Identifying and surfacing relevant report artifacts in documents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016018974-A1
Application number	US-201414335864-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and software for enhancing document productivity. In at least one implementation, an attempt to add a data connection in a document is identified. In response to identifying the attempt to add the data connection in the document, at least one other document is identified as relevant to the attempt. A suggestion may be surfaced in a user interface that identifies at least a portion of the one other documents.

First claim

1 . A method of operating an application service to enhance document productivity, the method comprising:
identifying an attempt to add a data connection in a document; in response to identifying the attempt to add the data connection in the document, identifying at least one other document as relevant to the attempt; and communicating a suggestion that identifies at least a portion of the other document for surfacing in a user interface to the application service.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying contextual information associated with at least the portion of the other document and communicating the contextual information for surfacing in the user interface to the application service in visual association with the suggestion.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the document comprises a spreadsheet workbook and wherein the data connection connects the spreadsheet workbook to an external data source and comprises a set of information for to accessing the external data source.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the attempt to add the data connection in the document comprises receiving a notification from a local application of the attempt to add the data connection in the document.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying an attempt to add a query in the document, responsively identifying at least one other query as relevant, and communicate another suggestion that identifies at least the one other query for surfacing in the user interface to the application service.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the other document comprises at least one of another data connection and a report in the other document.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the attempt to add the data connection in the document comprises receiving text entered via the user interface to the application service and examining the text for attempts to add data connections in the document.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the user interface comprises a data connections menu and wherein the text comprises a string entered via the data connections menu that describes at least a portion of the data connection.

9 . An apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for enhancing document productivity that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to at least:
identify an attempt to add a report artifact to a spreadsheet workbook;
in response to the attempt to add the report artifact to the spreadsheet workbook, identify at least one other report artifact as relevant to the attempt; and
initiate a suggestion that identifies at least the other report artifact for surfacing in a user interface to the spreadsheet workbook.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the processing system configured to execute the program instructions, wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to identify contextual information associated with at least the other report artifact and communicate the contextual information for surfacing in the spreadsheet workbook in visual association with the suggestion.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the report artifact comprises a data connection that connects the spreadsheet workbook to an external data source and comprises a set of information for accessing the external data source.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to identify an attempt to add a query in the spreadsheet workbook, responsively identify at least one other query as relevant, and initiate another suggestion that identifies at least the one other query for surfacing in the user interface.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, to identify the attempt to add the report artifact to the spreadsheet workbook, the program instructions direct the processing system to examine a notification of the attempt received from a local application that renders the user interface.

14 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, to identify the attempt to add the report artifact to the spreadsheet workbook, the program instructions direct the processing system to examine text entered via the user interface for attempts to add report artifacts to the spreadsheet workbook.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein report artifact comprises a data connection, the user interface comprises a data connection menu, and the text comprises a string entered via the data connection that describes at least a portion of the data connection.

16 . One or more computer readable storage media having program instructions stored thereon for facilitating enhanced document productivity that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to at least:
receive user input via a user interface to an application service, the user input comprising an attempt to add a data connection to a document rendered in the user interface; receive a suggestion from the application service that identifies at least a portion of one other document as relevant to the attempt to add the data connection; and surface in the suggestion in the user interface to the application service.

17 . The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 16 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to surface contextual information associated with at least the portion of the other document in visual association with the suggestion.

18 . The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 17 wherein the document comprises a spreadsheet workbook and wherein the data connection connects the spreadsheet workbook to an external data source and comprises a set of information for to accessing the external data source.

19 . The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 17 wherein the user interface comprises a data connections menu and wherein the attempt to add the data connection comprises text entered via the data connections menu.

20 . The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 19 wherein the text comprises a string entered via the data connections menu that describes at least a portion of the data connection and wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to communicate a notification to the application service that identifies the string.

Assignees

• Microsoft Corp

Inventors

• Welton Nickolas
• Rampson Benjamin E
• Adelson Stephen J
• Lobo L Stephen

Classifications

• G06F3/04847 Primary

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• H04L65/403

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• G06Q10/10 Primary

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title