WORK FLOW SUPPORT SYSTEM, ITS METHOD, WORK FLOW SUPPORT PROGRAM, AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM WITH THE PROGRAM RECORDED THEREON

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely complete the same kind of processing concerned with many electronic documents up to a prescribed period when the contents of the same processing are simultaneously generated when collectively investigating whether the examination claims of patents applied in a certain past period are required or not in an enterprise. SOLUTION: The schedule of a work flow, specifically a period up to which each worker is to complete each work, is previously set up and the schedule is managed so as not to stagnate or delay work on the way of a work flow by urging a worker concerned to complete an item having not completed even when it approaches the period. Differently from the schedule management, a period for the application of each individual item to public agencies (an examination claim period in the case of a patent application) is always monitored, and when there is an item of which application is not executed yet immediately before the period, a prescribed manager is informed of the approach of the period by an e-mail.