Asynchronous Dashboard Query Prompting

• US 20140149839A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bedard, Jason, Kumar, Viren
• Granted Patent: US 9,842,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

A client receives data from a server that includes a dashboard generated at the server by converting each of a spreadsheet file and a dashboard structure file into a text-based, language-independent data interchange format. In addition, the dashboard includes at least one component dependent on at least one prompt. Thereafter, the at least one prompt is asynchronously rendered in a graphical user interface at the client. Data is later received that includes answers to one or more prompts. At least one query is subsequently executed based on the received answers. After results of the executed at least one query is received, the component having a corresponding received answer is rendered in the dashboard. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a client from a server, data comprising a dashboard, the dashboard being generated at the server by converting each of a spreadsheet file and a dashboard structure file into a text-based, language-independent data interchange format, the dashboard comprising at least one component dependent on at least one prompt;

asynchronously rendering the least one prompt in a graphical user interface at the client;

receiving data comprising at least one answer to the at least one prompt;

asynchronously executing at least one query based on the received at least one answer;

receiving results of the executed at least one query; and

rendering, for each component having a corresponding received answer and using results of the executed at least one query, the component in the dashboard.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the prompts within the spreadsheet file, wherein at least a portion of the prompts are answered by one or more cells specified by the spreadsheet file.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising:

fetching cell values for those prompts being answered by the one or more cell specified by the spreadsheet file.

4. A method as in claim 2, further comprising:

registering a listener for each answering cell; and

executing at least one query when the listener indicates that data for an answering cell has changed.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the prompts are answered by user-generated input via a graphical user interface element corresponding to a particular prompt.

6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising:

displaying the graphical user interface element corresponding to the prompt; and

receiving user-generated input via the graphical user interface element providing an answer to the prompt.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one query is includes a filter parameterized by the received at least one answer to the at least one prompt.

8. A non-transitory computer program product storing instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor forming part of a least one computing system, result in operations comprising:

receiving, at a client from a server, data comprising a dashboard, the dashboard being generated at the server by converting each of a spreadsheet file and a dashboard structure file into a text-based, language-independent data interchange format, the dashboard comprising at least one component dependent on at least one prompt;

asynchronously rendering the least one prompt in a graphical user interface at the client;

receiving data comprising at least one answer to the at least one prompt;

asynchronously executing at least one query based on the received at least one answer;

receiving results of the executed at least one query; and

rendering, for each component having a corresponding received answer and using results of the executed at least one query, the component in the dashboard.

9. A computer program product as in claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the prompts within the spreadsheet file, wherein at least a portion of the prompts are answered by one or more cells specified by the spreadsheet file.

10. A computer program product as in claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

fetching cell values for those prompts being answered by the one or more cell specified by the spreadsheet file.

11. A computer program product as in claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

registering a listener for each answering cell; and

executing at least one query when the listener indicates that data for an answering cell has changed.

12. A computer program product as in claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the prompts are answered by user-generated input via a graphical user interface element corresponding to a particular prompt.

13. A computer program product as in claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying the graphical user interface element corresponding to the prompt; and

receiving user-generated input via the graphical user interface element providing an answer to the prompt.

14. A computer program product as in claim 8, wherein the at least one query is includes a filter parameterized by the received at least one answer to the at least one prompt.

15. A system comprising:

at least one data processor forming part of at least one computing system; and

memory storing instructions, which when executed by one or more data processors, result in operations comprising;

receiving data comprising a dashboard, the dashboard being generated at the server by converting each of a spreadsheet file and a dashboard structure file into a text-based, language-independent data interchange format, the dashboard comprising at least one component dependent on at least one prompt;

asynchronously rendering the least one prompt in a graphical user interface at the client;

receiving data comprising at least one answer to the at least one prompt;

asynchronously executing at least one query based on the received at least one answer;

receiving results of the executed at least one query; and

rendering, for each component having a corresponding received answer and using results of the executed at least one query, the component in the dashboard.

16. A system as in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the prompts within the spreadsheet file, wherein at least a portion of the prompts are answered by one or more cells specified by the spreadsheet file.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

fetching cell values for those prompts being answered by the one or more cell specified by the spreadsheet file.

18. A system as in claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

registering a listener for each answering cell; and

executing at least one query when the listener indicates that data for an answering cell has changed.

19. A system product as in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the prompts are answered by user-generated input via a graphical user interface element corresponding to a particular prompt, and wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying the graphical user interface element corresponding to the prompt; and

receiving user-generated input via the graphical user interface element providing an answer to the prompt.

20. A system as in claim 15, wherein the at least one query is includes a filter parameterized by the received at least one answer to the at least one prompt.