Conversion between application objects and smart client objects

• US 20060069684A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vadlamani, Viswanath, Elliott, Jon Milo
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A Smart Client solution for an enterprise application (e.g., a Customer Relationship Management system) includes a base application (e.g., Microsoft Outlook), and add-in software that interacts with the base application. The add-in software allows the base application to be used to access data and functions of the enterprise application. The add-in software includes an interface manager for accessing items (corresponding to data in the enterprise application) in a data store for the base application, a communications agent in communication (via web services) with the enterprise application, and a synchronization manager in communication with both the interface manager and the communications agent for synchronizing data between the data store for the base application and the enterprise application. In addition to synchronization, Smart Client data can also be converted to and from data for the base application.

Claims

1. A method for converting data, comprising:

accessing a first data item for an application platform; and

converting said first data item for said application platform to a second data item for a smart client platform.

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

converting a third data item for said smart client platform to a fourth data item for said application platform.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said smart client includes a collaborative scheduling and messaging application.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said smart client includes a scheduling and messaging application and a smart client add-in.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said second data item for said smart client platform includes a reference to said first data item for said application platform.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data item is an opportunity object, an activity object or a contact object.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said second data item is a contact object or a calendar object.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said converting includes:

creating an object for said smart client platform;

accessing information in said first data item;

automatically inserting said information into said object for said smart client platform; and

storing said object for said smart client platform.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said converting further includes:

adding default data to said object for said smart client platform.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said converting further includes:

providing a user with an opportunity to edit said information in said object for said smart client platform.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data item is a first object in a smart client data store; and

said second data item is a second object in said smart client data store.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing information from said application platform in said first data item.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said application platform corresponds to CRM system;

said CRM system uses CRM data; and

said first data item includes CRM data.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

viewing and modifying CRM data from said smart client platform, said smart client platform includes a collaboration messaging and scheduling application being used as a portal to said CRM system.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

using said smart client platform to access account data from one or more systems other than said CRM system, said account data pertains to an account in said CRM system associated with said first data item.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

said first data item is a first object in a smart client data store;

said second data item is a second object in said smart client data store;

said converting includes creating said second object, accessing information in said first object; and

inserting said information into said second object; and

said method further comprises storing information from said application platform in said first data item.

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

converting a third data item for said smart client platform to a fourth data item for said application platform.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein:

said first data item is a first object in a smart client data store, said second data item is a second object in said smart client data store, said third data item is a third object in said smart client data store, and said fourth data item is a fourth object in said smart client data store.

19. A method for converting data, comprising:

accessing a first data item for a smart client platform; and

converting said first data item for said smart client platform to a second data item for an application platform.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein:

said smart client includes a collaborative scheduling and messaging application and a smart client AddIn; and

said application platform corresponds to CRM system.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein:

said second data item for said application platform includes a reference to said first data item for said smart client platform.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein:

said first data item is a first object in a smart client data store; and

said second data item is a second object in said smart client data store.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said converting includes:

creating said second object;

accessing information in said first object;

adding said information to said second object;

adding default data to said second object;

allowing a user to edit said second object; and

storing said second object in said smart client data store.

24. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

synchronizing said second object with a CRM system after said converting.

25. A method according to claim 19, wherein:

said application platform corresponds to CRM system;

said CRM system uses CRM data;

said second data item includes CRM data; and

said method further includes viewing and modifying CRM data from said smart client platform, said smart client platform includes a messaging and scheduling application being used as a portal to said CRM system.

26. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

converting data items between an application platform and a smart client platform.

27. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 26, wherein said converting comprises:

converting a first set of data items from said application platform to said smart client platform; and

converting a second set of data items from said smart client platform to said application platform.

28. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein:

said first set of data items includes opportunities, activities and contacts; and

said second set of data items includes contacts and appointments.

29. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein:

said first set of data items are objects in a smart client data store; and

said second set of data items are objects in said smart client data store.

30. One or more processor readable storage devices to claim 26, wherein:

said smart client platform includes a collaborative scheduling and messaging system.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said application platform corresponds to CRM system;

said CRM system uses CRM data; and

said data items includes CRM data.

32. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 31, wherein said method further comprises:

using said smart client platform as a portal to said CRM system in order to view and modify CRM data.

33. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 26, wherein:

said converting data items includes adding a reference in a newly created target data item to a source data item.

34. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors, said processor readable code comprising:

first code, said first code implements a smart client acting as a portal to an external application; and

second code, said second code converts data items between said application and said smart client.

35. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 34, wherein:

said external application is a CRM system.

36. An apparatus capable of converting data, comprising:

a storage device;

a communication interface; and

one or more processors in communication with said storage device and said communication interface, said one or more processors implement a smart client for interfacing with an application external to said apparatus, said one or more processors capable converting data items between said application and said smart client.

37. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein:

said first set of data items are objects in a smart client data store in said storage device; and

said second set of data items are objects in said smart client data store in said storage device.

38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein:

said smart client includes a scheduling and messaging system;

said application external to said apparatus is part of a CRM system;

said CRM system uses CRM data;

said data items includes CRM data;

said one or more processors implement a add-in to said scheduling and messaging system so that said scheduling and messaging system performs as a portal to said CRM system in order to view and modify CRM data; and

said scheduling and messaging system communicates with said CRM system via said communication interface.