Action pad

• US 20060031775A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Sattler, Juergen, Gaffga, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Integration techniques for bridging business management software systems with external objects and data. An action pad application program window provides an interface to these integration techniques, and includes a drop area to receive external objects by drag-and-drop, an information area to display information about received external objects and data, and an action menu to display actions responsive to the received external objects and data. When an external object is received in the drop area, a determination is made as to what actions are associated with the object type, and the actions are displayed in the action menu. The content of the external object is also examined, and additional actions, dependent on the content, are displayed. The action pad application program also actively monitors a user'"'"'s e-mail and calendar, importing messages and events into the business management systems.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a drop area for receiving objects by drag-and-drop;

based upon an object type of an object received in the drop area, determining what actions are associated with the object type;

if the object has a recognized structure, identifying a process associated with the recognized structure, and determining what actions are associated with the process;

if the object does not have a recognized structure, analyzing content of the object to identify terms appearing in a database, and for identified terms, determining what actions are associated with at least one of a corresponding field and a corresponding record in the database; and

displaying an interactive list of the actions associated with the object type, and the actions associated with the process or associated with the at least one of the corresponding field and the corresponding record in the database.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

scanning content of the object received in the drop area for a structure identifier, and comparing the structure identifier to pre-stored identifiers to determine whether the object has a recognized structure.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing content of the object received in the drop area to pre-stored patterns to determine whether the object has a recognized structure.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the sender of the received object;

searching for information associated with the identified sender;

determining what actions are associated with the sender and the information associated with the sender;

displaying the actions associated with the sender and the information associated with the sender in the interactive list; and

displaying the information associated with the sender.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving telephone-caller identification data sent with a telephone call;

searching for information associated with the caller;

determining what actions are associated with the caller and the information associated with the caller;

determining what actions are associated with telephone calls;

displaying an interactive list of actions comprising the actions associated with the caller and the information associated with the caller, and the actions associated with telephone calls; and

displaying the information associated with the caller.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the object received in the drop area includes an attachment, displaying a query asking whether the object or the attachment should be processed; and

processing the attachment as the object, if a response to the query indicates that the attachment should be processed.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instant message;

determining what actions are associated with instant messages;

analyzing the content of the instant message to identify terms appearing in a database, and for identified terms, determining what actions are associated with at least one of a corresponding field and a corresponding record in the database; and

displaying an interactive list of the actions associated with instant messages, and the actions associated with the at least one of the corresponding field and the corresponding record in the database.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instant message;

if the instant message includes an attachment, displaying a query asking whether the instant message or the attachment should be processed;

if a response to the query indicates that the attachment should be processed, then;

based upon an object type of the attachment, determining what actions are associated with the object type;

if the attachment has a recognized structure, identifying a process associated with the recognized structure, and determining what actions are associated with the process;

if the attachment does not have a recognized structure, analyzing content of the attachment to identify terms appearing in a database, and for identified terms, determining what actions are associated with at least one of a corresponding field and a corresponding record in the database; and

displaying an interactive list of the actions associated with the object type, and the actions associated with the process or associated with the at least one of the corresponding field and the corresponding record in the database.

9. A method comprising:

automatically reviewing e-mail for messages that have been marked as read;

checking a stored record to see if each message marked as read was previously imported into a document management system, and checking the stored record to see if handling instructions were previously received for each message marked as read that has not been imported;

in accordance with previous instructions in the stored record, or in an absence of instructions if a message has not already been imported, displaying a prompt asking whether each message marked as read should be imported into the document management system;

for each message to be imported, comparing a sender of the message with parties included in at least one of a database, an address book, and a contact list to identify an organization associated with the sender;

checking the document management system for a record identifier for the organization, if the organization is identified in the at least one of the database, the address book, and the contact list; and

storing a copy of the message in the document management system using the record identifier, and updating the stored record to indicate that the message has been imported.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

displaying a prompt requesting a record identifier for the organization, if the organization is not identified in the at least one of the database and the address book; and

storing an association of the record identifier with the sender, as received in response to the prompt.

11. The method according to 9, further comprising:

displaying a first prompt asking for confirmation of the record identifier found by checking the document management system;

displaying a second prompt asking for a record identifier for the organization, if the response to the first prompt does not confirm the record identifier presented in the first prompt; and

storing an association of the record identifier with the sender, received in response to the second prompt.

12. A method comprising:

receiving notification that an appointment has been added to a calendar program;

displaying a prompt asking whether to create a customer relationship management activity based on the appointment;

generating a form comprising information from the appointment, and having additional information fields, if the response to the prompt indicates to create the customer relationship management activity;

displaying the form, including prompts for information to fill the additional information fields;

receiving the information to fill the additional information fields; and

submitting the information from the form to a customer relationship management system as a new activity.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a first instant message for outgoing transmission;

determining whether a channel for delivery of the first instant message is available;

transmitting the first instant message for delivery if the channel is available; and

if the channel is not available;

automatically looking up an e-mail address for an addressee of the first instant message; and

if the e-mail address for the addressee is found, automatically converting the instant message into an e-mail message and sending the e-mail message to the e-mail address of the addressee.

14. The method according to 13, further comprising:

if the e-mail address of the addressee is not found;

displaying a prompt requesting the e-mail address of the addressee;

storing an association between the addressee of the instant message and the e-mail address received in response to the prompt;

converting the instant message into an e-mail message and sending the e-mail message to the e-mail address of the addressee.

15. The method according to 13, further comprising:

receiving a second instant message that is incoming for delivery;

checking whether a recipient for the second instant message is listed as offline;

if the recipient is listed as offline, automatically looking up an e-mail address for the recipient, converting the second instant message into an e-mail message, and sending the e-mail message to the e-mail address of the recipient.

16. A method comprising:

receiving an instant message;

automatically checking at least one of the received instant message and an attachment to the received instant message for a security certificate;

validating the security certificate, if the instant message or attachment includes a security certificate;

displaying that the security certificate is invalid, if the security certificate is invalid.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

automatically determining whether the attachment is encrypted, if the instant message has an attachment; and

decrypting the attachment, if the received instant message is determined to have an encrypted attachment.

18. A machine-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method comprising:

displaying a drop area for receiving objects by drag-and-drop;

based upon an object type of an object received in the drop area, determining what actions are associated with the object type;

if the object has a recognized structure, identifying a process associated with the recognized structure, and determining what actions are associated with the process;

if the object does not have a recognized structure, analyzing content of the object to identify terms appearing in a database, and for identified terms, determining what actions are associated with at least one of a corresponding field and a corresponding record in the database; and

displaying an interactive list of the actions associated with the object type, and the actions associated with the process or associated with the at least one of the corresponding field and the corresponding record in the database.

19. The machine-readable medium according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

scanning content of the object received in the drop area for a structure identifier, and comparing the structure identifier to pre-stored identifiers to determine whether the object has a recognized structure.

20. The machine-readable medium according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

comparing content of the object received in the drop area to pre-stored patterns to determine whether the object has a recognized structure.

21. The machine-readable medium according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

identifying the sender of the received object;

searching for information associated with the identified sender;

determining what actions are associated with the sender and the information associated with the sender;

displaying the actions associated with the sender and the information associated with the sender in the interactive list; and

displaying the information associated with the sender.

22. The machine-readable medium according to claim 21, the method further comprising:

receiving telephone-caller identification data sent with a telephone call;

searching for information associated with the caller;

determining what actions are associated with the caller and the information associated with the caller;

determining what actions are associated with telephone calls;

displaying an interactive list of actions comprising the actions associated with the caller and the information associated with the caller, and the actions associated with telephone calls; and

displaying the information associated with the caller.

23. The machine-readable medium according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

if the object received in the drop area includes an attachment, displaying a query asking whether the object or the attachment should be processed; and

processing the attachment as the object, if a response to the query indicates that the attachment should be processed.

24. The machine-readable medium according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

receiving an instant message;

determining what actions are associated with instant messages;

analyzing the content of the instant message to identify terms appearing in a database, and for identified terms, determining what actions are associated with at least one of a corresponding field and a corresponding record in the database; and

displaying an interactive list of the actions associated with instant messages, and the actions associated with the at least one of the corresponding field and the corresponding record in the database.

25. The machine-readable medium according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

receiving an instant message;

if the instant message includes an attachment, displaying a query asking whether the instant message or the attachment should be processed;

if a response to the query indicates that the attachment should be processed, then;

based upon an object type of the attachment, determining what actions are associated with the object type;

if the attachment has a recognized structure, identifying a process associated with the recognized structure, and determining what actions are associated with the process;

if the attachment does not have a recognized structure, analyzing content of the attachment to identify terms appearing in a database, and for identified terms, determining what actions are associated with at least one of a corresponding field and a corresponding record in the database; and

displaying an interactive list of the actions associated with the object type, and the actions associated with the process or associated with the at least one of the corresponding field and the corresponding record in the database.

26. A machine-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method comprising:

automatically reviewing e-mail for messages that have been marked as read;

checking a stored record to see if each message marked as read was previously imported into a document management system, and checking the stored record to see if handling instructions were previously received for each message marked as read that has not been imported;

in accordance with previous instructions in the stored record, or in an absence of instructions if a message has not already been imported, displaying a prompt asking whether each message marked as read should be imported into the document management system;

for each message to be imported, comparing a sender of the message with parties included in at least one of a database, an address book, and a contact list to identify an organization associated with the sender;

checking the document management system for a record identifier for the organization, if the organization is identified in the at least one of the database, the address book, and the contact list; and

storing a copy of the message in the document management system using the record identifier, and updating the stored record to indicate that the message has been imported.

27. The machine-readable medium according to claim 26, the method further comprising:

displaying a prompt requesting a record identifier for the organization, if the organization is not identified in the at least one of the database and the address book; and

storing an association of the record identifier with the sender, as received in response to the prompt.

28. The machine-readable medium according to 26, the method further comprising:

displaying a first prompt asking for confirmation of the record identifier found by checking the document management system;

displaying a second prompt asking for a record identifier for the organization, if the response to the first prompt does not confirm the record identifier presented in the first prompt; and

storing an association of the record identifier with the sender, received in response to the second prompt.

29. A machine-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving notification that an appointment has been added to a calendar program;

displaying a prompt asking whether to create a customer relationship management activity based on the appointment;

generating a form comprising information from the appointment, and having additional information fields, if the response to the prompt indicates to create the customer relationship management activity;

displaying the form, including prompts for information to fill the additional information fields;

receiving the information to fill the additional information fields; and

submitting the information from the form to a customer relationship management system as a new activity.

30. A machine-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a first instant message for outgoing transmission;

determining whether a channel for delivery of the first instant message is available;

transmitting the first instant message for delivery if the channel is available; and

if the channel is not available;

automatically looking up an e-mail address for an addressee of the first instant message; and

if the e-mail address for the addressee is found, automatically converting the instant message into an e-mail message and sending the e-mail message to the e-mail address of the addressee.

31. The machine-readable medium according to 30, the method further comprising:

if the e-mail address of the addressee is not found;

displaying a prompt requesting the e-mail address of the addressee;

storing an association between the addressee of the instant message and the e-mail address received in response to the prompt;

converting the instant message into an e-mail message and sending the e-mail message to the e-mail address of the addressee.

32. The machine-readable medium according to claim 30, the method further comprising:

receiving a second instant message that is incoming for delivery;

checking whether a recipient for the second instant message is listed as offline;

if the recipient is listed as offline, automatically looking up an e-mail address for the recipient, converting the second instant message into an e-mail message, and sending the e-mail message to the e-mail address of the recipient.

33. A machine-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving an instant message;

automatically checking at least one of the received instant message and an attachment to the received instant message for a security certificate;

validating the security certificate, if the instant message or attachment includes a security certificate;

displaying that the security certificate is invalid, if the security certificate is invalid.

34. The machine-readable medium according to claim 33, the method further comprising:

automatically determining whether the attachment is encrypted, if the instant message has an attachment; and

decrypting the attachment, if the received instant message is determined to have an encrypted attachment.