System and method for providing forms on a user interface

• US 20060150107A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TELUS Health Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Emergis Incorporated (Telus Corporation)
• Inventors: Josephs, Jim, Tholl, Rob, Leung, Raymond, Russell, Clayton
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a user formset for display on a user interface of a client computer, the client computer coupled by a network to a formset server, the user formset for providing interaction with a network transaction, the user formset described in a structured definition language. The system and method comprise: requesting the user formset from the server according to at least one formset generation criterion; selecting a first overlay for application to a master formset, the first overlay including first components based on a role of the user; applying the first overlay to the content of the master formset for generating a role based version of the master formset; selecting a second overlay for application to the role based version, the second overlay including second components based on settings particular for the user functioning in the role; and applying the second overlay to the content of the role based version for generating the user formset; wherein the user formset is subsequently rendered on the user interface of the client computer.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a customized formset for display on a user interface of a client computer, the client computer coupled by a network to a formset server, the customized formset described in a structured definition language, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a customize overlay by the formset server for application to a role based formset, the customize overlay including components based on a predefined configuration of the customized formset particular for the user functioning in the role as defined by the role based formset; and

applying the components of the customize overlay to the content of the role based formset for generating the customized formset;

wherein the customized formset is subsequently rendered on the user interface of the client computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying the customize overlay to the role based formset by an application selected from the group comprising:

a client application of the client computer and a server application of the server computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the components of the customize overlay modify the content of the role based formset selected from the group comprising:

data content;

presentation content; and

functionality of the content.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of assembling at least one of the customize overlay components from objects stored in a table according to a control file, the control file coordinating the generation of the customize overlay using the objects.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the overlay components define objects stored in a database having restricted access by the formset.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the content of the customize overlay is configurable based on changes to the table objects.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the content of the customize overlay is configurable based on changes to the control file.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of selecting the table from a plurality of tables for use by the control file in generating the customize overlay.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of embedding in a transaction using metadata the manipulation of the formset workflow, the transaction associated with the formset and exchanged between the client application and the server application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the metadata defines the workflow manipulation as a transaction class identifier.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the workflow manipulation is used to direct the formset to display appropriate content in response to receiving the metadata.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the transaction is a document expressed in a structured definition language.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of implementing an action contained in the document selected from the group comprising:

read a matching record of a database connected to the formset server;

find a record based on search criteria from a database connected to the formset server;

update an existing record of a database connected to the formset server; and

insert a new record in a database connected to the formset server.

14. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of applying a profile for default data for prepopulating data fields of the formset.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the propopulated data is selected from the group comprising:

user identification data;

previously saved data settings by the user of the formset; and

a pending transaction status of a process of the server.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the customize overlay affects the degree of access to database records coupled to the server.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the degree of access affects features of the formset selected from the group comprising:

workflow;

presentation format; and

formset content.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of generating the customize overlay based on settings selected from the group comprising:

individual user and user group.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of selecting the customize overlay based on user identification criteria supplied to the formset server.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the components of the customize overlay restrict a property of the role based formset content selected from the group comprising:

hiding form content from display on the user interface;

protecting access to a field of the role based formset; and

masking the display on the user interface of data of a respective field of the role based formset.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the formset content is selected from the group comprising:

form;

action;

field status page; and

status page field.

31. The system of claim 2 further comprising a workflow manipulator for embedding in a transaction using metadata the manipulation of the formset workflow, the transaction associated with the formset and exchanged between the client application and the server application.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the metadata defines the workflow manipulation as a transaction class identifier.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the workflow manipulation is used to direct the formset to display appropriate content in response to receiving the metadata.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the transaction is a document expressed in a structured definition language.

35. The system of claim 11, wherein the workflow manipulator coordinates the implemention of an action contained in the document selected from the group comprising:

read a matching record of a database connected to the formset server;

find a record based on search criteria from a database connected to the formset server;

update an existing record of a database connected to the formset server; and

insert a new record in a database connected to the formset server.

37. The system of claim 13, wherein the propopulated data is selected from the group comprising:

user identification data;

previously saved data settings by the user of the formset; and

a pending transaction status of a process of the server.

22. A system for configuring a customized formset for display on a user interface of a client computer, the client computer coupled by a network to a formset server, the customized formset described in a structured definition language, the system comprising:

a server application for selecting a customize overlay by the formset server for application to a role based formset, the customize overlay including components based on a predefined configuration of the customized formset particular for the user functioning in the role as defined by the role based formset; and

a utility for applying the components of the customize overlay to the content of the role based formset for generating the customized formset;

wherein the customized formset is subsequently rendered on the user interface of the client computer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherin application of the customize overlay to the role based formset by the utility is selected from the group comprising:

operation of the utility by a client application of the client computer; and

operation of the utility by the server application of the server computer.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the components of the customize overlay modify the content of the role based formset selected from the group comprising:

data content;

presentation content; and

functionality of the content.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising a table for storing objects representing at least one of the customize overlay components, the table coupled to the formset server.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising a control file configured for coordinating the generation of the customize overlay using the objects from the table.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the overlay components define objects stored in a database having restricted access by the formset.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the content of the customize overlay is configurable based on changes to the table objects.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the content of the customize overlay is configurable based on changes to the control file.

30. The system of claim 25 further comprising a plurality of the tables for use by a control file in generating the customize overlay.

36. The system of claim 23 further comprising a profile for default data for prepopulating data fields of the formset.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein the customize overlay affects the degree of access to database records coupled to the server.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the degree of access affects features of the formset selected from the group comprising:

workflow;

presentation format; and

formset content.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein generation of the customize overlay is based on settings selected from the group comprising:

individual user and user group.