Automatically creating data hierarchy in CRM applications based on imported contact data

An automated contact import module enables users to select groups of contacts to import from an email, contact management, scheduling (ECS) application based on viewing contacts by category, organization, email domain, and similar attributes. Contacts in selected groups are imported to a CRM application with automatic data mapping. Communication history may be part of the import process by searching previously indexed emails, appointments, and comparable data associated with the selected contacts effectively creating a data hierarchy at the CRM application.

BACKGROUND

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions provide tools and capabilities needed to create and maintain a clear picture of customers, from first contact through purchase and post-sales. For complex organizations, a CRM system may provide features and capabilities to help improve the way sales and marketing organizations target new customers, manage marketing campaigns, and drive sales activities. CRM systems may include many components, hardware and software, utilized individually or in a shared manner by users internal or external to the organization.

CRM systems are an example of computing systems where data associated with entities such as persons, organizations, accounts, and similar ones are maintained for various purposes. Some of the information, like contact information, collected and maintained by CRM applications may also be collected by other common applications such as email, contact, and/or scheduling applications (for example, Outlook® by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.). While other applications have object based or comparable structures for contacts and similar data, CRM applications typically employ hierarchical data structures, where the data is associated with accounts. Thus, conventional approaches to importing contact data to CRM applications include a significant amount of manual operations that involve importing different types of data such as communication history along with contact data, creation of hierarchies, connections with accounts, and so on.

SUMMARY

Embodiments are directed to enabling users to select groups of contacts to import from an email, contact management, scheduling (ECS) application based on viewing contacts by category, organization, email domain, and similar attributes. Contacts in selected groups may be imported to a CRM application with automatic data mapping. According to some embodiments, communication history may be part of the import process by searching previously indexed emails, appointments, and comparable data associated with the selected contacts effectively creating a data hierarchy at the CRM application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the embodiments will be described in the general context of program modules that execute in conjunction with an application program that runs on an operating system on a computing device, those skilled in the art will recognize that aspects may also be implemented in combination with other program modules.

Throughout this specification, the term “platform” may be a combination of software and hardware components for providing CRM and/or email, contact, scheduling based services. Examples of platforms include, but are not limited to, a hosted service executed over a plurality of servers, an application executed on a single computing device, and comparable systems. The term “server” generally refers to a computing device executing one or more software programs typically in a networked environment. However, a server may also be implemented as a virtual server (software programs) executed on one or more computing devices viewed as a server on the network. More detail on these technologies and example operations is provided below.

The combined term ECS application is used herein to collectively describe hosted and/or local applications that provide email, scheduling, contact management, calendaring, and similar services. An example of such applications is Outlook® by Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash. Such applications may provide one or more of the above listed functionality through a number of user interfaces. They may be executed on a server as a hosted service and accessed by users through thin clients such as browsers or locally executed client applications. Some of the services may be provided online, others may be provided offline. For simplicity, such applications are referred to collectively as ECS applications.

Referring toFIG. 1, diagram100illustrates a networked environment, where contact information from an ECS application may be imported to a CRM application creating associated data hierarchy at the CRM application according to some embodiments. The computing devices and computing environments shown in diagram100are for illustration purposes. Embodiments may be implemented in various local, networked, and similar computing environments employing a variety of computing devices and systems.

In an example environment illustrated in diagram100, a user may access a CRM application108executed on a CRM server106through a browser or client application114executed on a computing device112via network(s)110. The user may also access email, contact management, and/or scheduling services managed by an ECS application104executed on server102through the same or different browser or client application114executed on the computing device112via network(s)110. Some of the tasks associated with the ECS services may be performed online, while others may be performed offline. In case of dedicated client applications, the client application is sometimes referred to as offline client when it is operating without a connection to the ECS application104. When the client application is in contact with the ECS application104, it may be referred to as online client.

Both, ECS application104and CRM application108may collect and maintain information such as contact information. While the ECS application104may employ and object based structure for contact and other information, CRM application108is likely to have a data hierarchy, where contact information is associated with accounts.

In a system according to embodiments, contact data116and optionally associated data118(e.g., communication history comprising emails, appointments, instant message exchanges, faxes, etc.) may be imported from ECS application104to CRM application108by enabling users to select contacts based on category, organization, email domain, etc., which allows the system to create data hierarchy on the CRM side based on the groupings. Automatic data mapping may be customizable by users. The end result is hierarchically created CRM contact data120.

FIG. 2illustrates example actions and components in import of contact information from an ECS platform to a CRM platform based on grouping of contacts. As shown in diagram200, a contact import manager module224may retrieve contact data from ECS contact store222. The module may analyze the contacts through an item grouper process226and present grouped contacts to a user through its user interface. For example, if a user's contacts in the ECS application are organized, the module may determine which folders contain business contacts (or based on categories assigned to contacts). The module may also arrange the contact according to email domains, categories, organizations, and similar attributes associated with each contact.

The grouped and arranged contacts are then presented to the user such that the user can select groups of contacts based on the arrangement to be imported to the CRM contact store236. An ECS contact tagger process230may tag the contacts to be imported based on the group selections. If the user indicates that communication history should be included along with the basic contact information, a communication history tagger process232may tag any data (e.g., emails, tasks, appointments, faxes, and similar records) associated with selected contacts. The tagged data through both processes may then be provided to CRM contact store236through a synchronization process234. The synchronization process may ensure bidirectional synchronization such that records on both sides (ECS and CRM) match and duplicate records are eliminated.

If communication history is to be included, enhanced search capabilities of the ECS application may be utilized to find records. For example, some ECS applications may index data such as meetings, emails, and similar data for efficient search. In determining communication history data for a contact, the contact import manager module224may initiate a search at the ECS application and tag the search results in a search folder of the ECS application.

When the import is completed, feedback may be provided to the user in form of statistics or similar information. The imported information may be structured hierarchically on the CRM side according to a data structure of the CRM application that is inherent to each business (e.g. an account structure). The contact import manager module224may be launched from a browser application, from within a user interface of the CRM application, or directly (i.e., it may be an independent module with its own user interface).

The examples inFIGS. 1 and 2have been described with specific configurations and components. Embodiments are not limited to systems according to these example configurations and components. Automatic creation of data hierarchy in CRM systems based on imported contact data may be implemented in configurations using other types of components, processes, and configurations in a similar manner using the principles described herein.

FIG. 3illustrates a screenshot of an example import module user interface for enabling a user to specify contact groupings and other attributes associated with the import process. Import module user interface may present the tasks associated with importing contact data to a CRM application in three main views. In a first view selectable by tab342, the user may be presented with a list of folders to select from in the ECS application if the contacts in the ECS application are organized according to folders. A second view shown inFIG. 3under tab344may enable the user to select groups of contacts and indicate whether or not communication history data should also be imported. A third view selectable by tab346may provide feedback on completed import operations.

As discussed above, the import module may analyze contacts in the ECS application and group them based on attributes such as categories, email domains, organizations, and comparable ones. The grouping criterion may be presented in a drop-down menu348such that the user is enabled to select a different grouping criterion. The groups of contacts may be presented in column352with descriptors indicating what the group was based on. In case of categories, a graphical element (e.g., a colored box or circle, an icon, etc.) may also be used. Further explanation on the groups may be presented in column354. For example, a group based on a red category may include contacts that belong to a particular organization (e.g., company) or another group may include contacts with a particular email domain.

Column350may display a size (a number of contacts) for each listed group. Column349may include selection controls such as check boxes to enable the user to select of unselect one or more of the presented groups. Similarly, column356may be used to enable the user to indicate whether communication history should also be imported for a particular group. The presentation of the import process choices and progress may include textual, graphical, color, shading, and other schemes. Furthermore, the suggested groups and associated information may be presented in ways other than column format. For example, icons or similar graphical elements may be used to represent groups in a less structured presentation. The user interface may be presented as an independent user interface or an integrated part of a CRM user interface (e.g. within the CRM application user interface or within a browser page associated with the CRM application).

FIG. 4illustrates another screenshot of an example import module user interface providing feedback upon completion of the import process. Import module user interface400displays information associated with progress or completion of the import operations under tab446. A status indicator462provides feedback on the progress (e.g., import completed). A summary information section464may display the number of contacts and associated data that has been imported. Moreover, additional information such as duplicate detection information466may also be displayed to the user.

As inFIG. 3, various textual, graphical, color, and shading schemes may be employed to enhance the presentation of the information on import module user interface400. Furthermore, some or all of the information presented may be made actionable. For example, summary information on imported data may include links that may open the CRM application's relevant user interfaces to view or edit the imported data.

The import process may be triggered when a user marks an item for synchronization or alters an ECS contact. Import may also be triggered in response to the user manually initiating ECS synchronization with CRM or a background operation beginning on a periodic basis.

Import module user interfaces300and400are intended to be illustrative examples of how information and options associated with the import process may be provided to a user. Embodiments are not limited to the textual or graphical elements and configurations shown on the screenshots. An import module user interface according to embodiments may include additional or fewer elements with other configurations.

FIG. 5is an example networked environment, where embodiments may be implemented. A system for importing contact information to CRM applications from ECS applications may be implemented via software executed over one or more servers514such as a hosted service. The platform may communicate with client applications on individual computing devices such as a smart phone513, a laptop computer512, or desktop computer511(client devices') through network(s)510.

Client applications executed on any of the client devices511-513may facilitate communications with an ECS application executed on one or more of servers514and a CRM application executed on server516. An import module executed in conjunction with the CRM application may facilitate importing of various contact information and optionally associated communication history data maintained by the ECS application to the CRM application as discussed previously. The CRM and/or ECS applications may retrieve relevant data from data store(s)519directly or through database server518, and provide requested services (e.g. document editing) to the user(s) through client devices511-513.

Network(s)510may comprise any topology of servers, clients, Internet service providers, and communication media. A system according to embodiments may have a static or dynamic topology. Network(s)510may include secure networks such as an enterprise network, an unsecure network such as a wireless open network, or the Internet. Network(s)510may also coordinate communication over other networks such as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or cellular networks. Furthermore, network(s)510may include short range wireless networks such as Bluetooth or similar ones. Network(s)510provide communication between the nodes described herein. By way of example, and not limitation, network(s)510may include wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media.

Many other configurations of computing devices, applications, data sources, and data distribution systems may be employed to implement a platform providing contact data import between ECS and CRM applications. Furthermore, the networked environments discussed inFIG. 5are for illustration purposes only. Embodiments are not limited to the example applications, modules, or processes.

FIG. 6and the associated discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which embodiments may be implemented. With reference toFIG. 6, a block diagram of an example computing operating environment for an application according to embodiments is illustrated, such as computing device600. In a basic configuration, computing device600may be any computing device executing an application capable of providing email, contact management, scheduling, and similar services, as well as access to a CRM application according to embodiments and include at least one processing unit602and system memory604. Computing device600may also include a plurality of processing units that cooperate in executing programs. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, the system memory604may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or some combination of the two. System memory604typically includes an operating system605suitable for controlling the operation of the platform, such as the WINDOWS® operating systems from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash. The system memory604may also include one or more software applications such as program modules606, ECS application622, and synchronization module624.

ECS application622may provide email, scheduling, contact management, and comparable services in conjunction with a hosted service. CRM import module624may enable import of contact data and associated communication history data from the ECS application622to a CRM application creating hierarchical structures automatically on the CRM side. CRM import module624may be a separate application or an integrated module of a hosted CRM service. This basic configuration is illustrated inFIG. 6by those components within dashed line608.

Computing device600may have additional features or functionality. For example, the computing device600may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated inFIG. 6by removable storage609and non-removable storage610. Computer readable storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. System memory604, removable storage609and non-removable storage610are all examples of computer readable storage media. Computer readable storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computing device600. Any such computer readable storage media may be part of computing device600. Computing device600may also have input device(s)612such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, and comparable input devices. Output device(s)614such as a display, speakers, printer, and other types of output devices may also be included. These devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here.

Computing device600may also contain communication connections616that allow the device to communicate with other devices618, such as over a wired or wireless network in a distributed computing environment, a satellite link, a cellular link, a short range network, and comparable mechanisms. Other devices618may include computer device(s) that execute communication applications, web servers, and comparable devices. Communication connection(s)616is one example of communication media. Communication media can include therein computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media.

FIG. 7illustrates a logic flow diagram for process700of importing contact data from an ECS application to a CRM application according to embodiments. Process700may be implemented on a client device.

Process700begins with operation710, where the import module is launched from within a CRM user interface or a browser providing access to the CRM service. If the contact data in the ECS application is organized in folders as determined in decision operation720, the user may be presented with a list of the folders and a user selection of folders received at operation730. If the contacts in the ECS application are not organized in folders or upon receiving the folder selection, the import module may analyze the contacts and present grouping based on criteria such as categories, email domains, organizations, and similar attributes at operation740. At the same operation suggested relationships for associating the groups may also be provided.

Upon receiving contact group selections at operation750and parent account indication for selected groups at operation760, the import module may receive optionally an indication whether communication history is to be imported as well at operation770. If the communication history is to be imported, search capabilities of the ECS application may be taken advantage of in finding emails, faxes, letters, tasks, appointments, meetings, and similar information associated with the contact to be imported. At operation780, the contacts tagged in the group selection process and optionally the communication data tagged in the communication history search process may be imported into the CRM application creating hierarchical structure for the imported data based on the data structure of the CRM system.

The operations included in process700are for illustration purposes. Bidirectional synchronization between ECS and CRM applications may be implemented by similar processes with fewer or additional steps, as well as in different order of operations using the principles described herein.