JPH08241355A - Work flow system with seal composing function and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To eliminate the need for user's operation for approving or not approving a document by affixing a seal at an optional position similarly to the processing of a paper sheet and determining the transmission destination of the document according to whether or not the seal is affixed. CONSTITUTION: An individual user registers image data on a print of seal impression on a disk by using an image input means 109 and specifies a seal color and a date composing method for the print of seal impression to have seal data characteristic of the individual use. In a data base 102, the seal data generating person is recorded as seal information in addition to the seal color and date composing method. For a document circulated in the work flow system, the individual user determines whether or not the document is approved by affixing or not affixing a seal. At this time, the seal information recorded in the data base 102 is referred to by the work flow system, so seal data that others have generated can not be affixed to other documents, deleted, and altered. The presence/absence state of the seal is recorded as document information in the data base 102 and when there is a conditional branch in the circulation route of the document registered in a work flow system control part 104, the transmission destination of the document is determined by referring to the document information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic approval technique in a workflow system in which each user processes digitized document data on a computer connected by a network according to a predefined flow.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A workflow system predefines a circulation route of document data including conditional branching, and circulates the document data according to the circulation route. The worker who receives the document sends the document to the next circulation destination by performing the input defined in the conditional branching and executing the transmission of the document (in some cases, it may be sent back). The document is circulated along the defined route by each worker performing the above process.

In the conventional workflow system, if there are a plurality of types of documents to be applied, there are various circulation routes, so it is necessary to set many conditional branches. As a known example of a conventional workflow system, JP-A-5-15882
8 and JP-A-5-61788. In these known examples, each worker needs to input specific data for the conditional branch.

Further, in business documents such as payment documents used in the workflow system, it is often necessary to stamp or approve circulation documents. However, JP-A-5-1
In 58828, since it is not possible to stamp on the circulation document, the person in charge of business and the ultimate manager are not clarified in the business document. In addition, since it is impossible to branch the recipients depending on the presence or absence of a seal, it is necessary to create a document in practice and to stamp and circulate it.

On the other hand, as a publicly known example of a method for electronically approving a document, JP-A-5-61788 and JP-A-5-12 are known.
353 and JP-A-5-303532. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-1
In 2353, the processing person can imprint the drawing, but since it can be imprinted only in one place, the stamps of plural persons in charge cannot be impressed on the document when the circulation route becomes long. JP-A-5-61788 and JP-A-5-303532
Then, the approval function has been achieved on the e-mail, and the seal cannot be stamped at any position on the document. Further, in the above-mentioned publicly known example, since there is no date synthesizing function, it is impossible to clarify the document processing date and deal with the job stamp (job stamp) used in the company.

[0006]

In the prior art, when a document is processed using a workflow system, it is necessary to process paper documents in parallel for a job requiring a seal stamp. Therefore, the effects of introducing the workflow system cannot be sufficiently obtained.

Therefore, in order to use the workflow system in a business such as a settlement business which requires a seal stamp, a function of synthesizing an image of the seal stamp on a processed document is required. Further, when circulating a document in which the base paper cannot be changed, a text / seal function having a security function is required without changing the base paper. Further, if there is a conditional branch, data input is required to determine the next circulation destination.

An object of the present invention is to paste a normal document by pasting image data such as a seal imprint or the like in which each user synthesizes a date, text data, and other images onto a document in order to remove obstacles to the operation of the workflow system. Similarly to the above, it is to provide a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function for clarifying a processing date with a document processor.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the seal stamp synthesizing function in the workflow system of the present invention comprises a plurality of computers connected by a network and a server for managing the flow of document data. In the workflow system, means for storing the imprint as image data, means for synthesizing the date with the image data, means for designating a color for the image data, means for synthesizing the image data with a circulation document, and created text data Each user can register the image data of the seal stamp on the server by having a means to synthesize the stamp with the circulation document, and paste the stamp stamp and the text data with the date to the document received by the user in the workflow system. Is possible. Further, a means for managing the stamping status and the pasting information of the text data for the circulation document, and a means for managing the information on the seal impression and the text data are provided.

[0010]

In the present invention, the means for saving the seal image as the image data is to save the image data of the seal stamp of each user inputted by using the scanner on the server. The means for synthesizing the date designates an arbitrary area for the image data of the seal stamp, and synthesizes the date in the layout selected by the user on the area. The means for designating the color is created as described above. The color is specified for the imprint. The image data and the text data created by the above means are combined with the circulation document by means of
It is pasted separately from the base paper on the document to be circulated.

The means for managing the information on the seal imprint and the text data makes it possible for each user to prevent the created seal imprint and text data from being illegally used by other users. In addition, the presence or absence of the stamp of the processor is identified by the means for managing the stamp status, and if there is a conditional branch in the workflow system regarding the delivery route of the document, the destination can be determined by the presence or absence of the stamp.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a client / server according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the device configuration of the server system, FIG. 2 shows the contents of the document information circulated by the workflow system of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows the contents of the seal stamp information table which is the information regarding the seal stamp attached to the document. Although the image of the seal stamp is handled in this embodiment, image data of a signature, a flower stamp or the like may be used.

In FIG. 1, 101 is a server that manages a workflow system and stores document data circulated in the workflow system, 106 is a client connected to an image input means 109 for inputting a seal imprint and a coordinate designating means 110, 107 And 108 are other clients, which are connected by the network 105. The server 101 is a database 102 that manages document information circulated by the workflow system,
The disk 103 stores actual document data, seal stamp image data, and text data, and the workflow system control unit 104 manages the circulation status of documents in the workflow system.

In the workflow system shown in this embodiment, it is assumed that the document information including the pointer to the actual document data is transmitted to the client of the circulation destination, and this document information includes the document title 201 as shown in FIG. , The document creator 202, the seal stamp flag 2 indicating the presence or absence of the seal of the processor
03, sealable area 204, seal information 205, and document data pointer 206. Although 205 is expressed as seal information here, not only the seal but also information of signature, flower stamp or other image data may be used.

In the stamp information 205, information of the stamp information table pointer 207, the stamp position 208, the stamp size 209, and the combined date 210 is stored by the number of stamps. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the seal stamp information table referred to by the seal stamp information table pointer 207 includes a seal stamp creator 301, a seal stamp color 302, date font data 303, date composition layout information 304, and year display information 305. , Date composition area data 306, and seal image data pointer 307.

FIG. 4 shows the contents of the seal information management table for managing the records related to the seal. Sequential number 401, sealer 4
02, stamp date / time 403, stamp document name 404, presence / absence 405 of condition determination use, and stamp data name 406 are stored. The document information, the seal stamp information table, and the seal information management table described above are stored in the database 102.

FIG. 5 shows a circulation route of arrangement specifications as an example of use in a workflow system. As the processing of the person in charge of the arrangement requesting department, there is a circulation document creation 501, a person in charge stamp 502, sending to the section chief 503, and a processing of the section chief, stamping the section chief, sending document 505 to the section manager, and sending back 506 to the person in charge. .

FIG. 6 shows an example of a seal stamp data setting screen. FIG. 7 is an example of an arrangement specification that is circulated in the arrangement work, and has an arrangement request department stamp column 701 and an arrangement department reception stamp column 702.

The seal stamp data used at the time of stamping is taken in as image data by the image inputting means 109, and the disc 1 in the server 101 via the network 105.
It is stored in 03. For example, a job stamp is pressed on a paper sheet and input from a scanner, and only the job stamp portion is cut off by the coordinate designating unit 110 and registered in the disk 103 in the server as image data. In addition to this, it is also possible to prepare image data of a seal imprint in the system and create the seal imprint only by inputting a name.

Next, the coordinate designating unit 110 designates a date synthesis area for the input seal stamp data. At this time, the date may not be input, and the date may be used as the seal.
Further, instead of the seal imprint, image data such as signature, flower stamp, etc. may be input. In this case, it is not necessary to input the date. Furthermore, the user can create his / her own seal stamp data by inputting detailed information such as the seal stamp color.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the seal stamp data setting screen. As shown in FIG. 6, for the image data of the seal imprint,
Specify the color and date composition data, and create the seal stamp data. The database 102 creates a seal stamp information table for the registered seal stamp data, and the seal stamp creator 301
The user ID of the seal stamp data creator and the seal stamp image data pointer 307 (actual image data storage position) are stored. Further, the seal stamp color 302, the date font data 303, the date combination layout information 304, the year display information 305, and the date combination area data 306 are stored based on the color / date combination method set by the user. Further, by creating a plurality of seal stamp information tables, each user can hold a plurality of seal stamp data.

When pasting the image data of the seal stamp on the document circulated by the workflow system,
The user specifies the imprintable area on the document. This information is registered in the sealable area in the document information. The imprintable area can be designated for a plurality of documents or the entire document.

Next, in the designated sealable area, the coordinate designating unit 110 designates the position and size to which the image data of the seal stamp is pasted, and the present day or an arbitrary date. The server 101 scales the registered image data so as to fit the specified size and pastes the scaled image data on the circulation document. At this time, the database 102 adds data of the seal stamp information table pointer 207, the seal stamp position 208, the seal stamp size 209, and the combined date 210 to the seal stamp information 204 as the document information, and the seal stamp flag 203 is stamped by the final processor. Data indicating that, for example
Enter "1".

Since a plurality of imprint information can be recorded in the imprint information 205, each worker can make a plurality of imprints. Further, as a record at the time of stamping, a serial number 401, a stamper 402, a stamping date / time 403,
Data of the stamp document name 404, presence / absence 405 of condition judgment use, and stamp data name 406 are stored. Each user can confirm whether his / her seal is illegally used by referring to the seal information management table.

When inputting / pasting text data, the user specifies the position and size of the text data to be pasted by the coordinate designating means 110 and inputs the text data to be pasted. The information about the entered text data is stored in the seal stamp information table, and the seal stamp creator 301 identifies the text data creator as the seal stamp color 30.
2, the color of the text data is set, the seal image data pointer 307 is set to the storage position of the actual text data, and the actual text data is stored in the disk 103. The server 101 scales the text data to fit the designated size and pastes the text data on the circulation document.

At this time, the database 102 adds data of the seal stamp information table pointer 207, the seal stamp position 208 (text data position), and the seal stamp size 209 (text data size) to the seal stamp information 205 as the document information. The flag 203 and the combined date 210 are not set. Since a plurality of pieces of text data information can be recorded in the stamp information 205, each worker can paste a plurality of pieces of text data.

The seal stamp that each user can paste is only the image data registered by himself, and it is impossible to paste, change or delete the seal stamp created by another person.
At the time of pasting the seal stamp, the database 102 refers to the seal stamp information table, and the seal stamp creator 301 displays only a seal stamp having the same user ID as the worker as a list of seal stamp image data that can be pasted. Only the image data of the seal stamp registered in can be pasted.

When changing or deleting the seal stamp and the text data, when the seal stamp to be deleted is designated, the database 102 refers to the seal stamp information table and confirms the seal stamp creator 301. In this way, the seal stamp and text data can be deleted if the user ID of the worker is equal to that of the seal stamp creator 301.

To achieve such a security function,
For example, a password may be entered when the image of the seal stamp is registered in the workflow system. For operators who do not know this password, attach the registered seal image to the document, change the seal image,
Cannot delete, copy, or otherwise process. A similar security function may be added to the original document (original paper).

An example of actually circulating a document is shown below. FIG. 7 is an example of an arrangement specification that is circulated in the arrangement work. The person in charge of the arrangement request department creates a document, and the person in charge, the section manager, and the section manager stamp the requested department stamp field 701, and then the document is sent to the arrangement department. It is sent and the arranging department stamps the reception stamp column 702 to make the arrangement. Figure 5 shows the circulation route of the arrangement specifications at this time.
Shown in In this work, if the document needs correction, it will be returned to the person in charge of the ordering department.

First, the person in charge of the order request department creates 501 an order specification. Next, the requested department stamp field 70 of the arrangement specifications
The person in charge is stamped with 502, and the order specification is sent 503 to the section chief. The section chief who received the arrangement specifications checks the contents, and if there is no problem, the requested department stamp field 70
Imprint 1 and send the order specifications without imprinting if there is a problem. The presence or absence of a seal is determined by the seal stamp flag 203 in the document information.
The workflow system control unit 104 checks the seal stamp 504 of the section chief by referring to the seal stamp flag, and if there is the seal of the section chief, sends the arrangement specification to the section manager 50.
5. If there is no stamp, the remand 506 to the person in charge is executed. After that, the destination of the document is determined by similarly confirming the seal of each processor, the seal of the arrangement department is stamped, and the circulation of the arrangement specification is completed.

As described above, by using the stamp as in the normal work, it is not necessary for each worker to be aware of the destination of the document, and the presence or absence of the stamp is used as a judgment material in the branch of the workflow system, Can be sent to an appropriate worker.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the seal stamp data for approval is created by synthesizing the date with the image data of the seal imprint input from the image input means. A seal stamp function that can be pasted / deleted can be realized.

Since the workflow system determines that approval has been given by imprinting as in the case of a normal document,
Data entry by each worker for executing approval / remandance is not required.

Furthermore, by making it possible to paste text data that can be changed / deleted only by the person separately from the original paper, it becomes possible to write characters in a document in which the original paper cannot be changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 shows contents of document information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a seal stamp information table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a seal information management table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a circulation route of arrangement specifications in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an example of a seal stamp data setting screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of an arrangement specification document circulated in arrangement work in an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Server 102 Database 103 Disk 104 Workflow System Control Unit 105 Network 106 Client 107 Client 108 Client 109 Image Input Means 110 Coordinate Designating Means 201 Document Title in Document Information 202 Document Creator in Document Information 203 Stamp Flag in Document Information 204 In Document Information Sealable area 205 Stamp information in document information 206 Document data pointer in document information 207 Seal stamp information table pointer in document information 208 Stamp position in document information 209 Seal stamp size in document information 210 Compositing date in document information 301 Seal stamp creator in stamp information table 302 stamp color in seal stamp information table 303 date stamp in seal stamp information table Input data 304 Date composition layout information in the seal stamp information table 305 Year number display information in the seal stamp information table 306 Date composite area data in the seal stamp information table 307 Seal stamp image data pointer 401 in the seal stamp information table Serial number 402 in the seal stamp information management table 402 Seal stamp information management Stamper in table 403 Stamping date and time in stamping information management table 404 Stamping document name in stamping information management table 405 Presence / absence of condition judgment in stamping information management table 406 Stamping data name in stamping information management table 501 Circulation of order specifications circulation route Document preparation 502 Imprinting of the person in charge on the circulation route of the arrangement specifications 503 Sending the arrangement specifications to the section chief on the circulation route of the arrangement specifications 504 Confirmation of the seal of the section chief on the inspection route 505 Sending the arrangement specification on the circulation route to the section manager 506 Sending back the arrangement specification to the person in charge on the circulation route 701 Requested department stamp field on the arrangement specification 702 Reception stamp field in the order specifications

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A computer connected by a network, comprising a means for inputting data, a means for displaying data, and a coordinate designating means for designating an arbitrary position of the displayed data. Having a means for transmitting and receiving data between the computers, and constituting a workflow system capable of conditional branching that predefines a circulation route of data, and has stamp information and other incidental information related to the document to be circulated. It has document information and a seal stamp information table that manages the image data of the imprint, specifies the area where the image data of the imprint can be pasted to the document to be circulated, and specifies the image data of the imprint on the circulation document. The pastable area and the stamp information are recorded in the document information by pasting in the area It is,
A workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function in which a workflow system conditional branch is performed by referring to the document information. 2. A workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function according to claim 1, wherein the image data specified in the seal stamp information table, or the family name for specifying the operator of the workflow system in the specified image data, A workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function of synthesizing a name, an abbreviation and other names, synthesizing a date or designating a color and recording the result in the seal stamp information table. 3. The workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function according to claim 2, wherein the image data or the name has a seal stamp synthesizing function in which modification or deletion is restricted. 4. A computer connected to a network, comprising a means for inputting data, a means for displaying data, and a coordinate designating means for designating an arbitrary position of the displayed data, and a plurality of computers on the network. A text synthesizing function characterized by pasting secure text data at an arbitrary position for a workflow system that has a means for sending and receiving data between two or more devices and is capable of conditional branching that predefines a data circulation route. Workflow system having. 5. A computer connected by a network, comprising a means for inputting data, a means for displaying data, and a coordinate designating means for designating an arbitrary position of the displayed data, and a plurality of computers on the network. Means for transmitting and receiving data between the computers, condition branching means for predefining a circulation route of data, document information having seal information regarding a document to be circulated and other incidental information, and image data of the seal. In a workflow system having a seal stamp information table to be managed, a step of designating an area to which the image data of the stamp can be attached to a document to be circulated, and a step of designating the image data of the stamp in the designated area on the document to be circulated. The step of pasting to the document information, the pastable area and the stamp information in the document information. A step of recording, method of controlling a workflow system including a seal combining function comprising the step of performing conditional branching by referring to the document information. 6. The method for controlling a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function according to claim 5, wherein the step of synthesizing a date or designating a color for the image data specified by the seal stamp information table, and the result of the step. On the other hand, a method of controlling a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function including a step of recording the result in the seal stamp information table. 7. The control method of a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function according to claim 5, wherein the image data specified in the seal stamp information table specifies the operator of the workflow system such as first name, last name, abbreviated name and other names. A first step of synthesizing, a second step of synthesizing a date or specifying a color for the result of the first step, and a result of the second step for the result of the seal stamp information. A control method of a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function, which includes a third step of recording in a table. 8. A method for controlling a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function according to claim 5 or 7, wherein a predetermined amount is given to an operator of the workflow system in order to restrict modification or deletion of the image data or the name. A control method of a workflow system having a seal stamp synthesizing function including a step of requesting an operation. 9. A computer connected by a network, comprising a means for inputting data, a means for displaying data, and a coordinate designating means for designating an arbitrary position of the displayed data. In the workflow system having means for transmitting and receiving data between the computers, document information having seal information regarding a document to be circulated and other incidental information, and a seal stamp information table managing the image data of the seal, Specifying the area where the image data of the stamp can be pasted to the document, pasting the image data of the stamp within the designated area on the document to be circulated, and pasting the document information to the document information. Recording the area and stamp information, and modifying or circulating the document. To limit the deletion, to the operator of the workflow system, a control method of a workflow system including a seal combining function comprising the step of requesting a predetermined operation.