APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MIXING BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND BUSINESS PROCESS WORKFLOWS
A computer readable storage medium includes computer executable instructions to receive an action originated from a client application of a business intelligence system. Data providing context about the action is received from the business intelligence system. The action is passed to a business process system or a data source, such that the action is substantially completed within the business process system or the data source.
1 . A computer readable storage medium, comprising computer executable instructions to:
receive an action originated from a client application of a business intelligence system;
receive data providing context about the action from the business intelligence system; and
pass the action to a target system, such that the action is substantially completed within the target system.
2 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to receive a data set from the client application, wherein the data set provides additional context about the client application.
3 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to receive a parameter and to validate the parameter in the business intelligence system.
4 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to:
receive a response to the action from the target system; and
direct the response to the client application.
5 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to apply a set of rules against the action.
6 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein:
the action has an action type;
the target system is a target object to the action; and
the target object is specified by one or more of the action, the action type, and a parameter.
7 . A computer readable storage medium, comprising computer executable instructions to:
receive a report from which an action can be invoked, wherein the action is associated with a parameter and data providing context; and
invoke the action.
8 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprising computer executable instructions to receive a response to the action from a target system selected from a business process system and a data source.
9 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the action is substantially completed within the target system.
10 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instruction to define an action menu, wherein the action menu includes the action.
11 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 further comprising executable instructions to receive the selection of the action from one or more actions displayed within the action menu.
12 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the action is invoked by a user interface gesture that is used to invoke report navigation.
13 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the data providing context is metadata within the business intelligence system.
14 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the data providing context is metadata to the report.
15 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the report is selected from a complete report, a report part, a sub-report and an aggregated report.
16 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the action is associated with one or more report elements selected from a number field, a text field, a graphic, a chart, a table, a visualization and an analytic.
17 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the report is received as part of an alert notification.
18 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instruction to refresh the report upon completion of the action.
19 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instruction to:
receive a request for a value from the business intelligence system;
prompt a user for the value; and
respond with the value.
20 . A computer readable storage medium, comprising computer executable instructions to:
receive from a business intelligence system an action, wherein the action originated from a source object in the business intelligence system;
receive data providing context about the action from the business intelligence system; and
complete the action in a target system outside the business intelligence system.
21 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the action is substantially completed within the target system.
22 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 20 further comprising executable instructions to receive a parameter from the source object.
23 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the data providing context includes context selected from one or more of data context, user context and situational context.
24 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 further comprising executable instructions to send a response from the target system to the business intelligence system.
25 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 22 further comprising executable instructions to insert the parameter as a value within a business process.