Form completion rate enhancement system and method

• US 9,436,668 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2010
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Dunn, Cary, Siegel, Jonathan, Bernstein, Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US12/908,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 715/221, 715/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the entry by a user via a network, of information into a scaffold electronic document. A flag server modifies the scaffold electronic document to include user-entered information in a information entry field and displays a graphic flag at a next one of a succession of information entry fields.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating entry of information by a plurality of users into a scaffold electronic document, wherein the scaffold electronic document includes content displayable to the plurality of users as text and/or graphics on one or more pages and a set of one or more information entry fields associated with each of the users at one or more locations in the pages, where the information entry fields in each of the sets of the one or more information entry fields are adapted to receive information entered therein by a respective one of the plurality of users, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying via a server over a network to each user of the plurality of users the scaffold electronic document;

(b) providing a graphic flag displayable to each respective user of the plurality of users in conjunction with the displaying of the scaffold electronic document, the graphic flag being displayable in proximity to at least one of the one or more information entry fields to indicate an information entry field that requires completion by the respective user, wherein, upon the respective user entering data into the information field that requires completion, the graphic flag is advanced to a next information entry field that requires completion by the respective user;

(c) receiving data via the server over the network from the plurality of users;

(d) modifying the scaffold electronic document to include user-entered information in response to receipt over the network of data indicative of entry of information by any of said plurality of users into the at least one of the one or more information entry fields;

and

(e) making the modified scaffold electronic document available via the server to at least one member of the group consisting of the sender and one or more “

cc”

recipients designated by the sender while obtaining information from the plurality of users progresses,

wherein displaying the scaffold electronic document to each user includes;

displaying the graphic flag as a brightly-colored tab along a same visual line on a screen that requires the user to enter information;

displaying the graphic flag such that the graphic flag appears to extend out from an edge of the scaffold electronic document as an indicator to the user; and

displaying the word “

required”

within the brightly colored tab.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a visual summary data indicator displayable to each user of the plurality of users to indicate a level of completion of signature fields within the scaffold electronic document.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the visual summary data indicator includes a dynamic element and a color element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said information entry fields include at least one shared information entry field shared by at least two of said plurality of users, and further comprising sharing said at least one shared information entry field so that either of said at least two of said plurality of users may complete said shared information entry field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the scaffold electronic document to each user includes displaying the graphic flag in a respective color or shape for that user, such that graphic flags for different users are displayed in different colors or shapes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic scaffold document includes n information entry fields for a user, wherein the graphic flag initially points to a first information entry field, and wherein, each time the user enters information into the information entry field pointed to by the graphic flag, the flag server advances the graphic flag to a next information entry field in the electronic scaffold document, where the graphic flag is displayed to the user in a new location, until the user has entered information into all n information entry fields.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, the information entry fields are ordered from 1 to n in a sender-determined order, and wherein each time the graphic flag advances, the graphic flag advances to a next information entry field in the sender-determined order.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sender-determined order is different for different users, such that the graphic flag advances according to different orders for different users.

9. A method for facilitating entry of information by a plurality of users into a scaffold electronic document, wherein the scaffold electronic document includes content displayable to the plurality of users as text and/or graphics on one or more pages and a set of one or more information entry fields associated with each of the users at one or more locations in the pages, where the information entry fields in each of the sets of the one or more information entry fields are adapted to receive information entered therein by a respective one of the plurality of users, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying via a server over a network to each user of the plurality of users the scaffold electronic document;

(b) providing a graphic flag displayable to each respective user of the plurality of users in conjunction with the displaying of the scaffold electronic document, the graphic flag being displayable in proximity to at least one of the one or more information entry fields to indicate an information entry field that requires completion by the respective user, wherein, upon the respective user entering data into the information field that requires completion, the graphic flag is advanced to a next information entry field that requires completion by the respective user;

(c) receiving data via the server over the network from the plurality of users; and

(d) modifying the scaffold electronic document to include user-entered information in response to receipt over the network of data indicative of entry of information by any of said plurality of users into the at least one of the one or more information entry fields,

wherein displaying the scaffold electronic document to each user includes displaying the graphic flag as a brightly-colored tab along a same visual line on a screen that requires the user to enter information,

wherein the electronic scaffold document includes n information entry fields for a user, wherein the graphic flag initially points to a first information entry field, and wherein, each time the user enters information into the information entry field pointed to by the graphic flag, the flag server advances the graphic flag to a next information entry field in the electronic scaffold document, where the graphic flag is displayed to the user in a new location, until the user has entered information into all n information entry fields;

wherein the information entry fields are ordered from 1 to n in a sender-determined order, and

wherein each time the graphic flag advances, the graphic flag advances to a next information entry field in the sender-determined order.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the scaffold electronic document to each user includes displaying the graphic flag such that the graphic flag appears to extend out from an edge of the scaffold electronic document as an indicator to the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying the scaffold electronic document to each user includes displaying the word “

required”

within the brightly colored tab.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the scaffold electronic document to each user includes displaying the graphic flag in a respective color or shape for that user, such that graphic flags for different users are displayed in different colors or shapes.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the sender-determined order is different for different users, such that the graphic flag advances according to different orders for different users.