Patent ID: 7099890

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for embedding an object in a spreadsheet cell of a spreadsheet object, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an object function as an input into a spreadsheet cell of a spreadsheet object to embed an object in the spreadsheet cell, wherein the object function includes an object identifier identifying a location of the object; parsing the object function to determine whether the object function is valid and has a proper syntax; accessing the object identified by the object identifier, to determine whether the object is functional; embedding the object in the spreadsheet cell, in response to receiving the object function as the input into the spreadsheet cell and a determination that the object function is valid and has the proper syntax wherein the object is created by an application other than that which created the spreadsheet object; and recalculating the spreadsheet cell, in response to the determination that the object is functional; thereby providing the spreadsheet object with access to outside data services and functionality.