# US 2017/0286375 A1 · Generating documents using templates

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- Number: US 2017/0286375 A1
- Document ID: US20170286375A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/363,201
- Filed: 2016-11-29
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2004-11-10
- Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Inventors: Christopher S. Hargarten; Monique H. Ozoux-Dean; Ning Sun
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170286375A1

## CPC

- G06F 40/151: Transformation
- G06F 40/166: Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
- G06F 40/186: Templates
- G06Q 30/04: Billing or invoicing
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A computing system is disclosed including a computer processor configured to receive a selection of a template and identify a data field in the template. The data field indicates financial data to fill in the data field. The computer processor is configured to retrieve the financial data for the data field from stored financial data and generate a document according to the selected template. The generated document has the financial data within the data field.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A computer-implemented method comprising:
identifying a scripting language node in a template associated with a first computing program, wherein the node corresponds to a document data field and includes a script defining a data retrieval operation associated with the document data field;
performing the data retrieval operation to retrieve data from a data store associated with a second computing program that is different than the first computing program; and
generating, by the first computing program, a document according to the template, the document including the document data field with the retrieved data.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the second computing program comprises a financial program.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the scripting language node comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) node.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, and further comprising:
determining whether the document data field is an open data field that is finable with data.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein determining whether the document data field is an open data field comprises:
querying the first computing program to determine whether the document data field includes data.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the first computing program comprises a word processing program having a word processing function configured to modify the generated document.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the script identifies a type of data to fill the document data field.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, and further comprising:
based on an indication of the user input, editing the script on the template.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The computer-implemented method of claim 21, and further comprising:
generating a representation of a user interface display including a document export user input mechanism; and
based on an indication of user actuation of the document export user input mechanism, initiating a document export process in which the first computing program formats and exports the document generated according to the template and the retrieved data.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the document export process operates in the background of the second computing program.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein the document export process comprises at least one of:
a document printing process in which the document is printed using a printing device; or
a document transfer process in which the document is electronically communicated to another device.

### Claim 32

A computing system comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory storing instructions executable by the at least processor, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:
identify a scripting language node in a template associated with a first computing program, wherein the node corresponds to a document data field and includes a script defining a data retrieval operation associated with the document data field;
perform the data retrieval operation to retrieve data from a data store associated with a second computing program that is different than the first computing program; and
generate, by the first computing program, a document according to the template, the document including the document data field with the retrieved data.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the scripting language node comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) node.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the document comprises at least one of a word processing document or a spreadsheet document.

### Claim 35 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the script identifies a type of data to fill the document data field.

### Claim 36 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the first computing program comprises a word processing program having a word processing function configured to modify the generated document.

### Claim 37 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:
determine whether the document data field is an open data field that is fillable with data.

### Claim 38 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:
query the first computing program o determine whether the document data field includes data.

### Claim 39 (depends on 32)

The computing system claim 32, wherein the instructions con computing system to:
based on an indication of a user input, use the first computing program to edit the script on the template.

### Claim 40 (depends on 32)

The computing system of claim 32, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:
generate a representation of a user interface display including a document export user input mechanism; and
based on an indication of user actuation of the document export user input mechanism, initiate a document export process in which the first computing program formats and exports the document generated according to the template and the retrieved data.