Intelligent validation and routing of electronic forms in a distributed workflow environment

This paper describes a knowledge-based system for improving the efficiency of automated workflow systems by 1) ensuring the correctness and completeness of data contained on forms that are originated and transmitted electronically, and 2) generating an electronic “routing slip” that reflects who must approve the form. The system uses a form-independent validation engine and form-specific constraints to check that electronic forms are filled out correctly. If no errors are detected during validation, the system uses information on the form to generate a list of individuals and/or organizations that must approve it. The system, implemented in CLIPS and running on Macintosh computers, communicates with an off-the-shelf electronic forms package via AppleScript and can operate within the Apple Open Collaboration Environment (AOCE). The system has successfully validated and generated approval paths for approximately ten different types of forms, and is easily extended to new forms