Workflow support for dynamic action input

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10809982-B2
Application number	US-201916592216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2019
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

Persistent storage may contain a definition of an application programming interface (API) of a remote service, where the API provides access to input information stored at the remote service. One or more processors may be configured to: (i) provide, for display on an action design graphical user interface (GUI), a first menu that allows selection of a first set of the input information to be dynamically retrieved from the API during design of a workflow; (ii) provide, for display on the action design GUI, a second menu that allows selection of a second set of the input information to be dynamically retrieved from the API during design of the workflow; and (iii) provide for display, on the action design GUI, options for specifying the API, how to remotely access the API, and how to parse data received from the API.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing, via a server device, an action design graphical user interface (GUI) for display on a client device;
providing, via the server device, for display on the client device, a first menu of the action design GUI, wherein the first menu of the action design GUI comprises a first set of first input information selectable via the action design GUI;
receiving a first selection of the first set of first input information via the action design GUI, wherein the first selection of the first set of first input information indicates that the first set of first input information is to be dynamically retrieved from an application programming interface (API) of a remote service during design of a workflow;
providing, via the server device, for display on the client device, in response to receiving the first selection of the first set of first input information, a second menu of the action design GUI, wherein the second menu of the action design GUI comprises a second set of second input information selectable via the action design GUI, and wherein the second set of second input information is based on to the first selection of the first set of first input information;
receiving a second selection of the second set of second input information via the action design GUI, wherein the second selection of the second set of second input information indicates that the second set of second input information is to be dynamically retrieved from the API of the remote service during design of the workflow; and
storing, via the server device, a defined action for integration into the workflow, wherein the defined action comprises the first set of first input information and the second set of second input information as inputs.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action design GUI comprises an action outline including a plurality of steps indicative of processes for defining the defined action.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of steps comprises: an input step, a create task step, a representational state transfer (REST) step, a parsing step, an output step, or a combination thereof, and wherein the input step is associated with presenting the first menu of the action design GUI, receiving the first selection of the first set of first input information, presenting the second menu of the action design GUI, receiving the second selection of the second set of second input information, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
providing, via the server device, a workflow design GUI for display on the client device; and
providing, for display on the client device, a third menu of the workflow design GUI, wherein the third menu of the workflow design GUI comprises a plurality of actions selectable via the workflow design GUI, wherein each action of the plurality of actions is to be incorporated into the workflow upon selection of an action of the plurality of actions, and wherein the plurality of actions comprises the defined action.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising:
receiving, via the workflow design GUI, a third selection of the defined action;
dynamically retrieving the first set of first input information from the API of the remote service in response to receiving the third selection of the defined action;
providing, for display on the client device, a fourth menu of the workflow design GUI in response to receiving the third selection of the defined action, wherein the fourth menu of the workflow design GUI comprises the first set of first input information, and each first input information of the first set of first input information is selectable via the workflow design GUI; and
receiving a fourth selection of a selected first input information of the first set of first input information via the workflow design GUI.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising:
dynamically retrieving the second set of second input information from the API of the remote service in response to receiving the fourth selection of the selected first input information, wherein the second set of second input information is associated with the selected first input information of the first set of first input information;
providing, for display on the client device, a fifth menu of the workflow design GUI in response to receiving the fourth selection of the selected first input information of the first set of first input information, wherein the fifth menu of the workflow design GUI comprises the second set of second input information, and each second input information of the second set of second input information is selectable via the workflow design GUI; and
receiving a fifth selection of a selected second input information of the second set of second input information via the workflow design GUI.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fifth menu of the workflow design GUI comprises one or more procedures to be performed on the selected second input information of the second set of second input information, and wherein the method comprises storing a defined workflow comprising the selected first input information of the first set of first input information and a value of the selected second input information of the second set of second input information after performance of the one or more procedures.

8. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a persistent storage, accessible by the processor, the persistent storage storing:
a definition of an application programming interface (API) of a remote service, wherein the API of the remote service provides access to input information stored at the remote service; and
instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform actions comprising:
presenting a first menu on an action design graphical user interface (GUI) of a client device, wherein the first menu on the action design GUI comprises a first set of first input information selectable via the action design GUI, and wherein a first selection of the first set of first input information indicates that the first set of first input information is to be dynamically retrieved from an application programming interface (API) of a remote service during design of a workflow upon selection of the first set of first input information;
presenting a second menu on the action design GUI in response to receipt of the first selection of the first set of first input information, wherein the second menu on the action design GUI comprises a second set of second input information selectable via the action design GUI, wherein the second set of second input information is based on the first selection of the first set of first input information, and wherein a second selection of the second set of second input information indicates that the second set of second input information is to be dynamically retrieved from the API of the remote service during design of the workflow upon selection of the second set of second input information; and
storing a defined action in the persistent storage, wherein the defined action is configured for integration into the workflow, and wherein the defined action comprises the first set of first input information and the second set of second input information as inputs.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first set of first input information comprises a list of tables provided by the remote service.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second set of second input information comprises a respective list of fields associated with each table from the list of tables provided by the remote service.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform ac

Assignees

• Servicenow Inc

Inventors

• Burman Jacob Samuel
• Dias Rebecca Anita
• Nerius Joshua Timothy
• Maloy Christopher
• Alvarado Jimenez Alberto
• Nelson Harry Thomas

Classifications

• G06Q10/0633 Primary

  Workflow analysis · CPC title

• G06F9/541

  via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F9/44521

  Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading · CPC title

• G06F8/38

  for implementing user interfaces · CPC title