Integrating and managing social networking information in an on-demand database system

• US 10,489,790 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Chauhan, Chet
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US15/374,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20170091776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Some embodiments comprise integrating information from a social network into a multi-tenant database system. A plurality of information from the social network is retrieved, using a processor and a network interface of a server computer in the multi-tenant database system, wherein the plurality of information is associated with a message transmitted using the social network. Metadata related to the transmitted message is generated, using the processor. A conversation object is generated, using the processor, based on the plurality of information associated with the transmitted message and the metadata related to the transmitted message. The conversation object is then stored in an entity in the multi-tenant database system, using the processor of the server computer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of automatically creating new customer records in a database of a customer relationship management (CRM) system implemented using a database system, the method comprising:

obtaining an electronic message using a processor and a network interface of a computer;

automatically performing one or more database searches on the database of the CRM system for any existing customer records associated with a correspondent which sent the message;

determining, based on the one or more database searches, that the correspondent is not associated with the existing customer records;

extracting correspondent-identifying information from the message without operator assistance;

populating a new customer record with the extracted correspondent-identifying information;

associating the message with the new customer record; and

storing the new customer record in the database of the CRM system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the existing customer records comprise contact records and lead records.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising prompting for a selection of records or messages to track.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an article based on the message.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising creating an object to track the message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising updating a distribution list based on the message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising filtering social networks for messages.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising posting a response to at least one message to the social network.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium impressed with computer program instructions to automatically create new customer records in a database of a customer relationship management (CRM) system implemented using a database system, the instructions, when executed on a processor, configured to cause:

obtaining an electronic message using a processor and a network interface of a computer;

automatically performing one or more database searches on the database of the CRM system for any existing customer records associated with a correspondent which sent the message;

determining, based on the one or more database searches, that the correspondent is not associated with the existing customer records;

extracting correspondent-identifying information from the message without operator assistance;

populating a new customer record with the extracted correspondent-identifying information;

associating the message with the new customer record; and

storing the new customer record in the database of the CRM system.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the existing customer records comprise contact records and lead records.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further configured to cause:

prompting for a selection of records or messages to track.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further configured to cause:

receiving an article based on the message.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further configured to cause:

creating an object to track the message.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further configured to cause:

updating a distribution list based on the message.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further configured to cause:

filtering social networks for messages.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the instructions further configured to cause:

posting a response to at least one message to the social network.

17. A system for automatically creating new customer records in a database of a customer relationship management (CRM) system implemented using a database system, the system comprising:

a server system comprising one or more processors, the server system configurable to cause;

obtaining an electronic message;

automatically performing one or more database searches on the database of the CRM system for any existing customer records associated with a correspondent which sent the message;

determining, based on the one or more database searches, that the correspondent is not associated with the existing customer records;

extracting correspondent-identifying information from the message without operator assistance;

populating a new customer record with the extracted correspondent-identifying information;

associating the message with the new customer record; and

storing the new customer record in the database of the CRM system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the existing customer records comprise contact records and lead records.

19. The system of claim 17, the server system further configurable to cause:

prompting for a selection of records or messages to track.

20. The system of claim 17, the server system further configurable to cause:

receiving an article based on the message.

21. The system of claim 17, the server system further configurable to cause:

creating an object to track the message.

22. The system of claim 17, the server system further configurable to cause:

updating a distribution list based on the message.

23. The system of claim 17, the server system further configurable to cause:

filtering social networks for messages.

24. The system of claim 23, the server system further configurable to cause:

posting a response to at least one message to the social network.