Method and computer-readable medium for formula-based document retention

• US 20060218198A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cahill, Jason M., Fanaru, Adrian, Gur-esh, Ethan D., Brown, Kevin L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and computer-readable medium are provided for formula-based document retention. According to the method, a retention formula and a retention action are defined for one or more items. The retention formula is utilized to calculate a retention date for each item. The retention action specifies the action that should be taken on or after the retention date. The retention date for one or more items is initially calculated using the retention formula for the items. A retention service may be periodically executed to identify any items having a retention date earlier than the current date. If any items are identified that have a retention date earlier than the current date, the retention service recalculates the retention date for these items utilizing the corresponding retention formula. If the recalculated retention date for any item is still prior to the current date, the retention action for the item is executed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to:

periodically identify one or more items having an associated retention date prior to a current date and,

for each item having a retention date prior to the current date,

to recalculate the retention date based upon a retention formula,

to determine if the recalculated retention date is prior to a current date, and

to execute a retention action for each item having a recalculated retention date that is prior to the current date.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, comprising further computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the computer, will cause the computer to:

calculate the retention date for each of the one or more items by utilizing the retention formula.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, comprising further computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the computer, will cause the computer to:

calculate the retention date for each of the one or more items by executing a plug-in.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the retention formula is operative to calculate the retention date based on one or more date or time properties of an item.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, comprising further computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the computer, will cause the computer to:

receive a request to open one of the items; and

in response to the request, to recalculate the retention date for the item to be opened utilizing the retention formula.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the retention action is operative to delete an item.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the retention action is operative to move an item.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the retention action is operative to archive an item.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the retention action is operative to modify a type for an item.

10. A method for document retention based on a formula, the method comprising:

receiving a retention formula and a retention action for one or more items;

calculating a retention date for each of the one or more items utilizing the retention formula; and

executing an retention service operative to identify each of the items having a retention date earlier than a current date and, for each of the items having a retention date earlier than a current date, to recalculate the retention date utilizing the retention formula, to determine whether the recalculated retention date is earlier than the current date, and to execute the retention action for each item having a recalculated retention date that is earlier than the current date.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the retention formula is operative to calculate the retention date based on one or more date or time properties of an item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the retention service is periodically executed based upon a schedule.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the retention service is executed at a server computer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the retention service is executed at a client computer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a request to open one of the items; and

in response to the request, recalculating the retention date for the item to be opened utilizing the retention formula.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the retention action is operative to delete an item.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the retention action is operative to move an item.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the retention action is operative to archive an item.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the retention action is operative to modify a type for an item.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the retention action comprises a custom action.