EXTENSIBLE PERSON CONTAINER

• US 20150039600A1
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Walters, Jeanine, Tamm, Steven, Winters, Jason, Markham, Blake, Kuruganti, Aditya Sesha, Ryan, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,798,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/725
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

The technology disclosed relates to representing users in different contexts within customer relationship management (CRM) environments. In particular, it relates to creating a person object model for each user in the CRM environment by linking a plurality of user records in the CRM environment that is separately created by different organizations and departments. The person object model also incorporates online social identities of the users, according to one implementation. This inclusive linked model provides a comprehensive view of the users to handlers of the CRM environment, thus facilitating an enhanced overall CRM experience.

Claims

1. A method of resolving uncoordinated person-related records in a database, the method including:

receiving a query for records for a first person from a database in which multiple users in multiple departments created uncoordinated person-related records for respective business processes;

identifying a plurality of similar person records as candidate person-related records for the first person, wherein the identified similar person records include at least some matching data;

transmitting data for display that lists the candidate person-related records;

receiving user data specifying linking among the candidate person-related records;

linking the specified candidate person-related records using a unique person identifier to create a first person-related set;

receiving a subsequent request for the first person and retrieving the first person-related set; and

transmitting responsive data for display that lists a plurality of the linked candidate person-related records in the first person-related set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controls for linking together the candidate person-related records include resolving similarities within the linked candidate person-related records.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the similarities are resolved using user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting additional data for displaying a comprehensive view further includes organizing the additional data into a continuous chronological format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein linking the candidate person-related records further includes stratifying and augmenting the candidate person-related records based on user-specified criteria.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user-specified criteria further includes at least one of person, account, and job activity.

7. A method of navigating a set of person-related records in a database wherein each record includes a pointer to a unique key in a database table, the method including:

receiving a query for records for a first person from a database in which multiple users in multiple departments created uncoordinated person-related records for respective business processes;

designating automatically one of the records in a set of person-related records for a first person as an active record wherein each record in the set is associated with a person key that indicates which record in the set of person-related records is the active record;

returning the active record in response to the query for first person-related record; and

enabling users to navigate from the active record to other records in the set.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the active record is designated as an active record based on most recent account activity in comparison with the other records in the set of person-related records.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the active record is oldest record found within the set of person-related records.

10. A system for resolving uncoordinated person-related records in a database, the system including:

a processor coupled to memory, the memory including computer instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

receive a query for records for a first person from a database in which multiple users in multiple departments created uncoordinated person-related records for respective business processes;

identify a plurality of similar person records as candidate person-related records for the first person, wherein the identified similar person records include at least some matching data;

transmit data for display that lists the candidate person-related records;

receive user data specifying linking among the candidate person-related records;

link the specified candidate person-related records using a unique person identifier to create a first person-related set;

receive a subsequent request for the first person and retrieving the first person-related set; and

transmit responsive data for display that lists a plurality of the linked candidate person-related records in the first person-related set.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controls for linking together the candidate person-related records include resolving similarities within the linked candidate person-related records.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the similarities are resolved using user input.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the transmitted additional data for displaying a comprehensive view further includes organizing the additional data into a continuous chronological format.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the linked candidate person-related records further includes stratification and augmentation of the candidate person-related records based on user-specified criteria.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the received user-specified criteria further includes person, account, or job activity.

16. A method of resolving uncoordinated person-related records in a database, the method including:

receiving a query for records for a first person from a database in which multiple people in multiple departments created uncoordinated person-related records for respective business processes;

identifying a plurality of similar person records as specified candidate person-related records for the first person, wherein the identified similar person records include at least some matching data;

receiving human feedback on the specified candidate person-related records and linking the candidate person-specific records based on the human feedback; and

representing the linked person-related records using a unique person identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, further including in response to receiving a subsequent request for the first person, retrieving the linked person-related records.

18. The method of claim 16, further including transmitting additional data for displaying a comprehensive view of the linked person-related records.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein transmitting additional data for displaying a comprehensive view further includes organizing the additional data into a continuous chronological format.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein linking the candidate person-related records further includes stratifying and augmenting the candidate person-related records based on user-specified criteria.