Analyzing calendar to generate financial information

• US 9,691,105 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Thier, Adam, DiTomasso, Laura, Harrison, Matthew, Bhat, Monica
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US14/254,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Techniques of analyzing a calendar to generate financial information are disclosed. In some embodiments, scheduled event data for at least one scheduled event is extracted from an electronic calendar. The scheduled event data can comprise corresponding time data and text for each one of the at least one scheduled event. A financial accounting entry for each one of the at least one scheduled event can be generated based on the extracted scheduled event data. The financial accounting entry can comprise an electronic record of business-related activity that can be used for a financial accounting purpose. Generating the financial accounting entry can comprise populating the financial accounting entry using the time data of the corresponding scheduled event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

extracting scheduled event data for at least one scheduled event from an electronic calendar, the scheduled event data comprising corresponding time data and text for each one of the at least one scheduled event;

generating, by a machine having a memory and at least one processor, a financial accounting entry for each one of the at least one scheduled event based on the extracted scheduled event data, the financial accounting entry comprising an electronic record of business-related activity that can be used for a financial accounting purpose, the generating the financial accounting entry comprising;

analyzing, using the at least one processor, the text of the corresponding scheduled event using a text analysis scheme stored in a database;

determining, using the at least one processor, attribute data for the financial accounting entry based on the analysis of the text; and

populating, using the at least one processor, the financial accounting entry using the determined attribute data;

receiving an indication of an adjustment to attribute data for the financial accounting entry; and

modifying, by the at least one processor, the text analysis scheme stored in the database based on the indication of the adjustment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial accounting entry comprises a timesheet or an expense report.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the financial accounting entry comprises populating the financial accounting entry using the time data of the corresponding scheduled event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined attribute data comprises at least one of an identification of a customer for the corresponding scheduled event and an identification of a project for the corresponding scheduled event.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determined attribute data comprises an identification of a customer for the corresponding scheduled event and an identification of a project for the corresponding scheduled event, and the method further comprises:

determining an identification of an employee for the corresponding scheduled event; and

determining a billing rate for the corresponding scheduled event based on the identification of the employee, the identification of the customer, and the identification of the project.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of attribute data is based on a stored association between the text and the attribute data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a forecast of business-related activity using the financial accounting entry.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a modification to the electronic calendar; and

modifying the forecast of business-related activity based on the indication of the modification to the electronic calendar.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the modification to the electronic calendar comprises at least one of an addition of a scheduled event, a deletion of a scheduled event, and a modification of scheduled event data of at least one of the at least one scheduled event.

10. A system comprising:

a machine having a memory and at least one processor; and

a non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

extracting scheduled event data for at least one scheduled event from an electronic calendar, the scheduled event data comprising corresponding time data and text for each one of the at least one scheduled event;

generating a financial accounting entry for each one of the at least one scheduled event based on the extracted scheduled event data, the financial accounting entry comprising an electronic record of business-related activity that can be used for a financial accounting purpose, the generating the financial accounting entry comprising;

analyzing the text of the corresponding scheduled event using a text analysis scheme stored in a database;

determining attribute data for the financial accounting entry based on the analysis of the text; and

populating the financial accounting entry using the determined attribute data;

receiving an indication of an adjustment to attribute data for the financial accounting entry; and

modifying the ext analysis scheme stored in the database based on the indication of the adjustment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise populating the financial accounting entry using the time data of the corresponding scheduled event.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the determined attribute data comprises at least one of a customer and a project for the corresponding scheduled event.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the determination of the attribute data is based on a stored association between the text and the attribute data.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise generating a forecast of business-related activity using the financial accounting entry.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication of a modification to the electronic calendar; and

modifying the forecast of business-related activity based on the indication of the modification to the electronic calendar.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, tangibly embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

extracting scheduled event data for at least one scheduled event from an electronic calendar, the scheduled event data comprising corresponding time data and text for each one of the at least one scheduled event;

generating a financial accounting entry for each one of the at least one scheduled event based on the extracted scheduled event data, the financial accounting entry comprising an electronic record of business-related activity that can be used for a financial accounting purpose, the generating the financial accounting entry comprising;

analyzing the text of the corresponding scheduled event using a text analysis scheme stored in a database;

determining attribute data for the financial accounting entry based on the analysis of the text; and

populating the financial accounting entry using the determined attribute data;

receiving an indication of an adjustment to attribute data for the financial accounting entry; and

modifying the text analysis scheme stored in the database based on the indication of the adjustment.