Embedded Approval Data Structures for Collaborative Documents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional platforms do not efficiently track approval requests and responses for electronic documents, leading to increased latency, resource consumption, and inefficiency due to users having to search for notifications and request approvals for entire documents rather than specific sections, and separate presentation of approval status from document content.
Innovation Solution
A collaborative document platform integrates an approval data structure within the content of electronic documents to track and manage approval requests and responses, allowing users to interact with approval requests and responses directly within the document, reducing redundant requests and improving workflow efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If approval requests are tracked separately from document content, then notification delivery is simplified, but users experience increased latency and resource consumption due to searching for notifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the approval tracking system with the document content by embedding approval data structures directly within the document. This integration eliminates the need for separate notification searches, reducing user latency while maintaining systematic organization through structured data embedding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an approval data structure as an intermediary element that bridges document content and approval tracking. This mediator embeds approval requests, responses, and status information within the document itself, allowing users to access approval information contextually without separate notification systems.
2Productivity
If users request approval for entire documents, then comprehensive review is ensured, but resource consumption increases due to redundant requests for already-approved sections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the approval process by allowing users to request approval for specific sections or portions of a document rather than requiring approval for the entire document. The approval data structure tracks approval status at granular levels, enabling selective re-approval of only modified sections and eliminating redundant review of already-approved content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by enabling approval requests for only the necessary portions of a document that have been modified. Instead of requiring complete document re-approval, the system processes only the changed sections, reducing resource consumption while maintaining thorough review of relevant content.
3Ease of operation
If approval status is presented separately from document content, then information organization is simplified, but users cannot quickly identify rejected sections within the document
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines approval status information with document content by embedding approval data structures within the document. This integration allows users to view approval status contextually alongside the relevant content, quickly identifying rejected sections without navigating separate status reports, while maintaining organized information through structured embedding.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic document associated with users of a collaborative document platform is identified. The electronic document is associated with an approval data structure including entries that correspond to approval requests. A portion of an approval data structure is included within the content of the electronic document for presentation to a first user. A first user updates a first entry of the portion of the approval data structure included within the content of the electronic is detected. The update to the first entry corresponds to a first approval request for a second user to approve a portion of the electronic document. A first notification is transmitted to a second client device associated with the second user. The first notification indicates the first approval request. The approval data structure is updated to include data of the first entry.