Issue tracking

• US 20050086248A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Atchison, Charles
• Application Number:
  US10/687,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An issue tracking system is provided. The system typically includes a centralized server operable to transmit a graphical user interface for tracking project issues over a network, and a database associated with the centralized server provides the graphical user interface to the centralized server. The database also tracks issues related to a topic, provides access through the centralized server to multiple users responsible for resolving issues related to the topic, and provides a storage option for a user to upload data formats which the user determines would be inefficient to manually enter using a graphical user interface format. Methods and other systems are also provided.

Claims

1. An issue tracking system, comprising:

a centralized server operable to transmit a graphical user interface for tracking project issues over a network;

a database coupled to the centralized server operable to provide the graphical user interface to the centralized server, the database being further operable to track at least one issue related to a topic, to provide access through the centralized server to a plurality of users responsible for resolving said at least one issue, and to provide a storage option for a user to upload data formats which the user determines would be inefficient to manually enter using a format associated with the graphical user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is operable to communicate using a hypertext markup language.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized server is further operable to notify a responsible user when an issue is updated.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the centralized server is operable to notify the responsible user via electronic mail when an issue is updated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the database has a table devoted to keeping track of at least one topic.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the database has a table devoted to keeping track of at least one issue associated with said at least one topic.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of said at least one issue comprises a description of the issue, a status associated with said at least one issue, and a sponsor associated with said at least one issue.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of said at least one issue comprises a priority rating associated with said at least one issue.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the database has a table devoted to keeping track of at least one step associated with said at least one issue.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of said at least one step associated with said at least one issue comprises a description of a step related to the resolution of said at least one issue.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the database also maintains a list of persons responsible for a topic.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network operable to transmit information stored in the database to a plurality of users.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a personal computer coupled to the network and having a browser operable to view the information received from the database via the network.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the database is further operable to store issues that have been closed by a responsible user, and transmit information about the closed issue upon receiving a request for the information.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage option is used for uploading a legacy spreadsheet file.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage option is used for uploading a legacy database file.

17. A method of tracking project issues, comprising the steps of:

storing a project in a standardized format on a centralized database;

adding an issue associated with the project to the centralized database; and

enabling users to add at least one step taken to resolve the issue to the centralized database;

providing an option to a user to upload a data file which is in a data format which the user determines would be inefficient to convert to the standardized format.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

closing the issue upon resolution.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the issue is closed after a responsible user sends a request to close the issue to a system administrator associated with the database.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adding an issue description to the centralized database.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the issue description includes a status, a priority rating, and a sponsor.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adding a step description to the centralized database.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user for the issue and said at least one step; and

providing the issue and said at least one step to a user.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the issue and said at least one step are provided using hypertext transfer protocol via a network.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the user for all issues related to the project; and

providing all issues associated with the project.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of:

providing all issues associated with a project in a user sortable format based on an issue number associated with each issue, a status associated with each issue, a priority rating associated with each issue, a classification associated with each issue, and a sponsor associated with each issue.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to add a step to an issue;

adding the step to the centralized database; and

linking the step to the issue in the centralized database.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

storing a list comprising a plurality of responsible users for a project.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of:

notifying the plurality of responsible users when an issue has been updated or closed.

30. A computer readable medium having a program for tracking project issues, the program operable to perform the steps of:

storing a project on a centralized database;

adding an issue associated with the project to the centralized database; and

enabling users to add at least one step taken to resolve the issue to the centralized database;

providing an option to a user to upload a data file which is in a data format which the user determines would be inefficient to convert to the standardized format.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

closing the issue upon resolution.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the issue is closed after a responsible user sends a request to close the issue to a system administrator associated with the database.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

adding an issue description to the centralized database.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the issue description includes a status, a priority rating, and a sponsor.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

adding a step description to the centralized database.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a user for the issue and said at least one step; and

providing the issue and said at least one step to a user.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the issue and said at least one step are provided using hypertext transfer protocol via a network.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from the user for all issues related to the project; and

providing all issues associated with the project.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

providing all issues associated with a project in a user sortable format based on an issue number associated with each issue, a status associated with each issue, a priority rating associated with each issue, a classification associated with each issue, and a sponsor associated with each issue.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 30, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to add a step to an issue;

adding the step to the centralized database; and

linking the step to the issue in the centralized database.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

storing a list comprising a plurality of responsible users for a project.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, the program further operable to perform the steps of:

notifying the plurality of responsible users when an issue has been updated or closed.