Method and system for automating record storage on a record management server

• US 8,364,654 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Engel, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): SHMATOV, ALEXEY
• Application Number:
  US11/514,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,343 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/999.01, 707/694
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

A procedure and system is provided for automating storage of records on a records management server. The procedure includes storing the record on a records management server responsive to identifying an identifier in the record. The procedure also includes associating the record with a file on the server, wherein the file corresponds to the identifier.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of first records electronically over a data communication line at a first terminal, wherein the first terminal includes a processor and memory and is local to a human user, and the first records include at least one of;

an e-mail, a word processing letter document, or an audio phone recording;

automatically storing the received first records on a records management server, remote from the first terminal, responsive to automatically identifying an identifier in the first records at the first terminal, wherein the identifier identifies a contact of a plurality of contacts in a contact application executed on the first terminal, the identifier including a sender for the e-mail, an originating telephone number for the audio phone recording, and a letter recipient for the word processing letter document, wherein the automatically identifying the identifier in the e-mail includes using smart text to automatically recognize names within text at the first terminal;

automatically storing on the remote server a second record newly created at the first terminal, responsive to automatically identifying the identifier in the second record at the first terminal;

associating the stored first and second records with a file on the server corresponding to the contact;

displaying, by the contact application, a representation of all records stored on the server corresponding to the contact; and

providing, by the contact application, access to all records stored on the server corresponding to the contact.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier identifies a business partner'"'"'s name.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating the file on the server if the file corresponding to the contact does not exist.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting metadata related to the first records from a user of the first terminal;

receiving the metadata related to the first records from the user;

storing the metadata on the remote server; and

associating the metadata with the file on the remote server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first records are received electronically from an originating computer that is different than the first terminal and the records management server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first records are received intact, and not entered manually by a user of the first terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first records do not already exist at the first terminal prior to being received electronically at the first terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the e-mail is based on at least one of:

an email address of the sender of the email, or a name of the sender of the email; and

wherein the automatically identifying the identifier of the e-mail includes scanning the email to identify at least one of;

the email address of the sender, or the name of the sender.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first records include a scanned document, and the identifier includes a machine readable identifier for the scanned document.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the contact application, a plurality of user-selectable tabs including a first tab and a second tab;

in response to selection by the user of the first tab, displaying information related to the contact; and

in response to selection by the user of the second tab, displaying the representation of all records stored on the server corresponding to the contact.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the contact application, a plurality of action buttons configured to implement, in response to selection by the user, a plurality of actions on stored records corresponding to the contact, the actions including adding, deleting and moving the records.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing whether the identifier already exists on the records management server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the testing includes checking whether the file exists on the records management server and includes the identifier.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to a determination that the identifier does not already exist on the records management server, creating the file on the records management server and associating the file with the identifier.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically storing in response to the automatic identifying is performed by a plurality of different applications, including an email application and a word processing application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the automatically storing in response to the automatic identifying is performed by plug-ins to the plurality of different applications.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a menu to a user for manually storing the received first records on the records management server in addition to the automatic storing in response to the automatic identifying.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, which when executed by a processor perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of first records electronically over a data communication line at a first terminal, wherein the first terminal includes a processor and memory and is local to a human user, and the first records include at least one of;

an e-mail, a word processing letter document, or an audio phone recording;

automatically storing the received first records on a records management server, remote from the first terminal, responsive to automatically identifying at the local terminal an identifier in the first records, wherein the identifier identifies a contact of a plurality of contacts in a contact application executed on the first terminal, the identifier including a sender for the e-mail, an originating telephone number for the audio phone recording, and a letter recipient for the word processing letter document, wherein the automatically identifying the identifier in the e-mail includes using smart text to automatically recognize names within text at the first terminal;

automatically storing on the remote server a second record newly created at the first terminal, responsive to automatically identifying the identifier in the second record at the first terminal;

associating the stored first and second records with a file on the server, wherein the file corresponds to the contact;

displaying, by the contact application, a representation of all records stored on the server corresponding to the contact; and

providing, by the contact application, access to all records stored on the server corresponding to the contact.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

requesting metadata related to the record from a user of the first terminal,

receiving the metadata related to the record from the user;

storing the metadata on the remote server, and

associating the metadata with the file on the remote server.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the identifier identifies a business partner'"'"'s name.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

creating the file on the server if the file corresponding to the contact does not exist.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

requesting metadata related to the first records from a user of the first terminal;

receiving the metadata related to the first records from the user;

storing the metadata on the remote server; and

associating the metadata with the file on the remote server.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first records are received electronically from an originating computer that is different than the first terminal and the records management server.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first records are received intact, and not entered manually by a user of the first terminal.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first records do not already exist at the first terminal prior to being received electronically at the first terminal.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the identifier of the e-mail is based on at least one of:

an email address of the sender of the email, or a name of the sender of the email; and

wherein the automatically identifying the identifier of the e-mail includes scanning the email to identify at least one of;

the email address of the sender, or the name of the sender.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first records include a scanned document, and the identifier includes a machine readable identifier for the scanned document.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

displaying, by the contact application, a plurality of user-selectable tabs including a first tab and a second tab;

in response to selection by the user of the first tab, displaying information related to the contact; and

in response to selection by the user of the second tab, displaying the representation of all records stored on the server corresponding to the contact.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

displaying, by the contact application, a plurality of action buttons configured to implement, in response to selection by the user, a plurality of actions on stored records corresponding to the contact, the actions including adding, deleting and moving the records.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising testing whether the identifier already exists on the records management server.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the testing includes checking whether the file exists on the records management server and includes the identifier.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising, in response to a determination that the identifier does not already exist on the records management server, creating the file on the records management server and associating the file with the identifier.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the automatically storing in response to the automatic identifying is performed by a plurality of different applications, including an email application and a word processing application.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the automatically storing in response to the automatic identifying is performed by plug-ins to the plurality of different applications.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising providing a menu to a user for manually storing the received records on the records management server in addition to the automatic storing in response to the automatic identifying.