Selective capture of incoming email messages for diagnostic analysis

• US 10,037,316 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Mencke, Rasmus, Stevens, Richard Alan, Clair, Brian St.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tillery, Rashawn N
• Application Number:
  US14/983,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/279 Recognition of textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method for processing email is presented here. The method begins by receiving email capture criteria for incoming email messages directed to a destination tenant of a multi-tenant database system. The method continues by comparing the email capture criteria to searchable information conveyed in the incoming email messages. When the searchable information in a candidate email message of the incoming email messages matches the email capture criteria by at least a threshold amount, the candidate email message is identified as a matched email message. The method continues by saving a copy of the matched email message for diagnostic analysis, and performing incoming email processing on the matched email message.

Claims

1. A method for processing email, the method comprising:

receiving email capture criteria for incoming email messages, each of the incoming email messages having a recipient address ending with a common domain string, and the email capture criteria received in an email capture request that is valid for only one captured email message;

comparing the email capture criteria to searchable information conveyed in the incoming email messages;

when the searchable information in a candidate email message of the incoming email messages matches the email capture criteria by at least a threshold amount, identifying the candidate email message as a matched email message; and

after the matched email message has been detected, indicating that the email capture request is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving a copy of the matched email message; and

performing incoming email processing on the matched email message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the candidate email message in an original format as an originally formatted candidate email message; and

decoding the originally formatted candidate email message to obtain the searchable information in the candidate email message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client device, the GUI comprising a data entry field to receive at least a portion of a recipient email address; and

acquiring a character string via the data entry field;

wherein the email capture criteria comprises the acquired character string.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client device, the GUI comprising a data entry field to receive at least a portion of a sender email address; and

acquiring a character string via the data entry field;

wherein the email capture criteria comprises the acquired character string.

6. A computer-implemented method for processing email, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client device, the GUI comprising at least one data entry field

acquiring at least one character string via the at least one data entry field;

creating a capture request for incoming email messages, wherein the capture request defines email capture criteria based on the acquired at least one character string, each of the incoming email messages having a recipient address ending with a common domain string, and the capture request being valid for only one captured email message;

monitoring the incoming email messages for satisfaction of the email capture criteria;

identifying one of the incoming email messages as a matched email message when the email capture criteria is satisfied; and

after the matched email message has been detected, indicating that the email capture request is completed.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing incoming email processing on the matched email message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the GUI comprises a first data entry field to receive at least a portion of a recipient email address, and a second data entry field to receive at least a portion of a sender email address;

the acquiring step acquires a first character string via the first data entry field, and a second character string via the second data entry field; and

the email capture criteria comprises the acquired first character string and the acquired second character string.

9. A computer-implemented database system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory comprises computer-executable instructions configurable to cause the database system to:

process incoming email messages;

receive email capture criteria for incoming email messages, each of the incoming email messages having a recipient address ending with a common domain string, and the email capture criteria received in an email capture request that is valid for only one captured email message;

monitoring the incoming email messages for satisfaction of the email capture criteria;

identifying one of the incoming email messages as a matched email message when the email capture criteria is satisfied;

providing diagnostic data for the matched email message to a client device; and

after the matched email message has been detected, indicating that the email capture request is completed.

10. The database system of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configurable to cause the database system to:

save a copy of the matched email message; and

perform incoming email processing on the matched email message.

11. The database system of claim 9, wherein the email capture criteria comprises at least a portion of a recipient email address.

12. The database system of claim 9, wherein the email capture criteria comprises at least a portion of a sender email address.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions configurable to perform a method of processing email, the method comprising:

receiving email capture criteria for incoming email messages, each of the incoming email messages having a recipient address ending with a common domain string, and the email capture criteria received in an email capture request that is valid for only one captured email message;

comparing the email capture criteria to searchable information conveyed in the incoming email messages;

identifying one of the incoming email messages as a matched email message when the email capture criteria is satisfied; and

after the matched email message has been detected, indicating that the email capture request is completed.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method performed by the computer-executable instructions further comprises:

providing diagnostic data for the matched email message to a client device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method performed by the computer-executable instructions further comprises:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client device;

wherein the GUI comprises data entry fields to acquire at least one character string utilized for the email capture criteria.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the GUI comprises a status indicator to convey a current monitoring status for the email capture criteria.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the GUI comprises a diagnostic data field to display the diagnostic data for the matched email message.