METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CLEANING DATA IN A CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20140081908A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Nachnani, Pawan, Milbrath, Daniel, Levine, Susan, Levine, Eli
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for cleaning data in a customer relationship management system. A system receives a plurality of records from an on-demand system. The system identifies a record from the plurality of records that matches a stored record for a customer relationship management system. The system determines whether to update the stored record using the identified record. The system updates the stored record using the identified record in response to a determination to update the stored record using the identified record.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning data in a customer relationship management system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving a plurality of records from an on-demand system;

identifying a record from the plurality of records that matches a stored record for a customer relationship management system;

determining whether to update the stored record using the identified record; and

updating the stored record using the identified record in response to a determination to update the stored record using the identified record.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying the record is based on a business entity associated with the stored record and the identified record, and wherein the record is associated with at least one of a contact, a lead, an opportunity, and an account.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on displaying a comparison of the identified record and the stored record via a user interface and receiving a selection to update the stored record using the identified record via the user interface in response to displaying the comparison.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein displaying the comparison is further based on receiving a request to display the comparison via the user interface, wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is in response to displaying a matching record alert via the user interface, wherein displaying the matching alert via the user interface comprises displaying an indicator whether any users previously responded to the matching record alert, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is based on a schedule for receiving the plurality of records from the on-demand system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on a blank auto-fill default previously selected by an administrator for the customer relationship management system.

6. A machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for cleaning data in a customer relationship management system, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a plurality of records from an on-demand system;

identifying a record from the plurality of records that matches a stored record for a customer relationship management system;

determining whether to update the stored record using the identified record; and

updating the stored record using the identified record in response to a determination to update the stored record using the identified record.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein identifying the record is based on a business entity associated with the stored record and the identified record, and wherein the record is associated with at least one of a contact, a lead, an opportunity, and an account.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on displaying a comparison of the identified record and the stored record via a user interface and receiving a selection to update the stored record using the identified record via the user interface in response to displaying the comparison.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein displaying the comparison is further based on receiving a request to display the comparison via the user interface, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is in response to displaying a matching record alert via the user interface, wherein displaying the matching alert via the user interface comprises displaying an indicator whether any users previously responded to the matching record alert, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is based on a schedule for receiving the plurality of records from the on-demand system.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on a blank auto-fill default previously selected by an administrator for the customer relationship management system.

11. A method for cleaning data in a customer relationship management system, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of records from an on-demand system;

identifying a record from the plurality of records that matches a stored record for a customer relationship management system;

determining whether to update the stored record using the identified record; and

updating the stored record using the identified record in response to a determination to update the stored record using the identified record.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the record is based on a business entity associated with the stored record and the identified record, and wherein the record is associated with at least one of a contact, a lead, an opportunity, and an account.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on displaying a comparison of the identified record and the stored record via a user interface and receiving a selection to update the stored record using the identified record via the user interface in response to displaying the comparison.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the comparison is further based on receiving a request to display the comparison via the user interface, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is in response to displaying a matching record alert via the user interface, wherein displaying the matching alert via the user interface comprises displaying an indicator whether any users previously responded to the matching record alert, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is based on a schedule for receiving the plurality of records from the on-demand system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on a blank auto-fill default previously selected by an administrator for the customer relationship management system.

16. A method for transmitting code for cleaning data in a customer relationship management system, the method comprising:

transmitting code to receive a plurality of records from an on-demand system;

transmitting code to identify a record from the plurality of records that matches a stored record for a customer relationship management system;

transmitting code to determine whether to update the stored record using the identified record; and

transmitting code to update the stored record using the identified record in response to a determination to update the stored record using the identified record.

17. The method for transmitting code of claim 16, wherein identifying the record is based on a business entity associated with the stored record and the identified record, and wherein the record is associated with at least one of a contact, a lead, an opportunity, and an account.

18. The method for transmitting code of claim 16, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on displaying a comparison of the identified record and the stored record via a user interface and receiving a selection to update the stored record using the identified record via the user interface in response to displaying the comparison.

19. The method for transmitting code of claim 18, wherein displaying the comparison is further based on receiving a request to display the comparison via the user interface, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is in response to displaying a matching record alert via the user interface, wherein displaying the matching alert via the user interface comprises displaying an indicator whether any users previously responded to the matching record alert, and wherein receiving the request to display the comparison is based on a schedule for receiving the plurality of records from the on-demand system.

20. The method for transmitting code of claim 16, wherein the determination to update the stored record using the identified record is based on a blank auto-fill default previously selected by an administrator for the customer relationship management system.