Management of user events scheduled during a user absence period

1. A method for managing user events scheduled during a user absence period, the method comprising:

identifying a user absence period defined on a user calendar;

identifying a buffer period, the buffer period being at least one of a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes;

searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the user absence period that were scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period;

responding, using a processor, to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period and having a due date coming due during the user absence period;

searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the buffer period that were scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period; and

responding, using the processor, to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period and having a due date coming due during the buffer period, in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a buffer period comprises identifying a buffer period that includes both a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein responding to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period, and responding to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period comprises:

presenting each scheduled event to an owner of the calendar;

requiring the owner to select an action for each presented event; and

implementing the selected action for each presented event.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein requiring the owner to select an action for each presented event comprises:

providing a default action for at least one presented event; and

allowing the owner to modify the default action.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

defining user event criteria;

defining user response rules;

searching for events that satisfy the defined event criteria; and

implementing an associated user response rule to a select event that satisfies a corresponding event criteria.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

defining user response rules comprises defining different response rules for events within the buffer period from events within the user absence period; and

responding to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period, comprises:

implementing a first user response rule when a select event is due within the user absence period, and implementing a second user response rule different from the first user response rule when the select event is due within the buffer period.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

defining user event criteria for the user absence period and the buffer period;

defining user response rules for the user absence period and the buffer period;

configuring a template that comprises:

the duration of the user absence period and the buffer period;

the defined user event criteria; and;

the defined user response rules.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a microprocessor to manage user events scheduled during a user absence period, comprising:

program code for identifying a user absence period defined on a user calendar;

program code for identifying a buffer period, the buffer period being at least one of a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes;

program code for searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the user absence period that were scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period;

program code for responding, using a processor, to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period and having a due date coming due during the user absence period;

program code for searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the buffer period that were scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period; and

program code for responding, using the processor, to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period and having a due date coming due during the buffer period, in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the program code for identifying a buffer period comprises program code for identifying a buffer period that includes both a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the program code for responding to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period, and responding to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period comprises:

program code for presenting each scheduled event to an owner of the calendar;

program code for requiring the owner to select an action for each presented event; and

program code for implementing the selected action for each presented event.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the program code for requiring the owner to select an action for each presented event comprises:

program code for providing a default action for at least one presented event; and

program code for allowing the owner to modify the default action.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , further comprising:

program code for defining user event criteria;

program code for defining user response rules;

program code for searching for events that satisfy the defined event criteria; and

program code for implementing an associated user response rule to a select event that satisfies a corresponding event criteria.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 12 , wherein:

the program code for defining user response rules comprises program code for defining different response rules for events within the buffer period from events within the user absence period; and

the program code for responding to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period, comprises:

program code for implementing a first user response rule when a select event is due within the user absence period, and implementing a second user response rule different from the first user response rule when the select event is due within the buffer period.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , further comprising:

program code for defining user event criteria for the user absence period and the buffer period;

program code for defining user response rules for the user absence period and the buffer period;

program code for configuring a template that comprises:

the duration of the user absence period and the buffer period;

the defined user event criteria; and;

the defined user response rules.

15. An apparatus for managing user events scheduled during a user absence period, the apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor coupled to a memory, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to manage user events scheduled during a user absence period by:

identifying a user absence period defined on a user calendar;

identifying a buffer period, the buffer period being at least one of a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes;

searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the user absence period that were scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period;

responding, using a processor, to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period and having a due date coming due during the user absence period;

searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the buffer period that were scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period; and

responding, using the processor, to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period and having a due date coming due during the buffer period, in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor implements identifying a buffer period by identifying a buffer period that includes both a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor implements responding to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period, and responding to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period by:

presenting each scheduled event to an owner of the calendar;

requiring the owner to select an action for each presented event; and

implementing the selected action for each presented event.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the microprocessor implements requiring the owner to select an action for each presented event by:

providing a default action for at least one presented event; and

allowing the owner to modify the default action.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to:

defining user event criteria;

defining user response rules;

searching for events that satisfy the defined event criteria; and

implementing an associated user response rule to a select event that satisfies a corresponding event criteria.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein:

the microprocessor implements defining user response rules by defining different response rules for events within the buffer period from events within the user absence period; and

the microprocessor implements responding to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period, by:

implementing a first user response rule when a select event is due within the user absence period, and implementing a second user response rule different from the first user response rule when the select event is due within the buffer period.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to:

defining user event criteria for the user absence period and the buffer period;

defining user response rules for the user absence period and the buffer period;

configuring a template that comprises:

the duration of the user absence period and the buffer period;

the defined user event criteria; and;

the defined user response rules.