SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR ENTERPRISE LEVEL BUSINESS INFORMATION NETWORKING

• US 20110113057A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Peter, Mehra, Vinod, Woollen, Rob
• Application Number:
  US12/945,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20110113057A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2282 Tablespace storage structures; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for implementing enterprise level social and business information networking are provided. Users can receive relevant information about a database system and its users at an appropriate time. Users can then use this relevant information to reduce errors and limit redundant efforts. For example, an update of a record in the database can be identified, and a story created automatically about the update and sent to the users that are following the record. Which updates have stories created and which stories are to be sent to which users can be configured. Other events besides updating of records can also be tracked. For example, actions of a user that result in an event can be tracked, where such tracking can also be configurable. Subscriptions to follow an object can be automatic, and access checks can be used to ensure that unauthorized users do not see certain data.

Claims

1. A method of subscribing to a first user to see a feed of a record stored in a database system, the method comprising:

the database system sending to the first user an identifier corresponding to the record, the identifier being associated with an activation object;

receiving a selection of the activation object; and

in response to the selection, the database system adding the record to a list of objects that the first user is following.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the record has a name in text, and wherein the identifier is the name.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation object is a button labeled to indicate a function of subscribing to the record.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user is limited to a specified number of records and other users that the user can follow.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to this displaying, receiving a search request from the user, the search request including criteria of records that the first is interested in following; and

displaying a list of records that match the search criteria, wherein the record is displayed as part of the list.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the criteria includes any one or more selected from a group consisting of:

the owner, the creation date, last comment date, and numerical values of particular fields.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the database system displaying to the first user an identifier corresponding to a second user, the identifier being associated with an activation object;

receiving a selection of the activation object;

in response to the selection, the database system adding the second user to a list of objects that the first user is following.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the first user is allowed to follow the record, wherein adding the record to the list is conditional on whether the first user is allowed to follow the record.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the first user is allowed to follow the record includes:

identifying an access level of the first user; and

determining if the access level includes the record.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request to view the objects that the first user is following;

displaying the objects to the first user, wherein the list includes objects that the first user is no longer allowed to follow;

receiving a request to unsubscribe from a selected object;

removing the selected object from the list.

11. A method of automatically subscribing a user to an object in a database system, the method comprising:

receiving one or more properties of an object stored in the database system, the properties being stored in the database system;

receiving one or more criteria about which users are to automatically follow the object;

the database system determining whether the one or more properties satisfy the one or more criteria for a first user; and

if the criteria are satisfied, associating the object with the first user in a list that stores information as to what objects are being followed by the first user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more criteria are satisfied if one property satisfies one criteria.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the object is a record stored in the database system, and wherein the one or more properties of the record are selected from a group consisting of:

an owner of the record, a user that converted the record from one record type to another record type, whether the first user has viewed the record, and a time the first user viewed the record.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the object is a second user of the database system, the first user and second user being of a same organization, and wherein the one or more properties of the second user include the second user'"'"'s position in the same organization.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether the first user is allowed to follow the object, wherein associating the object with the first user in the list is conditional on whether the first user is allowed to follow the record.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

automatically unsubscribing the first user from following the object if the first user stops being allowed to follow the object.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

automatically unsubscribing the first user from following the object if a criteria is no longer satisfied by a property of the object for the first user.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

automatically unsubscribing the first user from following the object if a specified action occurs.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the object is a record, and wherein the specified action is a closing of the record.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the criteria is received from a user of the database system.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a processor to perform an operation of automatically subscribing a user to an object in a database system, the instructions comprising:

receiving one or more properties of an object stored in the database system, the properties being stored in the database system;

receiving one or more criteria about which users are to automatically follow the object;

determining whether the one or more properties satisfy the one or more criteria for a first user; and

if the criteria are satisfied, associating the object with the first user in a list that stores information as to what objects are being followed by the first user.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions further comprise:

sending to the first user an identifier corresponding to a record, the identifier being associated with an activation object;

receiving a selection of the activation object;

in response to the selection, adding the record to a list of objects that the first user is following.

23. A database system comprising:

a database;

the computer program product of claim 21; and

one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in the computer program product.