Automated data retrieval

• US 7,636,742 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Mark A., Olavarrieta, Jorge, Moorman, Janice C., Hart, Matt E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Shahid A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arjomandi; Noosha
• Application Number:
  US10/982,661
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 705/31, 705/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Information missing from a database record is automatically identified and retrieved. In an embodiment, after the record is initially populated, a status such as complete, incomplete, missing, or verify is assigned to each field in the record. A request for information associated with the status is automatically generated, for instance asking a client to provide missing information or verify existing information. The request is transmitted to the client and solicits the client'"'"'s response in any of a number of ways, for instance by email, phone, fax, or mail. The information is used to automatically update the record.

Claims

1. A computer system, operated by forms preparer tasked with preparing a form for a client, comprising:

a database including a plurality of records corresponding to a plurality of clients, wherein a record comprises a plurality of fields and contact information for electronically communicating with the client associated with the record;

a status module loaded into memory, communicatively coupled to the database, and configured to;

identify a field requiring a missing data item, and

assign a status to the field wherein the status assigned to the field is associated with obtaining the missing data item for the field from the client associated with the record; and

a data retrieval module loaded into memory and configured to;

generate an e-mail to the client comprising a data object and a request to populate the data object with the missing data item,

transmit the e-mail message to the client,

receive a reply e-mail message from the client comprising the data object populated with the missing data item, and

add, automatically, the missing data item from the data object in the reply e-mail to the field wherein the forms preparer and the client are separate entities, and

wherein the status module is configured to assign the plurality of statuses to the plurality of fields responsive to status information provided by the user via a user interface.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the data retrieval module is further configured to send an email message containing the request through a Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI).

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the data retrieval module is further configured to identify a plurality of data sources for retrieving the data, generate a plurality of requests for the plurality of data sources responsive to the plurality of statuses, and transmit the plurality of requests to the plurality of data sources.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the status comprises one selected from the group consisting of missing, complete, and incomplete.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the data retrieval module is further configured to implement an action responsive to an elapsing of a predetermined threshold of time after transmission of the request and before receipt of the response from the client.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the action comprises sending one selected from the group consisting of a second request for data and a reminder of the request.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the data retrieval module is further configured to track statuses of requests transmitted by the data retrieval module, and to provide the statuses of the requests to the user.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further including a report module for generating a report that includes the statuses of the requests transmitted by the data retrieval module.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the data retrieval module is further configured to generate a link to a secure web server, the link including information for identifying the client with which the secure web server can create a web page for soliciting data missing from the record associated with the client, wherein the request includes the link.

10. A method of soliciting information based on a plurality of records in a database, the method comprising the steps of:

populating the plurality of records in the database, wherein each record in the plurality of records is associated with a client, includes contact information for communicating with the client, and includes a plurality of fields;

identifying a field requiring a missing data item;

assigning a status to the field wherein the status assigned to the field is associated with obtaining the missing data item for the field from the client associated with the field;

generating an e-mail message to the client comprising a data object and a request to populate the data object with the missing data item;

transmitting the e-mail message to the client;

receiving a reply e-mail message from the client comprising the data object automatically populated with the missing data item from the client; and

updating the field using the missing data item from the data object, wherein the user is a forms preparer tasked with preparing the form for the client, wherein the forms preparer and the client are separate entities, and

wherein assigning the plurality of statuses to the plurality of fields is performed responsive to status information provided by the user via a user interface.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein assigning the plurality of statuses comprises comparing data contained in the plurality of fields in the record to expected values associated with the plurality of fields.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the expected values are determined responsive to instructions provided by the user.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein assigning, generating, and transmitting are carried out by a computer program product.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a plurality of information requests based on statuses of incomplete fields in the plurality of records;

transmitting the plurality of information requests to clients associated with the plurality of records, wherein the information requests indicate the incomplete fields and comprise data structures for receiving data from the clients to populate the incomplete fields;

receiving responses from the clients responsive to the request, the responses comprising the data structures; and

updating incomplete fields using data from the received data structures.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising tracking a status of the information request and providing the status of the information request to an application for monitoring retrieval of the requested information.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising responsive to the status of a plurality of fields in a record being incomplete:

identifying a plurality of data sources for providing data associated with the plurality of fields;

generating a plurality of requests for data for the plurality of data sources; and

transmitting the plurality of requests to the plurality of data sources.

17. A computer program module stored on a computer storage device, executable by a processor, the computer program module comprising logic for:

populating a plurality of records in a database, wherein each record in the plurality of records is associated with a client, includes contact information for communication with the client, and includes a plurality of fields;

identifying a field requiring a missing data item;

assigning a status to the field, wherein the status assigned to the field is associated with obtaining the missing data item from a client associated with the field;

generating an e-mail to the client comprising a data object and a request to populate the data object with the missing data item;

transmitting the e-mail message to the client;

receiving a reply e-mail message from the client comprising the data object automatically populated with the missing data item; and

updating the field with the missing data item from the data object, wherein the user is a forms preparer tasked with preparing the form for the client,

wherein the forms preparer and the client are separate entities, and wherein assigning the plurality of statuses to the plurality of fields is performed responsive to status information provided by the user via a user interface.

18. The computer program module of claim 17, further comprising generating a link to a secure web server, the link including information for identifying the client with which the web server can create a web page for receiving requested information.

19. The computer program module of claim 17, further comprising instructions encoded thereon for transmitting the record to a receiving system.