System and methods for improved scenario management in an electronic spreadsheet
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. In an electronic spreadsheet system for modeling user-specified information in a data model comprising a plurality of information cells, a method for automatically tracking different versions of the data model, the method comprising:
- (a) specifying a base set of information cells for the system to track changes;
(b) creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one information cell from the specified base set; and
(c) automatically determining cells of the data model which have changed by comparing cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set.
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Abstract
An electronic spreadsheet of the present invention includes a scenario manager having a preferred interface and methods for creating and managing various versions or "scenarios" of a spreadsheet model. Methods are provided for specifying an area of the model to track (capture area) and capturing various versions (modifications) of the base model. Additional methods are provided for automatically identifying and reporting information cells which are affected ("changing" and "result" cells) from version to version. Preferred storage methodology is also described for maintaining multiple versions of a spreadsheet or data model.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. In an electronic spreadsheet system for modeling user-specified information in a data model comprising a plurality of information cells, a method for automatically tracking different versions of the data model, the method comprising:
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(a) specifying a base set of information cells for the system to track changes; (b) creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one information cell from the specified base set; and (c) automatically determining cells of the data model which have changed by comparing cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for managing different versions of a data model, the system comprising:
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an electronic spreadsheet for expressing the data model as a plurality of interrelated information cells; means for specifying a reference set of said information cells which serves as a base case for the data model; means for creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one of said information cells in the reference set; and comparison means for determining which ones of the information cells in the new version have changed from the reference set. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. In an electronic spreadsheet system, a method for storing different versions of a spreadsheet model, the method comprising:
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(a) maintaining a base version of the spreadsheet model as ordered information on a storage device; and (b) for each new version of the spreadsheet model; (i) determining portions of the new version which have changed when compared against the base version, and (ii) maintaining the new version by storing additional information for only those portions determined to have changed. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification