Patent ID: 7877420

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for incorporating meta-data in document content, the method comprising: initiating an application program configured to generate a document; displaying on a client computing device, by the initiated application program, a property panel, the property panel containing data elements configured to receive meta-data to be associated with the document generated by the application program; storing a schema within the document, wherein the schema defines properties of each data element; storing a hash with the schema; receiving an indication on the client computing device whether the hash corresponds to a hash of the current schema stored on a server; in response to determining that the hash does not correspond to the hash of the current schema, downloading the current schema to the client computing device; binding the meta-data to a plurality of references in the document; referencing the schema stored within the document so the meta-data is rendered while the client computing device is in an offline state; receiving, in one of the references in the document or within the property panel, a user-specified change to the meta-data; changing document content at the plurality of references in the document where the meta-data is bound to reflect the user-specified change to the meta-data; and changing meta-data displayed in the property panel to reflect the user-specified change.