Signature Loop Authorizing Method and Apparatus

Abstract

Systems and methods for automating and increasing the efficiency of business processes using a role structure which is preferably hierarchical. The hierarchical role structure defines a plurality of roles within several hierarchical levels. Various rights are associated with the different roles to enable positions which are associated with the roles to have access to particular business processes. Access rights can thereby be consistently administered across equivalent or similar positions. In one embodiment, the role structure is used in conjunction with a hierarchical organization structure to allow the organization structure to be searched for positions which are associated with a particular role. As a result, automatic signature loops which are not restricted to direct superiors can be implemented. The hierarchical role structure can also be used in conjunction with a hierarchical content structure to enable employees having different roles within the organization to access different information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium containing one or more instructions executable by a computer to search for a position associated with a selected role within a hierarchical organizational structure by performing the steps comprising:
 (a) identifying the selected role, exclusive of other roles;   (b) identifying a first position within the organizational structure, exclusive of other positions;   (c) identifying a second position which is immediately above the first position in the organizational structure;   (d) determining whether the second position is associated with the selected role;   (e) when the second position is associated with the selected role, terminating the search; and   (f) providing the position associated with the selected role, exclusive of other positions, to a user or a computer-implemented process.   
     
     
         2 . The computer readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the one or more instructions are executable by the computer to further perform steps including:
 (i) when the second position is not associated with the selected role, identifying a third position which is immediately above the second position in the organizational structure and determining whether the third position is associated with the selected role; 
 (ii) when the third position is not associated with the selected role, repeating (i) from the third position. 
 
     
     
         3 . The computer readable medium of  claim 1  wherein identifying the first position comprises identifying a position initiating a business process, exclusive of other positions. 
     
     
         4 . The computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the selected role comprises identifying a role which is required to authorize the business process. 
     
     
         5 . The computer readable medium of  claim 4  wherein identifying a role which is required to authorize the business process comprises selecting an entry in an authorization matrix corresponding to a set of conditions which are associated with the business process. 
     
     
         6 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5  wherein selecting an entry in the authorization matrix comprises determining whether one or more trip points associated with the authorization matrix have been triggered and selecting an entry corresponding to the triggered trip points. 
     
     
         7 . The computer readable medium of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the roles associated with positions in the hierarchical organizational structure are not unique. 
     
     
         8 . The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein the selected role is associated with a plurality of unique positions within the organizational structure. 
     
     
         9 . The computer readable medium of  claim 1  further comprising defining the organizational structure as a hierarchical structure and defining a hierarchical role structure within which the roles associated with the positions are organized, wherein the hierarchical role structure is distinct from the hierarchical organizational structure. 
     
     
         10 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the hierarchical role structure comprises at least one of the structures consisting of: a hierarchical functional role structure; a hierarchical superiority role structure; and a hierarchical legal role structure. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the hierarchical role structure comprises at least two of the structures consisting of: a hierarchical functional role structure; a hierarchical superiority role structure; and a hierarchical legal role structure. 
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the hierarchical role structure comprises: a hierarchical functional role structure; a hierarchical superiority role structure; and a hierarchical legal role structure. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the functional role comprises hierarchical levels of a job function. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the superiority role comprises hierarchical levels of title. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14  wherein the superiority role further comprises subsets of grade. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14  wherein the superiority role further comprises job skill (EEO) classification. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14  wherein the superiority role further comprises job classification. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the selected role comprises a first selected role and wherein the steps performed by the computer further comprise searching for a position associated with the second selected role. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18  wherein searching for positions associated with the first and second selected roles comprises repeating (a)-(d) for each of the first and second selected roles. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18  wherein searching for positions associated with the first and second selected roles comprises concurrently searching for the positions associated with the first selected role and the second selected role.