Determining local regulatory filing workflow through user contribution

• US 10,269,079 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Pai, Yogish, Goyette, Steve George, MacMartin, Robert Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tien C
• Application Number:
  US14/015,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 705 31, 705 19, 705 40, 705 45, 705 39, 283115, 726 25, 707620, 707708
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A method to generate a regulatory filing workflow for a geographical region. The method includes displaying a regulatory filing form to a user in the geographical region, displaying a user attribute list identifying user attributes from the BMAs used by the user, receiving, from the user and in response to displaying the regulatory filing form and the user attribute list, a user input that specifies a rule for determining input data of the regulatory filing form based at least on user attributes, and generating, based at least on the user input, regulatory filing report metadata including a specification for generating a regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the rule, where the regulatory filing workflow includes generating and filing the regulatory filing report to satisfy the regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region.

Claims

1. A method to generate a regulatory filing workflow for a geographical region, comprising:

obtaining regulatory filing form metadata,

wherein the regulatory filing form metadata specifies a non-data-entry portion and a data-entry portion of a regulatory filing form,

wherein the regulatory filing form is based on a regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region,

wherein the data-entry-field portion comprises a plurality of data entry fields, and

wherein the regulatory filing form is displayed by a user device based on the regulatory filing form metadata, and

wherein using an action button on a first user interface menu in a regulatory filing workflow tool redirects the user to another user interface menu from the first user interface menu to add, select, or edit the regulatory filing form and to set up the regulatory filing workflow based on the regulatory filing form;

generating a user attribute list identifying a plurality of user attributes from a business management application (BMA) of a plurality of BMAs by accessing an application programming interface (API) of the BMA,

wherein the user attribute list is displayed with the regulatory filing form by the user device;

receiving, after the regulatory filing form and the user attribute list are displayed, a specification of a pre-defined formula applied to a range of values to determine input data of a first data entry field of the plurality of data entry fields based at least on a first user attribute of the plurality of user attributes,

wherein the pre-defined formula includes at least one from a group consisting of a count rule, a sum rule, and a calculation rule; and

generating a plurality of regulatory filing report metadata, wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata comprises a specification for generating a regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the pre-defined formula;

wherein the regulatory filing report is generated by the regulatory filing workflow with the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata; and

wherein the regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region is satisfied by filing the regulatory filing report with the regulatory filing workflow.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the pre-defined formula is defined as a variable in a variable list.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the user input further specifies a regulatory agency for filing the regulatory filing report, and

wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata further comprises the regulatory agency.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the user input further specifies a filing schedule dictated by the regulatory requirement, and

wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata further comprises the filing schedule.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein the first user is an accountant user using the plurality of BMAs for preparing a tax return of a second user based on the regulatory requirement,

wherein the second user is a client of the accountant user and uses the plurality of BMAs to manage business activities of the second user in the geographical region, and

wherein the first user attribute is assigned a value specific to the second user within at least one of the plurality of BMAs for tracking the business activities of the second user.

6. The method of claim 5,

wherein the regulatory filing report is determined as due to file for the second user according to the filing schedule, and wherein the regulatory filing workflow is performed, in response to the determining and without intervention from the second user, to render the second user in compliance with the regulatory requirement.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating and filing the regulatory filing report comprises:

obtaining, from the at least one of the plurality of BMAs, the value assigned to the first user attribute;

generating the regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the pre-defined formula and the value;

submitting the regulatory filing report to the accountant user for review;

receiving an approval from the accountant user in response to the submitting; and

filing the regulatory filing report in response to the approval.

8. A system for generating a regulatory filing workflow for a geographical region, comprising:

a processor;

memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions comprise;

a filing form import module configured to;

obtain regulatory filing form metadata,

wherein the regulatory filing form metadata specifies a non-data-entry portion and a data-entry portion of a regulatory filing form,

wherein the regulatory filing form is based on a regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region,

wherein the data-entry-field portion comprises a plurality of data entry fields,

wherein the regulatory filing form is displayed by a user device based on the regulatory filing form metadata, and

wherein using an action button on a first user interface menu in a regulatory filing workflow tool redirects the user to another user interface menu from the first user interface menu to add, select, or edit the regulatory filing form and to set up the regulatory filing workflow based on the regulatory filing form; and

a filing report specification module configured to;

generate a user attribute list identifying a plurality of user attributes from a business management application (BMA) of a plurality of BMAs by accessing an application programming interface (API) of the BMA,

wherein the user attribute list is displayed with the regulatory filing form by the user device;

receive, after the regulatory filing form and the user attribute list are displayed, a specification of a pre-defined formula applied to a range of values to determine input data of a first data entry field of the plurality of data entry fields based at least on a first user attribute of the plurality of user attributes,

wherein the pre-defined formula includes at least one from a group consisting of a count rule, a sum rule, and a calculation rule; and

generate a plurality of regulatory filing report metadata, wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata comprises a specification for generating a regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the pre-defined formula; and

a repository for storing the regulatory filing form metadata and the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata;

wherein the regulatory filing report is generated by the regulatory filing workflow with the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata; and

wherein the regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region is satisfied by filing the regulatory filing report with the regulatory filing workflow.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein the pre-defined formula is defined as a variable in a variable list.

10. The system of claim 8,

wherein the user input further specifies a regulatory agency for filing the regulatory filing report, and

wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata further comprises the regulatory agency.

11. The system of claim 8,

wherein the user input further specifies a filing schedule dictated by the regulatory requirement, and

wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata further comprises the filing schedule.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the first user is an accountant user using the plurality of BMAs for preparing a tax return of a second user based on the regulatory requirement,

wherein the second user is a client of the accountant user and uses the plurality of BMAs to manage business activities of the second user in the geographical region, and

wherein the first user attribute is assigned a value specific to the second user within at least one of the plurality of BMAs for tracking the business activities of the second user.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a regulatory filing module configured to:

determine that the regulatory filing report is due to file for the second user according to the filing schedule; and

perform, in response to the determining and without intervention from the second user, the regulatory filing workflow to render the second user in compliance with the regulatory requirement.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein generating and filing the regulatory filing report comprises:

obtaining, from the at least one of the plurality of BMAs, the value assigned to the first user attribute;

generating the regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the pre-defined formula and the value;

submitting the regulatory filing report to the accountant user for review;

receiving an approval from the accountant user in response to the submitting; and

filing the regulatory filing report in response to the approval.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to generate a regulatory filing workflow for a geographical region, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor, comprising functionality for:

obtaining regulatory filing form metadata,

wherein the regulatory filing form metadata specifies a non-data-entry portion and a data-entry portion of a regulatory filing form,

wherein the regulatory filing form is based on a regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region,

wherein the data-entry-field portion comprises a plurality of data entry fields,

wherein the regulatory filing form is displayed by a user device based on the regulatory filing form metadata, and

wherein using an action button on a first user interface menu in a regulatory filing workflow tool redirects the user to another user interface menu from the first user interface menu to add, select, or edit the regulatory filing form and to set up the regulatory filing workflow based on the regulatory filing form;

generating a user attribute list identifying a plurality of user attributes from a business management application (BMA) of a plurality of BMAs by accessing an application programming interface (API) of the BMA,

wherein the user attribute list is displayed with the regulatory filing form by the user device;

receiving, after the regulatory filing form and the user attribute list are displayed, a specification of a pre-defined formula applied to a range of values to determine input data of a first data entry field of the plurality of data entry fields based at least on a first user attribute of the plurality of user attributes,

wherein the pre-defined formula includes at least one from a group consisting of a count rule, a sum rule, and a calculation rule; and

generating a plurality of regulatory filing report metadata, wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata comprises a specification for generating a regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the pre-defined formula;

wherein the regulatory filing report is generated by the regulatory filing workflow with the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata; and

wherein the regulatory requirement specific to the geographical region is satisfied by filing the regulatory filing report with the regulatory filing workflow.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,

wherein the pre-defined formula is defined as a variable in a variable list.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,

wherein the user input further specifies a regulatory agency for filing the regulatory filing report, and

wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata further comprises the regulatory agency.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,

wherein the user input further specifies a filing schedule dictated by the regulatory requirement, and

wherein the plurality of regulatory filing report metadata further comprises the filing schedule.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18,

wherein the first user is an accountant user using the plurality of BMAs for preparing a tax return of a second user based on the regulatory requirement,

wherein the second user is a client of the accountant user and uses the plurality of BMAs to manage business activities of the second user in the geographical region, and

wherein the first user attribute is assigned a value specific to the second user within at least one of the plurality of BMAs for tracking the business activities of the second user.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19,

wherein the regulatory filing report is determined as due to file for the second user according to the filing schedule, and

wherein the regulatory filing workflow is performed, in response to the determining and without intervention from the second user, to render the second user in compliance with the regulatory requirement.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein generating and filing the regulatory filing report comprises:

obtaining, from the at least one of the plurality of BMAs, the value assigned to the first user attribute;

generating the regulatory filing report by completing the regulatory filing form based at least on the pre-defined formula and the value;

submitting the regulatory filing report to the accountant user for review;

receiving an approval from the accountant user in response to the submitting; and

filing the regulatory filing report in response to the approval.