System and method for providing a universal endpoint address schema to route documents and manage document workflows
View Patent ↗One example of the system and method described herein may provide a universal endpoint address schema to route documents and manage document workflows, which may include one or more encapsulated workflow packages. In particular, a globally unique endpoint address may be specified using the universal endpoint address schema to route documents to any addressable destination and link the documents to workflow steps, processing rules, and business intelligence that can enforce business constraints. Furthermore, the globally unique endpoint address may be specified using the universal endpoint address schema may be linked to tickets that request documents or document-related services from third-parties in cloud or virtualized data centers, whereby the universal endpoint address schema may extend the abilities that different organizations have to collaborate with one another.
1. A computer-implemented method for providing a universal endpoint address schema to route documents and manage document workflows, said method comprising:
by a hardware processor:
responsive to a user request, creating a global electronic ticket having a globally unique identifier, the global electronic ticket indicating at least one document, at least one destination and at least one document type;
collecting a plurality of rules from a plurality of databases of rules stored in a memory, the plurality of databases of rules including a first database of rules indexed by destinations and a second database of rules indexed by document types, each respective rule of the plurality of rules loaded from the plurality of databases of rules based on the at least one destination and at least one document type indicated, the plurality of rules including a security rule, a formatting rule, and an audit rule;
generating a document workflow, identifiable by the globally unique identifier, by generating a plurality of document operations, each of the document operations associated with the plurality of rules collected, the plurality of document operations generated by determining at least one security operation to add to the document workflow by applying metadata of the at least one document to the security rule;
encapsulating a workflow package including the document workflow, the globally unique identifier, the at least one destination, and an audit trail;
uploading the workflow package, identified by the globally unique identifier, to a networked computer;
receiving, from the networked computer, data related to the workflow package;
automatically performing the plurality of document operations of the workflow package on the at least one document received in the data from the networked computer associated with the global electronic ticket;
storing, in the audit trail, the plurality of document operations; and
routing the at least one document to the at least one destination of the request according to the workflow package.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one destination includes one or more client machines; and
routing the at least one document includes routing the at least one document to the one or more client machines.
3. The method of claim 1 , said method comprising:
validating information based on said document's workflow.
4. The method claim 1 , said method comprising:
selecting document types.
5. The method claim 1 , said method comprising:
identifying the globally unique identifier by reading a smart ticket identification number.
6. The method claim 1 , said method comprising:
identifying the globally unique identifier by reading a bar code.
7. The method of claim 1 , said method comprising:
triggering said document's workflow.
8. The method of claim 1 , said method comprising:
at least one of: unpacking said document's workflow and repacking said document's workflow.
9. A computer system for providing a universal endpoint address schema to route documents and manage document workflows, said system comprising:
a processor configured to:
responsive to a user request, create a global electronic ticket having a globally unique identifier, the global electronic ticket indicating at least one document, at least one destination and at least one document type;
collect a plurality of rules from a plurality of databases of rules, the plurality of databases of rules including a first database of rules indexed by destinations and a second database of rules indexed by document types, each respective rule of the plurality of rules loaded from the plurality of databases of rules based on the at least one destination and at least one document type indicated, the plurality of rules including a security rule, a formatting rule, and an audit rule;
generate a document workflow, identifiable by the globally unique identifier, by generating a plurality of document operations, each of the document operations associated with the plurality of rules collected, the plurality of document operations generated by determining at least one security operation to add to the document workflow by applying metadata of the at least one document to the security rule;
encapsulate a workflow package including the document workflow, the globally unique identifier, the at least one destination, and an audit trail;
upload the workflow package, identified by the globally unique identifier, to a networked computer;
receive, from the networked computer, data related to the workflow package;
automatically perform the plurality of document operations of the workflow package on the at least one document received in the data from the networked computer associated with the global electronic ticket;
store, in the audit trail, the plurality of document operations; and
route the at least one document to the at least one destination of the request according to the workflow package.
10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when loaded and executed by a processor coupled to an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:
responsive to a user request, creating a global electronic ticket having a globally unique identifier, the global electronic ticket indicating at least one destination and at least one document type;
collecting a plurality of rules from a plurality of databases of rules, the plurality of databases of rules including a first database of rules indexed by destinations and a second database of rules indexed by document types, each respective rule of the plurality of rules loaded from the plurality of databases of rules based on the at least one destination and at least one document type indicated, the plurality of rules including a security rule, a formatting rule, and an audit rule;
generating a document workflow, identifiable by the globally unique identifier, by generating a plurality of document operations, each of the document operations associated with the plurality of rules collected, the plurality of document operations generated by determining at least one security operation to add to the document workflow by applying metadata of the at least one document to the security rule;
encapsulating a workflow package including the document workflow, the globally unique identifier, the at least one destination, and an audit trail;
uploading the workflow package, identified by the globally unique identifier, to a networked computer;
receiving, from the networked computer, data related to the workflow package;
automatically performing the plurality of document operations of the workflow package on the at least one document received in the data from the networked computer associated with the global electronic ticket;
store, in the audit trail, the plurality of document operations; and
routing the at least one document to the at least one destination of the request according to the workflow package.
11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
validate information based on said document's workflow.
12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
select document types.
13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify the globally unique identifier by reading a bar code.
14. A computer-implemented method for providing a universal endpoint address schema to route documents and manage document workflows, said method comprising:
by a hardware processor:
responsive to a user request, encapsulating a workflow package including a global electronic ticket indicating a document and a destination and having a globally unique identifier, an audit trail configured to store given performed document operations, and a generated document workflow that is identified by the globally unique identifier and having a plurality of document operations, each document operation associated with a security rule loaded from a database of rules indexed by destinations, the plurality of document operations generated by determining at least one security operation to add to the document workflow by applying metadata of the document to the security rule;
automatically performing the document operations of the workflow package on the document associated with the global electronic ticket; and
routing the document to the destination according to the workflow package.