Data processing system and method of data entry

• US 20050198564A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Vogel, Andreas, Sinzig, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A data processing system includes telecommunication means for providing a data entry form to a client device and for receiving user data that has been entered into the data entry form from the client device, database means for storage of the user data, and program means for extracting application specific data from the database means.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising:

telecommunication means for providing a data entry form to a client device and for receiving user data that has been entered into the data entry form from the client device;

database means for storage of the user data; and

program means for extracting application specific data from the database means.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, the telecommunication means comprising an email program.

3. The data processing system of claim 1 or 2, further comprising storage means for temporarily storing a partially filled out data entry form until the data entry into the data entry form has been completed.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of data entry forms for a planning coordinator'"'"'s selection of one of the data entry forms to be provided to the client device.

5. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of user groups for a planning coordinator'"'"'s selection of one of the user groups, wherein the data entry form is provided to the users of the selected user group.

6. The data processing system of claim 1, the data entry form having a sequence of icons each icon being representative of a data entry window of the data entry form.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, each data entry window having a first button for completion of the data entry into the data entry window, wherein a completion mark is displayed next to the icon representing the data entry window for which the data entry has been completed.

8. The data processing system of claim 6 or 7, the data entry form further comprising a display window for display of a list of the data entry windows for which data entry is to be performed by a user.

9. The data processing system of claim 1, the data entry form having a second button for temporarily storing incomplete user data that has been entered into the data entry form.

10. The data processing system of claim 1, the data entry form having a third button for submitting the completely filled out data entry form.

11. The data processing system of claim 1, the data entry form having a plurality of data entry fields for entry of business data, business planning data, financial data, human resources data, budget data, scenario planning data, and/or other business related data.

12. The data processing system of claim 1, the telecommunication means comprising a web portal for receiving the user data.

13. A method of providing user data to a plurality of application programs the method comprising:

sending a data entry form to a user device;

receiving user data that has been entered into the data entry form from the user device;

storing the user data in a database; and

extracting application specific data from the database for each of the application programs.

14. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method in accordance with claim 13.

15. A method of entering user data comprising:

receiving a data entry form from a web portal, the data entry form having a plurality of data entry windows and a sequence of icons, each icon being representative of the one of the data entry windows; and

entering user data into the data entry windows starting with the data entry window being represented by the first icon of the sequence of icons, wherein a completion mark is displayed next to the first icon in response to completion of the data entry into the data entry window represented by the first icon.

16. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method in accordance with claim 15.

17. A client device comprising:

telecommunication means for receiving a data entry form from a web portal; and

a graphical user interface for displaying the data entry form;

wherein the data entry form has a plurality of data entry windows and a sequence of icons, each icon representing one of the data entry forms, the graphical user interface being adapted to display a completion mark next to one of the icons after completion of the data entry into the data entry form represented by that icon.

18. The client device of claim 17, the data entry form having a data entry window being represented by the last icon in the sequence of icons for display of user data that has been previously entered.

19. The client device of claim 17 or 18, the data entry form having a portion for display of a list of the data entry windows for which data entry is to be performed by a user.

20. A method of collecting business planning data from a plurality of line managers comprising:

providing an electronic data entry form to the plurality of line managers;

receiving user data that has been entered into the data entry forms by the line managers; and

storing the user data in a database.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising extracting sub-sets of the user data from the database for respective applications.