Abstract: A Supplier Portal is provided to allow a Supplier to self-author the business process elements (BPEs) of a business process (BP) to create, manage and publish rich-content for use in eCatalogs, Data Pools, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and other knowledge management situations. The resulting business process (BP) for content management incorporates the Supplier's business process (BP) model. At the business process (BP) level, self-authoring allows users to adapt business process elements (BPEs) such as workflows, approval rules and approver roles and permissions, event notification and metrics. At the activity level, self-authoring allows users to adapt business process elements (BPEs) such as user interaction templates, business process (BP) rules and user roles and permissions that relate to the input, configuration, rationalization, classification, value extraction, quality control, publication, and ongoing management of rich-content.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for creating, controlling and enhancing a life-cycle of at least one stage for a rich-content repository, such as a catalog of products and services. The item data is received from a source and is processed in accordance with a User-defined life-cycle, finally being published/syndicated as rich-content. At User direction, the rich-content life-cycle can include one or more stages such as item data receipt from a supplier, transformation under control of User-defined functions, and publication/syndication of the transformed, i.e., rich-content data. Maintenance of rich-content repositories is likewise provided using a User-defined life-cycle having User-defined functions.

Abstract: A Supplier Portal is provided to allow a Supplier to self-author the business process elements (BPEs) of a business process (BP) to create, manage and publish rich-content for use in eCatalogs, Data Pools, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and other knowledge management situations. The resulting business process (BP) for content management incorporates the Supplier's business process (BP) model. At the business process (BP) level, self-authoring allows users to adapt business process elements (BPEs) such as workflows, approval rules and approver roles and permissions, event notification and metrics. At the activity level, self-authoring allows users to adapt business process elements (BPEs) such as user interaction templates, business process (BP) rules and user roles and permissions that relate to the input, configuration, rationalization, classification, value extraction, quality control, publication, and ongoing management of rich-content.