Spreadsheet cell-based notifications

• US 20070136666A1
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Asnash, Liviu, Battagin, Dan, Megiddo, Eran, Khen, Dan, Bishel, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,501,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A workflow includes an activity that takes advantage of spreadsheet calculations. For a spreadsheet activity, calculation and extraction of values from a spreadsheet is performed. Thus, spreadsheet calculations are integrated into workflows without user intervention. After the workflow is complete, or after a spreadsheet activity is calculated, or upon a threshold or condition being met, a user or system may be notified (e.g., by email, instant message, etc.). Values from previous activities in the workflow may be obtained and provided to the spreadsheet (e.g., cell values are set, modified, or adjusted). The spreadsheet may then be recalculated using these obtained values. Moreover, values from the spreadsheet may be used in subsequent parts of the workflow. Also, any number of spreadsheet activities may be incorporated into a workflow, and one spreadsheet activity may provide values to a second spreadsheet activity in the workflow.

Claims

1. A method of performing a spreadsheet calculation in a workflow, comprising:

calling a spreadsheet activity in the workflow;

calculating a value in the spreadsheet associated with the spreadsheet activity; and

providing a cell-based notification based on a predetermined condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the notification comprises providing notification if the value matches the predetermined condition.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising comparing the value to the predetermined condition prior to providing the notification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is the termination of a workflow activity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises sending an email, an instant message, or a call into a web service or an object model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises content comprising at least one of a calculated workbook, a uniform resource locator (URL) of a workbook, a value of a cell that triggered the notification, and predetermined values.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication how the notification is to be provided prior to calculating the value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating or editing a spreadsheet prior to calling the spreadsheet activity in the workflow.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the workflow comprises a subsequent activity, and further comprising providing the value to the subsequent activity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the workflow comprises a preceding activity, and further comprising the preceding activity providing information to the spreadsheet activity prior to calculating the value.

11. A method of performing a spreadsheet calculation in a workflow, comprising:

scheduling the workflow comprising a spreadsheet activity to start pursuant to a scheduled event;

starting the workflow pursuant to the scheduled event occurring;

calling the spreadsheet activity in the workflow;

calculating a value in the spreadsheet associated with the spreadsheet activity; and

providing a cell-based notification based on a predetermined condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the notification comprises providing the notification if the value matches the predetermined condition.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined condition is the termination of a workflow activity.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification comprises sending an email, an instant message, or a call into a web service or an object model.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification comprises content comprising at least one of a calculated workbook, a uniform resource locator (URL) of a workbook, a value of a cell that triggered the notification, and predetermined values.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein scheduling the workflow comprises receiving information about the scheduled event via data provided from a user.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the scheduled event comprises a predetermined time.

18. A computer-readable medium having a data structure stored thereon comprising:

a first data field containing data representing a first activity in a workflow;

a second data field containing data representing a spreadsheet activity in the workflow;

a third data field containing data representing a cell-based notification condition; and

a fourth data field containing data representing a cell-based notification delivery option.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the notification condition is based on a value of a cell calculated by the spreadsheet activity or a status of the workflow.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the notification delivery option is an email, an instant message, or a call into a web service or an object model.