Calendar Interface with Adjustable Time Entry Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing financial software user interfaces, often based on tables, lack intuitive context information, making it cumbersome for users to accurately and efficiently enter time entries, degrading the user experience.
Innovation Solution
A user interface featuring a calendar with adjustable regions for time entries, allowing users to modify temporal parameters by selecting and modifying geometric properties, and displaying estimated financial activities based on previous activities using supervised-learning techniques, integrated with billing and payroll processing mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a table-based user interface is used for entering timesheet information, then the interface structure is simple and easy to implement, but the user experience deteriorates due to lack of intuitive context information and difficulty in accurate entry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional one-dimensional table interface to a two-dimensional calendar interface where time entries are represented as adjustable regions. This dimensional change provides visual context and spatial representation of time blocks, making it more intuitive for users to understand and manipulate time entries while maintaining implementation feasibility through standard GUI controls.
2Device complexity
If a traditional table interface is used, then the system complexity is low, but the productivity of time entry decreases due to cumbersome input process
Solution Approach 1:
The calendar interface with adjustable regions allows users to directly manipulate time entries by dragging and resizing visual blocks on the calendar. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex form filling and data entry procedures, enabling users to quickly adjust time entries intuitively while the system automatically processes the changes without requiring complex backend operations.
3Device complexity
If contextual information is not provided in the interface, then the interface design is simple, but the accuracy of time entry decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The calendar interface applies local quality by displaying different visual information in different regions of the calendar. Each adjustable region represents a specific time block with contextual information such as date, time range, and associated activities displayed locally within or near the region. This localized presentation of contextual information helps users accurately identify and enter time entries without overwhelming the entire interface with complex data structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A user interface for receiving time entries in a timesheet is described. This user interface includes a user-interface element in the form of a calendar, where the calendar contains one or more time entries associated with at least a financial activity. Moreover, a given time entry, which is associated with a corresponding block of time, is graphically represented as an adjustable region in the calendar. Additionally, a user can change one or more temporal parameters associated with the time entry by using a pointing device to select and modify one or more geometric properties of the adjustable region.