US Patent 8429194 Document-based workflows

A workflow application allows users to store, manage, and perform tasks related to workflows comprised of ordered sets of documents. The application provides an interface for creating and managing a workflow. Each document added to the workflow is assigned to a particular position in the workflow. Via the interface, the user saves data defining the workflow. In this manner, the workflow may be shared or preserved for subsequent re-use. The application allows a user to perform various tasks with respect to the workflow. Via an interface control presented by the application, the user instigates such tasks. In response, the application causes the task to be performed for each document in the workflow in an order corresponding to the arrangement of the documents within the workflow. For example, the application may render and print each document in the workflow. Or, the application may generate a combined workflow report.