Automatic report generation

• US 20070055688A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Blattner, Donald
• Application Number:
  US11/221,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055688A1
• 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: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer-implemented method, system, and program product for automatically generating reports. Specifically, the present invention allows report data about project tasks and scheduling to be mapped from a first application format (e.g., Microsoft Project) to a spreadsheet format using a data translation map. Once mapped to the spreadsheet format, the present invention then allows a set of predefined reports containing the report data to be generated. As has been described in greater detail above, the present invention also provides for data/report selection, formatting, filtering, sorting, etc., based on dialog input received from a user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating reports, comprising:

providing a data file that includes report data in a first application format;

mapping the report data into a spreadsheet format using a data translation map; and

generating a set of predefined reports containing the report data in the spreadsheet format based on dialog input from a user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mapping step maps the report data to columns and rows of the spreadsheet format.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the dialog input from the user, wherein the dialog input comprises a selection of at least one specific report.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the dialog input further comprises a filter for filtering the report data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the report data comprises data corresponding to tasks and scheduling of the tasks.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the set of predefined reports include the following:

a summary report identifying the tasks having a priority level specified in the dialog input;

a detail report identifying all of the tasks;

a horizon report identifying the tasks that are incomplete;

a finish report identifying the tasks in a completion date sequence according to the schedule;

an assignment report identifying the tasks according to a resource and the completion date; and

a resource load report identifying a remaining work load in monthly intervals.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining a boundary of the report data, wherein the set of predefined reports do not exceed the boundary.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising automatically formatting the report data in the set of predefined reports.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sorting the report data in the set of predefined reports based upon an attribute entered by the user.

10. A system for automatically generating reports, comprising:

a system for obtaining a data file that includes report data in a first application format;

a system for mapping the report data into a spreadsheet format using a data translation map; and

a system for generating a set of predefined reports containing the report data in the spreadsheet format based on dialog input from a user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system for mapping step maps the report data to columns and rows of the spreadsheet format.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a system for receiving the dialog input from the user, wherein the dialog input comprises a selection of at least one specific report.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the dialog input further comprises a filter for filtering the report data.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the report data comprises data corresponding to tasks and scheduling of the tasks.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the set of predefined reports include the following reports:

a summary report identifying the tasks having a priority level specified in the dialog input;

a detail report identifying all of the tasks;

a horizon report identifying the tasks that are incomplete;

a finish report identifying the tasks in a completion date sequence according to the schedule;

an assignment report identifying the tasks according to a resource and the completion date; and

a resource load report identifying a remaining work load in monthly intervals.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the system for generating determines a boundary of the report data, wherein the set of predefined reports do not exceed the boundary.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the system for generating automatically formats the report data in the set of predefined reports.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the system for generating sorts the report data in the set of predefined reports based upon an attribute of the user.

19. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for automatically generating reports, the computer readable medium comprising program code for causing a computer system to perform the following steps:

obtaining a data file that includes report data in a first application format;

mapping the report data into a spreadsheet format using a data translation map; and

generating a set of predefined reports containing the report data in the spreadsheet format based on dialog input from a user.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein the system for mapping step maps the report data to columns and rows of the spreadsheet format.

21. The program product of claim 19, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises program code for causing the computer system to perform the following steps:

receiving the dialog input from the user, wherein the dialog input comprises a selection of at least one specific report;

determining a boundary of the report data, wherein the set of predefined reports do not exceed the boundary;

automatically formatting the report data in the set of predefined reports; and

sorting the report data in the set of predefined reports based upon an attribute of the user.

22. A method for deploying an application for automatically generating reports, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

obtain a data file that includes report data in a first application format;

map the report data into a spreadsheet format using a data translation map; and

generate a set of predefined reports containing the report data in the spreadsheet format based on dialog input from a user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the system for mapping step maps the report data to columns and rows of the spreadsheet format.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to:

receive the dialog input from the user, wherein the dialog input comprises a selection of at least one specific report;

determine a boundary of the report data, wherein the set of predefined reports do not exceed the boundary;

automatically format the report data in the set of predefined reports; and

sort the report data in the set of predefined reports based upon an attribute of the user.