Finding unique formula sets in spreadsheets
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsSteven Paul Kraynak, Mark Alan Mullins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Spreadsheets include cells arranged in rows and columns and various formulas contained within one or more of the cells. Systems and methods are provided for identifying and utilizing functionally unique formulas within the spreadsheets, as well as corresponding unique formula sets. Unique formula sets are identified by determining one or more arrangements of rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that contain the functionally unique formulas. The unique formula sets can be marked for subsequent reference and can be highlighted for visual inspection.
Claims20
A computing system comprising:
- at least one processor;
- at least one hardware storage device having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, implement a method for determining unique formula sets in a spreadsheet, the method comprising:
- using a parsing tool to parse populated cells in the spreadsheet to identify one or more cells that are determined to contain one or more corresponding formulas;
- using a formula evaluation tool to evaluate each of the one or more corresponding formulas to determine which of the corresponding formulas are functionally unique;
- for each formula that is determined to be functionally unique, detecting one or more rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that contain the functionally unique formula;
- using a unique formula set tool to identify a quantity of one or more unique formula sets from the one or more rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that share the same functionally unique formula;
- and
- using a marking tool to generate one or more identifier for each unique formula set.
One or more hardware storage device having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one hardware processor of a computing system, implement a method for determining unique formula sets in a spreadsheet, the method comprising:
- using a parsing tool to parse populated cells in the spreadsheet to identify one or more cells that are determined to contain one or more corresponding formulas;
- using a formula evaluation tool to evaluate each of the one or more corresponding formulas to determine which of the corresponding formulas are functionally unique;
- for each formula that is determined to be functionally unique, detecting one or more rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that contain the functionally unique formula;
- using a unique formula set tool to identify a quantity of one or more unique formula sets from the one or more rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that share the same functionally unique formula;
- and
- visually identifying the one or more unique formula sets.
A computer-implemented method for determining unique formula sets in a document, the method being implemented by a computing system that includes at least one processor that executed computer-executable instructions to implement the method, the method comprising:
- using a parsing tool to parse populated cells in the document to identify one or more cells that are determined to contain one or more corresponding formulas;
- using a formula evaluation tool to evaluate each of the one or more corresponding formulas to determine which of the corresponding formulas are functionally unique;
- for each formula that is determined to be functionally unique, detecting one or more rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that contain the functionally unique formula;
- using a unique formula set tool to identify a quantity of one or more unique formula sets from the one or more rectangular ranges of contiguous cells that share the same functionally unique formula;
- and
- generating output that reflects at least the quantity of the one or more unique formula sets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.