Definition and instantiation of metric based business logic reports

• US 7,840,896 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lim, Chen-I, Tien, Ian, Hulen, Corey
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/393,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 715/243, 715/244, 715/245, 715/273, 700/91, 700/92
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Groups of subordinate report definitions are determined for selected scorecard metrics based on suitable report type and layout features. A list comprising the available reports is assigned to each source metric enabling association of the groups across metrics. A context of the scorecard is passed to a physical instantiation of the group of reports to affect their behavior. Report presentation, queries, and the like may be performed using the assigned definition list(s).

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for using parameterized subordinate reports in a scorecard system, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of report definitions associated with a scorecard element based on an attribute of the scorecard element, the scorecard element being associated with an actual value, a target value, and a status indicator;

determining layout features for each report definition of the plurality of report definitions, wherein determining the layout features comprises determining which configuration views are associated with each report definition, the configuration views being configured to show different properties of the scorecard element, the properties comprising owner information, data source information, and scorecard update frequency information;

categorizing the plurality of report definitions based on a report type and the layout features for each report definition; and

assigning selected report definitions to the scorecard element by category.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a listing document that includes a list of the selected report definitions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing the listing document to another application for one of generating a report presentation and executing a query.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning selected report definitions comprises assigning selected report definitions that are determined based on one of a default selection criterion and a user selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein categorizing the plurality of report definitions based on the report type and the layout features for each report definition comprises categorizing the plurality of report definitions based on the report type that includes at least one from a set of a document, a chart, a transaction list, a spreadsheet, and a link.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining the layout features for a report definition based on the report type of the same report definition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of report definitions associated with the scorecard element comprises determining the plurality of report definitions associated with the scorecard element that includes one of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI), an Objective, and a scorecard.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating the report definitions dynamically when the scorecard is modified.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the assigned report definitions with scorecard information.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions which when executed perform a method for using report definitions capable of handling heterogeneous metrics in a scorecard system, the method executed by the computer executable instructions comprising:

determining a first group of available report definitions for a scorecard metric based on an attribute of the metric, the scorecard metric being associated with an actual value, a target value, and a status indicator;

categorizing the first group of report definitions based on a report type and a layout feature associated with each report definition, the layout feature being associated with configuration views associated with the scorecard metric, the configuration views being configured to show different properties of the scorecard metric, the properties comprising owner information, data source information, and scorecard update frequency information;

selecting a second group of report definitions from the first group;

generating a list of the second group of report definitions, wherein the list is assigned to the scorecard metric; and

providing the list of the second group of report definitions to another application for report presentation, the other application being configured to compute scorecard metrics and provide a scorecard presentation based on the computed scorecard metrics.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein selecting the second group of report definitions comprises selecting the second group of report definitions based on a set of default criteria.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining the first group of available report definitions for the scorecard metric based on the attribute of the metric comprises determining the first group of available report definitions for the scorecard metric based on the attribute of the metric including a data type for the metric.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, providing the list to the application for report presentation comprises providing the list to a scorecard application.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining the first group of available report definitions for the scorecard metric based on the attribute of the metric comprises determining the first group of available report definitions wherein each report definition includes at least one from a set of:

a report type, a permission level, a report layout, a link to source data, and a configuration.

15. A system for assigning report definitions to scorecard elements, the system comprising:

a memory storage comprising a report definition module; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is configured to;

determine a group of available report definitions for a scorecard element based on a type of data associated with the scorecard element, the scorecard element being associated with an actual value, a target value, and a status indicator;

categorize the report definitions based on a report view presentation format, the report view presentation format being associated with various configuration views corresponding to the scorecard element, the configuration views being configured to show different properties of the scorecard metric, the properties comprising owner information, data source information, database information, and scorecard update frequency information; and

assign the categorized report definitions to the scorecard element such that a correlation between the scorecard element and the group of report definitions is independent from a scorecard configuration.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the report definition module is further configured to select a subset of the group of available report definitions based on one of a user input and a default selection.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the report definition module is further configured to enable a subscriber to modify at least one attribute of each of the report definitions.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a scorecard application is configured to:

compute scorecard metrics and provide a scorecard presentation based on the computed scorecard metrics; and

generate a report view layout based on selected ones of the report definitions.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the report view presentation format includes a size and a shape of the report view area.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the report definition module is integrated with a scorecard application.