JPH0981488A - Automatic circulation function - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In the workflow system, when there are multiple jobs for which circulation routes are determined, the circulation route is set as additional information in advance when creating data, and the optimal circulation route for the created data. By providing a means for automatically selecting, a method is provided for automatically executing a circulation at each circulation destination without the operator selecting a circulation route for transmission to the next circulation destination. [Configuration] In a network system composed of a server and a plurality of terminals, additional information is set at the terminal at the time of creating a circulation document, and a plurality of circulation routes preliminarily defined on the server side based on the additional information are selected. Automatically select and circulate. When the additional information is not set, the worker who sorts the circulation defines the circulation route. [Effect] Even if multiple selections of circulation routes are made, they are automatically selected. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operator from making an error in selection, and at the same time, the data creator only has to set the additional information first. The worker at each circulation destination does not need to select the circulation route, and the work efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a workflow system, in which a plurality of definitions for executing circulation are set in advance, and a unique identifier for data creators to determine a data circulation route is set in the data. It relates to a system that automatically circulates by simply doing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A workflow system defines a circulation route of data in advance and circulates the data according to the circulation route. After completing the work, the worker who receives the document selects the workflow definition and executes the transmission of the document, so that the document is sent to the next circulation destination.

Known examples of a method for automatically circulating a document are Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 5-158828 and 6-62048.
JP-A-6-104921, JP-A-6-2
There is a 16933 publication.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 5-158828 and 6-
-62048, JP-A-6-104921,
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-216933, a circulation route is set each time a document to be circulated is registered, and the server manages and circulates the circulation route according to the information, but regarding selection from a plurality of circulation routes, Not considered.

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-104921, if a destination managed by the server exists when data is received by facsimile, it can be automatically circulated, but only the destination is designated. There is no additional information such as a workflow that defines a circulation route definition, and it is not possible to automatically select from a plurality of workflow definitions and execute a circulation.

Further, a known example (US patent) VSP 5,24
In 3531, the circulation route is determined and executed by adding a unique identifier to the image when the image is input, but the worker who receives the circulation finishes the work and sends the next transmission. No consideration is given to automatically executing the circulation without selecting the destination.

[0007]

According to the above method, even when there are a plurality of routine tasks in which the circulation route is predetermined, the data creator or the person who processed the data is required to circulate the data each time the data is circulated. It was necessary to select the circulation route according to the content. Further, even in routine work such as examination / approval in which the circulation destination is determined, the worker who receives the document must select the definition of the workflow that is the circulation route at the end of the processing.

When the data received by facsimile is circulated using the above-mentioned workflow system, similarly for the data received as a file, the operator who receives the data selects the destination or the circulation route according to the content of the data. There was a need. Further, for the facsimile data received on paper, the worker who sorts the circulation destination must input the scanner and select the destination and the circulation route according to the content of the data.

For this reason, when there are a plurality of circulation routes for routine work, the operator who processed the data at each circulation destination must select which route to associate with, and the operator inputs the route. The number of choices increases, which may lead to typos. Furthermore, work efficiency is also reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for reducing setting mistakes of a worker in operation of a workflow system, improving work efficiency by automation, and automatically distributing received data such as fax to destinations. Especially.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a workflow system in which a plurality of terminals connected by a network can send and receive data between the terminals and can branch conditionally when circulating the data. In order to automatically recognize additional information, it has a storage means for predefining a plurality of data circulation paths and storing the defined circulation paths, and a means for setting additional information in the application setting of the data. By having the information of the above, it is possible to automatically distribute and execute the circulation destination of the workflow by the additional information without receiving the circulation and selecting the circulation route according to the content of the data by the worker who has finished the processing. Characterize. Further, it is characterized in that the data inputted by the scanner and the facsimile reception data are recognized by the OCR, and the server automatically sorts the circulation destination based on the recognition information and executes the circulation. Further, it becomes possible to set a circulation route by key input of data that cannot be recognized by OCR, sort circulation destinations, and execute the circulation destination.

[0012]

According to the above means, even when a plurality of circulation routes exist, it is possible to automatically select and execute the corresponding circulation route from the plurality of circulation routes by the unique additional information of the data. Therefore, it is not necessary for the worker to select a circulation route for transmission to the next circulation destination at each circulation destination, and it is possible to prevent selection mistakes even when there are a plurality of circulation routes.

In addition, since only the first operator, that is, the data creator, sets the additional information in the operation of the operator, the data distribution operator at the circulation destination can save the labor of selecting the workflow definition. .

Furthermore, since the data received by fax can be directly sent to the destination without the operator's hand, the working efficiency is improved.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus configuration diagram of a system in an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is a server that manages a workflow and stores circulation document data, 103
(103-1 to 103-n) are terminals, 104 is a facsimile machine, and 105 is a scanner for inputting circulation documents, which are connected by a network 102. The server 101 is a workflow control unit 101-1.
It is composed of control functions such as an OCR recognition control unit 101-2 and a table 101-3 for storing circulation routes.

FIG. 2 is a means for setting additional information in data, which is a document body 202 to be circulated and an OC for setting a circulation route
It is composed of the R recognition field 203.

FIG. 3 shows the contents of a table which stores a plurality of information defining circulation routes, and a unique identifier 301, circulation name 302, circulation route 303, comment 304 added when the circulation route is registered in the table. Is stored.

FIG. 4 shows a screen for registering a circulation route. The circulation name 401 and the comment 402 can be input from the keyboard on the registration screen. When a circulation route such as arrangement work or contact document examination / approval is predetermined in the business, the circulation route is stored in the circulation route definition information storage table of FIG. It is the same as the method for setting the circulation route, but it is confirmed whether this route is registered as a routine work circulation. When registering, information such as circulation name 401 and comment 402 is set on the registration screen. Unique identifier 301 automatically set
Is added to the table.

FIG. 5 shows the flow of the system in which the automatic circulation is executed.

First, a data creator creates a circulation document 202 in the data 201 (step 501). Next, when a circulation is to be executed on a preset circulation route, a unique identifier is selected and set as additional information in the recognition field 203 from a plurality of circulation routes (step 502).
The circulation document and the circulation route can be input from the terminal 103. Further, at the stage of setting the circulation route, if the setting of the circulation route depends on the sorting operator, the identifier is set to 0 in advance. After the data is created, scanner input is performed (step 503), data image conversion is performed (step 504), and OCR recognition is performed (step 50).
5). When the additional information is normally recognized by the OCR recognition, a consistency check is performed between the additional information and the identifier 301 of the table storing a plurality of circulation routes (step 50).
6). If they match in the consistency check, and if the identifier is 0 (step 513), the data is transmitted to the distribution operator to define and select the circulation route (step 513).
-Step 517). If the identifier is not 0, and if they match in the consistency check, the circulation route 302 is automatically selected from the table that stores the circulation route that matches the circulation route set in the additional information (step 514),
Circulation is executed (step 518). If they are not recognized by the OCR recognition, or if they are not matched by the consistency check, the data is returned to the creator as an exception process (step 507) and the creator is prompted to confirm (step 509). If the creator confirms and resets, the process is repeated from step 502. At this time, the creator can also enter the circulation destination or the identifier by key input. When executing the circulation as it is, the identifier is set to 0, the identifier is checked, and the data is transmitted to the worker who distributes the circulation destination. If the OCR recognition and the consistency check are normally completed and the identifier is not 0, the circulation is automatically executed. Therefore, the operator who sorts the circulation destination does not need to set the circulation route or select the circulation destination. Disappear. The circulation destination receives the circulation (step 519), and performs the circulation processing according to the circulation contents (step 520). The server side manages the circulation status such as how much the circulation document has been processed (step 521).

Next, the distribution of circulation data received by facsimile will be described.

FIG. 6 shows a facsimile reception information table 60.
Indicates 0. On the server side, in order to automatically determine the destination of the circulation at the time of facsimile reception, as a facsimile reception information table, a sender with a high reception frequency is stored in advance as a facsimile reception information table.
A telephone number 601, a comment 602, and a circulation route for automatically executing circulation are set with a unique identifier 603. In addition, when registering in the table in advance, the operator sets it. Also, for the telephone number of the fax destination,
Since there may be a plurality of circulation routes, an identifier corresponding to the circulation route is set. When receiving data by facsimile, it is checked whether a circulation route exists from the telephone number of the sender and the telephone number 601 of the facsimile reception information table. If it exists, the circulation route is automatically selected from the unique identifier 603 and executed. If the telephone number does not exist in the facsimile reception information table 600, the telephone number is automatically registered in the facsimile reception information table. At this time, the operator sets the circulation route and comments and automatically executes the circulation after the setting is completed.

Next, the case where the destination field is set in the facsimile transmission sheet according to claim 4 will be described. FIG. 7 shows the flow of processing in facsimile transmission / reception.
FIG. 8 shows a facsimile transmission sheet, which includes a destination field 801 for setting a circulation route. When transmitting data by facsimile, the sender sets a circulation route in the destination field 801 (step 701). Then, the data is transmitted (step 70).
2). The server that received the facsimile (step 70
3) The image of the data is converted (step 704), and the destination field is recognized by the OCR (step 705).
For the data normally recognized by the OCR recognition, the consistency of the set circulation route identifier is checked (step 70).
6). If the consistency checks match, the circulation route is automatically selected from the identifier set in the destination field and the plurality of circulation routes set in the circulation route definition information storage table, and the data is distributed. (Step 707). Then, the data is transmitted to the circulation destination (step 711). If they do not match in the consistency check or if the OCR cannot be recognized, the data is transmitted as exception processing to the worker who distributes the circulation data (step 708), and the worker who distributes the circulation data sets the circulation route. (Step 710). Thereafter, a normal circulation operation (steps 710 to 713) is performed. In this way, it is possible to save the trouble of manually receiving facsimile data.

[0025]

According to the present invention, a circulation route is set in advance and the information is stored, so that the document creator sets a unique identifier for determining the circulation route at the time of document creation as additional information. It is possible to automatically distribute the circulation destination and execute the circulation. Therefore, the worker who receives the document does not need to select the workflow definition that is the circulation route at the end of the processing, and even if the selection of the circulation route occurs in multiple times, it is possible to prevent the selection error. As a result, work efficiency is improved. Further, with respect to the facsimile reception data, the circulation route is automatically determined and the circulation is executed, so that the work efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circulation document path setting sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circulation route definition information storage table according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a circulation route information registration screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a data flow by automatic distribution in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a facsimile reception information table according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing by facsimile reception according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a facsimile transmission sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Server 102 ... Network 103 ... Terminal 104 ... Facsimile 105 ... Scanner 201 ... Circulation Form 202 ... Circulation text 203 ... Circulation route setting field 301 ... Identifier in circulation route definition information storage table 302 ... Circulation name in circulation route definition information storage table 303 ... Circulation route in circulation route definition information storage table 304 ... Comment in circulation route definition information storage table 601 ... Telephone number in facsimile reception information table 602 ... Comment in facsimile reception information table 603 ... Identifier in facsimile reception information table 801 ... By facsimile Destination field

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A terminal connected by a network,
In a system configuration capable of transmitting and receiving data between a plurality of terminals on a network, a plurality of data circulation routes are defined in advance, storage means for storing the defined circulation routes, and the above definition for the data created at the time of data creation Based on the additional information of the data set at the time of the circulation, the setting means for setting a unique identifier as additional information to the data for deciding which one of the already circulated routes is suitable. An automatic circulation function characterized by automatically selecting and executing a circulation route from among the means. 2. A scanner is used to input data in which a unique identifier for determining a route for circulating the data is preset as additional information in the data, and the additional information is OCR.
The automatic circulation function is characterized in that it is automatically recognized and selected from a plurality of predefined circulation routes based on the recognition information and executed. 3. As reception information by facsimile, a telephone number, a comment, and a unique identifier for executing circulation are stored in advance in the server, and the reception information managed by the server when the data is received by facsimile. An automatic circulation function characterized by automatically allocating circulation destinations based on the telephone number, identifier, and the telephone number from the sender. 4. An automatic circulation function provided with a function of automatically registering a telephone number of a sender in a server when receiving from a new sender in claim 3. 5. The network according to claim 1, wherein a facsimile terminal is connected and a unique identifier for a worker transmitting by facsimile to circulate data in a destination field in a system including OCR recognition control. After sending, the facsimile reception side recognizes the destination field of the data with OCR, converts the data into image data, and automatically distributes the workflow definition from the destination field. function. 6. An automatic circulation function for setting the circulation route and allocating the circulation destination by key input for the data which cannot be recognized by the OCR recognition.