Definition and instantiation of metric based business logic reports

• US 20070239660A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Groups of subordinate report definitions are determined for selected scorecard metrics based on suitable report type and layout features. A list comprising the available reports is assigned to each source metric enabling association of the groups across metrics. A context of the scorecard is passed to a physical instantiation of the group of reports to affect their behavior. Report presentation, queries, and the like may be performed using the assigned definition list(s).

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for using parameterized subordinate reports in a scorecard system, comprising:

determining a plurality of report definitions associated with a scorecard element based on an attribute of the scorecard element;

determining layout features for each report definition of the plurality of report definitions;

categorizing the plurality of report definitions based on a report type and the layout features for each report definition; and

assigning selected report definitions to the scorecard element by category.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a listing document that includes a list of the selected report definitions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing the listing document to another application for one of generating a report presentation and executing a query.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selected report definitions are determined based on one of a default selection criterion and a user selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the report type includes at least one from a set of a document, a chart, a transaction list, a spreadsheet, and a link.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining the layout features for a report definition based on the report type of the same report definition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the scorecard element includes one of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI), an Objective, and a scorecard.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the report definitions are generated dynamically when the scorecard is modified.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the assigned report definitions with scorecard information.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for using report definitions capable of handling heterogeneous metrics in a scorecard system, the instructions comprising:

determining a first group of available report definitions for a scorecard metric based on an attribute of the metric;

categorizing the first group of report definitions based on a report type and a layout feature associated with each report definition;

selecting a second group of report definitions from the first group; and

generating a list of the second group of report definitions, wherein the list is assigned to the scorecard metric.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second group of report definitions is selected based on a set of default criteria.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the attribute of the metric includes a data type for the metric.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise providing the list to another application for report presentation.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein each report definition includes at least one from a set of:

a report type, a permission level, a report layout, a link to source data, and a configuration.

15. A system for assigning report definitions to scorecard elements, comprising:

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

a report definition module configured to;

determine a group of available report definitions for a scorecard element based on a type of data associated with the scorecard element;

categorize the report definitions based on a report view presentation format; and

assign the categorized report definitions to the scorecard element such that a correlation between the scorecard element and the group of report definitions is independent from a scorecard configuration.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the report definition module is further configured to select a subset of the group of available report definitions based on one of a user input and a default selection.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the report definition module is further configured to enable a subscriber to modify at least one attribute of each of the report definitions.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the scorecard application is further configured to generate a report view layout based on selected ones of the report definitions.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the report view presentation format includes a size and a shape of the report view area.

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