Dun & Bradstreet Software Services, Inc.

Julia C Walker

David M Anglin

Vernon J Adams

Michael T Nugent

Kevin P Kleinfelter

Robert S Diebboll

Chauncey E Wilson

Leonard J Conte

Kenneth Dale Arnett

Heidi S Quinn

Sandra B McAllister

Jonathan H Eddy

S Jay Chang

Steven Clark Ellis

Russell M Lowe

David J Caruso

A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating end user support communications in a computing environment, wherein a product request may be initiated, and forwarded to a product administrator for review and resolution. The product request may be either initiated by the end user, or may automatically be initiated by the end user's computer in response to a serious error. In the latter case, diagnostic information is automatically captured and included in the product request, so that the product administrator may know the state of the end user's machine when determining the cause of the problem. In one embodiment, if the product administrator is unable to resolve the problem, he may access a database maintained by the vendor of the software and/or forward the product request to the vendor for resolution.

Method and apparatus for facilitating customer service communications in

A new computerized information flow technology is provided where information in an organization may be logically and automatically routed through a predefined sequence of activities to users who need the information. A user selects an activity from a list of available activities revealed by the computer system of the present invention. Upon the user completing the activity, the computer system selects an event associated with the activity. The event then performs a decision making process to determine which next steps are to be logically selected based upon predefined conditions set in the computer system and the information input by the user. The next steps determine the subsequent user or users responsible for performing a next activity (task) in the predefined sequence of activities. The computer system of the present invention then adds a message, representative of the next activity, to a subsequent user's or users' To Do List. The subsequent user or users may then perform the next activity by accessing the next activity from their To Do List. Upon completion of the next activity by the subsequent user or users, the process, as described above, is repeated until each piece of information is pushed entirely through the organization's predefined information flow path.

Process and apparatus for controlling the work flow in a multi-user

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Marietta, GA, United States of America

Julia C Walker