International Business Machines Corporation

Kazuyuki Tsuda

Hiroyasu Ohsaki

Ryohichi Yoshimura

Satoshi Enomoto

Delay in a workflow is avoided by introducing a skip operation upon execution of the workflow. Additionally, a person in charge of the workflow eventually participates in the workflow process even if he/she has been skipped. The workflow design defines skippable activities, in advance, as well as re-execution points in order to reassign the skipped activities.

Workflow system and method with skip function

A model for an application program is displayed. The model includes an input interface, an output interface, and a plurality of variables. Addition of a new variable and placement of an annotation on the display unit for the new variable is detected. The annotation identifies the new variable as an individually definable object or an identification key. The identification key identifies an individual situation and the individually definable object copes with the individual situation. A new model with a new input interface and a new output interface is generated based, at least in part, on the annotation identifying the new variable as an individually definable object or an identification key.

Conversion of an application program

A workflow system for a paperless office, an information processing apparatus, a method for simply defining a complicated workflow, for example, a workflow such as a circulation among a plurality of departments where the circulation route varies in each department, and a storage medium. A workflow system comprises: a manipulating computer terminal for executing a workflow between persons in charge, a computer terminal for designing the workflow by designating project variables for multiplexing a plurality of paths for nodes, each indicating a unit of operation to be handled; and a workflow server for managing the designed workflow and accessing the manipulating computer terminals in accordance with activities that indicate operations assigned to the nodes.

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Inagi, Japan

Kazuyuki Tsuda