The extended workflow concept allows a patent to be processed in different tasks by different user groups, depending on its evaluation. Previously, if a patent family was completed in one task, the patent family could not be processed a second time in this task.
Now, however, it can happen that a patent has to be reclassified due to new developments. This is possible, for example, through external evaluation. This gives the patent family a new, possibly higher status. By setting a new status, the patent family may have to go through a task again, even though it has already been processed in this task in the past. The prerequisite for this is that the change date of the status is more recent than the processing time in the task. Nevertheless, the history shows the complete process.
