Method and system for importing data to a repository

• US 7,970,796 B1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Narayanan, Najeeb T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman; Sabana
• Application Number:
  US11/607,390
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 717/174, 717/110
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for importing data from a document to a repository, involving selecting data from a document, mapping the selected data to a pre-defined field in the repository using a context menu, wherein the context menu is dynamically created using a map file for mapping data associated with the document to a plurality of pre-defined fields in the repository, and importing the selected data from the document to the repository using the map file.

Claims

1. A method for importing data from a document to a repository, comprising:

creating a map file corresponding to a document type of the document, wherein the map file maps the document type of the document to a plurality of information fields stored in the repository for the document type;

storing the map file in a directory and providing a location of the directory to the repository;

selecting data from the document;

creating a macro for the document, wherein the macro is dynamically inserted into the document from which data is imported when the document is loaded from the repository, and wherein the macro is configured to;

access the map file at the directory location stored in the repository,

determine the plurality of information fields corresponding to the document type of the document from which data is imported from the map file, and

dynamically create a context menu, in response to the selection of data, comprising the plurality of information fields, wherein the context menu is a user interface that is created using the map file,

wherein the macro is specific to a document application in which the document is loaded;

mapping the selected data to one of the plurality of fields in the repository by selecting the one of the plurality of information fields displayed in the context menu;

inserting a comment into the document by a user importing the data, wherein the comment indicates that the selected data is imported into the repository; and

importing the selected data from the document to the selected information field in the repository using the map file, wherein the selected data is copied to the map file, which acts as an intermediary storage file between the document and the repository, until the stored selected data is loaded from the map file into the repository at a later time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

loading the document from a repository application comprising the repository.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the document application is one selected from a group consisting of a spreadsheet application, a word processing application, a publishing application, a presentation application, and a form-based application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamically created context menu is accessed by right-clicking on the selected data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the document type is one selected from a group consisting of an invoice, a purchase order, and an employee timesheet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the repository is located in a repository application, and wherein the repository application is business financial software.

7. A computing device for importing data into a repository, comprising:

a document loaded in a document application comprising data; and

a map file stored in a directory and configured to map data from the document to a plurality of fields in the repository, wherein the map file and the plurality of fields correspond to a document type of the document,

wherein the map file is used to dynamically create a context menu in the document by a macro specific to the document application, wherein the macro is dynamically inserted into the document application when the document is loaded and executes in response to selection of data to be imported from the document, and is configured to;

access the map file at the directory location stored in the repository,

determine the plurality of fields corresponding to the document type of the document from which data is imported from the map file, and

create the context menu in response to selection of data in the document, wherein the context menu is a user interface comprising the plurality of fields corresponding to the repository, and

wherein the selected data in the document is associated with one of the plurality of fields by selecting the one of the plurality of fields in the context menu, resulting in the importation of the selected data to the selected one of the plurality of fields in the repository,

wherein the selected data is copied to the map file, which acts as an intermediary storage file between the document and the repository, until the stored selected data is loaded from the map file into the repository at a later time, and

wherein a comment is inserted into the document by a user after importation to indicate that the selected data is imported into the repository.

8. The computing device of claim 7, further comprising:

a repository application configured as business financial software and configured to hold the repository.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein a link to the directory is stored in the repository application.

10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the document application is one selected from a group consisting of a spreadsheet application, a word processing application, a publishing application, a presentation application, and a form-based application.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the dynamically created context menu is accessed by right-clicking on the selected data.

12. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the document type is one selected from a group consisting of an invoice, a purchase order, and an employee timesheet.

13. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory for storing a map file corresponding to a document type of a document, wherein the map file maps the document type of the document to a plurality of information fields for the document type stored in a repository to which at least one portion of data from the document is imported; and

a user interface rendered using the processor, comprising;

a document of the document type loaded in a corresponding document application, executed by the processor of the computer system, wherein the document comprises the at least one portion of data; and

a context menu comprising the plurality of information fields corresponding to the document type, wherein the content menu is dynamically created, in response to selection of the at least one portion of data in the document, by a macro specific to the document application which is dynamically inserted into the document application when the document is loaded and executes in response to the selection of data, and is configured to;

access the map file at the directory location stored in the repository,

determine the plurality of information fields corresponding to the document type of the document from which data is imported from the map file, and

create the context menu comprising the plurality of information fields,

wherein the context menu is used to map the at least one portion of selected data to at least one of the plurality of information fields by selecting the at least one information field in the context menu,

wherein, upon selection of the at least one information field in the context menu, the selected at least one portion of data is copied to the map file, which acts as an intermediary storage file between the document and the repository, until the stored selected at least one portion of data is loaded from the map file into the repository at a later time, and

wherein a comment is inserted into the document by a user to indicate that the selected at least one portion of data is imported into the repository.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the document type is one selected from a group consisting of an invoice, a purchase order, and an employee timesheet.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the at least one portion of data is selected by highlighting the at least one portion of data.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the context menu is invoked by right-clicking on the at least one portion of selected data.

17. A computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to execute a method for importing data from a document to a repository, comprising steps to:

create a map file corresponding to a document type of the document, wherein the map file maps the document type of the document to a plurality of information fields stored in the repository for the document type;

store the map file in a directory and provide a location of the directory to the repository;

select data from the document;

create a macro for the document, wherein the macro is dynamically inserted into the document from which data is imported when the document is loaded from the repository, and wherein the macro is configured to;

access the map file at the directory location stored in the repository,

determine the plurality of information fields corresponding to the document type of the document from which data is imported from the map file, and

dynamically create a context menu, in response to the selection of data, comprising the plurality of information fields, wherein the context menu is a user interface that is created using the map file corresponding to the document type of the document;

map the selected data to one of the plurality of fields in the repository by selecting the one of the plurality of information fields displayed in the context menu,

insert a comment into the document by a user importing the data, wherein the comment indicates that the selected data is imported into the repository; and

import the selected data from the document to the selected information field in the repository using the map file, wherein the selected data is copied to the map file, which acts as an intermediary storage file between the document and the repository, until the stored selected data is loaded from the map file into the repository at a later time.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to:

load the document from a repository application comprising the repository.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the document is loaded using a corresponding document application.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the corresponding document application is one selected from a group consisting of a spreadsheet application, a word processing application, a publishing application, a presentation application, and a form-based application.

21. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a repository; and

software instruction stored in the memory for enabling the computer system under control of the processor to;

create a map file corresponding to a document type of the document, wherein the map file maps the document type of the document to a plurality of information fields stored in the repository for the document type;

store the map file in a directory and provide a location of the directory to the repository;

select data from the document;

creating a macro specific to a document application in which the document is loaded, wherein the macro is dynamically inserted into the document from which data is imported when the document is loaded from the repository, and wherein the macro is configured to;

access the map file at the directory location stored in the repository,

determine the information fields corresponding to the document type of the document from which data is imported from the map file, and

dynamically create a context menu, in response to the selection of data, comprising the plurality of information fields, wherein the context menu is a user interface that is created using the map file corresponding to the document type of the document;

map the selected data to one of the plurality of fields in the repository by selecting the one of the plurality of information fields displayed in the context menu;

insert a comment into the document by a user importing the data, wherein the comment indicates that the selected data is imported into the repository; and

import the selected data from the document to the selected information field in the repository using the map file, wherein the selected data is copied to the map file, which acts as an intermediary storage file between the document and the repository, until the stored selected data is loaded from the map file into the repository at a later time.

22. The computer system of claim 21, further comprising software instruction stored in the memory for enabling the computer system under control of the processor to:

load the document from a repository application comprising the repository.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the document application is one selected from a group consisting of a spreadsheet application, a word processing application, a publishing application, a presentation application, and a form-based application.