SPREADSHEET WORKBOOK PART LIBRARIES

• US 20090089067A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, Johnny Sterling, Hawking, Robert George, Megiddo, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 10,133,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/344
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods that enable a workbook author to break a workbook out into a set of logically separate pieces, referred to herein as “workbook parts.” Calculation dependencies between the workbook parts may be maintained, so that all the calculations are correct across the entire spreadsheet. An organization may be enabled to manage each workbook part separately, thus certain users may be denied access to view or edit certain workbook parts. Accordingly, where multiple authors are contributing to a tightly controlled workbook, the person responsible for spreadsheet management is enabled to allow each of those authors access to edit only the portion that they need to be concerned with.

Claims

1. A method for managing an electronic spreadsheet workbook, the method comprising:

providing an electronic spreadsheet workbook having a set of data fields; and

producing a workbook part that is separate from the spreadsheet workbook,

wherein the workbook part comprises no more than a subset of a set of data fields that define the electronic spreadsheet workbook, the workbook part is separate from the spreadsheet workbook, and the workbook part is manageable independently from the spreadsheet workbook.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the data fields has an associated calculation dependency, and the calculation dependency is encapsulated with the workbook part.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the calculation dependency is dependent on a second workbook part.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second workbook part is separate from the spreadsheet workbook, the second workbook part comprising no more than a second subset of the data fields.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a master copy of the spreadsheet workbook;

creating, in the master copy, a table that includes a reference to the workbook part;

maintaining a calculation dependency in the table; and

denoting changes to the workbook part in the table.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

recalculating the master copy of the spreadsheet workbook based on changes to the workbook part.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

downloading a master copy of the spreadsheet workbook from a server to a client;

recalculating the master copy on the client, based on changes to the workbook part; and

uploading the recalculated master copy of the spreadsheet workbook from the client to the server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

uploading a changed version of the workbook part from a client to a server; and

recalculating the spreadsheet workbook on the server based on changes to the workbook part.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

fetching cached values from other workbook parts; and

recalculating the spreadsheet workbook based on changes to the workbook part and on the cached values.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the workbook part comprises a logically distinct spreadsheet object.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the logically distinct spreadsheet object is one of a sheet, a named range, a chart, a table, or a pivot table.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein data required to render or manipulate the object travels with the object as part of the workbook part.

13. A system for managing a workbook, the system comprising:

a library that provides a user interface that allows one or more users to select a single workbook part for viewing or editing using either a client application or a spreadsheet server application,

wherein the workbook part comprises no more than a subset of a set of data fields that define an electronic spreadsheet workbook, the workbook part is separate from the spreadsheet workbook, and the workbook part is manageable independently from the spreadsheet workbook.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein, when a user opens the workbook part in a spreadsheet application, most-current values for the data fields that define the workbook part are taken from a master workbook, the master workbook being adapted to be loaded into memory on a server and recalculated in real-time.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the most-current values in the workbook part are updated on download from a server on which the master workbook is stored.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein values in the master spreadsheet are updated on upload of an edited workbook part from a client to a server on which the master workbook is stored.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a user interface that allows the user to select a group of workbook parts and export them to a new spreadsheet.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a user interface that allows the user to select a group of workbook parts and export them to a dashboard.

19. A method for managing an electronic spreadsheet workbook, the method comprising:

providing a first independently-managed workbook part;

providing a second independently-managed workbook part; and

combining the first and second workbook parts into an electronic spreadsheet file.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

maintaining calculation dependencies between the workbook parts; and

calculating values for data fields that define the electronic spreadsheet file based on the calculation dependencies.