Message-based expense application

• US 20080008303A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A method for managing an expense report for an expense report application is provided. The expense report application is configured to update entries in an expense report based on messages received from one or more messaging channels. The method includes receiving a message sent through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels. The message includes expense information. An expense report is determined from the expense information. Entry information is then determined from the expense information. The expense report is then updated with the entry information.

Claims

1. A method for managing an expense report for an expense application, the expense application configured to update entries in the expense report based on messages received from one or more messaging channels, the method comprising:

receiving a message sent through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels from a messaging device, the message including expense information and being generated independent of the expense application, wherein the expense information includes a user identifier to identify an expense report to access;

determining to access the expense report for the message after receiving the message based on the user identifier;

determining entry information from the expense information;

updating the expense report with the entry information in the received message; and

storing the updated expense report for subsequent access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is received from a messaging server, the messaging server configured to process messages from the one or more messaging channels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein messages are received from different channels in the one or more messaging channels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the entry information comprises determining at least one of an expense identifier, a category identifier, and an amount.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an expense application configured to update the expense report.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the expense application comprises:

determining an expense application identifier; and

using the expense application identifier to determine the expense application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an action in response to receiving the message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the action comprises sending a message to the messaging device in response to the received message based on the expense information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the action comprises sending a message requesting additional information other than information specified in the expense information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating a user that sent the message.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is sent from a mobile user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for submitting the expense report for approval through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels; and

submitting the expense report to an entity for approval.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving approval from the entity; and

submitting the expense report for reimbursement.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the approval is received through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the message received is a mobile message.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging channel comprises at least one of a SMS messaging channel, a MMS messaging channel, an IM messaging channel, an email messaging channel, a voicemail messaging channel, and a fax messaging channel.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer, a workstation, a fax machine, and a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone.

7. (canceled)

19. A method for processing messages for an expense application, the messages received through from one or more messaging channels, the method comprising:

receiving a messaging device message through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels from a messaging device, the messaging device message including expense information and being generated independent of the expense application, wherein the expense information includes a user identifier to identify an expense report to access;

determining the expense application for the messaging device message after receiving the messaging device message;

determining to access the expense report for the messaging device message after receiving the message based on the user identifier; and

sending an expense message to the expense application, the expense message including entry information determined from the expense information in the expense messaging device message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the expense application comprises:

determining an expense application identifier; and

using the expense application identifier to determine the expense application.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

updating the expense report with the entry information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the expense application identifier comprising determining a user associated with the messaging device message, wherein the expense application comprises an expense application being used by the user.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a response message from the expense application; and

sending the response message to a user that sent the message.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein sending the response message comprises sending the expense report.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein sending the response message comprises sending a message requesting additional information other than information specified by the expense information.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising facilitating messaging between a user that sent the messaging device message and the expense application to determine information to use to update an expense report for the expense application.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing the entry information, wherein the entry information is used to update an expense report at a later time.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein multiple entries of information are received and further comprising:

updating the expense report with the multiple entries of information received.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging device message received is a mobile message.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging device message and the expense message are substantially similar.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging device message and the expense message are in different formats.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging channel comprises at least one of a SMS messaging channel, a MMS messaging channel, an IM messaging channel, an email messaging channel, a voicemail messaging channel, and a fax messaging channel.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer, a workstation, a fax machine, and a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone.

34. A system for processing messages for expense reports, the system comprising:

a messaging device configured to generate a message including expense information without accessing an expense application, the messaging device further configured to send the message through a messaging channel, wherein the expense information includes a user identifier to identify the expense report to access; and

an expense application configured to receive the message through the messaging channel, the expense application configured to;

determine to access the expense report for the message after receiving the message based on the user identifier;

determine entry information from the expense information; and

update the expense report with the entry information.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising a messaging server configured to receive the message from the device and to forward the message to the expense application.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the messaging channel comprises at least one of a SMS messaging channel, a MMS messaging channel, an IM messaging channel, an email messaging channel, a voicemail messaging channel, and a fax messaging channel.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the messaging device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer, a workstation, a fax machine, and a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the entry information comprises at least one of an expense identifier, a category identifier, and an amount.

39. A system for processing messages for expense reports, the system comprising:

a messaging device configured to generate a messaging device message including expense information without accessing an expense application, the messaging device further configured to send the message through a messaging channel, wherein the expense information includes a user identifier to identify an expense report to access; and

a messaging server configured to;

receive the messaging device message through the messaging channel;

determine the expense application for the messaging device message after receiving the messaging device message;

determine to access the expense report for the messaging device message after receiving the message based on the user identifier; and

send an expense message to the expense application, the expense message including entry information determined from the expense information;

wherein the expense application is configured to update the expense report based on the entry information.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the messaging channel comprises at least one of a SMS messaging channel, a MMS messaging channel, an IM messaging channel, an email messaging channel, a voicemail messaging channel, and a fax messaging channel.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the messaging device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer, a workstation, a fax machine, and a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the entry information comprises at least one of an expense identifier, a category identifier, and an amount.

43. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium and including instructions operational by a processor of a computer system for managing an expense report for an expense application, the expense application configured to update entries in the expense report based on messages received from one or more messaging channels, the computer program product-comprising:

program code for receiving a message sent through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels from a messaging device, the message including expense information and being generated independent of the expense application, wherein the expense information includes a user identifier to identify the expense report to access;

program code for determining to access the expense report for the message after receiving the message based on the user identifier;

program code for determining entry information from the expense information; and

program code for updating the expense report with the entry information.

44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the message is received from a messaging server, the messaging server configured to process messages from the one or more messaging channels.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein messages are received from different channels in the one or more messaging channels.

46. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the message is sent from a mobile user.

47. The computer program product of claim 43, further comprising:

program code for receiving a request for submitting the expense report for approval through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels; and

program code for submitting the expense report to an entity for approval.

48. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium and including instructions operational by a processor of a computer system for processing messages for an expense application, the messages received through from one or more messaging channels, the computer program product comprising:

program code for receiving a messaging device message through a messaging channel in the one or more messaging channels from a messaging device, the messaging device message including expense information and being generated independent of the expense application, wherein the expense information includes a user identifier to identify an expense report to access;

program code for determining the expense application for the messaging device message after receiving the messaging device message;

program code for determining to access the expense report for the messaging device message after receiving the message based on the user identifier; and

program code for sending an expense message to the expense application, the expense message including entry information determined from the expense information in the expense message.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein determining the expense application comprises:

program code for determining an expense application identifier; and

program code for using the expense application identifier to determine the expense application.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, further comprising:

program code for updating the expense report with the entry information.

51. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising program code for facilitating messaging between a user that sent the messaging device message and the expense application to determine information to use to update an expense report for the expense application.