Service providing system, information processing system, setting method, and program

Abstract

To display a data format of data saved in an external service system, on a setting screen of an application.SOLUTION: In a service provision system 100, a second application operating in an information processing system 10 saves data about a first application operating in an external service system 40 in the external service system. The information processing system comprises a setting reception unit which provides a terminal device with a setting screen which receives setting of the data saved in a field of the first application, and a first communication unit which transmits a data format when the data are saved in the field to the terminal device. The terminal device comprises a display control unit which displays the data format when the data are saved in the field on the setting screen.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a service providing system, an information processing system, a setting method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a known technology called Web applications, which allows terminal devices to use services provided on a network with a Web browser, etc. Administrators can configure the settings required for the Web application from a setting screen displayed on the terminal device. Web applications can save various data in external service systems and request processing.

[0003] In such a service providing system, in order to reduce the burden on the user when using a service from a device, the user can set the use of the device in advance (for example, see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a technology in which an information processing system accepts default values ​​of print settings, etc., set by the user on an application setting screen. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional technology has a problem in that the data format of the data stored in the external service system is not displayed on the application setting screen.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a service providing system that displays the data format of data stored in an external service system on a setting screen of an application. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In view of the above problem, the present invention provides a service providing system in which a second application running on an information processing system stores data related to a first application running on an external service system in the external service system, the service providing system comprising: The information processing system includes a setting reception unit that provides a terminal device with a setting screen that receives settings of data to be saved in a field of the first application, and a first communication unit that transmits to the terminal device a data format when the data is saved in the field. The terminal device includes a display control unit that displays, on the setting screen, a data format in which the data is to be stored in the field. an operation receiving unit that receives a selection of the displayed data format; having the information processing system has a determination unit that determines whether a second data format selected in a terminal device matches a first data format in which the pre-stored data is saved in the external service system, and when the determination unit determines that the first data format and the second data format do not match, the first communication unit transmits to the terminal device a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match; The display control unit displays a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match. do. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The data format of the data stored in the external service system can be displayed on the application settings screen. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the overall operation of the service providing system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates a system configuration of an example of a service providing system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing system and a terminal device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an example of a service providing system. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an example of an external service system. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of application processing information stored in an application processing information storage unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a linkage target application registration screen (part 1) displayed on the terminal device. [Figure 8]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a linked application registration screen (part 2) displayed on the terminal device. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a linkage application registration screen (part 3) displayed on the terminal device on which the work items are displayed. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a details pop-up screen in which details of a form called an email subject are set. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a linked application list screen displayed on the terminal device. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an initial screen displayed by the terminal device. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a service selection screen displayed on the terminal device. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cooperation source application selection screen displayed on the terminal device. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a cooperation source application setting screen (part 1) displayed on the terminal device when the cooperation source application "email reception registration" is selected. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a cooperation source application setting screen (part 1) displayed on the terminal device when the cooperation source application "email reception registration" is selected. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of each item and attribute information of a coordination source application setting screen (part 2). [Figure 18A] 13 is an example of a sequence diagram showing a procedure in which an administrator associates item names and field codes of a coordination source application from a coordination source application setting screen (part 1) and a coordination source application setting screen (part 2). [Figure 18B] 13 is an example of a sequence diagram showing a procedure in which an administrator associates item names and field codes of a coordination source application from a coordination source application setting screen (part 1) and a coordination source application setting screen (part 2). [Figure 19] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a list of application IDs of linked applications displayed on the terminal device. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an image diagram of application information displayed by the terminal device; [Figure 21]FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an inquiry dialog displayed by the terminal device. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a coordination source application setting screen (part 2) displaying attribute information of each item. [Figure 23] 13 is an example of a sequence diagram showing a procedure in which a cooperation source application, called received email registration, saves a received email in a cooperation destination application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A service providing system and a setting method executed by the service providing system will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings as an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] <Comparative Technology Supplement> Some Web applications store received e-mails in a linked external service system. For example, a company that accepts orders via e-mail may create a database to prevent e-mails from getting lost. Such companies use the Web application of this embodiment to have customers place orders by e-mail addressed to a specific e-mail address. When the Web application receives e-mail addressed to the specific e-mail address, it stores the e-mail in the external service system. This process allows the company to create a database of e-mails, making it easier to manage progress after an order is received.

[0011] By the way, there are two types of e-mail: text e-mail and HTML e-mail, and e-mail software can usually receive both. Text e-mail is e-mail that contains only text data, while HTML e-mail contains rich text data and images.

[0012] Meanwhile, input items (hereafter referred to as fields) in external service systems include fields that can only register text data (hereafter simply referred to as text) and fields that can store rich text. When a web application saves an email in a field of an external service system, for example, if an image of an HTML email is saved in a field of the external service system that can only register text, garbled characters may occur. When the user later views the email, it will be displayed as indecipherable information. Similar issues can occur when there is a discrepancy between the various data formats that the fields correspond to and the data format of the data saved in the external service system.

[0013] In addition, the original email received by the email software is deleted to reduce the data volume, so the user cannot save the email again in the field of the external service system. For this reason, it is preferable for the web application to save the email in an appropriate data format when saving it in the external service system.

[0014] <Outline of this embodiment> Therefore, in this embodiment, on the setting screen (application setting site) of a Web application that cooperates with an external service system, the terminal device displays the data format of each input item of the external service system (attribute information of each field described later) obtained from the external service.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining the overall operation of the service providing system 100. Fig. 1(a) shows the operation in a preparation stage in which an administrator or the like sets up a coordination source application (an example of a second application, hereinafter referred to as a coordination source app) and a coordination destination application (an example of a first application, hereinafter referred to as a coordination destination app) for using the service providing system 100, and Fig. 1(b) shows the operation in an execution stage in which a user executes the coordination source app and the coordination source app cooperates with the coordination destination app.

[0016] In the following, the term "user" refers to a general user, and the term "administrator" refers to a tenant administrator. A tenant is a company, organization, etc. that has entered into a contract to receive a service from a service provider (an information processing system in this embodiment). As an example, a user belongs to a tenant, but the user may subscribe to the service individually. When subscribing to a service individually, the user himself / herself inputs settings that associate the coordination source app with the coordination destination app from the coordination source app setting screen.

[0017] Some of the processes performed by the administrator may be performed by a person in charge of a vendor, dealer, or the like who sells the application provided by the service providing system 100. In addition, there may be cases where the processes performed by the administrator may be performed by a user.

[0018] (1) The administrator causes the terminal device 30 to communicate with the external service system 40, and displays a linkage destination application registration screen provided by the external service system 40. The external service system 40 provides a service that is used in the form of a Web application (hereinafter, referred to as a Web application). Although the overall content of the functions provided by this service is fixed, the administrator can customize the service to use it as a desired linkage destination application. In other words, a part (or the entirety) of the functions of the service becomes the linkage destination application.

[0019] (2) The administrator registers a linked application suitable for the tenant's business by combining forms (functions modularized) prepared by the external service system 40. When the administrator combines the forms and performs necessary settings, the terminal device 30 registers the linked application in the external service system 40.

[0020] (3) The external service system 40 assigns a destination application ID (an example of identification information of a second application) for identifying the destination application to the destination application, and transmits the destination application ID to the terminal device 30. The terminal device 30 displays the destination application ID, so that the administrator can know the destination application ID. Note that in an embodiment described later, the administrator can cause the terminal device 30 to display the destination application ID via the information processing system 10. At this point, a field code for the destination application is set. The field code is identification information for identifying a field when the destination application is an application that operates a database.

[0021] (4) Next, the administrator operates the terminal device 30 to communicate with the information processing system 10, and the terminal device 30 displays a link source application setting screen provided by the information processing system 10. The link source application setting screen displays the data format of each field. The information processing system 10 is a server that accepts registration and execution of various link source applications. The information processing system 10 provides services to users in cooperation with link destination applications of an external service system 40. The information processing system 10 can link with various external service systems 40, and further, by linking with various link destination applications provided by a certain external service system 40, it becomes possible to provide various services to users. As described in FIG. 1(b), the services of the information processing system 10 are used as link source applications by devices such as an image forming device and the terminal device 30.

[0022] (5) The administrator sets the link information including the link destination application ID on the link source application setting screen. The link information is information for the information processing system 10 to link with the link destination application registered in the external service system 40. In addition to the link destination application ID, the correspondence between the field code and the label of each item of the link source application is also set.

[0023] The information processing system 10 acquires the data format of each field of the external service system from the external service system 40, and displays the data format that can be input on the coordination source application setting screen. For example, in the coordination source application in which emails are saved, data formats such as HTML, rich text, or text are displayed. This allows the administrator to set the external service system 40 so that electronic data that the coordination source application sends to the external service system is saved in a field of an appropriate data format.

[0024] The terminal device 30 transmits the link information to the information processing system 10. As a result, the information processing system 10 associates the link destination application with the link source application that links with the link destination application.

[0025] (6) Through the above process, the information processing system 10 is ready to link with the link destination application of the external service system 40 identified by the link destination application ID. In addition, the information processing system 10 can save data in a specific field of the link destination application of the external service system 40 using the field code.

[0026] (7) The e-mail arrives at the mail server 20. The information processing system 10 receives the e-mail from the mail server 20.

[0027] (8) The destination email address is associated with the cooperation source application, and the cooperation source application associates each item of the email with a field code and transmits the email to the external service system 40.

[0028] (9) The external service system 40 identifies, by a field code, each field of the linked application identified by the application ID, and stores data for each item of the email.

[0029] In this way, the service providing system of the present embodiment acquires the data format of each field of the external service system from the external service system 40, and displays the data format that can be input on the coordination source application setting screen. This allows the administrator to set the electronic data that the coordination source application transmits to the external service system 40 to be saved in a field of an appropriate data format in the external service system 40.

[0030] <Terminology> Cooperation means that two or more parties cooperate to execute a process. In this embodiment, cooperation means that a cooperation source application of the information processing system 10 cooperates with a cooperation destination application of the external service system 40, and the information processing system 10 provides a service.

[0031] The link information is information for the information processing system 10 to link with the external service system 40. In this embodiment, a link destination application ID for using a service provided by the external service system 40 is taken as an example. The link information may further include a field code (field identification information) or a record ID (record identification information). The field code may also be referred to as a column ID that specifies a column of a database.

[0032] A field indicates a column of tabular data held by the linked application, and shows each column in the table in Figure 7.

[0033] A record refers to a row of tabular data held by the linked application, and indicates each row of the table in Figure 7.

[0034] The coordination source application is an application for providing a service by the information processing system 10. The coordination source application is not limited to a Web application, and may be provided as a native application.

[0035] The information processing system 10 provides a service, and one of the means for providing the service is the execution of a link-source application. The execution of the link-source application may (or may not) link with a link destination application provided by an external service system 40. Since the service provided by the link-source application is realized by executing a series of processes in order, the content and order of the series of processes are defined in the link-source application.

[0036] The external service system 40 also provides a service, and one of the means for providing the service is the execution of a linked application. The external service system 40 can provide a service to a user without linking with the information processing system 10, but in this case, the linked application provided by the external service system 40 is a Web application provided by communication between a server and a client. The service providing system 100 of this embodiment enables a user to use a linked application of the external service system 40 corresponding to an e-mail via the information processing system 10 that received the e-mail.

[0037] The services of the external service system 40 may be called linked apps (applications), or may be called programs, software, sites, etc. In other words, the linked apps do not need to be called applications as long as they are related to the services of the external service system 40.

[0038] A database is a collection of organized information. It is possible to store, search, and update information. There are relational, hierarchical, and network databases, but any database in which values ​​are stored in items will do. In this embodiment, items are described using the term "field." Setting an item in which data is saved means setting a field in which data is saved.

[0039] <System configuration> The system configuration of the service providing system 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the service providing system 100 according to this embodiment.

[0040] 2 includes an information processing system 10, which is communicatively connected to a wide area network N1 such as the Internet. The service providing system 100 communicates with an external service system 40, which is an external system. Note that, although a device such as an image forming device is not used in this embodiment, some Web applications may use such a device.

[0041] The information processing system 10 is realized by one or more information processing devices, and provides various services realized by a series of processes in cooperation with an external service system 40 such as a cloud service via a network N1. Specific examples of services provided by the information processing system 10 according to this embodiment will be described later. The information processing system 10 may be realized by cloud computing, or may be realized by a single information processing device. Cloud computing refers to a form of use in which resources on a network are used without being aware of specific hardware resources. The information processing system 10 may exist on the Internet or on-premise. Note that a series of processes is provided by one cooperation source application, and the series of processes is also called a "processing flow" or "workflow."

[0042] The terminal device 30 is an information processing device on which a web browser runs. The terminal device 30 is, for example, a desktop PC, a notebook PC, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like used by an administrator or a user. The terminal device 30 is connected to a network N2. The administrator or user can operate the terminal device 30 to use various services provided by the information processing system 10 or the external service system 40, and can further configure a linkage destination app or a linkage source app.

[0043] In the following description, when multiple terminal devices 30 are to be distinguished from one another, they will be referred to as "terminal device 30 1 ", "Terminal device 30 2 " etc. should be written using subscripts.

[0044] The external service system 40 is one or more information processing devices that provide a service by executing a link target application via the network N1. The link target application is executed to manage or process data, and the data itself or the processing result becomes the service.

[0045] Examples of the external service system 40 include a cloud service, an ASP (Application Service Provider), and the like, and may include various external services provided via a network. In this embodiment, a table-format database will be described as an example of a service. The external service system 40 may exist on the Internet or on-premise.

[0046] In the following description, when distinguishing between the multiple external service systems 40, the external service systems 40 will be referred to as "external service systems 40" as shown in the figure. 1 "External service system A, "External service system 40 2 " will be described as external service system B, etc.

[0047] <Hardware configuration example> The hardware configurations of the information processing system 10 and the terminal device 30 included in the service providing system 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0048] <<Information processing system and terminal device>> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing system 10 and the terminal device 30 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the information processing system 10 and the terminal device 30 are constructed by a computer, and include a CPU 501, a ROM 502, a RAM 503, an HD 504, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) controller 505, a display 506, an external device connection I / F (Interface) 508, a network I / F 509, a bus line 510, a keyboard 511, a pointing device 512, a DVD-RW (Digital Versatile Disk Rewritable) drive 514, and a media I / F 516.

[0049] Among these, the CPU 501 controls the overall operation of the information processing system 10 and the terminal device 30. The ROM 502 stores programs such as an IPL used to drive the CPU 501. The RAM 503 is used as a work area for the CPU 501. The HD 504 stores various data such as programs. The HDD controller 505 controls the reading or writing of various data from the HD 504 under the control of the CPU 501. The display 506 displays various information such as a cursor, a menu, a window, a character, or an image. The external device connection I / F 508 is an interface for connecting various external devices. In this case, the external device is, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a printer. The network I / F 509 is an interface for data communication using the communication network N2. The bus line 510 is an address bus, a data bus, or the like for electrically connecting each component such as the CPU 501 shown in FIG. 3.

[0050] Moreover, the keyboard 511 is a type of input means having a plurality of keys for inputting characters, numbers, various instructions, etc. The pointing device 512 is a type of input means for selecting and executing various instructions, selecting a processing target, moving a cursor, etc. The DVD-RW drive 514 controls reading and writing of various data from a DVD-RW 513 as an example of a removable recording medium. The DVD-RW may be a DVD-R or the like. The media I / F 516 controls reading and writing (storing) of data from a recording medium 515 such as a flash memory.

[0051] <About the function> Next, the functional configuration of the service providing system 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the service providing system 100 according to this embodiment.

[0052] <<Terminal Device>> The terminal device 30 has a second communication unit 31, a display control unit 32, and an operation reception unit 33. Each of these functional units is a function or means realized by the CPU 501 executing instructions included in one or more programs installed in the terminal device 30. The programs may be a web browser or dedicated software (native application).

[0053] The second communication unit 31 transmits and receives various types of information between the information processing system 10 or the external service system 40. In this embodiment, the second communication unit 31 receives various types of screen information and the like from the information processing system 10 or the external service system 40, and transmits information set by an administrator or a user to the information processing system 10 or the external service system 40.

[0054] The display control unit 32 interprets screen information of various screens and displays it on the display 506. The operation receiving unit 33 receives various operations on the various screens displayed on the display 506 by the user.

[0055] <<Information Processing System>> The information processing system 10 includes an application data service unit 11, a setting reception unit 12, an authentication service unit 14, a Web service processing unit 15, an input / output service unit 16, a component 18, and a communication unit 19. Each of these functional units is a function or means realized by the CPU 501 executing instructions included in one or more programs installed in the information processing system 10.

[0056] The communication unit 19 transmits and receives various information to and from the terminal device 30 (an example of a first communication unit). The setting reception unit 12 provides a setting site to the terminal device 30 and receives settings for the setting site. The site may refer to a Web page or a Web application (for example, a link source application setting screen), or may refer to a server-side system that provides the terminal device 30 with a Web page or a Web application.

[0057] The setting reception unit 12 has a terminal screen providing unit 42, which provides a coordination source application setting screen or the like that allows an administrator to set information required for executing the coordination source application. Note that the terminal screen providing unit 42 generates screen information described in HTML, XML, CSS (Cascade Style Sheet), JavaScript (registered trademark), or the like in response to an HTTP request from the terminal device 30, and transmits the screen information to the terminal device 30 as an HTTP response.

[0058] The application data service unit 11 has an application data management unit 41. The application data management unit 41 manages application data 43 of a purchased link source application for each tenant. The application data 43 is data for mainly associating with a link destination application, such as the above-mentioned link information. The application data 43 is stored in the application data storage unit 13.

[0059] The Web service processing unit 15 provides screen information to the device and accepts execution of a coordination source application from the device. In this embodiment, the device is omitted. The Web service processing unit 15 has a coordination source application execution unit 46 and a device screen providing unit 47. The coordination source application execution unit 46 accepts execution of a coordination source application from the terminal device 30 or the device, and requests the input / output processing unit 48 to process the coordination source application based on application processing information 53. The device screen providing unit 47 uses screen information 54 to provide screen information such as a coordination source application list screen to the terminal device 30.

[0060] The input / output service unit 16 inputs and outputs data using the authentication service unit 14 and the component 18. The input / output service unit 16 has an input / output processing unit 48, an application management unit 49, and a determination unit 50. The input / output processing unit 48 executes a coordination source application requested by the coordination source application execution unit 46. When executing the coordination source application, the input / output processing unit 48 refers to application processing information 53 and requests the component 18 to execute each process included in the coordination source application.

[0061] The application management unit 49 manages application processing information 53 and screen information 54 of the coordination source application stored in the application processing information storage unit 17. The application processing information 53 sets which processing the coordination source application will perform and in what order (for example, making a processing request to the external service system 40 after OCR). The screen information 54 is information on the screens displayed by the terminal device 30, such as a coordination source application list screen and a setting screen for each application. The application processing information storage unit 17 stores the application processing information 53 and the screen information 54 for each coordination source application. The judgment unit 50 makes various judgments.

[0062] The authentication service unit 14 performs processing related to authentication of users (including administrators) and devices. The authentication service unit 14 has a user management unit 44 and a device management unit 45. The user management unit 44 manages information related to users. The user management unit 44 holds authentication information such as user names and passwords. The authentication information includes information from the information processing system 10 and information from the external service system 40. The device management unit 45 manages devices such as image forming devices associated with tenants.

[0063] The component 18 is a collective term for individual functions that actually perform each process. One block in the component 18 corresponds to one process. The component 18 has, for example, an authentication processing unit 51, an external service processing unit 52, and a mail receiving unit 55. The authentication processing unit 51 is the component 18 that requests authentication-related processing from the authentication service unit 14. The external service processing unit 52 is the component 18 that requests a processing request from the external service system 40. In other words, the external service processing unit 52 is a function for linking with the external service system 40. The external service processing unit 52 is prepared for each type of external service system 40. The mail receiving unit 55 receives e-mail sent to the mail server 20. In addition to those shown in the figure, the component 18 may have components such as OCR and translation.

[0064] [Table 1] Table 1 shows an example of information stored in the application processing information storage unit 17. The application processing information storage unit 17 is associated with the external service system 40, and has items of a coordination source application ID (an example of identification information of a first application), an application name, screen information, application processing information, and a shared application. The coordination source application ID is identification information for identifying the coordination source application. The application name is the name of the coordination source application given by the administrator. In addition, screen information 54 (described in HTML or the like) used when the terminal device 30 or the device displays the icon or setting screen of the coordination source application is associated with the coordination source application. Since the contents and order of a series of processes (processing flow) are defined for the coordination source application, each coordination source application is associated with application processing information 53. A shared application indicates that a general coordination source application is an application that is commonly usable by users of a tenant, whereas a usage authority is given for each user. In Table 1, email reception registration and fax reception registration are shared applications. These are for use by each user.

[0065] When, for example, "external service system A" is specified from the terminal device 30, the application management unit 49 provides a list of coordination source applications associated with "external service system A" from the application processing information storage unit 17 to the terminal device 30. In addition, when a coordination source application is specified from the list of coordination source applications, the application management unit 49 identifies screen information and application processing information associated with the coordination source application.

[0066] [Table 2] Table 2 shows an example of information about users managed by the user management unit 44. First, Table 2(a) explains the relationship between tenants and apps. That is, a tenant can purchase any app, and in Table 2(a), apps owned by the tenant are marked with an "O". Within each tenant, an administrator grants licenses to users within the tenant. This license represents the user's authority to use a link source app or a link destination app (contract status).

[0067] Table 2(b) shows authentication information of a user of a certain tenant and a link source application for which the user has a license. As information about the user, Table 2(b) includes items such as a user ID in the information processing system 10, a user name, an email address, a password, an available application, authentication information of an external service system, and link settings. The users include an administrator.

[0068] At least one of the user ID, the user name, and the email address, and the password are authentication information for the user to log in to the information processing system 10.

[0069] The apps that can be used are those for which the user has been granted a license. These apps include source apps. The apps that can be used are classified as personal apps and shared apps. Both personal apps and shared apps are used by multiple users, but personal apps use authentication information for an external service registered by an individual user, while shared apps use authentication information for an external service shared by multiple users. In Table 2, app112 is a shared app. The rest are personal apps. In the case of personal apps, authentication information for the external service system 40 needs to be registered for each user.

[0070] The authentication information of the external service system 40 is authentication information for a user to log in to the external service system 40. The authentication information may differ for each external service system 40. In this way, each user of the service providing system 100 and a user of the external service system 40 are associated one-to-one. Note that one-to-one association is not necessarily required, and when there are multiple link source applications that use the same external service system 40, users of different external service systems 40 may be associated with each application. Therefore, the information processing system 10 identifies a user (user identification information, etc.) of the linked external service system 40 according to user information such as a user ID and password of the information processing system 10 acquired from the terminal device 30 or device.

[0071] The link setting item will be marked "Done" if it is confirmed that the user desires to link with the external service system 40 and can log in using authentication information for the external service system 40. The link setting is used to determine whether the user can execute an app of the external service system 40. Note that the authentication information for the external service system 40 and the link setting items do not need to be set if the link source app does not link to an app of the external service system 40.

[0072] The authentication information may be authentication information of the external service system 40 or authentication information required for linking with the external service system. The authentication information may be a token obtained from the external service system 40 when linking with the external service system 40, in addition to a user ID and a password.

[0073] [Table 3] Table 3 shows an example of application data stored in the application data storage unit 13. The application data has items of a coordination source application ID, a coordination destination application ID, a space ID, and a coordination source application setting screen, in association with the external service system 40. That is, the application data associates a coordination source application with a coordination destination application. The items of the coordination source application setting screen are information that specifies screen information of the coordination source application setting screen in which the coordination source application is set.

[0074] [Table 4] Table 4 shows the field code information for each item in the source application. The field code information is linked to the application data in Table 3. The source application has the item name and the item value or field code that the destination application saves for each item. These can be set by the administrator from the source application settings screen. This field code is already registered in the destination application, and can be set by the administrator when he / she calls up the field code on the source application settings screen.

[0075] In addition, since Table 4 is an application for registering incoming e-mails, a dedicated e-mail registration address is registered. The linked application in Table 4 is identified by the dedicated e-mail registration address.

[0076] <<External service system>> 5 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the external service system 40. The external service system 40 has a fourth communication unit 61, an application determination unit 62, a data processing unit 63, and an application registration acceptance unit 64. Each of these functional units is a function or means realized by the CPU 501 executing instructions included in one or more programs installed in the external service system 40.

[0077] The fourth communication unit 61 transmits and receives various information between the information processing system 10 or the terminal device 30. In this embodiment, the fourth communication unit 61 receives information related to the registration of a link destination app from the terminal device 30, and receives a processing request for the link destination app together with an e-mail from the information processing system 10. The fourth communication unit 61 can also transmit data processed by the link destination app (a list of spaces, a list of link destination apps, a list of fields / field codes, a list of records, transmitted data, etc.) to the information processing system 10. When the fourth communication unit 61 communicates with the information processing system 10, an API (Application Interface) of the external service system 40 is used.

[0078] The application registration reception unit 64 provides a link destination application registration screen to the terminal device 30 and accepts registration and editing of link destination applications set by an administrator on the link destination application registration screen. The administrator can register link destination applications simply by customizing the services provided by the information processing system 10. The application registration reception unit 64 assigns unique link destination application IDs to the link destination applications. The application registration reception unit 64 stores information related to the registered link destination applications in the application information storage unit 65.

[0079] The application determination unit 62 determines a link destination application that processes e-mails, etc., which are the target of the processing request, based on the link destination application ID transmitted from the information processing system 10. The data processing unit 63 processes data with processing contents specific to the link destination application, which is the processing performed by the link destination application determined by the application determination unit 62. In the case of a mail reception registration application, data of each item of e-mail is stored in a field specified by the link destination application ID and the field code. In addition, for example, the application converts data into a data format processed by the link destination application, adds some attribute to the e-mail and stores it in a managed state, performs image processing on the e-mail attachment, transfers it to the outside, and provides it in response to a request. In the following embodiment, a link destination application that provides a database in a table format will be described. Data format conversion, management, or provision may be performed.

[0080] [Table 5] Table 5 is an example of application information stored in the application information storage unit 65 of the external service system 40. The application information in Table 5 is in the form of a database related to linked applications, and is therefore a list of field names. The application information is associated with a space ID, a linked application ID, and a linked application name. A space is a group of several linked applications, and the space ID is its identification information (an example of identification information for a group). Some external service systems 40 may not have a space ID.

[0081] The application names of the coordination destination application and the coordination source application may be different, but for convenience of explanation, they are the same in this embodiment.

[0082] In Table 5, the field names are "Field code to register sender email address," "Field code to register received date and time," "Field code to register sent date and time," "Field code to register email subject," "Field code to register email body (HTML)," "Field code to register email body (text)," "Field code to register attachments," and "Fixed string," but these are registered by the administrator and are merely examples.

[0083] Each field has a field code. The field code is identification information that identifies the field. Note that there may be fields without field codes, but in this case, it becomes difficult to link by specifying the field. As will be described later, the field name and field code can be set arbitrarily by the administrator. The field code may be assigned by the external service system 40.

[0084] The attribute information is the data format of each field. This attribute information is displayed on the link source application setting screen described later, and the administrator can check the attribute information and select an appropriate field for each item of the email.

[0085] <Application processing information> Next, details of the application processing information will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the application processing information stored in the application processing information storage unit 17.

[0086] Application processing information 53A shown in FIG. 6 is information related to a cooperation source application that requests "external service system A" to process an email.

[0087] The application processing information 53A includes a flow ID 1201A indicating identification information of the application processing information 53A, a flow name 1202A indicating the name of the application processing information 53A, and flow details 1203A indicating the processing contents of a series of processes. The flow name 1202A also serves as the name of the coordination source application.

[0088] Furthermore, the detailed flow 1203A includes processing content 1223A indicating a processing request to be made to "external service system A."

[0089] In the processing content 1223A, a component ID "ExService_A" of a component 18 that executes processing in cooperation with "external service system A", an operation ID "processFile" indicating a processing request, and parameters "AppId", "FieldCode", and "Value" are specified. The cooperation destination application ID is stored in "AppId", a field code is stored in "FieldCode", and a field value is stored in "Value". Note that the parameters shown in the figure are only a part of the information, and the application processing information may include many more parameters.

[0090] In this manner, the information processing system 10 according to the present embodiment can transmit link information and the like to the external service system 40 using parameters of application processing information, and can link with the link destination application.

[0091] <Screen example for registering a linked app to an external service system> The following describes an example of a screen displayed by the terminal device 30 using screen information acquired from the external service system 40 when the user registers a linkage destination application in the external service system 40. Registering an application in the external service system 40 is one phase of the preparation stage described in FIG.

[0092] When the administrator registers a new linked application, the terminal device 30 is connected to the external service system 40 and a linked application registration screen is displayed. The screens in the following Figs. 7 to 11 are displayed by the terminal device 30 when the terminal device 30 transmits an HTTP request to the external service system 40 and the external service system 40 transmits the screen information in an HTTP response.

[0093] Fig. 7 is an example of a linked application registration screen (part 1) 200 displayed by the terminal device 30. A field name for identifying a field is written at the top of the column in Fig. 7. For example, "sender's email address" in Fig. 7 is called a field name.

[0094] For ease of explanation, Fig. 7 shows the field names of the link destination applications that have already been registered in the information processing system 10. When setting a new field, the field name is not displayed, but the method of registering the link destination application from Fig. 8 onwards is the same.

[0095] In this embodiment, the application ID 212 is displayed in the URL. https: / / company.ExService_A.com / 2575 / This "2575" is app ID 212.

[0096] Linked application registration screen (type 1) 200 displays each of the fields with the field names shown in the application information in Table 5 ("field code for registering sender email address" 202, "field code for registering received date and time" 203, "field code for registering sent date and time" 204, "field code for registering email subject" 205, "field code for registering email body (HTML)" 206, "field code for registering email body (text)" 207, "field code for registering attachments" 208 and "fixed string" 209) associated with record number 201, and values ​​are set for each field. One line is called a record (an example of a storage location) and is assigned a record number. A user can display and edit the field values ​​on linked application registration screen (type 1) 200.

[0097] Supplementally, it is possible to set a user having authority for each record. In addition, the types of authority include, for example, viewing authority, editing authority, and deletion authority. If a user has editing authority, the user can register or replace an image code or a character string for a record or a field. In the authority information 214, the name of a user (identification information) having the authority is registered in association with the viewing authority, editing authority, and deletion authority. In FIG. 7, the authority information 214 can be registered for each record of the linked application, but it is also possible to set the authority information for each field.

[0098] The link-destination application registration screen (type 1) 200 has a setting button 211. When the administrator presses the setting button 211, the terminal device 30 displays the link-destination application registration screen (type 2) 210, and the administrator can edit the field name.

[0099] 8 is an example of a link destination application registration screen (part 2) 210 displayed by the terminal device 30. The link destination application registration screen (part 2) 210 has an application name field 229, a form field 222, and a work area 223. The administrator can set an application name in the application name field 229, and the application name in the application name field 229 becomes the link destination application name in Table 5. In the form field 222, functions available in the service provided by the external service system 40 are displayed as a form. For example, there are forms such as a label field 222A, a character input field 222B, a rich editor 222C, a character string field 222D, a numerical value field 222E, a calculator 222F, a radio button 222G, a check box 222H, a multiple selection field 222I, a drop-down field 222J, a date field 222K, a time field 222L, a date and time field 222M, an attachment field 222N, a link field 222O, and a user selection field 222P. A user can place a desired form by dragging it from the form column 222 to the work area 223. This form becomes a field. Since the data format of each form is determined, when the administrator selects a form, the data format is automatically determined.

[0100] For example, the attachment field 222N is a field where image data attached to an e-mail is registered. In FIG. 8, the work area 223 displays each field name of Table 5 and a field for its value (currently blank). That is, the work area 223 has a sending e-mail address field 223A, a received date and time field 223B, a sent date and time field 223C, an e-mail subject field 223D, an e-mail body (HTML) field 223E, an e-mail body (text) field 223F, an attachment field 223G, and a fixed character string field 223H. The user can edit, duplicate, delete, or set a new field. For example, when the user moves the mouse pointer to the upper right of a field, possible work items 221 are displayed.

[0101] Fig. 9 is an example of a linkage destination application registration screen (part 3) 220 displayed by the terminal device 30 on which the work item 221 is displayed. In Fig. 9, an edit button 221A, a duplicate button 221B, and a delete button 221C are displayed as the work item 221. It is assumed that the user presses the edit button 221A. This causes a details pop-up screen that enables editing of the form to be displayed.

[0102] 10 is an example of a details pop-up screen 230 in which details of a form called "email subject" are set. The details pop-up screen 230 has a field name column 231, a check box 232 corresponding to "Do not display field name", a check box 233 corresponding to "Make required field", and a field code column 235.

[0103] The field name column 231 is the field name. When a check box 232 corresponding to "Do not display field names" is checked, the field names are not displayed. When a check box 233 corresponding to "make required item" is checked, the field name becomes a required item. The field code column 235 is a column where the administrator can display and edit the field code of this form ("email subject"). When the user moves the mouse pointer to the pen mark 235A, a field code input column is displayed and any field code can be input.

[0104] In FIG. 10, "text2" is the field code for the "email subject" field. The application registration acceptance unit 64 of the external service system 40 may set any unique field code to the field. As long as there are no duplicates within the application, the user can set the field code appropriately using letters, numbers, alphabets, or a combination thereof. The field code is set to uniquely identify the field in the linked application.

[0105] 11 is a diagram showing an example of a link destination application list screen 249 displayed by the terminal device 30. The administrator specifies, for example, a space ID to display a list of link destination applications. The link destination application list screen 249 has items such as an application ID 249A and an application name 249B. The application ID 249A indicates the link destination application ID. The administrator can also confirm the link destination application ID from this screen. If the administrator selects the application name, a link destination application registration screen (part 2) 210 as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed.

[0106] <Settings for the source app of the information processing system to link with the external service system> Next, a description will be given of the setting of the link source application of the information processing system 10 so that the information processing system 10 can link with the link destination application of the external service system 40. This phase is one of the preparation phases described in Fig. 1. This phase is performed by the client's administrator for shared applications, and by each user for personal link source applications.

[0107] The administrator sets link information in the link source application so that each user can link with the link destination application of the external service system 40. The administrator or user has already registered in the information processing system 10 the application processing information 53 and screen information 54 of "email reception registration" that links with the link destination application of the external service system 40. The link destination application of "email reception registration" is the link source application that adds each item of the email as a new record in the link destination application shown in FIG. 11.

[0108] An administrator or a user connects the terminal device 30 to the information processing system 10 and displays an initial screen. The screens in the following Figs. 12 to 16 are displayed by the terminal device 30 when the terminal device 30 transmits an HTTP request to the information processing system 10 and the information processing system 10 transmits screen information in an HTTP response.

[0109] FIG. 12 shows an example of an initial screen 300 displayed by the terminal device 30. The initial screen 300 has an administrator menu and a general user menu, and the administrator menu will be described below. The initial screen 300 has a user management icon 301, a tenant information icon 302, an application management icon 303, and a device management icon 304. The user management icon 301 is an icon for the administrator to add, delete, edit, etc. a user. The tenant information icon 302 is an icon for confirming and changing what kind of contract the customer has for the provision of the cooperation source application. The application management icon 303 is an icon for adding, deleting, editing, etc. a cooperation source application (i.e., application processing information). The device management icon 304 is an icon for managing how the device is used. The administrator presses the application management icon 303 to edit the cooperation source application. This causes a service selection screen to be displayed.

[0110] 13 shows an example of a service selection screen 310 displayed by the terminal device 30. The service selection screen 310 displays a list of names of external service systems 40 with which the information processing system 10 can cooperate. To cooperate with the external service system 40, a tenant needs to purchase a license, but the list of names of the external service systems 40 is displayed regardless of whether or not a license is purchased.

[0111] When the administrator selects “External service system A” 311 from the list, the information processing system 10 transmits the application name and the like of the coordination source application associated with “External service system A” to the terminal device 30. That is, the application data management unit 41 identifies the coordination source application associated with “External service system A” from the application data, and obtains the application name of the coordination source application from the application management unit 49.

[0112] Fig. 14 is an example of a coordination source application selection screen 320 displayed by the terminal device 30. Since the administrator selected "external service system A" from the list in Fig. 13, the coordination source application selection screen 320 displays a list of coordination source applications that coordinate with the coordination destination application of "external service system A". In Fig. 14, icons 321-326 of six coordination source applications are displayed, but the number of coordination source applications depends on the number of application processing information registered by the administrator. At least one is sufficient, but there may be zero before the coordination source application is registered.

[0113] All six link source apps can link with a link destination app of "external service system A", but the link destination apps of "external service system A" may be the same or different. In other words, different link destination apps may correspond to the same link source app, or the same link destination app may correspond to different link source apps, or different link source apps may correspond to different link destination apps. Even if the link destination app of multiple link source apps is the same, the field code may be the same or different. In the following description, it is assumed that the link source app of "Email reception registration" has been selected.

[0114] Fig. 15 is an example of a coordination source application setting screen (part 1) 330 displayed by the terminal device 30 when the coordination source application "Email reception registration" is selected, and Fig. 16 is an example of a coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340. For convenience of drawing, one screen is divided into two in Fig. 15 and Fig. 16.

[0115] The items included in the coordination source application setting screen (part 1) 330 will be described.

[0116] The external service name 331 is the name of the external service system 40 selected in the "external service system A" 311 in FIG.

[0117] The manual column 332 is a URL where the manual for the coordination source application is posted.

[0118] The mail reception registration dedicated address field 333 is a destination mail address at which the coordination source application receives e-mail. That is, e-mail addressed to the mail reception registration dedicated address field 333 is registered in the coordination destination application of the external service system 40 by the coordination source application being set in FIG.

[0119] The call button 334 in the application ID setting field is a button for setting, by a destination application ID, which destination application in the external service system 40 the source application will link with. When the administrator presses the call button 334, a list of destination application IDs is displayed. The administrator can also manually input the IDs.

[0120] The email reception registration dedicated address, the coordination destination application ID, and the coordination source application ID set on the coordination source application setting screen (part 1) 330 are registered in association with the field code information in Table 4.

[0121] Next, each item of the coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340 will be described.

[0122] The call button 335 in the space ID field is a button for the information processing system 10 to obtain, from the external service system 40, identification information of a space that groups and manages a plurality of coordination source applications.

[0123] A subject for filtering emails with the subject of the email to be processed is set in the subject whitelist field 336. The subject whitelist field 336 is additionally displayed by pressing the plus mark 336b.

[0124] Each of the items below the field code field for registering the sender's email address has a call button. Each of the call buttons 337-343 is a button that allows the information processing system 10 to obtain the field code of the field in the link destination application from the external service system 40. When the administrator presses the call button 337-343, the field code and attribute information as shown in Table 5 are displayed (see FIG. 20). The administrator can set the field code in the link source application while checking the attribute information. As a result, field code information as shown in Table 4 is generated.

[0125] Each item on the coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340 is associated with attribute information in advance.

[0126] FIG. 17 shows an example of each item and attribute information of the coordination source application setting screen (2) 340. The developer of the Web application registers information such as that shown in FIG. 17 when creating the coordination source application setting screen (2) 340. The developer already knows the attribute information of the coordination destination application. Therefore, the information processing system 10 holds appropriate attribute information in each field. The coordination source application setting screen (2) 340 may hold appropriate attribute information in each field. In this case, the terminal device 30 can determine whether the attribute information matches, as described below.

[0127] <Field code registration procedure> 18A and 18B are examples of sequence diagrams showing a procedure in which an administrator associates item names and field codes of a coordination source application from the coordination source application setting screen (part 1) 330 and the coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340. Note that in Figs. 18A and 18B, the second communication unit 31 of the terminal device 30 and the communication unit 19 of the information processing system 10 communicate with each other, but for convenience of explanation, the explanation of these communications may be omitted.

[0128] S1: The administrator connects the terminal device 30 to the information processing system 10, and the terminal device 30 displays the coordination-source application setting screen (type 1) 330 and the coordination-source application setting screen (type 2) 340.

[0129] S2: When the administrator presses the call button for the application ID, the operation reception unit 33 receives it.

[0130] S3: The second communication unit 31 requests the information processing system 10 for a list of application IDs of cooperation destination applications.

[0131] S4: The communication unit 19 receives the request for the list of application IDs of the coordination destination applications, and the setting reception unit 12 requests the list of application IDs of the coordination destination applications from the external service processing unit 52. The external service system 40 is specified when the coordination source application is selected.

[0132] S5: The external service processing unit 52 requests the external service system 40 to send a list of application IDs of linked applications.

[0133] S6: The external service system 40 acquires a list of application IDs of linked applications registered in the application information storage unit 65, and transmits the list to the external service processing unit 52.

[0134] S7: The external service processing unit 52 transmits the list of application IDs to the setting reception unit 12 via the input / output service unit 16.

[0135] S8: The communication unit 19 transmits the list of application IDs to the terminal device 30.

[0136] S9: The second communication unit 31 receives the list of application IDs, and the display control unit 32 displays the list of application IDs of the linked applications.

[0137] Fig. 19 is an example of a list of application IDs of cooperation destination applications displayed by the terminal device 30. In Fig. 19, a list of application IDs of cooperation destination applications registered in the external service system 40 is displayed.

[0138] 18A, the administrator selects an application ID for which he / she wishes to set a field code from the list of application IDs. The operation reception unit 33 receives the selection.

[0139] S11 : The second communication unit 31 transmits the selected application ID to the information processing system 10 .

[0140] S12: The communication unit 19 receives the application ID of the cooperation destination application, and the setting reception unit 12 requests the external service processing unit 52 to input the field name and the like, specifying the application ID of the cooperation destination application.

[0141] S13: The external service processing unit 52 designates the application ID of the linked application and requests the field name and the like from the external service system 40.

[0142] S14: The external service system 40 acquires application information (field name, field code, attribute information) such as that in Table 5 registered in the application information storage unit 65, and transmits it to the external service processing unit 52.

[0143] S15: The external service processing unit 52 stores the application information.

[0144] S16: The administrator selects, for example, the call button 341 of “field code for registering email body (HTML)” on the coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340. The operation acceptance unit 33 accepts the selection.

[0145] S17: The second communication unit 31 transmits a field code list request to the information processing system 10.

[0146] S18: The communication unit 19 receives the request for the field code list of the cooperation destination application selected in step S11, and the setting reception unit 12 requests the external service processing unit 52 to list the field codes by specifying the application ID of the cooperation destination application.

[0147] S19: The external service processing unit 52 transmits the saved application information to the setting reception unit 12 via the input / output service unit 16.

[0148] S20: The communication unit 19 transmits the application information to the terminal device 30.

[0149] S21: The second communication unit 31 receives the application information, and the display control unit 32 displays the application information.

[0150] FIG. 20 is an image diagram 360 of application information displayed by the terminal device 30. In FIG. 20, the field codes and attribute information of the application information are displayed as a pop-up on the link source application setting screen (part 2) 340. The administrator can view the attribute information and select a field of an appropriate data format for registering the email body (HTML). Note that the application information image diagram 360 in FIG. 20 is originally capable of displaying the entire application information in Table 5, but to prevent this from becoming too complicated, only some of the field codes and attribute information are displayed. The application information image diagram 360 may also display the field names.

[0151] 18B, the administrator selects a field code from the popped-up application information. The operation reception unit 33 receives the selection.

[0152] S23: The second communication unit 31 transmits the selected field code to the information processing system 10.

[0153] S24: The communication unit 19 receives the field code, and the setting reception unit 12 requests the external service processing unit 52 for attribute information corresponding to this field code.

[0154] S25: The external service processing unit 52 transmits the attribute information corresponding to the field code selected by the administrator to the setting reception unit 12 via the input / output service unit 16.

[0155] S26: The setting reception unit 12 also acquires attribute information (an example of a first data format) previously associated with each item ("field code for registering email body (HTML)") of the coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340 shown in Fig. 17. The Web service processing unit 15 calls the determination unit 50 and requests it to determine whether or not the attribute information (Fig. 17) set in the external service system 40 matches the attribute information (an example of a second data format; see Table 5) held by the external service system 40.

[0156] The terminal device 30 may execute the function of the determination unit 50. In this case, attribute information associated in advance with each item ("field code for registering email body (HTML)") of the coordination source application setting screen (part 2) 340 is transmitted to the terminal device 30. Since the application information (including attribute information) is transmitted to the terminal device 30, the terminal device 30 can determine whether the attribute information matches or does not match.

[0157] S27: If there is no match, the Web service processing unit 15 transmits to the terminal device 30 an inquiry dialog 350 notifying the terminal device 30 that the attribute information does not match and asking whether or not the information should be corrected.

[0158] 21 is an example of an inquiry dialog 350 displayed by the terminal device 30. The inquiry dialog 350 has a message 351 saying "Attributes do not match," as well as a correction required button 352 and an unnecessary button 353. When the correction required button 352 is pressed, the information processing system 10 does not register the field code in association with the item name in Table 4. When the unnecessary button 353 is pressed, the information processing system 10 registers the field code in association with the item name of the field code information in Table 4.

[0159] In this way, since it is determined whether the attribute information set in the external service system 40 matches the attribute information held by the external service system 40, even if the administrator selects the mail body (text) as the field to save the mail body (HTML), it is determined that the attribute information does not match. Therefore, the administrator can set an appropriate field code for each item.

[0160] It should be noted that, if the attribute information is displayed, it is not necessary to determine whether the attribute information matches. Determining whether the attribute information matches is not essential.

[0161] Also, as shown in Fig. 22, it is preferable that the coordination source application setting screen (type 2) 340 displays the information in Fig. 17 (attribute information of each item). In the coordination source application setting screen (type 2) 340 in Fig. 22, the attribute information is displayed below the item name. The administrator can compare the attribute information of each item with the attribute information of the application information displayed in a pop-up and select an appropriate field code.

[0162] S28: Returning to Fig. 18B, the administrator selects the correction required button 352. The operation acceptance unit 33 accepts the selection.

[0163] S29: The second communication unit 31 transmits a message to the information processing system 10 that the correction required button 352 has been pressed. In this case, the process returns to step S21.

[0164] S30: A case will be described where the administrator selects the unnecessary button 353. The operation reception unit 33 receives the selection.

[0165] S31: The second communication unit 31 transmits to the information processing system 10 a message indicating that the unnecessary button 353 has been pressed.

[0166] S32: The communication unit 19 receives a message that the Not Required button 353 has been pressed, and the input / output processing unit 48 registers the field code selected by the administrator in the field code information of Table 4, in association with the item name "Field code to register email body (HTML)".

[0167] The administrator repeats the same operation for the items for which he / she wishes to set a field code. The information processing system 10 repeats the same process for the items for which the administrator has pressed the call button.

[0168] <Processing when receiving email> Next, the process of email by a cooperation source application, called "register received email," will be described with reference to Fig. 23. Fig. 23 is an example of a sequence diagram showing a procedure in which an cooperation source application, called "register received email," saves received email in a cooperation destination application.

[0169] S41: The mail receiving unit 55 of the information processing system 10 periodically communicates with the mail server 20 and receives e-mails addressed to the information processing system 10 (e-mails from a specific domain).

[0170] S42: When the mail receiving unit 55 receives an email, the mail receiving unit 55 refers to the field code information in Table 4 based on the destination email address and identifies the link source application. Next, the mail receiving unit 55 refers to the application data in Table 3 and identifies the link destination application corresponding to the link source application. The mail receiving unit 55 refers to the field code information in Table 4 and determines the field code corresponding to each item of the email. If the subject of the email does not include the subject whitelist in the field code information, the mail receiving unit 55 discards the email or records that fact in the email.

[0171] S43: The email receiving unit 55 transmits the application ID of the cooperation destination application, the field code, and the values ​​of each item of the email to the external service processing unit 52, and requests processing by the cooperation destination application.

[0172] S44: The external service processing unit 52 transmits the application ID of the cooperation destination application, the field code, and the values ​​of each item of the email, and requests the external service system 40 to perform processing by the cooperation destination application.

[0173] S45: The fourth communication unit 61 of the external service system 40 receives these, and the data processing unit 63 serving as the linked application stores the value of the item in the field identified by the field code of the linked application identified by the application ID.

[0174] Through the above process, one email is registered as one record in the linked application, as shown in FIG.

[0175] <Major Effects> As described above, the service providing system of the present embodiment acquires the data format of each field of the external service system 40 from the external service system 40, and displays an inputtable data format on the coordination source application setting screen. This allows the administrator to set the electronic data that the coordination source application transmits to the external service system 40 to be saved in a field of an appropriate data format in the external service system 40.

[0176] <Other application examples> The above describes the best mode for carrying out the present invention using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0177] For example, in the present embodiment, the setting of the data format when the external service system saves received e-mails has been described. However, the data saved by the external service system may be any format. For example, the administrator may set the format (PDF, JPEG, etc.) of image data that the image forming device sends to the information processing system.

[0178] For example, the configuration example in Fig. 4 and the like is divided according to main functions to facilitate understanding of the processing by the terminal device 30 and the information processing system 10. The present invention is not limited by the manner in which the processing units are divided or the names of the processing units. The processing by the terminal device 30 and the information processing system 10 can be divided into more processing units depending on the processing content. Also, it can be divided so that one processing unit includes more processes.

[0179] Additionally, the devices described in the examples are merely illustrative of one of several computing environments for implementing the embodiments disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the information processing system 10 includes a plurality of computing devices, such as a server cluster, configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including a network, shared memory, and the like, and to implement the processes disclosed herein.

[0180] Furthermore, the information processing system 10 can be configured to share the processing steps disclosed in the present embodiment, such as those shown in Figs. 18 and 23, in various combinations. For example, a process executed by a specific unit can be executed by multiple information processing devices included in the information processing system 10. Furthermore, the information processing system 10 may be integrated into one server device, or may be divided into multiple devices.

[0181] Each function of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to execute each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, and a device such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a conventional circuit module designed to execute each function described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0182] 10. Information Processing Systems 30 Terminal Equipment 100 Service Delivery System [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0183] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-076368 A

Claims

1. A service providing system in which a second application running on an information processing system stores data related to a first application running on an external service system in the external service system, The information processing system includes: a setting reception unit that provides a setting screen for receiving settings of data to be saved in a field of the first application to a terminal device; A first communication unit that transmits to a terminal device a data format when the data is stored in the field. The terminal device a display control unit that displays, on the setting screen, a data format in which the data is to be saved in the field; an operation receiving unit that receives a selection of the displayed data format, the information processing system has a determination unit that determines whether or not a second data format selected in a terminal device matches a first data format in which the pre-stored data is to be saved in the external service system; When the determination unit determines that the first data format and the second data format do not match, the first communication unit transmits to the terminal device a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match; The display control unit displays a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match.

2. the first application having a plurality of fields; The service providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the display control unit displays, on the setting screen, a list of data formats in which the data relating to the first application is stored in the external service system for each of the fields.

3. the information processing system includes an external service processing unit that acquires a data format of data related to the first application from the external service system; A service providing system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first communication unit transmits to the terminal device the data format of the data related to the first application acquired from the external service system as a list of the data format in which the data is stored in the external service system.

4. the display control unit displays a call button for displaying the data format on the setting screen; 4. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein, when the call button is pressed, the data format is displayed on the setting screen.

5. The first communication unit transmits, to the terminal device, identification information of a field of data related to the first application together with the list of data formats; The terminal device a second communication unit configured to transmit, to the information processing system, identification information of the field corresponding to the data format selected by the operation reception unit; 5. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing system holds the field and identification information of the field in association with each other.

6. the display control unit displays a button for accepting whether or not to modify the second data format selected by a user; 2. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein when a button for not modifying the second data format is pressed, the information processing system stores the field and the identification information of the field in association with each other in the information processing system.

7. The service providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the display control unit displays the first data format on the setting screen in association with the field.

8. the first application is a database for storing emails, the fields corresponding to email items; The information processing system includes: executing the second application in response to an email having a predetermined destination email address; 6. The service providing system according to claim 5, wherein the second application requests the first application to specify identification information of the field and to save each item of the email.

9. An information processing system in which a second application running on the information processing system stores data related to a first application running on an external service system in the external service system, a setting reception unit that provides a setting screen for receiving settings of data to be saved in a field of the first application to a terminal device; a first communication unit that transmits to a terminal device a data format when the data is stored in the field; The terminal device a display control unit that displays, on the setting screen, a data format in which the data is to be saved in the field; an operation receiving unit that receives a selection of the displayed data format, the information processing system has a determination unit that determines whether or not a second data format selected in a terminal device coincides with a first data format in which the pre-stored data is to be saved in the external service system; When the determination unit determines that the first data format and the second data format do not match, the first communication unit transmits to the terminal device a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match; The information processing system wherein the display control unit displays a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match.

10. A setting method performed by a service providing system in which a second application running on an information processing system stores data related to a first application running on an external service system in the external service system, comprising: The information processing system includes: providing a setting screen for accepting settings of data to be saved in a field of the first application to a terminal device; and transmitting to a terminal device a data format in which the data is to be stored in the field. The terminal device displaying, on the setting screen, a data format in which the data is to be stored in the field; and accepting a selection of the displayed data format; The information processing system includes: determining whether or not a second data format selected in the terminal device matches a first data format in which the pre-stored data is to be saved in the external service system; if it is determined that the first data format and the second data format do not match, transmitting to the terminal device a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match; a step of displaying a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match, A setting method having the following features:

11. An information processing system in which a second application running on an information processing system stores data relating to a first application running on an external service system in the external service system, a setting reception unit that provides a setting screen for receiving settings of data to be saved in a field of the first application to a terminal device; a program that functions as a first communication unit that transmits to a terminal device a data format when the data is stored in the field, The terminal device a display control unit that displays, on the setting screen, a data format when the data is saved in the field; an operation receiving unit that receives a selection of the displayed data format, The program includes: functioning as a determination unit that determines whether or not a second data format selected in the terminal device coincides with a first data format in which the pre-stored data is to be saved in the external service system; When the determination unit determines that the first data format and the second data format do not match, the first communication unit transmits to the terminal device a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match; The display control unit is a program for displaying a message indicating that the first data format and the second data format do not match.

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