Information processing method, information processing program, and information processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing method, an information processing program, and an information processing device that compile confirmation information for each data entry person and transmit the compiled confirmation information to each data entry person. [Solution] A computer-based information processing method that has access to a storage unit that stores collected data collected from a base, which includes multiple data items, obtains confirmation information that includes the item ID of the data item included in the collected data and the comment attached to the data item, identifies the input person at the base who entered the data item included in the confirmation information, and performs a process to send the confirmation information to the identified input person.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method, an information processing program, and an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes that in a review comment management device, a document can be corrected while viewing a review comment. Further, it is described that in the display of a document, a review target portion may be highlighted.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes that in a contract management program, when a checker rejects a contract document, the rejected portion is selected and the reason for rejection is input.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An information processing method according to an aspect of the present invention is a process in which a computer capable of accessing a storage unit that stores collected data collected from a base and includes a plurality of data items obtains confirmation information including an item ID of the data item included in the collected data and a comment added to the data item, identifies an input person in charge at the base who input the data item included in the confirmation information, and transmits the confirmation information to the identified input person in charge.

[0006] In the above information processing method, if multiple pieces of the confirmation information are obtained, the confirmation information is compiled for each identified input person, and the compiled pieces of confirmation information are sent to each input person.

[0007] In the above-described information processing method, the number of comments attached to the data item is displayed on the input screen for the collected data.

[0008] In the above-described information processing method, the input screen displays the comment when an operation is performed on the menu of the data item to which the comment is attached.

[0009] In the above information processing method, the comment is displayed in a window different from the input screen, and a reply message to the comment can be entered in this window.

[0010] In the above information processing method, the reply message is obtained as a result of the submission operation on the input screen, and the reply message is sent to the verifier to whom the comment was added.

[0011] An information processing program according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of data items, and a computer that can access a storage unit that stores collected data collected from a base to obtain confirmation information including the item ID of the data item included in the collected data and a comment attached to the data item, identifies the person in charge of input at the base who input the data item included in the confirmation information, and transmits the confirmation information to the identified person in charge of input.

[0012] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a control unit, which acquires confirmation information including the item ID of the data item included in the collected data and a comment attached to the data item, identifies the input person at the location who entered the data item included in the confirmation information, and transmits the confirmation information to the identified input person.

[0013] Note that the above summary of the invention does not list all the features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of an information system. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory diagram showing a hierarchical example of multiple companies. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an organizational hierarchy within a company. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a supply chain. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of collection and disclosure operations. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a company DB. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a base DB. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an account DB. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input status DB. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input DB. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an approval DB. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a confirmation DB. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram showing a morphological example of the sustainability ERP system 10. [Figure 14] It is an explanatory diagram showing another morphological example of the sustainability ERP system 10. [Figure 15] It is an explanatory diagram showing another morphological example of the sustainability ERP system 10. [Figure 16] It is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a server. [Figure 17] It is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a terminal. [Figure 18] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a comment DB. [Figure 19] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen. [Figure 20] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a comment screen. [Figure 21] It is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a confirmation screen. [Figure 22] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input screen. [Figure 23] It is an explanatory diagram showing another example of an input screen. [Figure 24] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for comment input processing. [Figure 25] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for comment editing / deletion processing. [Figure 26] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for notification processing. [Figure 27] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for answer input processing.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution of the invention. In this specification, information that is easy for a computer to handle, such as mere numbers or symbols or combinations thereof, and is difficult for a person to understand or interpret its meaning and significance is particularly described as data, but it is not limited thereto.

[0016] In recent years, companies and organizations have been required to conduct sustainable management and operations. Sustainable management and operations refer to management and operations that aim not only to pursue their own short-term profits but also to aim for growth and progress from a long-term perspective. Sustainable management and operations require growing and progressing together while collaborating with various stakeholders, and contributing to the improvement or maintenance of the global environment. In the following description, the management of companies will be described, but the same applies to the operations of organizations.

[0017] To conduct sustainable business operations, companies need to collect data from many related organizations and groups. For example, timely data collection is necessary to improve operations by implementing the PDCA cycle. To conduct sound business operations, it is essential to receive investment from investors. In particular, whether or not a company can receive investment from institutional investors is important. Therefore, it is a company's responsibility to collect and disclose data in a timely manner so that institutional investors can use it to make investment decisions. And because institutional investors invest globally, global standards have been established for information disclosure. Hereafter, these standards for information disclosure will be referred to as disclosure standards.

[0018] The data that companies should collect includes not only the financial data that has been collected in the past, but also what is called non-financial data. Non-financial data is data related to sustainability. For example, non-financial data is classified into governance, strategy, risk management, metrics, and targets. Metrics and targets include greenhouse gas (GHG: GreenHouse GAS) emissions for each company. Non-financial data is associated with identifying information that uniquely identifies a company, such as a company ID. Another way to classify non-financial data is to divide it into categories: E (Environment), S (Social), and G (Governance).

[0019] Greenhouse gas emissions are calculated by multiplying carbon dioxide emissions and emissions of other gases, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorinated compounds, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride by the global warming potential to convert them into carbon dioxide equivalents. Hereinafter, carbon dioxide emissions and the values ​​obtained by converting emissions of greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide into carbon dioxide equivalents will be collectively referred to as carbon dioxide emissions.

[0020] Carbon dioxide emissions include direct emissions, indirect emissions, and other indirect emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions may also be derived by multiplying the amount of electricity, water, oil, and gas used by an emission factor that indicates the amount of emissions per unit of each use.

[0021] As non-financial data, companies may manage information on human rights measures and disaster risk measures related to the products and services they handle. Human rights measures may include, for example, whether measures are in place to prevent child labor in the manufacturing of products (including not only the assembly of the product itself, but also the assembly of components that make up the product, the processing of materials (including raw materials, etc.) that make up each component, and all other processes related to the manufacturing of the product). Disaster risk measures may include whether measures are in place to prevent the manufacturing of products from being affected in the event of a disaster. In addition, as financial or non-financial data, any other information that the end-user company wishes to request from related companies may be included. For example, this may include various types of damage calculation-based environmental impact assessments, environmental information such as product carbon footprints related to climate change, biodiversity, land use, and raw material procurement related to natural resources, hazardous materials, waste management, and waste such as packaging materials and home appliances related to waste disposal, contained chemical substances, air pollutants, water quality, and soil contamination related to environmentally regulated substances, and other environmental information such as technology, energy, noise, vibration, and odor. Furthermore, information regarding society may include human rights related to human resources (child labor, forced labor, working hours, wages, labor rights, discrimination, etc.), labor management and occupational health and safety, human capital, safety and quality related to the safety of products and services, safety of each substance, privacy and data security, community relations, diversity, equity and inclusion, well-being and engagement, compliance and ethics, and other information related to society. In addition, information regarding governance may include ethics and legal compliance related to corporate conduct, anti-corruption, risk management and disaster response, tax transparency, and other information related to governance. Information regarding due diligence may also be included.

[0022] Location information may be included as one of the non-financial data items. An example of location information is coordinate values ​​in a geographic coordinate system (such as the Japanese Geodetic System, Japanese Geodetic System 2000, Japanese Geodetic System 2011, WSG84, etc.). Geographic coordinate values ​​are latitude and longitude. In addition, coordinate values ​​from various projected coordinate systems (plane rectangular coordinate system, UTM coordinate system, Web Mercator coordinate system) may be used as location information. Location information may also include height information, such as elevation, altitude, and sea level. Location information is not limited to coordinate values ​​that indicate a single point, but may also include country names, regional names, administrative division names, telephone area codes, postal codes, building names, etc. Country codes as defined in ISO 3166-1 may be used instead of country names. Regional names in Japan, for example, are Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku / Shikoku, and Kyushu. Administrative division names in Japan, for example, are prefecture names, county / designated city names, and city / ward / town / village names. You may use a prefecture code instead of a prefecture name, or an administrative area code consisting of a prefecture code and a municipal code instead of a city / ward / town / village name.

[0023] Non-financial data may include the following information regarding environmental impact: the amounts of by-products, NOx, SOx, BOD, COD, etc. from each of the above-mentioned usage amounts, the impact areas such as air pollution, air pollution, hazardous chemicals, ozone depletion, acidification, noise, global warming, photochemical oxidants, eutrophication, resource consumption, ecotoxicity, fuel consumption, land use, etc., human health based on damage assessment, social projections, biodiversity, primary production, and other protected entities, and the amounts derived using unit consumption factors.

[0024] Direct emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions (thousand tons of CO2) that fall under Scope 1 of so-called supply chain emissions. Indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions indirectly emitted by a company through energy purchases during a specified period (fiscal year, quarter, etc.). Indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions (thousand tons of CO2) that fall under Scope 2 of supply chain emissions. Other indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions from company activities that are not included in Scope 1 direct emissions or Scope 2 indirect emissions. Other indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions (thousand tons of CO2) that fall under Scope 3 of supply chain emissions.

[0025] The amount of carbon dioxide reduction represents the reduction from carbon dioxide emissions during the comparison period. The reduction may be shown separately for direct emissions, indirect emissions, and other indirect emissions. Instead of the reduction from the comparison period, the percentage change in emissions (e.g., a 10% reduction compared to the previous year) may be included in the non-financial data. Furthermore, the reduction contribution, which is the amount of reduction achieved per unit of product or service compared to the current carbon dioxide emissions of the product or service, the results of the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) at the product or service level, or the carbon dioxide emissions (carbon footprint) at the product or service level may also be included in the non-financial data.

[0026] As explained above, for companies to conduct sustainable business, they need to collect financial and non-financial data and disclose and report it appropriately. The core system that supports sustainable business is the Sustainability ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning) system. Sustainability ERP systems enable companies to collect financial and non-financial data precisely and in a short period of time. As a result, it becomes possible to disclose non-financial data simultaneously with financial data. Furthermore, by having the Sustainability ERP system manage financial and non-financial data, it becomes possible to ensure the reliability of the data that can withstand audits. The Sustainability ERP system and systems that work in conjunction with it will be described below.

[0027] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the information system configuration. The information system 100 is a system centered around the sustainability ERP system 10, and includes systems that link with the said system. The information system 100 includes the sustainability ERP system 10, user companies 20, information providing organizations 30, linking systems 40, formulation organizations 50, receiving organizations 60, cloud services 70, information sites 80, and stakeholders 90.

[0028] Sustainability ERP System 10 is a computer system that supports user companies in conducting sustainable business operations. Sustainability ERP System 10 collects financial and non-financial data related to user companies and discloses or submits the collected data either as is or after processing.

[0029] User company 20 is a company that uses the sustainability ERP system 10. In Figure 1, User company 20 more precisely refers to the computer or computer system used by User company 20. However, in this specification, the scope of User company 20 is broadly defined, and in addition to the company as an organization, it also includes the company's employees, the computers and computer systems used by the company, and so on. Furthermore, User company 20 may not refer to a single company, but rather to a corporate group including a holding company with many subsidiaries and its subsidiaries.

[0030] Information providers 30 are organizations that provide information necessary for operating the Sustainability ERP System 10. For example, the Ministry of the Environment, which provides emission factors necessary for calculating GHG emissions, is an example of an information provider 30. Similarly, the IDEA Lab of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), which creates the LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) database IDEA (Inventory Database for Environmental Analysis) and provides it through agents, is another example of an information provider 30. For convenience, agents providing IDEA are also included in the category of information providers 30.

[0031] Furthermore, information providers 30 are organizations that collect information from user companies 20 and provide the collected information upon request, primarily for a fee. It is assumed that information providers 30 have no conflict of interest with user companies 20. This is because the information collected and provided by information providers 30 must be fair and accurate. For example, credit rating agencies and think tanks are examples of information providers 30. Information providers 30 also include public institutions, NPOs (Nonprofit Organizations), and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that provide fair and accurate information free of charge or at low cost. The Japan Electric Power Data Management Association is an example of an information provider 30. Similar to user companies 20, information providers 30 refer not only to the organization itself, but also to its employees, computers, and computer systems used by the organization. The Financial Services Agency and EDINET, which is operated by the Financial Services Agency, are examples of information providers 30.

[0032] The linked system 40 communicates with the sustainability ERP system 10 and provides the sustainability ERP system 10 with data it possesses from user companies 20. The linked system 40 also receives data from user companies 20 from the sustainability ERP system 10. Data exchange between the sustainability ERP system 10 and the linked system 40 may be performed as needed via an API (Application Programmable Interface) or periodically via batch processing. Data exchange between the sustainability ERP system 10 and the linked system 40 may also be performed without using a network, by writing data to a recording medium, transporting the recording medium, and reading data from the recording medium. Note that a system provided by an information provider 30 can be the linked system 40. For example, the system that performs the electricity data provision service provided by the Japan Electric Power Data Management Association, which is an information provider 30, corresponds to the linked system 40.

[0033] The 50 regulatory bodies are organizations that develop disclosure standards. Disclosures include not only statutory and timely disclosures, but also disclosures required by non-profit organizations. Examples of the 50 regulatory bodies include the SSBJ (Sustainability Standards Board of Japan), EFRAG in Europe, the SEC (US Securities and Exchange Commission) in the United States, and international organizations such as the GHG Protocol Initiative, GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures), SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board), and ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board) established by the IFRS Foundation.

[0034] For example, disclosure standards include the SSBJ standards developed by the SSBJ, the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) developed by EFRAG, the Climate-related Disclosure Regulations developed by the SEC, the GHG Protocol developed by the GHG Protocol Initiative, the GRI standards developed by the GRI, the TCFD guidance developed by the TCFD, the SASB standards developed by the SASB, and the ISSB standards developed by the ISSB. In addition, the questionnaires prepared by the CDP can also be considered a type of disclosure standard.

[0035] The receiving organization 60 is an organization that receives financial and non-financial data from the user company 20 in accordance with disclosure standards. In addition to indicating the organization itself, the receiving organization 60 also indicates its employees, computers and computer systems used by the organization. The receiving organization 60 may also serve as the information provider 30. For example, the receiving organization 60 may be a CDP or EDINET. For convenience, auditors and audit firms that verify the validity of the financial and non-financial data of the user company 20 before disclosure are also included in the receiving organization 60.

[0036] Cloud services 70 are software and applications provided over the internet. Examples of cloud services 70 include SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). Examples of cloud services 70 include cloud storage for data storage, customer relationship management systems, sales management systems, attendance management systems, accounting systems, and generative AI.

[0037] Information Site 80 is a website that collects information from User Companies 20 and makes that information widely available. Information Site 80 also includes websites, bulletin boards, and blogs operated by news organizations and PR (Public Solutions) companies. The difference between Information Site 80 and Information Providers 30 is that the information it publishes is a mix of reliable and unreliable sources.

[0038] Stakeholders 90 are defined as stakeholders of User Company 20 who are interested in the information to be disclosed. Examples include shareholders of User Company 20 and institutional investors who have invested in or plan to invest in User Company 20. Local communities that have various influences on User Company 20's business activities are also considered stakeholders. Furthermore, employees of User Company 20 and companies with which User Company 20 has business relationships are also stakeholders.

[0039] Next, we will reiterate the involvement of the supply chain in the collection of non-financial data. As mentioned above, Scope 3 of GHG emissions refers to carbon dioxide emissions from corporate activities that are not included in Scope 1 direct emissions or Scope 2 indirect emissions. Therefore, user company 20, as a member of the supply chain, needs to receive non-financial data from upstream companies in the supply chain and pass on this non-financial data to downstream companies. If upstream and downstream companies use the sustainability ERP system 10 on a limited basis at the request of user company 20, without paying any usage fees, we will include upstream and downstream companies in user company 20.

[0040] Next, we will illustrate the hierarchical structure of corporate groups used in the explanations in this specification. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a hierarchy of multiple companies. Figure 4 shows a group of companies with A (ESG Trading Co., Ltd.) at the top of the hierarchy. Hierarchy 1 represents the top company of the corporate group. The top company is a company called a holding company. A holding company is the core parent company of a group, established to control multiple corporate groups as a corporate group. It holds shares in each company for the purpose of controlling the corporate groups within the group.

[0041] Tier 2 represents companies directly below Tier 1. Tier 2 consists of two companies: B (Food Sales Co., Ltd.) and C (Industrial Resources Co., Ltd.). Tier 3 represents companies directly below Tier 2. D (ABC Ham) and E (AB Foods) are directly below B (Food Sales Co., Ltd.). F (ABC Metals), G, and H are directly below C (Industrial Resources Co., Ltd.). Tier 4 represents companies directly below Tier 3. I and J are directly below E (ABC Metals).

[0042] Figure 2 shows the hierarchical structure between companies, illustrating relationships such as holding companies, headquarters, subsidiaries, sub-subsidiaries, affiliates, and overseas offices. Note that the hierarchical structure in the Sustainability ERP System 10 may be a convenient structure for data collection and does not necessarily have to perfectly match the dominance relationships between companies, organizations, or groups. In the hierarchical structure, the group directly above a given group is called the parent group, and the group directly below a given group is called the child group.

[0043] Although not shown in Figure 2, the hierarchical structure may include the internal organizational structure of a company (headquarters, business divisions, departments, etc.). It may also show connections between any other organizations (associations, national and local governments, etc.).

[0044] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an organizational hierarchy within a company. Figure 3 shows an example of the organizational hierarchy of ABC Ham. In Figure 2, ABC Ham was located at level 3, so this is followed here. Level 4 shows the head office, sales division, manufacturing division, etc. In organizational charts, there are notations that do not include the head office in level 3, but in this case, the head office is intentionally included in level 4. ABC Ham at level 3 represents the head office department that performs the function of aggregating and managing data collected from all over the company. The head office shown at level 4 is the department that collects data from various head office departments such as the general affairs department, human resources department, and accounting department. At level 5, under the sales division, the Hokkaido / Tohoku branch, Kanto branch, Tokyo sales office, etc., are shown. The Takasaki factory is shown under the manufacturing division.

[0045] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a supply chain structure. It shows that ABC Ham procures raw materials and packaging materials for products such as ham from meat wholesalers, seasoning manufacturers, flavoring manufacturers, packaging material manufacturers, etc. It also shows that ABC Ham sells its products to food wholesalers and supermarket (market) chains. As shown in Figure 4, when ABC Ham collects data using the Sustainability ERP System 10, it needs to receive data from downstream companies such as meat wholesalers, seasoning manufacturers, flavoring manufacturers, and packaging material manufacturers. As mentioned above, when a downstream company performs an assessment and inputs its own data into the Sustainability ERP System 10 at the request of ABC Ham, the downstream company is considered a user company 20. Also, when an upstream company that requested data from ABC Ham accesses the Sustainability ERP System 10 and refers to ABC Ham's data, the upstream company is considered a user company 20.

[0046] Next, we will explain the procedures for data collection and disclosure using the Sustainability ERP System 10. Here, we assume a process in which non-financial data is entered at each location, the entered non-financial data is aggregated and processed to create a report, and the created report is disclosed. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the data collection and disclosure procedure. First, the overall administrator or administrator performs the initial setup (Step S1). The initial setup involves setting up the company and location, and creating and managing accounts such as those of data entry personnel. It also involves setting the items (data type, section, item, type, unit) of company and location information to be entered by data entry personnel. Furthermore, the approval flow is set up.

[0047] At each location, data entry personnel enter the data (Step S2). Once data entry is complete, the data entry personnel submit the data. Submission can be done on a per-data-type basis. When the data entry personnel submit the data, the data status changes from "input" to "submitted." The submitted data is reviewed by end-users with review authority (reviewers) and approved by end-users with approval authority (approvers) (Step S3). Reviewers and approvers may be the same person or different. Also, only reviewed data may be approved, or unreviewed data may also be approved. In this case, it is desirable to ensure the accuracy and validity of the data by setting restrictions such as not being able to finalize unreviewed data. If a reviewer or approver finds any deficiencies in the data content and prompts the data entry personnel to review it, they will send it back for review. When data is sent back, the data status temporarily changes to "returned" and then to "input," which allows the data entry personnel to input and correct the data. In the flowchart shown in Figure 5, this returns to Step S2.

[0048] Once the status of all data types is confirmed and approved, the data is finalized and the report is created (Step S4). The report to be created is a report such as an integrated report or a sustainability report. Securities reports, which include financial and non-financial data, are also included in the report. In addition to the content and format of the report to be unique to the user company20, it is desirable that reports conforming to multiple disclosure standards can also be created. Furthermore, a data format that is easy for computers to handle, such as XBRL, can be used for the report.

[0049] Finally, output the completed report (Step S5). Output includes displaying it on the screen, printing it out on paper, submitting it as a printed document to the receiving institution 60, or transmitting it electronically. Simply storing the completed report on a storage device such as a hard disk is also included in output.

[0050] Next, we will describe the database used by the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a company database. The company database 121 stores information about companies. The company database 121 includes a company ID column, a name column, a hierarchy code column, and a memo column. The company ID column stores a company ID that can uniquely identify a company. The name column stores the name of the company. The hierarchy code column stores a hierarchy code that indicates the hierarchy in which the company is located. For example, the hierarchy code for ABC Ham is . is the company ID for ABC Ham. The slash ( / ) separates the hierarchy to the left, indicating the company one level up, Food Sales Co., Ltd. Further to the left of that, B indicates the company one level up, ESG Trading Co., Ltd. Since there is no code to the left of , it can be seen that ESG Trading Co., Ltd. is at the top level. In this way, by generating a hierarchy code for a company (group) at a certain level, placing the company ID of that company after the hierarchy code of its parent company (parent group), it is possible to generate an infinite number of hierarchies while maintaining the links between companies, excluding physical constraints, etc., and to represent the hierarchy of many companies in a unified manner. The memo column is used to store notes and other information about the company. Note that the hierarchy code is an example of a group ID.

[0051] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a location database. Location DB122 stores information about locations. Locations are assumed to be branches, sales offices, or factories. Locations are organizations that have a large amount of information about the collected data. Location DB122 includes columns for Location ID, Hierarchy Code, Location Name, Country, Company ID, Business, Area, and Location Type. The Location ID column stores a location ID that uniquely identifies the location. The Hierarchy Code column stores a hierarchy code that indicates the location of the location in the hierarchical structure. The Location Name column stores the name of the location. The Country column stores the name of the country where the location is located. The Country column may also store the country code specified in ISO 3166-1. The Company ID column stores the company ID of the company to which the location belongs. The Business column stores the business type of the location, for example, a business office, a factory, etc. The Area column stores the region where the location is located. In the example shown in Figure 7, Tokyo is not included in the Kanto area, so the area of ​​the Tokyo sales office is listed as Tokyo, not Kanto. The "Location Type" column stores the type of location, such as "directly under headquarters" or "outside headquarters."

[0052] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an account database. Account DB123 stores account information and end-user information. Account DB123 includes columns for ID, display name, email address, company ID, and permissions. The ID column stores an ID that uniquely identifies the end-user. The display name column stores the account name, such as the end-user's job title or name. The email address column stores the end-user's email address. The company ID column stores the company ID of the company to which the end-user belongs. The permissions column stores the permissions granted to the end-user. For example, permissions may include "Global Management," "Management," "Approval," "Verification," and "Input Only." "Global Management" indicates the authority to manage accounts within a company group and manage the permission roles corresponding to each account. "Management" allows changes to accounts within a company group and changes to the permission roles corresponding to each account. "Management" does not allow adding accounts or permission roles. "Approval" allows approval of collected data. "Verification" allows verification of collected data. "Input Only" refers to an end-user account responsible only for inputting collected data, and the scope of input can be configured. The scope of authority is limited to the end-user's department and its subordinate departments. A range column may be added to account DB123 to explicitly store the scope of authority. For example, possible ranges include "including subsidiaries" and "company only." When combining multiple permissions, or when the scope of permissions does not match the organizational structure, permissions may be set individually. For example, the permission column may store the name of the individual permission, "Role 1." The Role DB (not shown) stores what permissions are granted to the permission named "Role 1."

[0053] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input status database. It stores the status of collected data entered at each location. Input Status DB124 includes columns for Location ID, Year, Month, Data Type, Status, and Last Operation Date. The Location ID column stores the location ID. The Year column stores the target year for the collected data. The Month column stores the target month for the collected data. The Data Type column stores the data type. A data type represents a group of multiple data items. The Status column stores the status of the collected data. Statuses include Input, Submitted, Under Review, Reviewed, Approved, etc. The Last Operation Date column stores the last date on which an operation was performed on the data type. Operations include Submission, Review, Approval, Return, etc.

[0054] Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input database. Input DB 125 stores the collected data entered at each location. Input DB 125 includes columns for Location ID, Year, Month, Data Type, Section, Item, Type, Unit, and Value. The Location ID column stores the Location ID. The Year column stores the target year for the collected data. The Month column stores the target month for the collected data. The Data Type column stores the data type. The Section column stores data classifications below the Data Type. The Item column stores the name that represents the data. The Type column stores the type of the entered value. The Unit column stores the unit of the entered value. The Value column stores the entered value. Records in Input DB 125 are created when an administrator of each company group, or an end user with global management privileges as an account type, sets the data to be collected for each location. When a record is created, the Value column is set to empty.

[0055] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an approval database. Approval DB 126 stores the approval tasks and approval history of collected data. An approval task for collected data refers to the business of approving the collected data. Approval DB 126 includes columns for location ID, year, month, data type, approval hierarchy, approver ID, approval date and time, and result. The location ID column stores the location ID of the location where the collected data to be approved or approved was entered. The year column stores the target year of the collected data. The month column stores the target month of the collected data. The data type column stores the data type of the collected data. The approval hierarchy column stores the hierarchy code of the hierarchy to be approved or the hierarchy to which approval was performed. The approver ID column stores the user ID of the end user who approved. The approval date and time column stores the date and time of approval. The result column stores the result. When an approver approves, the result column stores the approval. When an approver rejects the data, the result column stores the rejection. For records representing approval tasks, the values ​​in the Approver ID, Approval Date & Time, and Result columns will be blank or fixed values ​​indicating that the task is not approved (e.g., "None" in the example in Figure 11).

[0056] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the Verification DB 127. The Verification DB 127 stores the verification history. The verification history is a record of whether the contents of the collected data entered at each location were correct. It includes columns for Location ID, Year, Month, Data Type, Verification Hierarchy, Verifier ID, and Verification Date and Time. The Location ID column stores the Location ID of the location where the verified collected data was entered. The Year column stores the target year of the collected data. The Month column stores the target month of the collected data. The Data Type column stores the data type of the collected data. The Verification Hierarchy column stores the hierarchy code of the hierarchy in which the verification was performed. The Verifier ID column stores the User ID of the end user who performed the verification. The Verification Date and Time column stores the date and time of the verification.

[0057] The databases described above are necessary when performing the collection and disclosure operations shown in Figure 5 using the Sustainability ERP System 10, but are not limited to these. For example, if a function implemented in the Sustainability ERP System 10 is removed, unnecessary databases may be created. Also, if the functions implemented in the Sustainability ERP System 10 are changed, the schema of the databases described above may need to be changed. Furthermore, adding functions to the Sustainability ERP System 10 may require new databases other than those described above.

[0058] While the traditional design involves placing the database physically on the server computers that constitute the Sustainability ERP System 10, it is clear that this is not the only option. The database may be distributed and stored across multiple database servers. The database may also be stored in cloud storage. In any case, as long as the database described above is appropriately available within the Sustainability ERP System 10, there are no special constraints regarding its physical placement.

[0059] There are several possible forms of database management privileges, depending on the database management policy. In the following explanation, the term "instance" is used, and in this specification, it refers to the following: An instance is an execution environment that integrates the physical and logical resources of a database and performs database operations. An instance provides a set of processes and resources for accessing and manipulating the data stored in the database. An instance manages access privileges to the database and user authentication. This prevents unauthorized access to and manipulation of data.

[0060] This specification describes three implementation forms of the Sustainability ERP System 10, focusing primarily on the nature of instances: the 2-Tier type, the Global Single Instance type, and the Flexible Global Single Instance type. Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the Sustainability ERP System 10's form. Figure 13 shows the 2-Tier type. In the 2-Tier type, the parent company (holding company) and its subsidiaries each build an ERP system with a database linked to a different instance. Each database is independent, and the database used by the subsidiary is managed and operated by the subsidiary. The parent company is not permitted to freely access the subsidiary's database, and access or data transmission is limited to the extent permitted by mutual agreement. From the perspective of data collection, the parent company prepares a company-wide global template and distributes it to the subsidiaries. Subsidiaries create their own customized templates by adding content for the data they collect to the global template. Since the global template corresponds to the data that the parent company should collect from the subsidiaries, subsidiaries are not permitted to change the content of the global template. Subsidiaries deploy their own templates internally. The subsidiary stores and utilizes the collected data in its own database, and transmits data collected according to a global template to the parent company.

[0061] The advantages of adopting a 2-Tier model are as follows: Subsidiaries can manage the databases they use themselves and customize the templates for collected data, enabling the construction and deployment of highly scalable systems. Furthermore, since the uniqueness of the subsidiary is reflected in the system's form, it is expected to reduce resistance from business personnel and overseas subsidiaries with differing values ​​when the parent company collects various data from the subsidiary via the Sustainability ERP System 10.

[0062] The disadvantages of adopting a 2-Tier model are as follows: The parent company needs to collect data from databases managed by each subsidiary, which increases the processing load for data collection in the parent company's ERP system. In addition, since each subsidiary manages its own database and collects data using its own templates, the sustainability ERP system as a whole will have multiple master data and applications, which is expected to increase management and maintenance costs. Ultimately, a 2-Tier sustainability ERP system is equivalent to operating and maintaining multiple information infrastructures across the entire corporate group, and is therefore considered to have little economies of scale.

[0063] Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 14 shows the Global Single Instance type. In the Global Single Instance type, the parent company and its subsidiaries access the database using a single common instance. In the Global Single Instance type, the content and format of the collected data are defined by company-wide global requirements (global template) established by the parent company. The parent company also operates and manages the database with a common schema and stores the data collected from multiple subsidiaries in that database. Note that the database may contain multiple tables.

[0064] The advantages of adopting a Global Single Instance (GST) architecture are as follows: Since the entire company uses a database with a common schema, operation and management of data in a single format and a single application are handled, reducing the effort required for operation and management. Because a single information infrastructure is operated and maintained, costs are relatively lower.

[0065] The disadvantages of adopting a Global Single Instance model are as follows: Since the parent company is involved in all aspects of data management and operation, significant resistance is expected from business personnel and overseas subsidiaries with differing values. When the Sustainability ERP System 10 is shut down, it is difficult to partially limit the impact on end users. Therefore, even for maintenance purposes, the number of downtimes must be small and the duration short, making stable operation and the necessary maintenance work difficult. As a system configuration, while the parent company can strengthen governance over its subsidiaries, it is necessary to ensure sufficient independence between companies in terms of technology and operation to prevent excessive interference from the parent company or unnecessary data access between subsidiaries.

[0066] Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing other examples of the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 15 shows the Flexible Global Single Instance type. The Flexible Global Single Instance type is an extension of the Global Single Instance type. The parent company and subsidiaries use one instance, but it is possible to create a data area in the database that is accessible only to each subsidiary. In terms of data collection, similar to the 2-Tier type, a company-wide global template prepared by the parent company is customized and deployed by the subsidiary. Among the collected data, the subsidiary writes the data collected according to the global template to an area that is also accessible to the parent company. Among the collected data, data collected independently by the subsidiary is stored in a database area accessible only to the subsidiary (hereinafter also referred to as the "proprietary area").

[0067] The advantages of adopting the Flexible Global Single Instance model are as follows: Similar to the Global Single Instance model, the entire company uses a database with a common schema, resulting in a single data format and a single application for operation and management, thus reducing the man-hours required for operation and management. Since a single information infrastructure is operated and maintained, costs are relatively lower. Also, unlike the Global Single Instance model, subsidiaries can store data they collect independently in their own areas, so it is expected that there will be less resistance from overseas subsidiaries with different business personnel and values.

[0068] The disadvantages of adopting the Flexible Global Single Instance type are as follows: Similar to the Global Single Instance type, the number of downtime instances and the duration of downtime must be kept to a minimum, making stable operation and the necessary maintenance work difficult. Since the parent company and subsidiary use a single instance, the parent company's system administrator can change the access rights to the subsidiary's private area, allowing the parent company to access it. While parent company access to the subsidiary's private area contributes to strengthening the parent company's governance, it may undermine the subsidiary's independence. Therefore, changes to access rights should not be permitted in principle and should only be applied in the event of a predetermined emergency.

[0069] Of the three implementation forms of the Sustainability ERP System 10 described above, the choice of which type to select should be determined by the user company 20's specific needs and requirements. This concludes our overview of the Sustainability ERP System 10, which helps user companies 20 to conduct sustainable business practices. Next, we will provide a more detailed explanation of the Sustainability ERP System 10.

[0070] First, let's describe the server 1 and terminal 2, which are components of the sustainability ERP system 10. Server 1 uses the database mentioned above to perform information processing to realize the functions provided by the sustainability ERP system 10. It then transmits the information to terminal 2. Server 1 can consist of a server computer, workstation, PC (Personal Computer), etc. Alternatively, Server 1 may be configured as a multicomputer consisting of multiple computers, a virtual machine virtually constructed by software, or a quantum computer. The functions performed by Server 1 may be distributed among multiple computers. Furthermore, the functions of Server 1 may be implemented as a cloud service.

[0071] Figure 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of Server 1. Server 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a read unit 14. Each component is connected by bus B.

[0072] The control unit 11 has one or more arithmetic processing units such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The control unit 11 reads and executes a program 1P (program product) stored in the storage unit 12, thereby performing various information processing, control processing, etc. related to the server 1 and realizing various functional units.

[0073] The storage unit 12 is composed of SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), flash memory, or a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 12 temporarily stores the data necessary for the control unit 11 to perform calculations. The storage unit 12 also stores the program 1P necessary for the control unit 11 to perform the processing. Some or all of the above-mentioned DB may be stored in the storage unit 12.

[0074] The communication unit 13 communicates with terminal 2 via network N. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may use the communication unit 16 to download program 1P from another computer via network N or the like and store it in the storage unit 12.

[0075] The reading unit 14 reads a portable storage medium 1a, including CD (Compact Disc)-ROM and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)-ROM. The control unit 11 may read program 1P from the portable storage medium 1a via the reading unit 14 and store it in the storage unit 12. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may download program 1P from another computer via a network N or the like and store it in the storage unit 12. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may read program 1P from a semiconductor memory (not shown).

[0076] Terminal 2 is a terminal used by end users. End users are employees or staff of corporations, organizations, etc. Depending on their role and authority, end users may be referred to as inputters, approvers, verifiers, etc.

[0077] Figure 17 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a terminal. Terminal 2 consists of a notebook computer, panel computer, tablet computer, smartphone, etc. Terminal 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, an input unit 24, and a display unit 25. Each component is connected by bus B.

[0078] The control unit 21 has one or more arithmetic processing units such as CPUs, MPUs, and GPUs. The control unit 21 provides various functions by reading and executing programs 2P (program products) stored in the storage unit 22.

[0079] The storage unit 22 is composed of SRAM, DRAM, flash memory, or a hard disk or SSD. The storage unit 22 temporarily stores data necessary for the control unit 21 to perform calculations. The storage unit 22 also stores the program 2P and various databases necessary for the control unit 21 to perform processing. The various databases stored in the storage unit 22 may be stored in a database server or cloud storage.

[0080] The communication unit 23 communicates with the server 1 via the network N. Alternatively, the control unit 21 may use the communication unit 23 to download program 2P from another computer via the network N or the like and store it in the storage unit 22.

[0081] The input unit 24 is a keyboard or mouse. The display unit 25 includes a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel, etc. The display unit 25 displays reports output by the server 1. Alternatively, the input unit 24 and the display unit 25 may be integrated to form a touch panel display. The terminal 2 may also display information on an external display device.

[0082] This specification describes a function in the Sustainability ERP system 10 that allows reviewers to add comments to collected data entered at each location of the user company 20. The same applies when approvers add comments when returning data for review. Data is returned for review when the reviewer, who is responsible for reviewing the collected data, is unable to mark it as reviewed, or when the approver, who is responsible for approving the collected data, determines that they cannot approve it. Upon return, the collected data is returned to a reviewer or approver lower in rank than the reviewer or approver, or to the person responsible for data entry. Simply returning data for review does not provide an explanation of the reason, so the reviewer or approver who returns the data can use the comment function to notify the reason for the return. Comments refer to text exchanged between end users, regardless of their content. For example, comments can be categorized into correction requests, replies to those requests, questions, replies to those questions, progress checks, replies to those questions, and others. A reply is an example of a response message. Each individual sentence is counted as one comment, and if a reply comment is attached to a correction request comment, the number of comments becomes 2.

[0083] Figure 18 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a comment database. Comment DB 128 stores comments added by the verifier or approver. Comment DB 128 includes columns for comment ID, location ID, year, month, data type, section, item, creator, destination hierarchy, and comment. The comment ID column stores a comment ID that uniquely identifies the comment. The location ID column stores the location ID. The year column stores the target year for the collected data. The month column stores the target month for the collected data. The data type column stores the data type. The section column stores data classifications lower than the data type. The item column stores the name that indicates the data. The creator column stores the user ID of the end user who created the comment. The destination hierarchy column stores the hierarchy code of the hierarchy to which the comment is headed. For example, when returning collected data to the location where it was entered, if there are multiple data entry personnel at that location, this ensures that any of them can handle it. The comment column stores comments entered by the verifier or approver. In Comment DB128, the ID used to identify an item with a comment is a join key obtained by combining the values ​​in the Item column from the Location ID column. This join key is an example of an item ID. Also, the record in Comment DB128 shown in Figure 18 is an example of confirmation information.

[0084] Additionally, a "Destination User ID" column may be added to Comment DB128 to allow specifying the end user to be the destination. If multiple user IDs are stored in the "Destination User ID" column, it is possible to specify multiple end users as destinations. If a specific end user is not to be the destination, the "Destination User ID" column may be left empty if a value is set in the "Destination Hierarchy" column. While it is acceptable for the "Destination Hierarchy" column to be empty if a value is set in the "Destination User ID" column, this is undesirable because it would make it difficult for other end users to handle situations where the intended end user changes departments due to personnel changes or is absent for an extended period.

[0085] Next, we will explain the procedures for entering and viewing comments using screen examples. Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen. Confirmation screen d01 is a screen for the verifier to check the collected data entered at the site. The verifier can add comments to each item. The procedure is as follows: The verifier clicks menu d011 in the comment column with the mouse. Clicking will display the pull-down menu d012, so the verifier selects the menu "Add Comment". When the verifier selects "Add Comment", the comment screen will be displayed.

[0086] Figure 20 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a comment screen. The comment screen d02 (window) is used to view previously entered comments and to enter comments. The comment screen d02 includes a display area d021, a selection area d022, an input area d023, and a confirmation button d024. The display area d021 displays comments that have already been entered. In the example of Figure 20, there are no comments that have already been entered. The selection area d022 is for selecting the type of comment to enter. The input area d023 is for entering comments. When the confirmation button d024 is operated, the comment entered in the input area d023 is confirmed. The comment screen d02 is also closed.

[0087] Figure 21 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a confirmation screen. The screen configuration of confirmation screen d01 shown in Figure 21 is almost the same as the screen shown in Figure 19. There are the following differences: A comment has been added to the item (data item) "Non-industrial steam (if the operator is unknown)", so 1 is displayed in the comment number sequence for that item. Accordingly, the pull-down menu d013 that appears when menu d011 is clicked with the mouse is different from the pull-down menu d012 shown in Figure 19. In pull-down menu d013, "Add Comment" is unavailable, while "Edit Comment" and "Delete Comment" are available. Confirmation screen d01 shown in Figure 21 is intended to be displayed after the verifier has entered a comment, so it is not intended to be used to add comments as a separate thread, and therefore "Add Comment" is unavailable. By selecting "Edit Comment", the verifier can review the comment they have already entered. By selecting "Delete Comment", the verifier can delete the comment they have already entered.

[0088] Figure 22 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input screen. Input screen d03 is the screen used by the data entry person responsible for inputting the collected data. Input screen d03 shown in Figure 22 is displayed when the reviewer has returned the data with comments. The data entry person checks the comments from input screen d03 and enters their response. Specifically, the data entry person clicks menu d031 with the mouse, selects "Input" from the pull-down menu d032 that appears, and enters their response. The screen for entering the response is the same as the comment screen d02 shown in Figure 20, so the illustration and explanation are omitted. Also, if the data entry person wants to check the content of the comments from the reviewer before entering their response, they select "Display" from the pull-down menu d032. When "Display" is selected, a reference screen showing the entered comments is displayed. This reference screen is the same as the comment screen d02, but the input area d023 is displayed in an unusable state. Note that from the perspective of the functionality required of the screen, the above reference screen is not necessarily required, so the pull-down menu d032 may only display "Input".

[0089] Figure 23 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of an input screen. The input screen d03 shown in Figure 23 is displayed after the input screen d03 shown in Figure 22 has been displayed, the input person has entered a comment, and the input of that comment has been completed. In the input screen d03 shown in Figure 22, the number of comments for the item "Non-industrial steam (if the business operator is unknown)" was 1, whereas in the input screen d03 shown in Figure 23, it has increased to 2.

[0090] Next, we will explain the information processing performed by the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 24 is a flowchart showing an example of the comment input procedure. When a reviewer finds an item that they believe requires a comment by referring to the confirmation screen d01, they click the menu d011 in the comment column with the mouse and select "Add Comment". The control unit 21 of terminal 2 displays the comment screen d02 (step S11). The reviewer enters a comment on the comment screen d02. The control unit 21 accepts the comment (step S12). When the reviewer operates the confirmation button d024, the control unit 21 sends the accepted comment to server 1 (step S13). At this time, the control unit 21 adds the user ID of the reviewer who entered the comment, the hierarchical code of the department to which the reviewer belongs, the name of the item to which the comment is attached, etc., before sending the comment. The control unit 11 of server 1 receives the comment (step S14). The control unit 11 stores the comment in the comment DB 128 (step S15). The control unit 11 sends the updated confirmation screen d01 with the comment count to the terminal 2 (step S16). The control unit 21 of the terminal 2 receives and displays the updated confirmation screen d01 (step S17). The control unit 21 terminates processing.

[0091] Figure 25 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the comment editing / deletion procedure. The comment editing / deletion procedure is performed when the verifier edits or deletes a comment they have entered. The verifier selects "Edit Comment" or "Delete Comment" from the pull-down menu d013. The control unit 21 of terminal 2 receives a command corresponding to the selected menu (step S21). The control unit 21 determines whether the received command is for editing (comment) or not (step S22). If the control unit 21 determines that the received command is not for editing (NO in step S22), it proceeds to step S31. If the control unit 21 determines that the received command is for editing (YES in step S22), it displays the editing screen (step S23). The verifier edits the comment. The control unit 21 receives the edited content (step S24). The control unit 21 sends the edited content to server 1 (step S25). The control unit 11 of server 1 receives the edited content (step S26). The control unit 11 updates the comment DB 128 (step S27). The control unit 11 sends a message to terminal 2 indicating that the update is complete (step S28). The control unit 21 of terminal 2 receives the message that it is complete (step S29). The control unit 21 returns the process to step S21. The verifier performs either an operation to roll back the data type including the item with the comment, or an operation to send the comment. The control unit 21 accepts the command corresponding to the operation (step S21). The operation to roll back also includes the meaning of sending a comment. The control unit 21 determines NO in step S22. The control unit 21 determines whether the command is to delete the comment or not (step S30). If the control unit 21 determines that the command is to delete (YES in step S30), it sends a message to server 1 to delete the comment in step S25. The control unit 11 of server 1 performs the process of deleting the comment in steps S26 to S28. If the control unit 21 determines that the command is not to delete (NO in step S30), it determines whether to send the comment or not (step S31). If the control unit 21 determines that it is not sending a comment (NO in step S31), it returns to step S21. If the control unit 21 determines that it is sending a comment (YES in step S31), it sends a comment sending instruction to server 1 (step S32).At this time, the control unit 21 also sends information, such as a flag, indicating whether it is simply instructing the submission of a comment or whether it should also be rejected. Only approvers can reject comments, but verifiers may also be allowed to reject them. The control unit 11 of server 1 receives the submission instruction (step S33). The control unit 11 performs notification processing (step S34) and terminates the process.

[0092] Figure 26 is a flowchart showing an example of the notification processing procedure. The control unit 11 of server 1 groups unsent comments by recipient (step S41). The recipient is either an end user or a hierarchical code. The control unit 11 selects the group to be processed (step S42). The control unit 11 creates a notification message that combines the comments included in the selected group (step S43). If combining multiple comments without editing would result in a long message, a digest summarizing parts of each comment may be used as the notification message. The control unit 11 sends the created notification message to the recipient (step S44). Messages are sent using email or SMS (Short Message Service). The control unit 11 determines whether there are any unprocessed groups (step S45). If the control unit 11 determines that there are unprocessed groups (YES in step S45), it returns to step S42 to process the unprocessed groups. If the control unit 11 determines that there are no unprocessed groups (NO in step S45), it returns to the caller.

[0093] Figure 27 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the response input process. The response input process is performed when an end-user who has received a comment addressed to themselves or their department enters a response. Here, it is assumed that the person responsible for inputting the response enters the response. Upon receiving notification that a comment has been added, the person responsible for inputting the response displays the input screen d03 on terminal 2. The person responsible for inputting the response selects "Input" or "Display" from the pull-down menu d032. The control unit 21 of terminal 2 receives a command corresponding to the person responsible for inputting the response (step S51). The control unit 21 determines whether the command is "Input" or not (step S52). If the control unit 21 determines that the command is "Input" (YES in step S52), it displays the input screen (step S53). The person responsible for inputting the response checks the comment addressed to themselves or their department and enters the response. The control unit 21 accepts the response (step S54). The control unit 21 sends the accepted response to server 1 (step S55). The control unit 11 of server 1 receives the response (step S56). The control unit 11 stores the response in the comment DB 128 (step S57). Note that the response here is simply a response to a comment whose content has already been entered, but as data handled by the computer, it is a comment. The control unit 11 sends a message to terminal 2 indicating that the response has been received (step S58). The control unit 21 of terminal 2 receives the message (step S59). The control unit 21 terminates processing.

[0094] If the control unit 21 determines that the command is not "input" (NO in step S52), it determines whether the command is "display" (step S60). If the control unit 21 determines that the command is not "display" (NO in step S60), it terminates the process. If the control unit 21 determines that the command is "display" (YES in step S60), it displays a display screen showing the already entered comments (step S61) and terminates the process.

[0095] In the response input process, it is desirable not to notify the recipient of each response (comment) each time it is entered. When the input person has entered all the responses to the comments attached to multiple items and has operated the "Comment Complete" button displayed on the input screen, Server 1 executes the notification process described with reference to Figure 26. If the collected data has been returned, Server 1 may execute the notification process when the input person performs the resubmission operation. Similarly, if the data has been returned from a higher-level approver to a lower-level approver, Server 1 may, through the notification process, notify the lower-level approver about the comments they have made when they re-approve the data.

[0096] In the above explanation, it is assumed that the user adding the comment is the reviewer, but the same applies when the approver is the one making the comment.

[0097] The above embodiment provides the following effects: Since the reviewer (approver) can open the input screen from the review screen and add comments, there is no need to record the content to be commented on, and the review (approval) process can be performed efficiently. In addition, since comments can be added to each item, the reviewer (approver) does not need to mention the item being commented on in the comment text. Although comments can be added to each item, notifications of comments being added are not sent sequentially each time a comment is added, but rather sent in batches to each comment recipient after the reviewer (approver) has completed a review. This allows the end user to understand all the items with comments and then input responses to each comment. Furthermore, since comments are attached to each item and can be viewed on the input screen, even if data correction is necessary, the person in charge of data entry can proceed from referring to comments to correcting the data without significant burden.

[0098] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0099] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order.

[0100] Furthermore, aspects of each embodiment can be embodied in whole or in part by a computer. For example, a program installed on such a computer may cause the computer to function as an operation associated with an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, or as one or more "parts" of such apparatus. Alternatively, the program may cause the computer to execute such operation or one or more "parts." The program may cause the computer to execute a process or a stage of such process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such a program may be executed by the CPU to cause the computer to execute a particular operation associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 100: Information Systems 10: Sustainability ERP System 20: User companies 30: Information Providers 40: Integration System 50: Formulation body 60: Receiving Institution 70: Cloud Services 80: Information site 90: Stakeholders 1: Server 11: Control Unit 12: Storage section 121: Corporate DB 122: Branch Database 123: Account DB 124: Input Status DB 125: Input DB 126: Approval DB 127: Confirmation DB 13: Communications Department 14: Reading section 16: Communications Department 1P: Program 1a: Portable storage medium 2: Terminal 2P: Program 21: Control Unit 22: Storage section 23: Communications Department 24: Input section 25:Display section B: Bus N: Network

Claims

1. A computer that can access a storage unit that stores collected data from various locations, including multiple data items, Confirmation information is obtained, which includes the item ID of the data item included in the collected data and the comment attached to the data item. Identify the data entry person at the aforementioned location who entered the data items included in the aforementioned confirmation information. Send the confirmation information to the identified input person. An information processing method that performs a process.

2. If multiple pieces of the aforementioned confirmation information are obtained, the confirmation information will be compiled for each identified input person. The compiled multiple pieces of the aforementioned confirmation information are sent to each of the aforementioned input personnel. The information processing method according to claim 1.

3. On the input screen for the collected data, the number of comments attached to the data item is displayed. The information processing method according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The input screen will display the comment when an operation is performed on the menu of the data item to which the comment is attached. The information processing method according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned comment is displayed in a window separate from the input screen, and this window allows for the input of a reply message to the comment. The information processing method according to claim 4.

6. As a result of the submission operation on the input screen, the reply message is obtained, Send the aforementioned reply message to the person who added the aforementioned comment. The information processing method according to claim 5.

7. A computer that can access a storage unit that stores collected data from various locations, which includes multiple data items, Confirmation information is obtained, which includes the item ID of the data item included in the collected data and the comment attached to the data item. Identify the data entry person at the aforementioned location who entered the data items included in the aforementioned confirmation information. Send the confirmation information to the identified input person. An information processing program that executes a process.

8. An information processing device that includes multiple data items, has access to a storage unit that stores collected data gathered from a location, and is equipped with a control unit, The control unit, Confirmation information is obtained, which includes the item ID of the data item included in the collected data and the comment attached to the data item. Identify the data entry person at the aforementioned location who entered the data items included in the aforementioned confirmation information. Send the confirmation information to the identified input person. An information processing device that performs processing.

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