Systems and methods for modifying time data in a time management system

A method of retrieving and storing time data in a time management computer system having at least one server with a memory, a processor, and a network interface, the method comprising:

• configuring the memory, using the processor, to store time records according to a configuration comprising:
• a plurality of time types, each of the time records referencing one of the time types and wherein a time type is a category applied to a time entry;
• one or more collision groupings, wherein each collision grouping is a logical grouping of at least two time types that overlap with each other, each of the collision groupings being referenced by one or more of the time types;
• and
• one or more collision resolution items, each of the collision resolution items referencing an incoming grouping and an existing grouping;
• receiving, at a user interface, input including a recorded time entry and a time type for the recorded time entry;
• receiving, via the network interface, a first time record including the received recorded time entry and the time type for the recorded time entry;
• storing the first time record, wherein upon storing, the first time record is an existing time record;
• receiving, via the user interface and the network interface, an incoming time record which at least partially overlaps the existing time record, the incoming time record having a first time type and the existing time record having a second time type, wherein the first type is different from the second type;
• and
• performing, using the processor, if a collision resolution item exists which corresponds to the first time type and the second time type, a modification to the stored time records based on the incoming time record and the existing time record, wherein, if the existing time record comprises two portions with a gap there between and the incoming time record overlaps and extends beyond both ends of the gap, the modification to the stored time records comprises:
• cancelling the two portions of the existing time record;
• creating two new portions of the existing time record which extend from ends of the incoming time record to outer ends of the two cancelled portions;
• and
• storing the incoming time record.

A system for performing retrieving and storing of time data in a time management computer system, the system comprising at least one server having a processor, memory, and a network interface, said at least one server being adapted to perform:

• configuring the memory, using the processor, to store time records according to a configuration comprising:
• a plurality of time types, each of the time records referencing one of the time types and wherein a time type is a category applied to a time entry;
• one or more collision groupings, wherein each collision grouping is a logical grouping of at least two time types that overlap with each other, each of the collision groupings being referenced by one or more of the time types;
• and
• one or more collision resolution items, each of the collision resolution items referencing an incoming grouping and an existing grouping;
• receiving, at a user interface, input including a recorded time entry and a time type for the recorded time entry;
• receiving, via the network interface, a first time record including the received recorded time entry and the time type for the recorded time entry;
• storing the first time record, wherein upon storing, the first time record is an existing time record;
• receiving, via the user interface and the network interface, an incoming time record which at least partially overlaps the existing time record, the incoming time record having a first time type and the existing time record having a second time type, wherein the first type is different from the second type;
• and
• performing, using the processor, if a collision resolution item exists which corresponds to the first time type and the second time type, a modification to the stored time records based on the incoming time record and the existing time record, wherein if the incoming time record extends beyond only a first end of the existing time record, the modification to the stored time records comprises:
• cancelling the existing time record;
• creating a new portion of the existing time record which extends from a second end of the incoming time record to an outer end of the cancelled time record;
• and
• storing the incoming time record.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions executed by a processor of at least one server of a computer system, the server having a processor, memory, and a network interface, the medium comprising instructions for causing the processor to perform:

• configuring the memory, using the processor, to store time records according to a configuration comprising:
• a plurality of time types, each of the time records referencing one of the time types and wherein a time type is a category applied to a time entry;
• one or more collision groupings, wherein each collision grouping is a logical groping of at least two time types that overlap with each other, each of the collision groupings being referenced by one or more of the time types;
• and
• one or more collision resolution items, each of the collision resolution items referencing an incoming grouping and an existing grouping;
• receiving, at a user interface, input including a recorded time entry and a time type for the recorded time entry;
• receiving, via the network interface, a first time record including the received recorded time entry and the time type for the recorded time entry;
• storing the first time record, wherein upon storing, the first time record is an existing time record;
• receiving, via the user interface and the network interface, an incoming time record which at least partially overlaps the existing time record, the incoming time record having a first time type and the existing time record having a second time type, wherein the first type is different from the second type;
• and
• performing, using the processor, if a collision resolution item exists which corresponds to the first time type and the second time type, a modification to the stored time records based on the incoming time record and the existing time record, wherein if the incoming time record extends beyond both ends of the existing time record, the modification to the stored time records comprises:
• cancelling the existing time record;
• and
• storing the incoming time record.