitter himself / herself. This is just an example. The processing node is mainly used for users to perform operations related to business submission. Rejection is not allowed at this node. The conditional branch can calculate the flow direction of the process according to different set conditions. This is just an example.

[0045] Step S303: When execution reaches the current node with an approver rule, the corresponding target group is determined according to the approver rule.

[0046] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the approver rule is associated with at least one predefined group. The group is used to define a set of candidate approvers, such as role group, user group, business group, and approval group, and may also include, but is not limited to, direct superiors, direct subordinates, etc.The system offers multiple approver options, including department head, designated member, submitter, multiple levels of superiors, and contact person within the form. It also supports approval methods such as countersigning and signature. This is just an example.

[0047] Step S304: Based on the process form data and process context information, all members who meet the preset conditions are selected from the target group to form an actual approver set. Approval tasks are assigned to the members in the actual approver set so that the actual approvers can approve tasks based on their corresponding task approval permissions.

[0048] In an optional implementation, when it is detected that the actual approver set is empty, or when a member in the actual approver set is the process initiator, the process automatically proceeds to the next node, or the approval task is assigned to a preset approver. Instruction manual 7 / 13 pages 11 CN 121961444 A

[0049] As shown in Figure 6, the embodiments of the present invention also set different approver rules. For example, when the approver is empty, options such as automatic approval, designated member, or transfer to approval administrator are set. When the approver and the submitter (initiator) are the same person, multiple options such as automatic skip, self-approval, transfer to direct supervisor for approval, and transfer to department head for approval can be set. This is just an example.

[0050] During the execution of the target process, when it is detected that the actual approver set is empty, or the member in the actual approver set is the process initiator, it can automatically flow to the next node, or the approval task can be assigned to the preset approver.

[0051] The present invention eliminates the risk of flow interruption and ensures the continuity of process approval by triggering node flow or task reassignment through automated rules.

[0052] Specifically, the grouping includes at least role groups, user groups, business groups, and approval groups. Business groups are defined by logical expressions. Approval groups are associated with the process initiator and are pre-configured as approver paths with approval order. Based on process form data and process context information, all members who meet preset conditions are selected from the target group as the actual approver set. This includes: when the target group is a role group, selecting members whose jurisdiction matches the region information from the members of the role group based on the region information in the process context information to form the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a user group, determining all pre-configured members in the user group as the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a business group, substituting the field values ​​corresponding to the logical expression variables in the process form data into the logical expression of the business group for calculation to determine the actual approver set; or, when the target group is an approval group, based on the initiator identity corresponding to the target process... The approval groups related to the initiator and their corresponding approver paths are matched. All users defined in the approver paths are identified as the actual approver set, and the corresponding approval order is recorded so that subsequent actual approvers can approve tasks based on the approval order.

[0053] This invention supports approval personnel management in different dimensions, namely role group management, user group management, business group management, and approval group management, which can more flexibly control the flow of process nodes. The above groups can be used for process definition approval personnel settings and condition flow judgment. Specifically, the set role groups are associated with regional jurisdiction attributes. Different users are added to different role groups, which can be used in process conditions and node approvals, as shown in Figure 7. When the process is executed, the actual set of approvers will be filtered according to the region where the initiator or processor is located. In actual application, when the initiator or the current approver is in the current role group, the members whose jurisdiction matches the regional information are filtered from the members of the role group based on the regional information of the process context. Generally, the members in a role group are all members of the same region. When the process node is executed to the current node, all members in the role group will receive the approval task.

[0054] The user group designed in this embodiment of the invention consists of a pre-configured, static set of users or departments. Different users and departments are added to different user groups and can be used in process conditions and node approvers, as shown in Figure 8. When the initiator or the current approver is in a specified user group, all pre-configured members in the user group (all members belonging to the same department) can be determined as the actual approver set.

[0055] The business group designed in this embodiment of the invention is defined by logical expressions. It can be pre-combined with different field data of the form and the corresponding control conditions can be edited. When the target group is a business group, the field values ​​corresponding to the logical expression variables in the process form data are substituted into the logical expression of the business group for calculation to determine the actual approver set, as shown in Figure 9. For example, (a != 1 && b>= 2) || c == 3 can be used in node approvers, where a, b, and c are words in the form. A (day>=3) and B (day>3) are pre-configured. When the value of day is less than 3, only B will be found. When day is greater than or equal to 3, both A and B will be found. This is just an example. During process execution, the corresponding expression calculation result will be parsed based on the field value passed by the upstream service to control the rotation of process nodes (i.e., determine the actual set of approvers).

[0056] The approval group designed in this embodiment of the invention is associated with the process initiator and is pre-configured as an approval path with approval order. That is, each user can set their own approval path, as shown in Figure 10. The users set in the approval path are in order, for example, A>B>C; they can be used in node approvers; when the target group is an approval group, the corresponding approval group and its corresponding approver path can be matched based on the initiator corresponding to the target process, and all the approved paths defined in the approver path will be matched.The user is identified as the actual approver set, and the corresponding approval order is recorded so that the task approval is carried out in the current node according to the approver order. That is, after A approves, it will go to B, and after C approves, it will flow to the next node. This is just an example.

[0057] The present invention can accurately adapt to the diverse business scenarios of enterprises through four types of groups: role group, user group, business group and approval group, fully cover complex business functions, and support flexible expansion of group types and dynamic adjustment of filtering rules, improve the scalability of approver settings, adapt to the dynamic iteration needs of business, and realize multi-dimensional linkage of approver allocation based on process context and historical process instances, realizing complex and flexible approval logic requirements that traditional solutions cannot achieve.

[0058] Step S305: After the approval task of the current node is completed, the next flow node is determined based on the flow relationship between nodes and process form data.

[0059] Specifically, the above step S305 includes: Step S3051: When the process is executed to the condition branch node, multiple candidate branches associated with the condition branch node and their respective configured condition judgment rules are obtained.

[0060] Step S3052: Based on the process form data, calculate the condition judgment rules for multiple candidate branches to obtain the calculation result.

[0061] Step S3053: If the calculation result indicates that only one candidate branch meets the condition, determine the node corresponding to the candidate branch that meets the condition as the next flow node.

[0062] The nodes set in this embodiment of the invention also include condition branches. When the process is executed to a condition branch, the flow direction of the process can be calculated according to the different conditions set, and multiple candidate branches associated with the condition branch and their respective configured condition judgment rules can be obtained. For example, multiple candidate branches include branch A, branch B and branch C, and the condition judgment rule corresponding to branch A is that the order amount is greater than 100,000 yuan, the condition judgment rule of branch B is that the order amount is greater than 50,000 yuan, and the condition judgment rule corresponding to branch C is that the project type is urgent, etc. This is just an example.

[0063] In this embodiment of the invention, when the process reaches a conditional branch node, multiple candidate branches associated with the conditional branch node and their respective configured condition judgment rules can be obtained. Then, based on the process form data of the current process instance (such as order amount, applicant information, project attributes, etc.), the data can be input into the condition judgment rules of each candidate branch for logical calculation. The condition of each candidate branch is verified one by one, and the satisfying / dissatisfying calculation results of each branch are generated. If the calculation results show that only one candidate branch condition is satisfied, the candidate branch with satisfied condition can be directly determined as the next flow node of the process, and the process continues to execute along that branch.

[0064] In an optional embodiment, if the calculation result indicates that the conditions of at least two candidate branches are satisfied, the node corresponding to the candidate branch with the highest priority is determined as the next flow node according to the preset priority order of each candidate branch.

[0065] In this embodiment of the invention, if it is determined that the calculation result indicates that the condition of at least two candidate branches is met, then based on the preset priority order of each candidate branch, the node corresponding to the candidate branch with the highest priority can be determined as the next flow node, and each branch can be executed in descending order of priority. The design method of the priority order of each branch is not limited; the priority order can be set through code development, or it can be set by dragging or manually selecting in the interface that displays the target flow logic structure. The default condition is that the priority cannot be adjusted; this is only an example.

[0066] In an optional embodiment, if the calculation result indicates that the condition of no candidate branch is met, the node corresponding to the preset default branch is determined as the next flow node. Specification 9 / 13 pages 13 CN 121961444 A

[0067] In this embodiment of the invention, if it is determined that the calculation result indicates that the condition of no candidate branch is met, then the preset default branch rule can be triggered, and the node corresponding to the default branch can be determined as the next flow node; this is only an example.

[0068] This invention achieves automated flow of conditional branch nodes through rule calculation, result judgment, priority order, or default branch fallback logic. This ensures the accuracy of branch judgment and avoids process bottlenecks through priority and default branch mechanisms, adapting to complex branch flow scenarios.

[0069] In an optional embodiment, in response to receiving an approval return instruction submitted by the approver of the current node, the approval task is returned to the first approval node for task approval. The first approval node is the approval node specified by the user in the approval return instruction. After the task approval is completed at the first approval node, the approval task is transferred to the current node.

[0070] As shown in Figure 11, this embodiment of the invention also designs that when the process reaches the current node, the approver can transfer the approval to a designated person; whether signatures can be added / removed: it can be determined whether the approver can add other people to participate in the approval when approving at the current node, or whether the current approver can remove the people who have been added after the task has been added; when the process reaches the current node, the approver can choose to roll back the current task to a designated approval node. After the rolled-back task is approved, it will skip the intermediate nodes and return to the current node to continue the approval. Alternatively, when the node task is rolled back, the approver can return to the previous level or the first level when submitting again, making the process rollback function more flexible; as shown in Figure 12, this embodiment of the invention can also design whether to disable the email sending / email template function: when the email sending function is turned off, the email notification function of this node will not be effective, and the email template of this node can be configured separately without going through the global email template configuration; the current node flow lifecycle can be defined, mainly used for work order business; approval reminder / repeated reminder function: when the current node has not been approved, the next time can be set.Approval reminder time, reminder week, and reminder count; Trigger event function: Different trigger events can be configured according to the current node task status. Callback types include but are not limited to: HTTP calls, Spring built-in functions, SQL scripts, Groovy / JavaScript scripts, etc.; As shown in Figure 13, this embodiment of the invention can also design an approver deduplication function: It judges whether the approver is the same person when the process node flows, and judges consecutively or separately. If multiple people approve a node, deduplication is not performed; Approval administrator: When an approver cannot be found at a certain node, the current node can be transferred to the approval administrator for approval; Delegation function: It works with the delegation information set in the process delegation menu for flow. If the current process does not support delegation, the current process cannot be selected in the delegation scope when setting the process delegation. As shown in Figure 14, when the node task flows to the delegator, the task will be delegated to the delegate for processing; Delegation grouping function: Different people can be delegated for approval according to different initiators; Validity period: Within the specified range, it will be delegated to the corresponding delegate for processing; Delegation scope: The current group needs to delegate the specified form, without limitation.

[0071] In an optional embodiment, in response to receiving a target process adjustment instruction, the process definition data corresponding to the target process is obtained; the logical structure of the process definition is displayed through a visual interface, the logical structure including at least multiple nodes and the flow relationship between nodes; the user's modification operation on the logical structure is received; the modified process definition data is generated according to the modification operation, and the modified process definition data is bound to the target process.

[0072] After responding to the target process adjustment instruction submitted by the user, the embodiment of the present invention can obtain the process definition data corresponding to the target process, and can display the logical nodes of the process definition through a visual interface, as shown in Figure 15. The logical structure includes at least multiple nodes and the flow relationship between nodes. For example, different styles of graphic components are used to represent various types of nodes (such as rectangles representing approval nodes and diamonds representing conditional branches), and arrowed lines are used to represent the flow relationship between nodes. The flow conditions are marked, and the visual interface can also support interface scaling, drag-and-drop navigation, and node highlighting operations, which makes it convenient for users to view the complete structure of complex processes. This is just an example.

[0073] In this embodiment of the invention, the user can perform modification operations on the process logic structure through the interactive controls of the visual interface, such as adding new nodes, deleting nodes, modifying the connections between nodes, or double-clicking a node to edit its attributes, etc., without limitation. The system can capture the user's modification operations in real time. After receiving the user's modification operation on the logic structure, the system can generate modified process definition data based on the modification operation. After generating the process definition data, the modified process definition data can be combined.Legality verification, such as checking the closed loop of the node process and whether the required attributes are complete, etc., after the verification is passed, the modified process definition data is bound to the target process, so that the target process initiated later can be directly executed based on the modified process definition data. This is just an example.

[0074] The present invention converts the old process definition into a graphical logical structure through a visual interface, so that users can complete the process modification through simple interaction, reduce the threshold of process adjustment, shorten the process adjustment cycle, and improve the convenience of operation and iteration efficiency.

[0075] Furthermore, before binding the modified process definition data to the target process, the current status of the target process can also be detected. When the target process is detected to be in the approval state, the modified process definition data is pre-stored; when the target process is detected to be approved, the modified process definition data is bound to the target process.

[0076] Before binding the modified process definition data with the target process, this embodiment of the invention can detect the current state of the target process. If the target process is currently in an unapproved state, the modified process definition data can be bound with the target process to update the corresponding process definition data in a timely manner. If the target process is in an approval state, a draft function is provided to store the modified process definition data. This ensures that editing and saving does not affect the currently executing process task. The modified process definition data can only be bound with the target process after the target process is approved. Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention also supports comparing the currently modified logical structure with the currently bound version to intuitively present the differences in modification and reduce the risk of misoperation.

[0077] When the invention detects that the process is in an approval state, it can temporarily store the changed content through a pre-storage mechanism to ensure that the ongoing approval process is not disturbed and to ensure the continuity of execution. After the approval is completed, the modified process definition data is automatically bound with the target process to achieve seamless connection and effectiveness of the modified content and improve the efficiency of process iteration.

[0078] Further, before binding the modified process definition data with the target process, the method further includes: inputting preset process execution parameters and process form data into the modified process definition data, performing a sandbox simulation, and obtaining the simulation result; if the simulation result meets the preset process requirements, binding the modified process definition data with the target process; if the simulation result does not meet the preset process requirements, sending a prompt message indicating a process execution abnormality to the user so that the user can adjust the process definition data.

[0079] As shown in Figure 16, in this embodiment of the invention, the generated modified process definition data can be used as a process operation. During the sandbox simulation, all necessary execution parameters need to be provided. These execution parameters serve as the basis for process simulation and verification, and may include, but are not limited to, process execution parameters and process form data. Then, the preset process execution parameters and process form data can be used as the basis for the process simulation and verification.Data is input into the modified process definition data (including process definition, conditional rules, and approver rules) for a sandbox simulation to obtain simulation results. This verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the execution path, ensuring that all steps are executed as expected and meet the predetermined goals. If the simulation results meet the preset process requirements, the modified process definition data will be approved, and then the modified process definition data will be bound to the target process for subsequent approval. If the simulation results do not meet the preset process requirements, a prompt message indicating an abnormal process execution can be sent to the user. The user needs to readjust the process definition data and repeat the simulation and verification until the verification results meet the process requirements. Then, the modified process definition can be bound to the target process. This is just an example. In this embodiment of the invention, multiple simulations can be initiated based on different form data during the sandbox simulation, simulating a real environment and demonstrating the interaction process of each link. This helps to verify the rationality and operability of the process design. Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention can reference the current process architecture data and select different approvers for simulation, which can detect process blockages caused by organizational changes or improper permission configuration in advance, making the simulation environment highly consistent with the manual 11 / 13. Page 15 CN 121961444 A In a production environment, since sand table simulation is a time-consuming function, the backend will execute the task asynchronously and support concurrent operations. The frontend can get a quick response without blocking other business operations. During the task execution, the backend will push the current progress to the browser frontend in real time through a WebSocket connection. The pushed information includes: simulation completed, simulation failed, simulation progress, etc. After the task is completed, all data of the entire simulation process can be exported to an Excel file, which can be analyzed offline by users to promptly identify and troubleshoot erroneous approval paths. This is just an example.

[0080] This invention simulates the execution process of a process through sand table simulation, which can avoid the risk of process upper limits in advance, ensure the stable operation of the business, and support rapid repeated simulation, greatly shortening the process testing and optimization cycle and improving iteration efficiency.

[0081] In a specific embodiment, as shown in FIG17, the present invention can predefine process forms, wherein the process forms are divided into custom forms and external forms. Custom forms are designed by dragging and dropping through a visual interface, while external forms are obtained by importing process form data developed by the upstream system and manually entering configuration field information by the user. The process definition can bind form information, configure process conditions and approval nodes, and define a complete business process. When the process is executed, the corresponding process definition and bound process forms can be called to determine the approver of the flow node by judging the process condition branches and completing the process execution. For detailed description, please refer to the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0082] In this embodiment, a workflow approval system is also provided, as shown in FIG18. The system includes an access layer, a business layer, and a process approval layer.The system comprises an access layer, a data layer, and a runtime environment. The access layer includes, but is not limited to, interfaces such as PC, mobile, or mini-programs, supporting seamless integration across different platforms. The business layer consists of modules such as form design, process design, and process engine, which jointly manage process approval. The data layer is used for data caching and persistence to ensure data consistency and integrity. The runtime environment supports one-click Docker deployment and is not limited by the server runtime environment. This is merely an example and not intended to limit the scope.

[0083] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] Referring specifically to Figure 19 below, a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device suitable for implementing the embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electronic device may include a processor (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processor, etc.) 1901, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 1902 or a program loaded from a memory 1908 into a random access memory (RAM) 1903. The RAM 1903 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the electronic device. The processor 1901, ROM 1902, and RAM 1903 are interconnected via a bus 1904. Input / output (I / O) interface 1905 is also connected to bus 1904.

[0085] Typically, the following devices may be connected to I / O interface 1905: input devices 1906 including, for example, touch screens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, cameras, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices 1907 including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; memory 1908 including, for example, magnetic tapes, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices 1909. Communication device 1909 may allow electronic devices to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although FIG19 shows an electronic device with various devices, it should be understood that it is not required to implement or have all of the devices shown, and more or fewer devices may be implemented or have instead.

[0086] In particular, according to embodiments of the invention, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts may be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of the invention include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication device 1909, or installed from memory 1908, or installed from ROM 1902. When the computer program is executed by processor 1901, it performs the functions defined in the workflow approval method of this embodiment of the invention.

[0087] The electronic device shown in FIG19 is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the invention. Specification 12 / 13 pages 16 CN121961444 A

[0088] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium. The methods described above according to embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware or firmware, or implemented as computer code that can be recorded on a storage medium, or implemented as computer code downloaded via a network and originally stored in a remote storage medium or a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and then stored in a local storage medium. Thus, the methods described herein can be processed by software stored on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory, random access memory, flash memory, hard disk, or solid-state drive, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include combinations of the above types of memory. It is understood that a computer, processor, microprocessor controller, or programmable hardware includes storage components capable of storing or receiving software or computer code. When the software or computer code is accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, the workflow approval method shown in the above embodiments is implemented.

[0089] A portion of the present invention can be applied as a computer program product, such as computer program instructions, which, when executed by a computer, can invoke or provide the methods and / or technical solutions according to the present invention through the operation of the computer. Those skilled in the art should understand that the forms in which computer program instructions exist in a computer-readable medium include, but are not limited to, source files, executable files, installation package files, etc. Correspondingly, the ways in which computer program instructions are executed by a computer include, but are not limited to: the computer directly executing the instruction, or the computer compiling the instruction and then executing the corresponding compiled program, or the computer reading and executing the instruction, or the computer reading and installing the instruction and then executing the corresponding installed program. Here, the computer-readable medium can be any available computer-readable storage medium or communication medium accessible to a computer.

[0090] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications and variations fall within the scope defined by the appended claims. Instruction manual, page 13 / 13, 17 CN 121961444 A, Figure 1, Figure 2; Instruction manual figure 1 / 13, page 18 CN 121961444 A, Figure 3; Instruction manual figure 2 / 13, page 19 CN 121961444 A, Figure 4; Instruction manual figure 3 / 13, page 20 CN 121961444 A, Figure 5; Instruction manual figure 4 / 13, page 21 CN 121961444 A, Figure 6, Figure 7; Instruction manual figure 5 / 13, page 22 CN 121961444 A, Figure 8; Instruction manual figure 6 / 13, page 23 CN121961444 A Figure 9 Appendix 7 / 13 Page 24 CN 121961444 A Figure 10 Appendix 8 / 13 Page 25 CN 121961444 A Figure 11 Figure 12 Appendix 9 / 13 Page 26 CN 121961444 A Figure 13 Figure 14 Appendix 10 / 13 Page 27 CN 121961444 A Figure 15 Appendix 11 / 13 Page 28 CN 121961444 A Figure 16 Figure 17 Appendix 12 / 13 Page 29 CN 121961444 A Figure 18 Figure 19 Appendix 13 / 13 Page 30 CN 121961444 A Abstract The invention relates to the technical field of process management. A workflow approval method is disclosed. The present invention calls the process definition and process form corresponding to the target process. Sequential approval of nodes in the target process based on process definition When executing to a node with approver rules, a corresponding target packet may be determined Then based on the process form data and process context information, filter out all eligible members to form the actual approver set Enable the approver screening process to accurately perceive the real-time status of process execution and historical process examples And assign approval tasks tomembers in the actual approver set After the approval task of the current node is completed, the next circulation node can be determined based on the circulation relationship and process form between nodes, so as to support complex and flexible approval logic, standardize the approval process while improving the flexibility of process approval, and adapt to the actual scenario where the internal organizational structure of the enterprise is complex and the business needs are quickly iterated.

Claims

1. A workflow approval method, characterized in that, The method includes: in response to receiving a target process execution instruction, invoking a process definition and process form associated with the target process, wherein the process definition data includes at least multiple nodes, flow relationships between nodes, and approver rules configured for at least one node, the approver rules are associated with at least one predefined group, the group is used to define a set of candidate approvers, and the process form data includes at least task approval permissions configured for at least one node; based on the process definition, sequentially approving the nodes in the target process; when execution reaches the current node with an approver rule, determining the corresponding target group according to the approver rule; based on the process form data and process context information, filtering all members that meet preset conditions from the target group to form an actual approver set, and assigning approval tasks to the members in the actual approver set so that the actual approvers can perform task approval based on the corresponding task approval permissions; after the approval task at the current node is completed, determining the next flow node based on the flow relationships between nodes and the process form data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process form is obtained through the following steps: in response to receiving a form customization instruction, a visual operation interface is provided to the user, the operation interface including a form component library and a form canvas area; The system receives user selection operations from the form component library and drag operations onto the form canvas area, renders the selected form component, and positions it at the corresponding position on the form canvas area; it receives user configuration operations for the current form component, the configuration operations including at least setting configuration data corresponding to the form component; it repeats the steps of receiving user selection operations from the form component library and drag operations onto the form canvas area until receiving user configuration operations for the current form component, until a custom process form is generated.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process form is obtained through the following steps: in response to receiving an external form association instruction, the external form data is called, and through the external form registration interface, the external form attribute information entered by the user is received. The external form data and external form attribute information are merged to obtain an external form, wherein the external form attribute information includes at least a form identifier, and the external form data has been developed by the upstream system; the external form is bound to at least one target process definition so that when an execution instruction is initiated for the target process, the external form is called through an interface based on the form identifier and the target process identifier, serving as the process form corresponding to the target process.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grouping includes at least role groups, user groups, business groups, and approval groups. Business groups are defined by logical expressions. Approval groups are associated with the process initiator and are pre-configured as approver paths with approval order. The step of filtering all members meeting preset conditions from the target group as the actual approver set based on the process form data and process context information includes: when the target group is a role group, filtering members whose jurisdiction matches the region information from the members of the role group based on the region information in the process context information to form the actual approver set; or, when the target group is a user group... When the target group is a business group, all pre-configured members in the user group are determined as the actual approver set. Alternatively, when the target group is an approval group, the field values ​​corresponding to the logical expression variables in the process form data are substituted into the logical expression of the business group for calculation to determine the actual approver set. Or, when the target group is an approval group, based on the initiator identity corresponding to the target process, the approval group related to the initiator and its corresponding approver path are matched, all users defined in the approver path are determined as the actual approver set, and the corresponding approval order is recorded so that subsequent actual approvers can approve tasks based on the approval order.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: in response to receiving a target process adjustment instruction, obtaining process definition data corresponding to the target process; displaying the logical structure of the process definition through a visual interface, the logical structure including at least multiple nodes and the flow relationship between nodes; receiving a user's modification operation on the logical structure; generating modified process definition data according to the modification operation, and binding the modified process definition data to the target process.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Before binding the modified process definition data to the target process, the method further includes: pre-storing the modified process definition data when the target process is detected to be in an approval state; and binding the modified process definition data to the target process after the target process approval is detected.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Before binding the modified process definition data to the target process, the method further includes: inputting preset process execution parameters and process form data into the modified process definition data, performing a simulation to obtain the simulation result; if the simulation result meets the preset process requirements, binding the modified process definition data to the target process; if the simulation result does not meet the preset process requirements, sending a prompt message indicating a process execution error to the user so that the user can adjust the process definition data.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the flow relationships between the nodes and the process form data, the next flow node is determined, including: when the process reaches a conditional branch node, obtaining multiple candidate branches associated with the conditional branch node and their respective configured condition judgment rules; calculating the condition judgment rules of the multiple candidate branches based on the process form data to obtain the calculation result; if the calculation result indicates that only one candidate branch's condition is met, determining the node corresponding to the candidate branch whose condition is met as the next flow node; if the calculation result indicates that at least two candidate branches' conditions are met, determining the node corresponding to the candidate branch with the highest priority as the next flow node according to the preset priority order of each candidate branch; if the calculation result indicates that no candidate branch's condition is met, determining the node corresponding to the preset default branch as the next flow node.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: when it is detected that the actual approver set is empty, or when a member in the actual approver set is the process initiator, automatically transferring to the next node, or assigning the approval task to a preset approver.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: in response to receiving an approval return instruction submitted by the approver of the current node, reverting the approval task to the first approval node for task approval, wherein the first approval node is the approval node specified by the user in the approval return instruction; after the task approval is completed at the first approval node, transferring the approval task to the current node.

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