IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,373,756
Granted Patent B2
US 12,373,756 · App. 17/744,064 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Contextual workflow buttons

Inventors: Michael Brevoort (Littleton, CO); Brad Harris (Castle Rock, CO); Melissa Aubrie Chan (Hayward, CA)
Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
G06Q10/0633G06F3/0482G06F3/0484
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,373,756
App. No.
17/744,064
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Media, methods, and systems are provided for contextual automation within a group-based communication system using buttons persisted within a virtual space of the group-based communication system. The buttons are configured to initiate one or more workflows that perform one or more external or internal operations contextually based on one or more contextual parameters associated with the buttons. When actuated, the buttons call a specific workflow and pass the one or more contextual parameters to the workflow.

Claims (72)

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method of contextual automation within a group-based communication system, the method comprising:

causing display of a workflow button within a virtual space of the group-based communication system to a user of the group-based communication system, at least one display parameter of the workflow button being determined based on a context associated with the virtual space, the context associated with the virtual space dictating at least one of an appearance of the workflow button or a functionality associated with the workflow button, such that the at least one of the appearance or the functionality is different than one or more other workflow buttons included within one or more other virtual spaces of the group-based communication system;

receiving input relating to a modification to the at least one display parameter of the workflow button;

updating, based on the input, the at least one of the appearance or the functionality associated with the workflow button;

receiving, from the user, an actuation of the workflow button;

responsive to the actuation of the workflow button, receiving a plurality of contextual parameters associated with the workflow button including a user identifier associated with the user and contextual data associated with the virtual space;

initiating an associated workflow associated with the workflow button to perform one or more automated operations based on the plurality of contextual parameters;

receiving a response indicative of a completion of the associated workflow; and

updating the workflow button within the virtual space of the group-based communication system based on the response indicative of the completion of the associated workflow.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, initiating an additional workflow to perform one or more additional operations;

receiving a completion confirmation associated with the additional workflow; and

performing a further operation of the one or more automated operations dependent on the completion confirmation associated with the additional workflow.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, causing display of a new workflow button within the virtual space, wherein the new workflow button is configured to initiate an additional workflow.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

causing display of the workflow button within a second virtual space to a second user of the group-based communication system, the at least one display parameter of the workflow button in the second virtual space being different from the at least one display parameter in the virtual space;

responsive to the actuation of the workflow button in the second virtual space, retrieving the plurality of contextual parameters associated with the actuation of the workflow button including a second user identifier associated with the second user and a second contextual identifier indicative of the second virtual space;

determining a second workflow for the workflow button based on the workflow button and the plurality of contextual parameters, the second workflow being different from the associated workflow; and

initiating the second workflow.

5. A method for contextual automation within a group-based communication system, the method comprising:

causing display of a workflow button within a virtual space of the group-based communication system to a user of the group-based communication system, at least one display parameter of the workflow button being determined based on a context associated with the virtual space, the context associated with the virtual space dictating at least one of an appearance of the workflow button or a functionality associated with the workflow button, such that the at least one of the appearance or the functionality is different than one or more other workflow buttons included within one or more other virtual spaces of the group-based communication system;

receiving input relating to a modification to the at least one display parameter of the workflow button;

updating, based on the input, the at least one of the appearance or the functionality associated with the workflow button;

receiving, from the user, an actuation of the workflow button;

responsive to the actuation of the workflow button, receiving a plurality of contextual parameters associated with the workflow button including a user identifier associated with the user and contextual data associated with the virtual space;

initiating an associated workflow associated with the workflow button to perform one or more automated operations based on the plurality of contextual parameters;

receiving a response indicative of a completion of the associated workflow; and

updating the workflow button within the virtual space of the group-based communication system based on the response indicative of the completion of the associated workflow.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, creating a second virtual space based on the plurality of contextual parameters within the virtual space, wherein the second virtual space comprises a direct message, a channel, a collaborative document, or a collaboration session.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

causing display of the workflow button within a second virtual space to a second user of the group-based communication system, the at least one display parameter of the workflow button in the second virtual space being different from the at least one display parameter in the virtual space;

responsive to the actuation of the workflow button in the second virtual space, retrieving the plurality of contextual parameters associated with the actuation of the workflow button including a second user identifier associated with the second user and a second contextual identifier indicative of the second virtual space;

determining a second workflow for the workflow button based on the workflow button and the plurality of contextual parameters, the second workflow being different from the associated workflow; and

initiating the second workflow.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, storing information indicative of a first one of the plurality of contextual parameters in a storage location determined based on a second one of the plurality of contextual parameters.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, updating the virtual space to reflect the actuation by the user of the workflow button.

10. A system comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory storing computer executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method for contextual automation within a group-based communication system, the method comprising:

causing display of a workflow button within a virtual space of the group-based communication system to a user of the group-based communication system, at least one display parameter of the workflow button being determined based on a context associated with the virtual space, the context associated with the virtual space dictating at least one of an appearance of the workflow button or a functionality associated with the workflow button, such that the at least one of the appearance or the functionality is different than one or more other workflow buttons included within one or more other virtual spaces of the group-based communication system;

receiving input relating to a modification to the at least one display parameter of the workflow button;

updating, based on the input, the at least one of the appearance or the functionality associated with the workflow button;

receiving, from the user, an actuation of the workflow button;

responsive to the actuation of the workflow button, receiving a plurality of contextual parameters associated with the workflow button including a user identifier associated with the user and contextual data associated with the virtual space;

initiating an associated workflow associated with the workflow button to perform one or more automated operations based on the plurality of contextual parameters;

receiving a response indicative of a completion of the associated workflow; and

updating the workflow button within the virtual space of the group-based communication system based on the response indicative of the completion of the associated workflow.

11. The system of claim 10 , the method further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, initiating an additional workflow to perform one or more additional operations;

receiving a completion confirmation associated with the additional workflow; and

performing a further operation of the one or more automated operations dependent on the completion confirmation associated with the additional workflow.

12. The system of claim 10 , the method further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, causing display of a new workflow button within the virtual space, wherein the new workflow button is configured to initiate an additional workflow.

13. The system of claim 10 , the method further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, creating a second virtual space based on the plurality of contextual parameters within the virtual space, wherein the second virtual space comprises a direct message, a channel, a collaborative document, or a collaboration session.

14. The system of claim 10 , the method further comprising:

responsive to performing an operation of the one or more automated operations, storing information indicative of a first one of the plurality of contextual parameters in a storage location determined based on a second one of the plurality of contextual parameters.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein different ones of the one or more automated operations of the associated workflow are executed differently based on first characteristics associated with the user and second characteristics associated with the virtual space of the group-based communication platform at which the workflow button is disposed.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the appearance of the workflow button includes first content, the method further comprising, after receiving the actuation of the workflow button, updating the appearance of the workflow button to include second content that is different than the first content.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein:

the user is a first user;

the appearance of the workflow button includes first content presented to the first user based on first characteristics associated with the first user; and

the appearance of the workflow button includes second content, different than the first content, presented to a second user based on second characteristics associated with the second user.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein:

the appearance of the workflow button is based on the associated workflow; and

a first theme of the appearance of the workflow button is consistent with a second theme of the virtual space of the group-based communication platform at which the workflow button is disposed.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the appearance of the workflow button is based on a progress of the associated workflow.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein:

the workflow button and other workflow buttons are stored within a button directory maintained by the group-based communication system; and

prior to the display of the workflow button within the virtual space, receiving input to at least one of modify the at least one display parameter or associate one or more additional display parameters with the workflow button.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2022
From: BREVOORT, MICHAEL; HARRIS, BRAD; CHAN, MELISSA AUBRIE
To: SALESFORCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 059902/0921 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230368105A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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