Automatic Spreadsheet forms
First Claim
1. A method of entering and saving data using a spreadsheet program:
- creating a spreadsheet template for use with a spreadsheet program, wherein the spreadsheet template is of a type that is opened by a spreadsheet program to create a spreadsheet form instance based on the spreadsheet template, and wherein the spreadsheet program saves any spreadsheet form instance created from the spreadsheet template in a different location than the spreadsheet template to protect the spreadsheet template from being overwritten;
creating multiple instances of a spreadsheet form by repeatedly opening the spreadsheet template and entering variable data into data-entry cells of the created spreadsheet form instances;
creating a database separate from the multiple form instances, the database having record fields corresponding respectively to data-entry cells of the form instances created from the spreadsheet template;
associating the spreadsheet template and any form instances created from the spreadsheet template with the database;
separately saving the multiple spreadsheet form instances in different spreadsheet files, in different locations than the spreadsheet template;
when saving any particular instance of the spreadsheet form created from the spreadsheet template, also saving the variable data from the data-entry cells in corresponding record fields of the database, wherein each form instance corresponds to a different record of the database.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of entering and saving data using a spreadsheet program, includes providing a spreadsheet template that defines a spreadsheet form, and creating multiple instances of the spreadsheet form defined by the spreadsheet template. Each instance of the spreadsheet form has data-entry cells containing variable data. The method includes a step of associating each form instance with a different record of a database, wherein each database record has record fields corresponding respectively to data-entry cells of the form instances. When the user saves a particular form instance as a spreadsheet using the spreadsheet program, instructions associated with the form instance also save the variable data from the data-entry cells in corresponding record fields of an associated database record.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of entering and saving data using a spreadsheet program:
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creating a spreadsheet template for use with a spreadsheet program, wherein the spreadsheet template is of a type that is opened by a spreadsheet program to create a spreadsheet form instance based on the spreadsheet template, and wherein the spreadsheet program saves any spreadsheet form instance created from the spreadsheet template in a different location than the spreadsheet template to protect the spreadsheet template from being overwritten; creating multiple instances of a spreadsheet form by repeatedly opening the spreadsheet template and entering variable data into data-entry cells of the created spreadsheet form instances; creating a database separate from the multiple form instances, the database having record fields corresponding respectively to data-entry cells of the form instances created from the spreadsheet template; associating the spreadsheet template and any form instances created from the spreadsheet template with the database; separately saving the multiple spreadsheet form instances in different spreadsheet files, in different locations than the spreadsheet template; when saving any particular instance of the spreadsheet form created from the spreadsheet template, also saving the variable data from the data-entry cells in corresponding record fields of the database, wherein each form instance corresponds to a different record of the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer program, embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, that executes to perform steps comprising:
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providing a spreadsheet template for use with a spreadsheet program, wherein the spreadsheet template is of a type that is opened by the spreadsheet program to create a spreadsheet form instance based on the spreadsheet template, and wherein the spreadsheet program saves any spreadsheet form instance created from the spreadsheet template in a different location than the spreadsheet template to protect the spreadsheet template from being overwritten; creating multiple instances of a spreadsheet form by repeatedly opening the spreadsheet template and entering variable data into data-entry cells of the created spreadsheet form instances; creating a database separate from the multiple form instances, the database having record fields corresponding respectively to data-entry cells of the form instances created from the spreadsheet template; associating the spreadsheet template and any form instances created from the spreadsheet template with the database; saving the form instances as discrete spreadsheet files using the spreadsheet program; when saving any particular form instance, also saving the variable data from the data-entry cells in corresponding record fields of the associated database record, wherein each form instance corresponds to a different record of the database. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of creating a database using a spreadsheet program, comprising the following steps:
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prompting a user to designating a spreadsheet form; creating a spreadsheet template based on the spreadsheet form designated by the user, wherein the spreadsheet template is of a type that is opened by a spreadsheet program to create a spreadsheet form instance based on the spreadsheet template, and wherein the spreadsheet program saves any spreadsheet form instance created from the spreadsheet template in a different location than the spreadsheet template to protect the spreadsheet template from being overwritten; prompting a user to identify a database that is not a part of the spreadsheet template; prompting the user to identify record fields of the database corresponding respectively to data-entry cells of the spreadsheet template; associating instructions with the spreadsheet template that are executable when the user saves an instance of the spreadsheet form defined by the spreadsheet template, the instructions saving data from the data-entry cells of the form instance in the corresponding record fields of the identified database. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification