Method and apparatus for sharing user service classes
This disclosure describes a system in which individual employee records can be updated across multiple services by an administrator at the interface to a particular service. Multiple services may be provided with this capability. This will eliminate the need in the current art for a central directory that contains a service description that will be common across all services. The technology eliminates the need for the development of this directory and the training of administrators in its interface. Administrators may utilize their training in one service interface to update records across multiple services. This will enable the more rapid development of solutions utilizing services from multiple vendors. Administrators need not be trained on interfaces for all services but can apply routine global updates from a convenient and familiar interface.
1. A system for sharing between services, comprising:
a first service having a first interface and a first database, the first service being configured to enable an employee of an organization to perform an employee role;
the first interface including an agent and at least one template for a user service class;
a second service having a second interface for coupling to the template referenced by the first service and a second database separate from the first database, the second service being configured to enable the employee of the organization to perform the employee role; and
hardware for running the first and second services;
whereby the first interface accepts information from an administrator about the employee to populate a template and passes the accepted information about the employee to the second service for use and interpretation by the second service;
wherein the information about the employee includes identification of the employee and identification of the employee role;
wherein the template includes a table of attributes and values, the information about the employee comprising some of the values;
wherein the first service uses an evaluation function script including one or more predicates for selecting a value for one or more attributes in the template based on a value of one or more other attributes in the template;
wherein the template includes a location link at which one or more of the values for the employee are stored; and
wherein the agent is used to identify the employee role through the first interface and the agent is configured to access the template and update the values for the attributes of the template.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first interface allows values to be selected from a group of predetermined values.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first interface allows user input of values from the administrator.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first interface provides a drop-down menu from which the administrator selects values for the employee.
5. A method of sharing comprising:
interfacing with a first service via an agent and at least one template for a user service class using a first interface, the user service class relating to an employee role, and the template including a table of attributes and values relating at least in part to responsibilities or privileges associated with the employee role;
accepting information about an employee from an administrator through the first interface and using the agent, the information about the employee including identification of the employee and identification of the employee role;
automatically populating one or more additional values of the template, by the agent, the agent being configured to access the template and update the values for the attributes of the template using an evaluation function script including one or more predicates for selecting the one or more additional values for one or more attributes in the template based on a value of one or more other attributes in the template; and
passing information about the employee from the first service to a second service for use by the second service, the first and second services enabling the employee to perform the employee role.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first interface allows values to be selected from a group of predetermined values.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first interface provides a location link at which one or more of the values for the employee are stored.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first interface allows input of values.
9. A system for sharing comprising:
a first service having a first interface and a first database device, the first service being configured to enable an employee of an organization to perform an employee role;
the first interface including an agent and at least one template for a user service class, the template including a table of attributes and values relating at least in part to responsibilities or privileges associated with the employee role;
a second service having a second interface for coupling to the template referenced by the first service and a second database device, the second service being configured to enable the employee of the organization to perform the employee role; and
hardware for running the first and second services;
wherein the agent enables the first interface to accept information about the employee and the agent is configured to populate the template and pass information about the employee to the second service for use and interpretation by the second service, the information about the employee including identification of the employee and identification of the employee role; and
wherein the agent is configured to access the template and automatically populate one or more additional values of the template based on a value of one or more other attributes in the template.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first interface allows values to be selected from a group of predetermined values.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first interface provides an evaluation function as the means for automatically populating one or more additional values of the template.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first interface provides a location link at which one or more of the values for the employee are stored.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first interface allows user input of values.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first interface provides a drop-down menu for determining values.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more values stored at the location link are variable.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more values stored at the location link are fixed.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location link is a URL.