Concise communication of real-time business information in an enterprise network
First Claim
1. A business information system, comprising:
- an interface server coupled to at least one enterprise resource planning module, the interface server facilitating browser-based access to information provided at least in part by said at least one enterprise resource planning module, the interface server causing simultaneous display of a plurality of portlets, the plurality of portlets being selected and arranged according to a user profile customizable by a user of the business information system, said plurality of portlets including;
a first portlet displaying first information derived from said at least one enterprise resource planning module; and
a second portlet displaying second information derived from said at least one enterprise resource planning module; and
an electronic mail server coupled to the interface server, the electronic mail server configured at least to transmit an electronic mail message to an electronic mail account of the user, the electronic mail message communicating the first information and the second information,wherein the user profile includes an e-mail alert format preference, the e-mail format alert preference recording whether the user prefers a graphical format over a text-only format for the electronic mail message,wherein, when the e-mail alert format preference indicates that the user prefers the graphical format, the electronic mail message includes a plurality of elements of a markup language that correspond to a browser-based display of the plurality of portlets, andwherein, when the e-mail alert format preference indicates that the user prefers the text-only format, the electronic mail message includes a text-only portion, the text-only portion including a plurality of text sections each corresponding to one of the plurality of portlets in accordance with the user profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, computer program product, and related business methods for concisely communicating real-time business information to end users in an enterprise network is described. An integrated business system having at least ERP and CRM functionality is accessed via a browser-based user interface. A plurality of portlet windows are simultaneously displayed within a browser window, each portlet window occupying a relatively small area therein. The portlet windows are selected and arranged according to a customizable user profile for each user, and include reporting portlets displaying up-to-date business results retrieved from the integrated business system. Each reporting portlet further comprises report access links associated with at least one of the business results that, when selected by the user, invoke browser-based displays of up-to-date business data underlying those business results. Preferably, in accordance with a user-customizable alert setting stored in the user profile, regular electronic mail messages are sent to the user communicating up-to-date versions of those business results. Preferably, data labels that identify business items within the browser-based user interface and on the electronic mails are expressed in a business vernacular tuned to each user according to customizable business vernacular settings in their user profiles.
37 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A business information system, comprising:
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an interface server coupled to at least one enterprise resource planning module, the interface server facilitating browser-based access to information provided at least in part by said at least one enterprise resource planning module, the interface server causing simultaneous display of a plurality of portlets, the plurality of portlets being selected and arranged according to a user profile customizable by a user of the business information system, said plurality of portlets including; a first portlet displaying first information derived from said at least one enterprise resource planning module; and a second portlet displaying second information derived from said at least one enterprise resource planning module; and an electronic mail server coupled to the interface server, the electronic mail server configured at least to transmit an electronic mail message to an electronic mail account of the user, the electronic mail message communicating the first information and the second information, wherein the user profile includes an e-mail alert format preference, the e-mail format alert preference recording whether the user prefers a graphical format over a text-only format for the electronic mail message, wherein, when the e-mail alert format preference indicates that the user prefers the graphical format, the electronic mail message includes a plurality of elements of a markup language that correspond to a browser-based display of the plurality of portlets, and wherein, when the e-mail alert format preference indicates that the user prefers the text-only format, the electronic mail message includes a text-only portion, the text-only portion including a plurality of text sections each corresponding to one of the plurality of portlets in accordance with the user profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-implemented method of communicating business information, comprising:
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causing, by at least one computer, simultaneous browser-based display of a plurality of portlets, the plurality of portlets being selected and arranged according to a user profile customizable by a user of a business information system, said plurality of portlets including; a first portlet displaying first information derived from at least one enterprise resource planning module of the business information system; and a second portlet displaying second information derived from said at least one enterprise resource planning module; and transmitting, by said at least one computer, an electronic mail message to an electronic mail account of the user, the electronic mail message communicating the first information and the second information; wherein, when an e-mail alert format preference of the user profile indicates that the user prefers a graphical format, the electronic mail message includes a plurality of elements of a markup language that correspond to the simultaneous browser-based display of the plurality of portlets, and when the e-mail alert format preference of the user profile indicates that the user prefers a text-only format, the electronic mail message includes a text-only portion, the text-only portion including a plurality of text sections each corresponding to one of the plurality of portlets in accordance with the user profile. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having collectively thereon computer-executable instructions that configure one or more computers to collectively, at least:
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cause simultaneous browser-based display of a plurality of portlets, the plurality of portlets being selected and arranged according to a user profile customizable by a user of a business information system, said plurality of portlets including; a first portlet displaying first information derived from at least one enterprise resource planning module of the business information system; and a second portlet displaying second information derived from said at least one enterprise resource planning module; cause the browser-based display of the first information in the first portlet to be updated at first regular time intervals in accordance with a first setting in the user profile; and cause the browser-based display of the second information in the second portlet to be updated at second regular time intervals in accordance with a second setting in the user profile. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification