Action console framework

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a first application one or more items to be displayed to a first user;

for a first item selected from the one or more items, determining, by a computer system, one or more manual actions for the first item to display to the first user, wherein the one or more manual actions for the first item are determined to be appropriate for the first user to process in a given situation, wherein the given situation is described by at least one entitlement of the first user;

for the first item, displaying, by a computer system, a directory comprising the one or more manual actions to the first user;

for the first item, receiving, by the computer system, a selection from the first user identifying a manual action to be performed on the first item, wherein the identified manual action is selected from the one or more manual actions for the first item;

presenting, by the computer system, an action console to the first user;

receiving, by the computer system, information related to the identified manual action, wherein the information is to enable the action console;

receiving, by the computer system and through the action console, a request from the first user to submit the identified manual action to analysis under predetermined business rules;

determining, by the computer system, whether the identified manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules based on analysis of the information related to the identified manual action;

when the identified manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules:

prompting the first user, by the computer system, for confirmation that the identified manual action should be submitted to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user;

receiving, by the computer system, the confirmation from the user; and

submitting, by the computer system, the identified manual action to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user; and

upon receiving, by the computer system, approval for the identified manual action from the second user, initiating execution of the identified manual action.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

terminating, by the computer system, the identified action when the identified manual action is improper according to the business rules analyses.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

presenting a user interface to the first user in accordance with the business rules, wherein the user interface comprises the information related to the identified manual action when the identified manual action is proper according to the business rules analyses;

receiving, by the computer system, additional information to further define the identified manual action from the first user or from a data source;

presenting the first user with information pertinent to processing the identified manual action.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising:

notifying the first user, by the computer system, that the identified manual action is defined;

presenting, by the computer system, a confirmation screen to the first user; and

submitting, by the computer system, the identified manual action to the workflow process to execute the identified manual action when a confirmation is received from the first user.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

creating, by the computer system, a message comprising details associated with the identified manual action; and

transmitting, by the computer system, the message to an application program for automatically processing the identified manual action.

6. A system, comprising:

an action manager computer system, the action manager computer system to:

receive from a first application one or more items to be displayed to a first user;

for a first item selected from the one or more items, display a directory comprising one or more manual actions to the first user, wherein the one or more manual actions are determined to be appropriate for the first user to process in a given situation, and wherein the given situation is described by at least one entitlement of the first user;

receive a manual action selected by the first user and from the one or more manual actions to be performed on the first item; and

receive information related to the selected manual action; and

an action console coupled to the action manager computer system, the action manager computer system to:

present via the action console a user interface specific to the selected manual action;

receive through the action console a request from the first user to submit the selected manual action to analysis under predetermined business rules,

determine whether the selected manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules based on analysis of the information related to the selected manual action;

when the selected manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules:

prompt the first user for confirmation that the selected manual action should be submitted to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user;

receive the confirmation from the first user; and

submit the selected manual action to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user, and,

upon receiving approval from the second user, initiate execution of the selected manual action.

7. The system of claim 6 , comprising:

a sub-component to analyze information associated with the selected manual action.

8. The system of claim 6 , comprising: a launch application coupled to the action manager computer system, the launch application to receive information related to the selected manual action from the first user and to provide the received information to the action manager computer system.

9. The system of claim 8 , comprising: an action discovery framework coupled to the launch application to determine the one or more manual actions.

10. The system of claim 8 , comprising:

a manual action directory coupled to the launch application to enable intelligent line-item menuing from the launch application.

11. An article comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instruction stored thereon, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive from a first application one or more items to be displayed to a first user;

for a first item selected from the one or more items, determine one or more manual actions for the first item to display to the first user, wherein the one or more manual actions for the first item are determined to be appropriate for the first user to process in a given situation, wherein the given situation is described by at least one entitlement of the first user;

for the first item, display a directory comprising the one or more manual actions to the first user;

for the first item, receive a selection from the first user identifying a manual action to be performed on the first item, wherein the identified manual action is selected from the one or more manual actions for the first item;

present an action console to the first user; and

receive information related to the identified manual action, wherein the information is to enable the action console;

receive, through the action console, a request from the first user to submit the identified manual action to analysis under predetermined business rules;

determine whether the identified manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules based on analysis of the information related to the identified manual action;

when the identified manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules:

prompt the first user for confirmation that the identified manual action should be submitted to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user;

receive the confirmation from the first user; and

submit the identified manual action to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user; and

upon receiving approval for the identified manual action from the second user, initiate execution of the identified manual action.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to terminate the identified action when the identified manual action is improper according to the business rules analyses.

13. The article of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to present a user interface to the first user in accordance with the business rules, wherein the user interface comprises the information related to the identified manual action when the identified manual action is proper according to the business rules analyses; receive additional information to completely define the identified manual action from the first user or from a data source; and present the first user with information pertinent to processing the identified manual action.

14. The article of claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to notify the first user that the identified manual action is defined; present a confirmation screen to the first user; and submit the identified manual action to the workflow process to execute the identified manual action when a confirmation is received from the first user.

15. The article of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to create a message comprising details associated with the identified manual action; and transmit the message to an application program for automatically processing the identified manual action.

16. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

receive from a first application one or more items to be displayed to a first user;

for a first item selected from the one or more items, determine one or more manual actions for the first item to display to the first user, wherein the one or more manual actions for the first item are determined to be appropriate for the first user to process in a given situation, wherein the given situation is described by at least one entitlement of the first user;

for the first item, display a directory comprising the one or more manual actions to the first user;

for the first item, receive a selection from the first user identifying a manual action to be performed on the first item, wherein the identified manual action is selected from the one or more manual actions for the first item;

present an action console to the first user; and

receive information related to the identified manual action, wherein the information is to enable the action console;

receive, through the action console, a request from the first user to submit the identified manual action to analysis under predetermined business rules;

determine whether the identified manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules based on analysis of the information related to the identified manual action;

when the identified manual action is proper according to the predetermined business rules:

prompt the first user for confirmation that the identified manual action should be submitted to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user;

receive the confirmation from the first user; and

submit the identified manual action to an automated workflow process for approval by a second user; and

upon receiving approval for the identified manual action from the second user, initiate execution of the identified manual action.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable memory has stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

terminate the identified action when the identified manual action is improper according to the business rules analyses.

18. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable memory has stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

present a user interface to the first user in accordance with the business rules, wherein the user interface comprises the information related to the identified manual action when the identified manual action is proper according to the business rules analyses;

receive additional information to completely define the identified manual action from the first user or from a data source; and

present the first user with information pertinent to processing the identified manual action;

notify first user that the identified manual action is defined;

present a confirmation screen to the first user; and

submit the identified manual action to the workflow process to execute the identified manual action when a confirmation is received from the first user.

19. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable memory has stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

create a message comprising details associated with the identified manual action; and

transmit the message to an application program for automatically processing the identified manual action.