SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR MANAGING BUSINESS HOURS IN AN ON-DEMAND SERVICE

• US 20130311225A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Fischer, Mark A., Casalaina, Marco S., Tsai, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/951,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20130311225A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for managing multiple business hours in anon-demand service. These mechanisms and methods for managing multiple business hours in an on-demand service can enable embodiments to provide access to a stored set of business hours for a user to track, at a user level. The ability of embodiments to provide this access may allow users of such on-demand services better insight as to how much time their agents are spending on cases.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a set of business hours corresponding to a plurality of offices in different locations from a user of an on-demand service, wherein the set of business hours include one or more exceptions to standard business hours associated with the plurality of offices;

receiving a set of holiday hours corresponding to each of the offices in the different locations from the user of the on-demand service;

automatically integrating the set of holiday hours into the set of business hours based on a geographical location of the plurality of offices;

storing the set of business hours and the set of holiday hours in a shared database associated with the user, utilizing a processing machine;

providing access to the stored set of business hours and the set of holiday hours for the user to track, at a user level; and

wherein the set of business hours are stored in a business hours object and the set of holiday hours are stored in a holiday hours object, and further the set of holiday hours correspond to the set of business hours by linking the holiday hours object with the business hours object;

wherein the set of holiday hours are utilized to suspend the set of business hours and rules associated with the set of business hours;

wherein the business hours object is included in a formula that calculates times using the set of business hours that are stored in a business hours object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of business hours are in terms of business hours of tenant offices specified in a business hours object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of business hours in terms of the business hours of the tenant offices are different than a calendar time associated with the on-demand service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing mathematical calculations, based on the stored set of business hours.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mathematical calculations are capable of being performed at the user level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more exceptions include user defined exceptions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more exceptions include the set of holiday hours.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of holiday hours are configured to reoccur automatically.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more exceptions are transparently integrated into the set of business hours.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the integration of the one or more exceptions into the set of business hours is automatic.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating alerts utilizing a workflow and the set of business hours.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand service includes a multi-tenant on-demand database service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of business hours objects corresponding to a different one of the offices is linked to a same holiday hours object, such that that each of the business hours objects shares a same set of holiday hours stored in the holiday hours object.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein an association table links the holiday hours object to the business hours object.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a set of business hours corresponding to a plurality of offices in different locations from a user of an on-demand service, wherein the set of business hours include one or more exceptions to standard business hours associated with the plurality of offices;

receiving a set of holiday hours corresponding to each of the offices in the different locations from the user of the on-demand service;

automatically integrating the set of holiday hours into the set of business hours based on a geographical location of the plurality of offices;

storing the set of business hours and the set of holiday hours in a shared database associated with the user;

providing access to the stored set of business hours and the set of holiday hours for the user to track, at a user level; and

wherein the set of business hours are stored in a business hours object and the set of holiday hours are stored in a holiday hours object, and further the set of holiday hours correspond to the set of business hours by linking the holiday hours object with the business hours object;

wherein the set of holiday hours are utilized to suspend the set of business hours and rules associated with the set of business hours;

wherein the business hours object is included in a formula that calculates times using the set of business hours that are stored in a business hours object.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

one or more sequences of instructions stored on a non-transitory medium which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving a set of business hours corresponding to a plurality of offices in different locations from a user of an on-demand service, wherein the set of business hours include one or more exceptions to standard business hours associated with the plurality of offices;

receiving a set of holiday hours corresponding to each of the offices in the different locations from the user of the on-demand service;

automatically integrating the set of holiday hours into the set of business hours based on a geographical location of the plurality of offices;

storing the set of business hours and the set of holiday hours in a shared database associated with the user;

providing access to the stored set of business hours and the set of holiday hours for the user to track, at a user level; and

wherein the set of business hours are stored in a business hours object and the set of holiday hours are stored in a holiday hours object, and further the set of holiday hours correspond to the set of business hours by linking the holiday hours object with the business hours object;

wherein the set of holiday hours are utilized to suspend the set of business hours and rules associated with the set of business hours;

wherein the business hours object is included in a formula that calculates times using the set of business hours that are stored in a business hours object.

17. A method for transmitting code for use in a multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code for receiving a set of business hours corresponding to a plurality of offices in different locations from a user of an on-demand service, wherein the set of business hours include one or more exceptions to standard business hours associated with the plurality of offices, utilizing a processor;

transmitting code for receiving a set of holiday hours corresponding to each of the offices in the different locations from the user of the on-demand service;

transmitting code for automatically integrating the set of holiday hours into the set of business hours based on a geographical location of the plurality of offices;

transmitting code for storing the set of business hours and the set of holiday hours in a shared database associated with the user, utilizing a processing machine;

transmitting code for providing access to the stored set of business hours and the set of holiday hours for the user to track, at a user level; and

wherein the set of business hours are stored in a business hours object and the set of holiday hours are stored in a holiday hours object, and further the set of holiday hours correspond to the set of business hours by linking the holiday hours object with the business hours object;

wherein the set of holiday hours are utilized to suspend the set of business hours and rules associated with the set of business hours;

wherein the business hours object is included in a formula that calculates times using the set of business hours that are stored in a business hours object.