Method and system for facilitating information exchange

• US 6,754,677 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Outlooksoft Corporation (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Outlooksoft Corporation (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Voshell, Perlie E., Cho, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Miranda
• Application Number:
  US09/580,676
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 707/500-501, 707/1-10, 705/1, 705/8, 705/26, 705/30, 705/40, 705/54
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating information exchange between individuals and entities interacting on a shared project are provided, and more particularly to a method and system for horizontal, i.e., non-hierarchical, participation in and/or contribution to a spreadsheet-based project. The method and system is Web-based and utilizes conventional browser and spreadsheet technology to achieve collaborative exchanges of information on an enterprise-wide basis. The method and system also facilitate efficacious remote information access and exchange, e.g., over a computer network such as the Internet and/or the World Wide Web, through a caching function that combines individual queries initiated by a spreadsheet program before transmitting across a network to a server for consideration.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating information exchange, comprising:

(a) a server that includes at least one database;

(b) a client that includes a spreadsheet program and a browser program and that communicates with said server across a network, said spreadsheet program generating at least one spreadsheet having a plurality of data cells;

(c) at least one collaborative group that includes a plurality of users, said collaborative group being predefined within said at least one database, each of said plurality of users of said at least one collaborative group having access to said spreadsheet; and

(d) at least one link to at least one supporting document contained within said database operatively associated with said spreadsheet;

wherein said browser of said client facilitates viewing of said at least one supporting document from a screen view of said spreadsheet; and

wherein data to be used in rendering a first spreadsheet by said spreadsheet program is determined by a first set of user selections on a toolbar displayed on a screen associated with said client, said first set of user selections defining a current view, and wherein a second spreadsheet rendering by said spreadsheet program is determined by user changes to said first set of user selections on said toolbar, wherein any unchanged user selections from said first set of user selections are automatically incorporated into a second current view determined by said user changes.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said information exchange is selected from a group consisting of an hierarchical information exchange, a non-hierarchical information exchange and combinations thereof.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said information exchange is selected from a group consisting of an exchange of information in connection with creation of a budget, an exchange of information in connection with measurement of performance against a budget, an exchange of information in connection with measurement of performance against a forecast, and combinations thereof.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said server is operatively associated with enterprise sources of information.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said network across which said client communicates with said server is selected from a group consisting of an intranet, Internet, World Wide Web, local area network, wide area network and combinations thereof.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said current view determines a data request for transmission from said client across said network to said server.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said current view determines a data request that said client initially attempts to fulfill based on data contained within a data cache associated with said client and, to the extent fulfillment of said data request is incomplete based on data contained in said data cache, said data request gives rise to a second data request for transmission from said client across said network to said server.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data request includes a need for at least two pieces of data, and wherein said data request is formulated by said client to include said at least two pieces of data for a single query across said network to said client.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one collaborative group includes geographically dispersed individuals having different functional responsibilities for an enterprise.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one link is tied to a specific data cell from among said plurality of data cells of said at least one spreadsheet.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one supporting document is selected from a group consisting of a supporting spreadsheet, a word processing document, a slide presentation, a graphic file, an audio file, a multimedia file, and content available for viewing on said network.

12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a bulletin board on which messages may be posted by a user from among said plurality of users for viewing by other of said users within said at least one collaborative group.

13. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying said collaborative group when information related to said at least one spreadsheet has been communicated to said server across said network.

14. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for communicating to said collaborative group guidance relative to a non-hierarchical exchange of information.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said means for communicating includes at least one message from a senior member of an enterprise related to a topic selected from the group consisting of strategy, mission, objectives, budgeting criteria, budgeting parameters, competitive information, economic information, employment information, timetables, deadlines and combinations thereof.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one individual who is among said plurality of users that define said collaborative group is a member of at least one additional collaborative group.