System, method and computer program product for rule-based performance of actions on related objects

• US 8,819,081 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Calahan, Patrick, Goel, Shilpa, Hart, George, Rajaram, Varadarajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Leroux, Etienne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khoshnoodi, Fariborz
• Application Number:
  US13/065,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 707/694, 707/805, 707/803
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for rule-based performance of actions on related objects. These mechanisms and methods for rule-based performance of actions on related objects can provide a generalized technique for configuring related object actions that are responsive to object updates. The ability to provide this generalized technique can enable actions to be automatically performed on objects in response to updates to related objects, in a rule-based manner.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, which when executed implements a method for rule-based performance of actions on related objects, the method comprising:

providing a first graphical user interface (GUI) associated with a first object and having an option for configuring at least one rule associated with the first object, the configuring including inputting one or more characteristics of the at least one rule;

receiving via the first GUI a selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object;

providing a second GUI associated with the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object in response to the selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule, where the second GUI includes for each of the at least one rule;

a name field for entering a name of the rule,

a description field for entering a textual description of the rule,

a field to update field for entering an identifier of a field of a second object to be updated according to the rule, where the second object is related to the first object, and

a field to pass field for selecting a field of the first object such that the value of the field is passed to the second object based on an evaluation of the rule;

receiving via the second GUI a configuration of the at least one rule associated with the first object;

creating the at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the received configuration;

storing the created at least one rule in association with the first object;

identifying a first action performed on the first object;

identifying the at least one rule stored in association with the first object when the first action is performed on the first object;

evaluating the identified at least one rule associated with the first object; and

conditionally performing at least one second action associated with the second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first object includes a row of a database.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the database is of a multi-tenant on-demand database system.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first action includes an update to the first object.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule includes an expression.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule is specific to a field of the first object associated with the update.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule is evaluated automatically in response to the first action.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one rule includes determining whether a condition of the at least one rule is met.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the at least one second action is performed in response to the evaluation indicating that the at least one rule is met.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one second action is indicated by the at least one rule.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the second object is related to the first object by virtue of the second object being referenced by the first object.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the reference includes a direct reference.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the reference includes an indirect reference.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one second action includes updating the second object.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the at least one second action includes updating the field of the second object indicated by the at least one rule with a value indicated by the at least one rule.

16. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the indirect reference is established by the first object storing an identifier to a third object and the third object storing an identifier of the second object.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the second object is related to the first object by the first object and the second object being children of a common parent object.

18. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first action includes a change to the first object, and wherein the at least one second action includes sending an electronic mail message indicating the change to the first object and an effect on the second object of the change to the first object.

19. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein storing the at least one rule in association with the first object includes storing a reference to the at least one rule in a predetermined field of the first object.

20. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics include a condition of the rule.

21. A method, comprising:

providing a first graphical user interface (GUI) associated with a first object and having an option for configuring at least one rule associated with the first object;

receiving via the first GUI a selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object, the configuring including inputting one or more characteristics of the at least one rule;

providing a second GUI associated with the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object in response to the selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule, where the second GUI includes for each of the at least one rule;

a name field for entering a name of the rule,

a description field for entering a textual description of the rule,

a field to update field for entering an identifier of a field of a second object to be updated according to the rule, where the second object is related to the first object, and

a field to pass field for selecting a field of the first object such that the value of the field is passed to the second object based on an evaluation of the rule;

receiving via the second GUI a configuration of the at least one rule associated with the first object;

creating the at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the received configuration;

storing the at least one rule in association with the first object;

identifying a first action performed on the first object;

identifying the at least one rule stored in association with the first object when the first action is performed on the first object;

evaluating the identified at least one rule associated with the first object; and

conditionally performing at least one second action associated with the second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor for;

providing a first graphical user interface (GUI) associated with a first object and having an option for configuring at least one rule associated with the first object, the configuring including inputting one or more characteristics of the at least one rule;

receiving via the first GUI a selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object;

providing a second GUI associated with the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object in response to the selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule, where the second GUI includes for each of the at least one rule;

a name field for entering a name of the rule,

a description field for entering a textual description of the rule,

a field to update field for entering an identifier of a field of a second object to be updated according to the rule, where the second object is related to the first object, and

a field to pass field for selecting a field of the first object such that the value of the field is passed to the second object based on an evaluation of the rule;

receiving via the second GUI a configuration of the at least one rule associated with the first object;

creating the at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the received configuration;

storing the at least one rule in association with the first object;

identifying a first action performed on the first object;

identifying the at least one rule stored in association with the first object when the first action is performed on the first object;

evaluating the identified at least one rule associated with the first object; and

conditionally performing at least one second action associated with the second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.

23. A method for transmitting code, comprising:

transmitting code to provide a first graphical user interface (GUI) associated with a first object and having an option for configuring at least one rule associated with the first object, the configuring including inputting one or more characteristics of the at least one rule;

transmitting code to receive via the first GUI a selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object;

transmitting code to provide a second GUI associated with the option for configuring the at least one rule associated with the first object;

transmitting code to receive via the second GUI a configuration of the at least one rule associated with the first object in response to the selection of the option for configuring the at least one rule, where the second GUI includes for each of the at least one rule;

a name field for entering a name of the rule,

a description field for entering a textual description of the rule,

a field to update field for entering an identifier of a field of a second object to be updated according to the rule, where the second object is related to the first object, and

a field to pass field for selecting a field of the first object such that the value of the field is passed to the second object based on an evaluation of the rule;

transmitting code to create the at least one rule associated with the first object, based on the received configuration;

transmitting code to store the at least one rule in association with the first object;

transmitting code to identify a first action performed on the first object;

transmitting code to identify the at least one rule stored in association with the first object when the first action is performed on the first object;

transmitting code to evaluate the identified at least one rule associated with the first object; and

transmitting code to conditionally perform at least one second action associated with the second object related to the first object, based on the evaluation of the at least one rule.