A system for supporting organizations in knowledge-based document preparation

The paper discusses how recurrent organizational activities such as document preparation can be supported by a knowledge-based document preparation tool. REGENT (REport GENeration Tool) is a software environment, which generates documents from reusable document pieces by planning, executing and monitoring the document preparation process in an organizational setting. The documents are constructed from stored document pieces using artificial intelligence methods. A system architecture is developed to enable the document generation process within a broader office automation setting. The report preparation process knowledge is captured in a knowledge representation scheme. A two-phased artificial intelligence problem solving strategy is developed to carry out the reasoning steps when configuring reports from document pieces. The REGENT environment is especially effective when preparing recurrent report types such as the preparation of annual reports. The approach is illustrated with examples gathered during the partial implementation of REGENT at FAW (Artificial Intelligence Research Institute).