Electronic calendaring method which provides for automatic assignment of alternates in requested events

An electronic calendaring method for use in a data processing system having a plurality of interactive type work stations connected directly or indirectly to a host processing unit and in which a first calendar owner receives a response from a second calendar owner as a result of a meeting notice sent through said system to said second calendar owner at the time said first owner is calendaring a meeting type event, said method selectively developing said response automatically, based on criteria that are pre-established by said second owner, said method comprising the steps of;

• (a) establishing a first data structure for use by said system during the calendaring of an event by said first owner including a plurality of fields for storing data relevant to said event,
• (b) establishing a second data structure for use by said system in developing an automatic response upon receiving said meeting notice from said first owner including a plurality of predefined fields for storing data entered into said system by said second owner including (1) criteria type data and (2) response type data which designates an alternate for said second owner to attend said meeting,
• (c) comparing said criteria type data stored in said second data structure to data stored in said first data structure when said meeting notice is received by said second owner, and
• (d) developing said response automatically to include the identity of said alternate when said comparing step indicates a predetermined relationship between one or more of said criteria type data and the corresponding respective data stored in said first data structure.