GB2339310A - Electronic report handling system - Google Patents

Description

2339310 ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM The present invention relates to

an electronic data processing system which receives data input and produces reports in electronic form, said reports being updatable on a time periodic basis.

LTK patent specification GB-A-2 274 006 discloses an electronic data manipulation system in which a user can only gain access via a reading device to electronic data recorded on an electronic data recording medium such as a floppy disk, when a second electronic data recording medium is also detected by the reading device. The information recorded on one of these media comprises prompts and is adapted to record inputs in response to those prompts and also causes inputs to be recorded on the other medium.

Such a known data manipulation system is especially useful for producing databases, computerised record systems and the like, e.g. for business management users, publishing, computer-aided design and manufacture and the like. However, it has limitations in the efficiency of storing updates to any information which is input to either recording medium.

An improvement to this form of database management has now been devised wherein updates are recorded only as changes in the original data when it is reviewed on a periodic basis and which changes can be highlighted after each periodic report is created and also in a final report. Therefore, the present invention now provides an electronic data processing system comprising:

2 first electronic data processing means and second electronic data processing means; said first electronic data processing means comprising:

means for interrogating a user, means for receiving inputs in response to said interrogation; and means for producing a report in electronic form, said report containing data received from said inputs; said second electronic data processing means comprising:

means for receiving said report; means for indexing data items in said report and for adding further data to said report; and means for establishing said report in a final form-, wherein said first electronic data processing means further comprises means for receiving updates to the data from said user on a periodic basis, the updates being stored in said report in the form of data indicating changes to the stored data.

It will be clear that the system of the present invention has a number of advantages over conventional systems because updates are recorded only as changes in the original data. For example, because recorded data is not unnecessarily duplicated, less memory space is required. Furthermore, because unnecessarily duplicated data does not need to be processed and transmitted, the speed and efficiency of the overall system is substantially improved.

The system of the present invention has many potential applications, for example as a personal performance appraisal system for human resources management, a reporting 3 system for individuals undergoing education, quality and accreditation systems, the management of regimes of medical treatment for patients and many other applications.

Preferably, the first electronic data processing means comprises means for establishing inputs from the user in final form in the report.

The system preferably comprises means, for example E-mail, for electronically transferring the report from the first electronic data processing means to the second electronic processing means.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and/or second electronic data processing means further comprises publishing means for storing data as an immutable record of data input by the user.

The second electronic data processing means may also comprise means for highlighting or annotating any changes made to the report by the user. It may also comprise means for adding further inputs to said report. Yet again, it may comprise means for establishing said report in a final form, after the highlighting or annotation of changes and/or after said further input.

The second electronic data processing means may further comprise means for transferring said report in a final form (either after any first publication by the user, after any update by the user or after any establishment of the report at the end of a total reporting period comprising an initial report and a number of updates. In each case, this transferred to a database is preferably selected after any highlighting or annotation of changes and/or further input by the operator of the second electronic data processing means.

It may also comprise means for transferring the report to a portable data storage means, such as a floppy disk. In fact, after any "publication", i. e. establishment of a report or reports in final form by the first or second electronic data processing means, the said 4 report may be stored on any portable data storage means, not just a floppy disk. It could for example be recorded on recordable CD ROM or DVD/tape or the like.

The present invention will now be explained by way of the following description of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure I shows a schematic diagram of the operation of a first electronic data processing means for receiving inputs from a user; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram how electronic data is updated on a periodic basis in the first electronic data processing means-, Figure 3 shows how a f inalised report from the first electronic data processing means is transferred to a second electronic data processing means; and Figure 4 shows how the report is reviewed and added to by the second electronic data processing means.

For the purpose of the following description, the review period is one year which consists of twelve individual reporting periods of one calendar month each. However, it will be appreciated that the "review period" and individual 'reporting periods' can be set according to the requirements of the user. Furthermore, the following description relates to an appraisal system for use in appraising jobholders. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the system of the present invention has other applications where information is required to be updated and reviewed periodically.

Referring to Figure I of the drawings, a user accesses the personal performance manager program 10 which is run on the first electronic data processing means, for example, a desktop personal computer. At the beginning of the first reporting period, the user's record for that review period contains no data.

In order to allow the user to input relevant data, the personal performance manager interrogates a jobholder by means of specific questions under general headings 12, such as Personal Details, Competencies, Job Description, Objectives, performance, etc. For example, as shown at 14 in Figure 1, under the general heading "Competencies", the jobholder may be prompted to input information relating to his skills, knowledge, experience, attributes, development needs, and/or any other information relating to his competencies within the field in which he is employed.

The jobholder enters answers to each of the specific questions via, for example, a keyboard. At this stage, the employee can edit and change the answers given, as required, by conventional word processing techniques.

When the jobholder has completed his period report to his own satisfaction, he is prompted to "publish" the report by, for example, clicking on an icon using a cursor control device or by pressing a particular key on the keyboard. As shown at reference numeral 16 on Figure 1, once the report is "published", all of the data input by the employee is stored or recorded as a dated and immutable record on, for example, the hard disk in the personal computer and/or on a floppy disk. This record is a performance record file 18 which contains the personal performance data "published" by the individual. Thus, the input data can no longer be edited, changed or otherwise tampered with, and forms an accurate record of the jobholder's answers at the time they were entered.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, in the described embodiment, the jobholder is required to update his report every month. When the personal performance manager is accessed at the beginning of the next reporting period, the jobholder is once again interrogated by means of the specific questions under the general headings described with reference to Figure 1. However, in this case, the data input by the jobholder for the previous reporting period is also displayed. The jobholder can update the report by adding additional information, or by deleting a previous entry and replacing it with 6 different information according to his activities, responsibilities and experiences during the previous month.

Once again, when the jobholder has completed the report, he is prompted to "publish" the report. In this case, the "publish" function causes only the changes to the input data to be recorded or stored as an immutable record of the jobholder's answers. Thus, there is now a immutable record of the initial period report and any changes made to the initial period report during the next reporting period, without the stored data being unnecessarily duplicated.

The above process is repeated for each reporting period, i.e. every month until the end of the year, with only the changes made by the jobholder being recorded each time.

At the end of the review period, i.e. during the final reporting period, the jobholder once again updates the report, and is then prompted to publish it. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, there now exists a complete personal record file 20 of the jobholder's period reports in the form of data initially input by the jobholder and any updated entries made during the review period.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, at the end of the review period, the jobholder's complete performance record file 20 is transferred, by Email or otherwise, to the team performance manager program 22 which is run on the second electronic data processing means, for example, another desktop personal computer. The team performance manager 22 stores the total of the jobholder's period reports 20 which the jobholder has chosen to "publish". These reports are stored in a file which forms a data template 24 containing storage space for additional input.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, an appraisor, for example the jobholder's line manager, accesses the team performance manager 22 and selects one jobholder's file from a list or menu displayed on the screen. The team performance manager program retrieves all of the data stored in the jobholder's complete personal record and displays a 7 report showing the data input by the jobholder during the first reporting period, together with any changes made during the complete review period, the changes being highlighted or annotated, so as to be immediately recognisable as such to the appraisor.

The appraisor marks or indexes selected parts of the jobholder's record and inputs comments relevant to those selected parts to an index file 26. Such indexed comments may relate to matters to be discussed during an interview with the jobholder.

The team performance manager program 22 also interrogates the appraisor by means of questions relating to the quality of the jobholder's performance, promotion prospects, etc. The appraisor enters comments in response to the questions, and the comments are stored and "published" as data in a comment file 28.

The index file 26 and the comment file 28 form part of the data template 24 for the jobholder, but may be encrypted so as to be non-readable by the jobholder.

After an interview with the jobholder, the comments in the comment file 28 may be changed or further comments may be added, to reflect the appraisor's discussions with the jobholder.

The appraisor is then prompted to publish the final report comprising data stored in the jobholder's complete performance record file 20, the index file 26 and the comment file 28. Once published, the final report becomes an immutable record of the data held in these f iles, which is stored in the team performance manager program 22. A copy of the final report is also transmitted to the jobholder's personal performance manager program 10.

Furthermore, all of the performance record files "published" by the team performance manager, both after every update and at the end of the review period, are stored in a database controlled by an Organisational Performance Manager (OPM) program (not shown).

8 The personal performance manager and/or team performance manager programs include a predefined or user-defined publication schedule which specifies the dates or deadlines by which each period report and/or the final report must be published. The publication schedule itself is not in either of these programs per se but are stored in a data file which is part of the published report. If these deadlines are changed during the total appraisal period then this is highlighted at the relevant time. Of course, dates which are in the past cannot be changed retrospectively. When the reports are published, the publication schedule may be updated automatically. The date on which each report is published is recorded and the record of publication dates cannot be amended, thereby eliminating the possibility of false entries being made.

After any periodic update and/or at the end of the total review period (e. g. year), then after the report is annotated by the appraisor, it may be printed out to form all or part of an agenda for an appraisal interview, to take place prior to addition of final comments to the report.

In the light of this disclosure, modifications of the described embodiment, as well as other embodiments, all within the scope of the present invention, will now become apparent to persons skilled in the art.

9

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS:

   An electronic data processing system comprising:

   first electronic data processing means and second electronic data processing means; said first electronic data processing means comprising:

   means for interrogating a user; means for receiving inputs in response to said interrogation; and means for producing a report in electronic form, said report containing data received from said inputs; said second electronic data processing means comprising:

   means for receiving said report; means for indexing data items in said report and for adding further data to said report; and means for establishing said report in a final form; wherein said first electronic data processing means further comprises means for receiving updates to the data from said user on a periodic basis, the update being stored in said report in the form of data indicating changes to the stored data.
2. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic data processing means further comprises means for establishing the inputs from the user in final form in the report.
3. 3. A system according to either preceding claim, further comprising means for electronically transferring said report from said first electronic data processing means to said second electronic data processing means.
4. 4. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein said first and/or second electronic data processing means further comprises means for storing data as an immutable record of data input by said user.
5. 5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the second electronic data processing means further comprises means for highlighting or annotating changes made to said report.
6. 6. A system according to claim 2 or claim 5, wherein said second electronic data processing means further comprises means for adding further inputs to said report.
7. 7. A system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said second electronic data processing means further comprises means for establishing said report in a final form, after said highlighting or annotation of changes and/or after said further inputs, as appropriate.
8. 8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said second electronic data processing means further comprises means for transferring said report in final form to a database.
9. 9. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the second electronic data processing means further comprises means for transferring said report to a portable data storage means.
10. 10. An electronic data processing system substantially as herein before described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.