Mail server-based dynamic workflow management

摘要

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, and program product for managing the flow of electronic mail. A computing device receives from a sender a first electronic mail addressed to first and second recipients in a serial propagation mode, and in response, the computing device transmits the first electronic mail en route to the first but not the second recipient. A computing device receives a second electronic mail from the first recipient as a response to the first electronic mail, and in response, a computing device transmits the first electronic email to the second recipient.

主权项

1. A method for managing flow of a serial propagation mode electronic mail, according to a serial propagation ordering, to a plurality of recipients including at least a set of first-hop recipient(s), at least a first recipient and a set of second-hop recipient(s), the method comprising:
the first recipient receiving at a first recipient server, from a sender mail server, a first version of an electronic mail, with the electronic mail including a serial propagation token; the first recipient server automatically determining the set of second-hop email recipient(s) based upon the serial propagation token of the electronic mail; and the first recipient server sending a second version of the electronic mail to the set of second-hop recipient(s), wherein the second version of the electronic mail may be identical to the first version or modified; wherein the propagation token defines the full propagation sequence ordering for the electronic mail so that all recipient servers send appropriate versions of the electronic mail to recipient(s) as automatically determined based on the serial propagation token.