IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,216,711
Granted Patent B2
US 12,216,711 · App. 18/312,717 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Process modeling based on process insights

Inventors: Andreas Breitrueck (Walldorf, DE); Bastian Hoeltkemeier (Berlin, DE); Bernd Lauer (Walldorf, DE); Gregor Berg (Berlin, DE); Maximilian Hoelzig (Walldorf, DE); Stefan Voll (Stutensee-Spöck, DE); Zinayida Kensche (Walldorf, DE)
Assignee: SAP SE
G06F16/9024G06F16/90335G06F16/9038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,216,711
App. No.
18/312,717
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The example embodiments are directed to systems and methods which can generate a process graph with important process insights in a manner that is significantly faster and more scalable than related art approaches and answers questions most customers have through the use of standardization. In one example, a method may include querying a data store for document data of a process, identifying a plurality of milestones that occur within the process and blockers that prevent at least one of the milestones from completing based on the document data, generating a graph model of the process based on a predefined template, wherein the graph model comprises a plurality of nodes corresponding to the plurality of milestones and edges between the plurality of nodes based on the blockers, and displaying the graph model of the process via a user interface.

Claims (32)

1. A computing system comprising:

a data store configured to store document data of a process; and

at least one processor configured to:

query the data store for the document data of the process,

identify a plurality of milestones that occur within the process and one or more blockers, at least a portion of the plurality of milestones and the one or more blockers being identified from a group of known milestones and blockers, each individual milestone of the plurality of milestones comprising an event required to occur during the process, and each blocker of the one or more blockers comprising an occurrence or event which prevents at least one milestone from among the plurality of milestones from completing based on the document data,

generate a graph model of the process based on a predefined template, wherein the graph model comprises a plurality of nodes corresponding to the plurality of milestones and the blockers, the graph model including directional edges disposed between various nodes of the plurality of nodes, each of the directional edges including an indication of an amount of process instances which follow a particular direction between two of the various nodes,

identify completion ratios of the plurality of milestones based on a log of events of a plurality of executions of the process, and

display, via a user interface, the graph model of the process and illustrate the completion ratios within the graph model.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare the graph model of the process to a best practice model to identify a node to add to the graph model of the process, and display a recommendation with information about the node via the user interface.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to extract data of a plurality of executions of the process from a database table, and generate the log of events of the plurality of executions of the process based on a plurality of process events within each execution from among the plurality of executions and timestamps of the plurality of process events.

4. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of executions of the process correspond to a plurality of respective front-end users executing the process via a software application.

5. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a plurality of event logs for the plurality of milestones, respectively, and illustrate data from the plurality of event logs in the plurality of nodes in the graph model, respectively.

6. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to infer a virtual event exists in the process based on the document data, and add a node to the graph model based on the inferred virtual event.

7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate two or more nodes in the graph model for a milestone based on a blocker of the milestone.

8. A method comprising:

querying a data store for document data of a process;

identifying a plurality of milestones that occur within the process and one or more blockers at least a portion of the plurality of milestones and the one or more blockers being identified from a group of known milestones and blockers, each individual milestone of the plurality of milestones comprising an event required to occur during the process, and each blocker of the one or more blockers comprising an occurrence or event which prevents at least one milestone from among the plurality of milestones from completing based on the document data, wherein the identifying further comprises identifying completion ratios of the plurality of milestones based on a log of events of a plurality of executions of the process, and illustrating the completion ratios within a graph model displayed via the user interface;

generating the graph model of the process based on a predefined template, wherein the graph model comprises a plurality of nodes corresponding to the plurality of milestones and the blockers, the graph model including directional edges disposed between various nodes of the plurality of nodes, each of the directional edges including an indication of an amount of process instances which follow a particular direction between two of the various nodes; and

displaying the graph model of the process via a user interface.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises comparing the graph model of the process to a best practice model to identify a node to add to the graph model of the process, and displaying a recommendation with information about the node via the user interface.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying comprises extracting data of a plurality of executions of the process from a database table, and generating the log of events of the plurality of executions of the process based on a plurality of process events within each execution from among the plurality of executions and timestamps of the plurality of process events.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of executions of the process correspond to a plurality of respective front-end users executing the process via a software application.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the generating the log of events comprises generating a plurality of event logs for the plurality of milestones, respectively, and storing data from the plurality of event logs in the plurality of nodes in the graph model, respectively.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further inferring a virtual event exists in the process based on the document data, and adding a node to the graph model based on the inferred virtual event.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the generating the graph model comprises generating two or more nodes in the graph model for a milestone based on a blocker of the milestone.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause a computer to perform a method comprising:

querying a data store for document data of a process;

identifying a plurality of milestones that occur within the process and one or more blockers, at least a portion of the plurality of milestones and blockers being identified from a group of known milestones and blockers, each individual milestone of the plurality of milestones comprising an event required to occur during the process, and each blocker of the one or more blockers comprising an occurrence or event which prevents at least one milestone from among the plurality of milestones from completing based on the document data, wherein the identifying further comprises identifying completion ratios of the plurality of milestones based on a log of events of a plurality of executions of the process, and illustrating the completion ratios within a graph model displayed via the user interface;

generating the graph model of the process based on a predefined template, wherein the graph model comprises a plurality of nodes corresponding to the plurality of milestones and the blockers, the graph model including directional edges disposed between various nodes of the plurality of nodes, each of the directional edges including an indication of an amount of process instances which follow a particular direction between two of the various nodes; and

displaying the graph model of the process via a user interface.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises comparing the graph model of the process to a best practice model to identify a node to add to the graph model of the process, and displaying a recommendation with information about the node via the user interface.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the identifying comprises extracting data of a plurality of executions of the process from a database table, and generating the log of events of the plurality of executions of the process based on a plurality of process events within each execution from among the plurality of executions and timestamps of the plurality of process events.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2023
From: BREITRUECK, ANDREAS; HOELTKEMEIER, BASTIAN; LAUER, BERND; BERG, GREGOR; HOELZIG, MAXIMILIAN; VOLL, STEFAN; KENSCHE, ZINAYIDA
To: SAP SE
Reel/Frame 063549/0238 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240370495A1 · Nov 7, 2024
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