Multidimensional metrics-based annotation

• US 20070234198A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hulen, Corey, Lim, Chen-I, Tien, Ian, Tang, Zhenyu
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Persistent annotations are created on a scorecard that combines multi-dimensional as well as fixed value data. The annotations uniquely defined by the scorecard view definition and by the retrieved scorecard data, are independent of the data'"'"'s dimensionality enabling persistence of the annotations with the data and definition even when the scorecard is reconfigured. The annotations may include a “bubble-up” feature, where a hierarchical structure of the scorecard is inherited by the annotations. Threaded discussions and updated document lists are enabled around the annotations with appropriate permissions and/or credentials.

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for using multidimensional metrics-based annotations in a scorecard system, comprising:

receiving an annotation associated with a cell of a scorecard matrix;

storing the annotation such that the annotation is independent from a configuration of the scorecard matrix; and

in response to a request, presenting the annotation in a predefined format.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

confirming a permission attribute associated with one of;

a source providing the annotation and a source providing the request prior to storing the annotation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the permission attribute enables at least one action from a set of read, create, delete, and update actions associated with the annotation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation includes a dimension parameter, and wherein the annotation is stored and presented based on a filtering of the dimension parameter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the annotation includes providing one of:

a plurality of annotations and a multidimensional annotation in a report view presentation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising filtering the plurality of annotations prior to presenting based on a filtering parameter, wherein the filtering parameter includes at least one from a set of:

a user credential, a temporal limitation, a product dimension, a service offering, a geographic limitation, and an organizational structure limitation.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising dynamically filtering the plurality of annotations after providing the report view presentation in response to a modification in the scorecard matrix.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation is referenced to a plurality of cells.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation includes at least one from a set of a document list entry, a discussion thread entry, and a comment.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for recording and presenting annotations in a scorecard system, the instructions comprising:

receiving an annotation associated with an element of the scorecard, wherein the annotation includes a dimension parameter;

confirming a permission attribute associated with a source providing the annotation prior to storing the annotation;

storing the annotation based on the associated scorecard element and the dimension parameter such that the annotation is independent from a configuration of the scorecard; and

providing the annotation for a report view presentation based on a filtering of the dimension parameter.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the dimension parameter includes at least one from a set of:

time, product, geographic configuration, and organizational structure.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the permission attribute is based on a subscriber credential and the element of the scorecard.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising filtering individual entries of the discussion thread prior to report view presentation based on a predefined set of conditions.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the predefined set of conditions is determined by one of a subscriber and an administrator, and wherein the predefined set of conditions includes at least one from a set of selection by geography, selection by subscriber credential, and selection by time.

15. A system for using persistent scorecard annotations in a business logic system, comprising:

a scorecard application configured to compute scorecard metrics and provide a scorecard presentation based on the computed scorecard metrics; and

an annotation module configured to;

record one or more annotations associated with a scorecard element such that the annotation is independent from a dimensionality of scorecard data;

filter the recorded annotations based on a filtering parameter; and

provide the filtered annotations for a report view presentation.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the annotation module is further configured to provide a preview of the annotation as part of a scorecard presentation.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the annotation module is further configured to enable a subscriber to perform at least one action from a set of read, create, delete, and update actions associated with the annotation based on a permission attribute assigned to the subscriber.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the annotation module is configured to filter the recorded annotations dynamically when at least one of an element and a configuration of the scorecard is modified.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the annotation module is further configured to combine a plurality of annotations associated with distinct cells of the scorecard employing a logic operation.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the annotation module is integrated with the scorecard application.