Webpage based form entry aid

• US 9,436,670 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Taylor J., Brugler, Thomas S., Chen, Richard, Craig, Randall A., Moore, Kristin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kells, Asher
• Application Number:
  US14/306,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for providing an interface for data entry into a webform. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a selection of an active data-entry field, determining an inline label associated with the active data-entry field, determining which data-entry fields are required data-entry fields, and determining a location of an active data-entry field within a webform. The method further includes calculating an estimated time to complete the webform based on historical data for the active data-entry field and mobile webform. The method further includes providing an interface for the webform that includes information corresponding to the active data-entry field, the determined inline label, an indication of whether or not the active data-entry field is required, the calculated estimated time to complete the webform, and an indication of the determined location of the active data-entry field within the webform.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interface for data entry into a webform, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a selection of an active data-entry field in a webform;

determining, by one or more processors, an inline label associated with the active data-entry field;

determining, by one or more processors, which data-entry fields in the webform are required data-entry fields;

determining, by one or more processors, a location of an active data-entry field within a webform with respect to a total number of active data-entry fields within the webform wherein the total number of active data-entry fields includes the required and non-required data-entry fields;

calculating, by one or more processors, an estimated amount of time to complete the webform based on historical data for the active data-entry field and the mobile webform;

displaying, by one or more processors, an interface for the webform that includes information corresponding to the active data-entry field, wherein the information corresponding to the active data-entry field includes the determined inline label, an indication of whether or not the active data-entry field is a required data-entry field, the calculated estimated time to complete the webform, and an indication of the determined location of the active data-entry field with respect to the total number of active data-entry fields within the webform;

providing by one or more processors, a selectable overview option in the displayed interface for the webform;

receiving by one or more processors, a selection of the overview option in the displayed interface for the webform; and

in response to receiving a selection of the overview option, displaying, by one or more processors, a webform overview that displays a reduced image of the entire webform with each data-entry field in the webform and an indication of the location of the active data-entry field within the webform.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by one or more processors, a selectable help icon in the interface for the webform;

receiving, by one or more processors, a selection of the help icon through the interface for the webform; and

in response to receiving a selection of the help icon, displaying, by one or more processors, help information associated with the active data-entry field.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, data entered into the active data-entry field;

determining, by one or more processors, the data entered in the active data-entry field includes an error; and

providing, by one or more processors, a selectable error message in the interface for the webform corresponding to the determined error.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a selection of a data-entry field from within the webform overview;

navigating, by one or more processors, to the selected data-entry field in the webform;

assigning, by one or more processors, the selected data-entry field to be an updated active data-entry field; and

updating, by one or more processors, the provided interface for the webform with the information associated with the updated active data-entry field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical data for the active data-entry field and the webform includes amounts of time that previous users have taken to complete data-entry fields in the webform and amounts of time that previous users have taken to complete the entire webform.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

providing, by one or more processors, an audio notification of the information corresponding to the active data-entry field that is provided in the interface for the webform.

7. A computer program product for providing an interface for data entry into a webform, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive a selection of an active data-entry field in a webform;

program instructions to determine an inline label associated with the active data-entry field;

program instructions to determine which data-entry fields in the webform are required data-entry fields;

program instructions to determine a location of an active data-entry field within a webform with respect to a total number of active data-entry fields within the webform, wherein the total number of active data-entry fields includes the required and non-required data-entry fields;

program instructions to calculate an estimated amount of time to complete the webform based on historical data for the active data-entry field and the mobile webform; and

program instructions to display an interface for the webform that includes information corresponding to the active data-entry field, wherein the information corresponding to the active data-entry field includes the determined inline label, an indication of whether or not the active data-entry field is a required data-entry field, the calculated estimated time to complete the webform, and an indication of the determined location of the active data-entry field with respect to the total number of active data-entry fields within the webform.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide a selectable help icon in the interface for the webform;

receive a selection of the help icon through the interface for the webform; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the help icon, display help information associated with the active data-entry field.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

receive data entered into the active data-entry field;

determine the data entered in the active data-entry field includes an error; and

provide a selectable error message in the interface for the webform corresponding to the determined error.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide a selectable overview option in the interface for the webform;

receive a selection of the overview option in the interface for the webform; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the overview option, display a webform overview that displays a reduced image of the entire webform with each data-entry field in the webform and an indication of the location of the active data-entry field within the webform.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

receive a selection of a data-entry field from within the webform overview;

navigate to the selected data-entry field in the webform;

assign the selected data-entry field to be an updated active data-entry field; and

update the provided interface for the webform with the information associated with the updated active data-entry field.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the historical data for the active data-entry field and the webform includes amounts of time that previous users have taken to complete data-entry fields in the webform and amounts of time that previous users have taken to complete the entire webform.

13. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide an audio notification of the information corresponding to the active data-entry field that is provided in the interface for the webform.

14. A computer system for providing an interface for data entry into a webform, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive a selection of an active data-entry field in a webform;

program instructions to determine an inline label associated with the active data-entry field;

program instructions to determine which data-entry fields in the webform are required data-entry fields;

program instructions to determine a location of an active data-entry field within a webform;

program instructions to calculate an estimated amount of time to complete the webform based on historical data for the active data-entry field and the mobile webform that includes at least one of the following;

updating the calculated estimated time to complete as each data-entry field is completed, calculating an estimated time remaining as each data-entry field is completed, and an increasing time upon exceeding the calculated estimated time to complete by calculating a time to complete utilizing time stamps with respect to a start time and a stop time; and

program instructions to display an interface for the webform that includes information corresponding to the active data-entry field, wherein the information corresponding to the active data-entry field includes the determined inline label, an indication of whether or not the active data-entry field is a required data-entry field, the calculated estimated time to complete the webform, and an indication of the determined location of the active data-entry field within the webform.

15. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide a selectable help icon in the interface for the webform;

receive a selection of the help icon through the interface for the webform; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the help icon, display help information associated with the active data-entry field.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

receive data entered into the active data-entry field;

determine the data entered in the active data-entry field includes an error; and

provide a selectable error message in the interface for the webform corresponding to the determined error.

17. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide a selectable overview option in the interface for the webform;

receive a selection of the overview option in the interface for the webform; and

responsive to receiving a selection of the overview option, display a webform overview of the entire webform wherein the webform overview displays each data-entry field in the webform and an indication of the location of the active data-entry field within the webform.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

receive a selection of a data-entry field from within the webform overview;

navigate to the selected data-entry field in the webform;

assign the selected data-entry field to be an updated active data-entry field; and

update the provided interface for the webform with the information associated with the updated active data-entry field.

19. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

provide an audio notification of the information corresponding to the active data-entry field that is provided in the interface for the webform.