Dynamically managing timesheet data associated with multiple billing types

• US 8,036,961 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ducolon, R. David, Fu, Xiaoning
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): IWARERE, OLUSEYE
• Application Number:
  US11/443,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 705/32
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products manage timesheet data associated with multiple billing types. Embodiments of the present invention are unique in that each billing type is visually displayed as a separate database record when in actuality it is simply a pivoted representation of attributes on a single record. A method involves retrieving timesheet data associated with a specific timesheet. Each instance of the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types are stored on a server as a single record. The method also involves pivoting the timesheet data to display as separate records the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types. Each billing type associated with actual time entry is displayed and associated with one of the records as displayed. This combination of data storage and data display represents distinct improvements in levels of efficiency for both a timesheet user and a timesheet manager.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for dynamically managing timesheet data associated with multiple billing types, the method comprising:

retrieving, by the computer, timesheet data associated with a specific timesheet, wherein each instance of the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types is stored on a server as a single record; and

pivoting, by the computer, the timesheet data to display as separate records the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types, wherein each billing type displayed is associated with one of the separate records as displayed; and

controlling, by the computer, whether an individual billing type is displayed in association with the timesheet data based on a received user selection that turns individual billing types on or off for a selected project task, wherein the displayed timesheet data also includes the individual billing types containing actual time entries, regardless of whether the individual billing types are turned on or off for the selected project task;

thereby reducing clutter when timesheet data is displayed and improving usability when timesheet data is stored;

receiving a request to view data entries for the specific timesheet, wherein the timesheet data is retrieved in response to receiving the request at the server;

interpreting the timesheet data retrieved to determine what dates are stored in association with actual time entries within the timesheet data, wherein pivoting the timesheet data comprises pivoting timesheet data interpreted as being associated with the dates stored in association with actual time entries;

analyzing the timesheet data pivoted to detect data types including the multiple billing types; and

applying, via a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol with respect to a plurality of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), HTML tags to the timesheet data for display based on the data types detected, the plurality of APIs comprising an API for;

validating timesheet line information, putting extra information comprising project and assignment names which are unknown to a timesheet user into a dataset and loading actuals into the dataset, the data set derived from the timesheet data entered via a client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

expanding a timesheet grid to display records where actual time entries are present in association with the data types detected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing on a server timesheet data entered via a client computer;

interpreting the timesheet data captured to determine whether the timesheet data captured comprises actual time entries present in association with a date;

pivoting the timesheet data captured that comprises actual time entries present in association with a date to store on the server as a single record the timesheet data captured and associated with actual time entries and a date; and

storing each actual time entry present and in association with a date as a single record on the server therein improving data usability and storage efficiency;

wherein the single record is associated with multiple billing types.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple billing types comprise at least two of the following:

regular billable;

overtime billable;

regular non-billable; and

overtime non-billable.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying as separate records rendered on the timesheet grid, an HTML rendering of the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types actually stored as single records on the server.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

passing the dataset via web services to the server computer wherein pivoting the timesheet data captured comprises configuring the dataset for storage on the server;

wherein displaying an HTML rendering of the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types stored as single records on the server comprises displaying an HTML rendering of the dataset.

7. Computer storage media having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to perform a method for dynamically managing timesheet data associated with a plurality of billing types, the method comprising:

receiving a request to view data entries for a specific timesheet, wherein the timesheet data is retrieved in response to receiving the request at the computer;

retrieving timesheet data associated with the specific timesheet, wherein each instance of the timesheet data associated with a date and at least one of the plurality of billing types is stored as a single record;

pivoting the timesheet data to display, as if a separate record, the timesheet data associated with a date and at least two of the plurality of billing types, wherein each billing type displayed is associated with one of the displayed separate records;

controlling whether an individual billing type is displayed in association with the timesheet data based on a received user selection that turns individual billing types on or off for a selected project task, wherein the displayed timesheet data also includes the individual billing types containing actual time entries, regardless of whether the individual billing types are turned on or off for the selected project task;

receiving a request to view data entries for the specific timesheet, wherein the timesheet data is retrieved in response to receiving the request at a server;

interpreting the timesheet data retrieved to determine what dates are stored in association with actual time entries within the timesheet data, wherein pivoting the timesheet data comprises pivoting timesheet data interpreted as being associated with the dates stored in association with actual time entries;

analyzing the timesheet data pivoted to detect data types including the multiple billing types; and

applying, via a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol with respect to a plurality of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), HTML tags to the timesheet data for display based on the data types detected, the plurality of APIs comprising an API for;

validating timesheet line information, putting extra information comprising project and assignment names which are unknown to a timesheet user into a dataset and loading actuals into the dataset.

8. The computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising:

expanding a timesheet grid to display records where actual time entries are present in association with the data types detected.

9. The computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising:

capturing timesheet data entered via a client computer;

interpreting the timesheet data captured to determine whether the timesheet data captured comprises actual time entries present in association with a date;

pivoting the timesheet data captured that comprises actual time entries present in association with a date to store on the computer as a single record the timesheet data captured and associated with actual time entries and a date; and

storing each actual time entry present and in association with a date as a single record therein improving data usability and storage efficiency;

wherein the single record is associated with at least two of the plurality of billing types.

10. The computer storage media of claim 7, wherein the multiple billing types comprise at least two of the following:

regular billable;

overtime billable;

regular non-billable; and

overtime non-billable.

11. The computer storage media of claim 8, further comprising causing the computer to display as if separate records rendered on the timesheet grid, an HTML rendering of the timesheet data associated with a date and associated with the plurality of billing types actually stored as a single record on the computer.

12. The computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the dataset via web services wherein pivoting the timesheet data captured comprises configuring the dataset for storage on the computer;

wherein displaying an HTML rendering of the timesheet data associated with a date and the plurality of billing types stored as single records on the server comprises generating an HTML rendering of the dataset.

13. A computer-implemented system for dynamically managing timesheet data associated with multiple billing types, the system comprising a server computer, the server computer comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to;

receive a request to view data entries for a specific timesheet, wherein the timesheet data is retrieved in response to receiving the request at the server computer;

retrieve timesheet data associated with the specific timesheet, wherein each instance of the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types is stored as a single record;

pivot the timesheet data to display, as if a separate record, the timesheet data associated with a date and multiple billing types, wherein each billing type displayed is associated with one of the displayed separate records;

control whether an individual billing type is displayed in association with the timesheet data based on a received user selection that turns individual billing types on or off for a selected project task, wherein the displayed timesheet data also includes the individual billing types containing actual time entries, regardless of whether the individual billing types are turned on or off for the selected project task;

receive a request to view data entries for the specific timesheet, wherein the timesheet data is retrieved in response to receiving the request at the server computer;

interpret the timesheet data retrieved to determine what dates are stored in association with actual time entries within the timesheet data, wherein pivoting the timesheet data comprises pivoting timesheet data interpreted as being associated with the dates stored in association with actual time entries;

analyze the timesheet data pivoted to detect data types including the multiple billing types; and

apply, via a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol with respect to a plurality of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), HTML tags to the timesheet data for display based on the data types detected, the plurality of APIs comprising an API for;

validating timesheet line information, putting extra information comprising project and assignment names which are unknown to a timesheet user into a dataset and loading actuals into the dataset, the data set derived from the timesheet data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to:

expand a timesheet grid to display records where actual time entries are present in association with the data types detected.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a client computer, the client computer comprising a memory for storing executable program code, the client computer further comprising a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to display as if separate records rendered on the timesheet grid, an HTML rendering of the timesheet data associated with a date and associated with multiple billing types actually stored as a single record on the server computer.