Complex data merging, such as in a workflow application

• US 8,429,527 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elringklinger AG, Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open TEXT SA (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Arbogast, Emmanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, THU V
• Application Number:
  US11/486,397
• Time in Patent Office: 2,477 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/205, 715224-225, 715/234, 715/255, 715209-210, 715/221, 715/236, 705/7
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

Merging data for use in a workflow application may include providing a user interface that facilitates collecting information from a user such as an indication of a first document and a second document that each include multiple records, a selection of a key indicator field common to both documents, and some indication of which of the two documents is a controlling document. Without the need for the user providing programming instructions, the workflow application joins information from both documents by identifying whether any of the records from the non-controlling document has a key indicator value that matches the key value of a select record from the controlling document. Based on this identifying, the workflow application dynamically generates a merged document which it can then use to perform one or more actions.

Claims

1. A method for complex data merging, comprising:

at a computer having a workflow facility;

retrieving, at the workflow facility, multiple input components from one or more input sources accessible by the workflow facility, wherein the multiple input components comprise a first input component and a second input component, wherein the first input component contains a first sequence of information conforming to a first record type, wherein the first sequence of information relates to a first plurality of database records of results from a first prior task performed by the workflow facility, wherein the second input component contains a second sequence of information conforming to a second record type, and wherein the second sequence of information relates to a second plurality of database records of results from a second prior task performed by the workflow facility;

determining, at the workflow facility, a parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component;

identifying, at the workflow facility, one of the first input component and the second input component as a controlling input component based on the parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component;

matching, at the workflow facility, each foreign key contained in each of the first plurality of database records associated with the first input component with a corresponding primary key from the second plurality of database records associated with the second input component; and

producing, at the workflow facility, a single merged document based on a result of the matching, wherein a shape, size, format, or a configuration of the single merged document is determined at run-time based on the controlling input component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first sequence of information comprises a sequence of invoices, with each invoice in the sequence associated with its own customer record, and wherein the second sequence of information comprises a sequence of customer records for a plurality of customers, with each of the plurality of customers associated with at least one of the customer records.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first input component and the second input component are Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple input components further comprise documents, processes, and applications.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple input components comprise content that is internal or external to the workflow facility.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple input components comprise content that is internal to the workflow facility and content that is external to the workflow facility.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more input sources comprise software applications.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prior to performing the matching, determining if additional input components are needed; and

if one or more additional input components are needed, retrieving the one or more input components from the one or more input sources;

or

if no additional input components are needed, performing the matching.

9. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by at least one processor to perform, at a workflow facility:

retrieving multiple input components from one or more input sources accessible by the workflow facility, wherein the multiple input components comprises a first input component and a second input component, wherein the first input component contains a first sequence of information conforming to a first record type, wherein the first sequence of information relates to a first plurality of database records of results from a first prior task performed by the workflow facility, wherein the second input component contains a second sequence of information conforming to a second record type, and wherein the second sequence of information relates to a second plurality of database records of results from a second prior task performed by the workflow facility;

determining a parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component;

identifying one of the first input component and the second input component as a controlling input component based on the parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component;

matching each foreign key contained in each of the first plurality of database records associated with the first input component with a corresponding primary key from the second plurality of database records associated with the second input component; and

producing a single merged document based on a result of the matching, wherein a shape, size, format, or a configuration of the single merged document is determined at run-time based on the controlling input component.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the first sequence of information comprises a sequence of invoices, with each invoice in the sequence associated with its own customer record, and wherein the second sequence of information comprises a sequence of customer records for a plurality of customers, with each of the plurality of customers associated with at least one of the customer records.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the first input component and the second input component are Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the multiple input components further comprise documents, processes, and applications.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the multiple input components comprise content that is internal or external to the workflow facility.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the multiple input components comprise content that is internal to the workflow facility and content that is external to the workflow facility.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the one or more input sources comprise software applications.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

prior to performing the matching, determining if additional input components are needed; and

if one or more additional input components are needed, retrieving the one or more input components from the one or more input sources;

or

if no additional input components are needed, performing the matching.

17. A system for complex data merging, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform, at a workflow facility;

retrieving multiple input components from one or more input sources accessible by the workflow facility, wherein the multiple input components comprises a first input component and a second input component, wherein the first input component contains a first sequence of information conforming to a first record type, wherein the first sequence of information relates to a first plurality of database records of results from a first prior task performed by the workflow facility, wherein the second input component contains a second sequence of information conforming to a second record type, and wherein the second sequence of information relates to a second plurality of database records of results from a second prior task performed by the workflow facility;

determining a parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component;

identifying one of the first input component and the second input component as a controlling input component based on the parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component;

matching each foreign key contained in each of the first plurality of database records associated with the first input component with a corresponding primary key from the second plurality of database records associated with the second input component; and

producing a single merged document based on a result of the matching, wherein a shape, size, format, or a configuration of the single merged document is determined at run-time based on the controlling input component.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first sequence of information comprises a sequence of invoices, with each invoice in the sequence associated with its own customer record, and wherein the second sequence of information comprises a sequence of customer records for a plurality of customers, with each of the plurality of customers associated with at least one of the customer records.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first input component and the second input component are Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the multiple input components further comprise documents, processes, and applications.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the multiple input components comprise content that is internal or external to the workflow facility.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the multiple input components comprise content that is internal to the workflow facility and content that is external to the workflow facility.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more input sources comprise software applications.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

prior to performing the matching, determining if additional input components are needed; and

if one or more additional input components are needed, retrieving the one or more input components from the one or more input sources;

or

if no additional input components are needed, performing the matching.