System, method and computer program product for rule-based performance of actions on related objects

• US 20110246533A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Goel, Shilpa, Hart, George, Calahan, Patrick, Rajaram, Varadarajan
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for rule-based performance of actions on related objects. These mechanisms and methods for rule-based performance of actions on related objects can provide a generalized technique for configuring related object actions that are responsive to object updates. The ability to provide this generalized technique can enable actions to be automatically performed on objects in response to updates to related objects, in a rule-based manner.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for rule-based performance of actions on related objects, the method comprising:

identifying a first action performed in association with a first object;

evaluating at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the first action; and

conditionally performing at least one second action associated with at least one second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first object includes a row of a database.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the database is of a multi-tenant on-demand database system.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first action includes an update to the first object.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule is configured for the first object.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the at least one rule is configured by a user.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the at least one rule includes an expression.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule is specific to a field of the first object associated with the update.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule is evaluated automatically in response to the first action.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one rule includes determining whether a condition of the at least one rule is met.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the at least one second action is performed in response to the evaluation indicating that the at least one rule is met.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one second action is indicated by the at least one rule.

13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one second object is indicated by the at least one rule.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one second object is related to the first object by virtue of the at least one second object being referenced by the first object.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the reference includes a direct reference.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the reference includes an indirect reference.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one second action includes updating the at least one second object.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the at least one second action includes updating a field of the at least one second object indicated by the at least one rule with a value indicated by the at least one rule.

19. A method, comprising:

identifying a first action performed in association with a first object;

evaluating at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the first action; and

conditionally performing at least one second action associated with at least one second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor for;

identifying a first action performed in association with a first object;

evaluating at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the first action; and

conditionally performing at least one second action associated with at least one second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

21. A method for transmitting code, comprising:

transmitting code to identify a first action performed in association with a first object;

transmitting code to evaluate at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the first action; and

transmitting code to conditionally perform at least one second action associated with at least one second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.