Patent ID: 7581165

Claim:
A system for facilitating information exchange, the system comprising: a server that has at least one database and that is in communication with a network, and a client computer, wherein the server is configured to: receive a request from the client computer to retrieve at least one supporting document stored within the at least one database, wherein a collaborative group that includes a plurality of users is defined within the at least one database, wherein the collaborative group has access to a spreadsheet operatively associated with the at least one supporting document; retrieve the at least one supporting document from the at least one database in response to receiving the request; and provide the client computer with access to the at least one supporting document that is operatively associated with the spreadsheet such that the at least one supporting document is displayed along with the spreadsheet at the client computer; wherein the client computer is configured to provide a screen view that is displayed separately from the spreadsheet; and wherein the screen view conveys a submission status of the spreadsheet, provides information concerning a hyperlink to the at least one supporting document and provides a direct link to an email/message posting wizard.