IP Library Granted Patent US 8,819,084
Granted Patent B2
US 8,819,084 · App. 11/378,585 · Granted Aug 26, 2014

Service desk data transfer interface

Inventors: Mark A George (Suwanee, GA); Cynthia L Sturgeon (Southlake, TX)
Assignee: BMC Software, Inc.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,819,084
App. No.
11/378,585
Granted
Aug 26, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for importing and exporting data in a network-based customer relationship application is provided. Data to be imported/exported between an origin and a destination is identified. Then, a set of predetermined rules associated with the customer relationship application and at least one user-created scripting function are identified. For importing, the destination is associated with the customer relationship application, and the data is imported from the origin to the destination utilizing the network in accordance with the predetermined rules and is transformed based on the user-created scripting function. The data is then stored in memory accessible to the customer relationship application. For exporting, the origin is associated with the application, the data is exported from the origin to the destination utilizing the network in accordance with the predetermined rules and is transformed based on the user-created scripting function.

Claims (67)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device at a client site, a selection of a service application from a plurality of service applications, the selected service application managing an operation for importing data from a database external to the computing device to a database local to the computing device;

executing, by the computing device, the selected service application, the executing comprising:

identifying a plurality of entries in the external database selected for importing to the local database, each entry including a plurality of fields of the external database and an associated status indicator;

identifying one or more rules for mapping the external database to the local database, the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the external database to a respective field in the local database, the local database including at least one custom field having been received from a user of the computing device at the client site;

copying, using the identified one or more rules and for each of the identified plurality of entries in the external database, data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database; and

updating, upon completion of the copying of data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database, the status indicator associated with the identified entry of the external database; and

providing, by the computing device, a table of the local database, the table including the imported data from the external database.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fields of the external database includes a field name, and the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the external database to a respective field in the local database include rules specifying the mapping of a field included in the entry of the external database having a first field name to a respective field in a entry of the local database having a second field name.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second field name is different from the first field name.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving, by the computing device, the second field name from the user of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that an error occurred while copying data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database; and based on determining the error:

deleting the receiving entry in the local database; and

logging the error.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation for importing data from a database external to the computing device to a database local to the computing device uses one or more user-created scripting functions.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein copying data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database comprises transforming, by the one or more scripting functions, the data included in one or more of the plurality of fields included in the identified entry of the external database.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing, by the computing device, the selected service application further comprises determining that a predetermined time interval has lapsed since the last execution of the selected service application.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

identifying a plurality of entries in the external database selected for importing to the local database comprises setting, for each entry in the identified plurality of entries, the status indicator associated with the entry to a first value; and

updating, upon completion of the copying of data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database, the status indicator associated with the identified entry of the external database comprises setting the status indicator to a second value, different from the first value.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

receive, by the computing device at a client site, a selection of a service application from a plurality of service applications, the selected service application managing an operation for importing data from a database external to the computing device to a database local to the computing device;

execute, by the computing device, the selected service application, the executing comprising:

identifying a plurality of entries in the external database selected for importing to the local database, each entry including a plurality of fields of the external database and an associated status indicator;

identifying one or more rules for mapping the external database to the local database, the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the external database to a respective field in the local database, the local database including at least one custom field having been received from a user of the computing device at the client site;

copying, using the identified one or more rules and for each of the identified plurality of entries in the external database, data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database; and

updating, upon completion of the copying of data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database, the status indicator associated with the identified entry of the external database; and

provide, by the computing device, a table of the local database, the table including the imported data from the external database.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of fields of the external database includes a field name, and the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the external database to a respective field in the local database include rules specifying the mapping of a field included in the entry of the external database having a first field name to a respective field in a entry of the local database having a second field name.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the second field name is different from the first field name.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to receive the second field name from the user of the computing device.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to determine that an error occurred while copying data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database; and based on determining the error:

deleting the receiving entry in the local database; and

logging the error.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the operation for importing data from a database external to the computing device to a database local to the computing device uses one or more user-created scripting functions.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein copying data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database comprises transforming, by the one or more scripting functions, the data included in one or more of the plurality of fields included in the identified entry of the external database.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein executing, by the computing device, the selected service application further comprises determining that a predetermined time interval has lapsed since the last execution of the selected service application.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein:

identifying a plurality of entries in the external database selected for importing to the local database comprises setting, for each entry in the identified plurality of entries, the status indicator associated with the entry to a first value; and

updating, upon completion of the copying of data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the external database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the local database, the status indicator associated with the identified entry of the external database comprises setting the status indicator to a second value, different from the first value.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device at a client site, a selection of a service application from a plurality of service applications, the selected service application managing an operation for exporting data from a local database stored in memory included in the computing device to a database external to the computing device; and

executing, by the computing device, the selected service application, the executing comprising:

identifying, by the computing device, a plurality of entries in the local database stored in memory included in the computing device for exporting to the database external to the computing device, each identified entry including a plurality of fields of the local database, one or more of the plurality of fields having been received from a user of the computing device at the client site for inclusion in the local database;

identifying one or more rules for exporting data from the local database to the external database, the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the local database to a respective field in the external database; and

copying, using the identified one or more rules and for each of the identified plurality of entries in the local database, data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the local database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the external database.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of fields of the local database includes a field name, and the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the local database to a respective field in the external database include rules specifying the mapping of a field included in the entry of the local database having a first field name to a respective field in a entry of the external database having a second field name.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the second field name is different from the first field name.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, the first field name from the user of the computing device; and

customizing, by the computing device, the first field based on the received first field name.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the operation for exporting data from a local database stored in memory included in the computing device to a database external to the computing device uses one or more user-created scripting functions.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein copying data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the local database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the external database comprises transforming, by the one or more scripting functions, the data included in one or more of the plurality of fields included in the identified entry of the local database.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein executing, by the computing device, the selected service application further comprises determining that a predetermined time interval has lapsed since the last execution of the selected service application.

26. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

receive, by the computing device at a client site, a selection of a service application from a plurality of service applications, the selected service application managing an operation for exporting data from a local database stored in memory included in the computing device to a database external to the computing device; and

execute the selected service application, the executing comprising:

identifying, by the computing device, a plurality of entries in the local database stored in memory included in the computing device for exporting to the database external to the computing device, each identified entry including a plurality of fields of the local database, one or more of the plurality of fields having been received from a user of the computing device at the client site for inclusion in the local database;

identifying one or more rules for exporting data from the local database to the external database, the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the local database to a respective field in the external database; and

copying, using the identified one or more rules and for each of the identified plurality of entries in the local database, data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the local database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the external database.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of fields of the local database includes a field name, and the rules specifying a mapping for each field in the local database to a respective field in the external database include rules specifying the mapping of a field included in the entry of the local database having a first field name to a respective field in a entry of the external database having a second field name.

28. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to:

receive a first field name from the user of the computing device; and

customize the first field based on the received first field name.

29. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the operation for exporting data from a local database stored in memory included in the computing device to a database external to the computing device uses one or more user-created scripting functions.

30. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein copying data included in each of the plurality of fields in the identified entry of the local database to respective fields in a receiving entry of the external database comprises transforming, by the one or more scripting functions, the data included in one or more of the plurality of fields included in the identified entry of the local database.

31. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein executing, by the computing device, the selected service application further comprises determining that a predetermined time interval has lapsed since the last execution of the selected service application.

Assignments (11)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2025
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
To: BMC HELIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 070442/0197 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052854/0139) Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 068339/0617 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052844/0646) Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 068339/0408 →
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTERESTS IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS RESIGNING COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066729/0889 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 1, 2024
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 066567/0283 →
GRANT OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Sep 30, 2021
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 057683/0582 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2020
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052854/0139 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2020
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052844/0646 →
RELEASE OF PATENTS Recorded Oct 5, 2018
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.; BMC ACQUISITION L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 047198/0468 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2018
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE, AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047185/0744 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 11, 2013
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031204/0225 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 09945413 · Aug 31, 2001
Related Publication 20060161581A1 · Jul 20, 2006