Electronic Form Prompt Versioning for Historical Data Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic forms become obsolete and difficult to use due to changes in business processes and commercial realities over time, leading to data obsolescence and usability issues when forms are not dynamically updated.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for generating and processing electronic forms that utilize instantiated prompts, allowing forms to be dynamically updated while maintaining historical data integrity by segregating prompt instances and user inputs from the underlying prompts, enabling flexible form generation and modification without altering historical records.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If electronic forms are updated to reflect changes in business processes and commercial realities, then the forms remain relevant and useful for current operations, but historical data collected using previous versions becomes obsolete and difficult to use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability of electronic forms to changing business processesVSAvoidusability of historical data

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the electronic form into two independent components: the form template (which can be updated) and the historical data (which remains preserved). By separating the form structure from the collected data, the system allows templates to evolve with changing business needs while maintaining the integrity and usability of historical records in their original context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates and maintains copies of form templates across different versions. When a form template is updated, the system preserves the original version as a copy, allowing historical data to continue associating with the original template version. This enables multiple form versions to coexist, each with its own historical data, preventing data obsolescence while allowing adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If electronic forms remain static to maintain data consistency, then historical data remains usable and comparable, but the forms become obsolete and difficult to use as business processes change

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusability of historical dataVSAvoidadaptability of electronic forms to changing business processes

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic versioning of form templates, where multiple versions can coexist and be actively used. Instead of a single static form, the system allows templates to evolve over time with each version maintaining its own instance and historical data association. This dynamic approach enables both adaptability to changing business processes and preservation of historical data usability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by creating versioned copies of form templates before making changes. This allows the original form version to remain intact for historical data association, while a new version is prepared for future use. This preliminary versioning action prevents data obsolescence while enabling form adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If form structure is modified to improve usability and reflect current business needs, then the forms become more useful for current operations, but data collected over time becomes difficult to compare and analyze

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusability of electronic formsVSAvoidcomparability of historical data

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the form system into template definitions and data instances, where template modifications do not affect existing data instances. When form structure is modified to improve usability, the changes are applied to new template versions while historical data instances remain associated with their original template versions, preserving comparability across time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates copies of form templates when modifications are needed. The original template copy remains associated with historical data, while a new copy contains the improved structure. This copying mechanism allows usability improvements without compromising the comparability of historical data collected under the original structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS20260105239A1Systems and methods for generating and processing electronic forms

Publication Date: 2026.04.16 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method of generating and processing electronic forms may include: generating and storing a plurality of prompts; receiving a first form request from a first user device; generating a first form including a first set of prompt instances; causing the first form to be displayed on the first user device; receiving a first set of user inputs, each of the first set of user inputs being associated with one or more of the first set of prompt instances; and storing the first set of prompt instances and the first set of user inputs while maintaining the plurality of prompts.