Method and system for reconciling sections of documents

In a data processing system, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• providing a first document containing a first section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program;
• providing a first history list that is associated with the first section and which identifies modifications made in the first section;
• providing a second document containing a second section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program;
• providing a second history list that is associated with the second section and which identifies modifications made in the second section;
• and
• reconciling the first section and the second section using the first history list and the second history list so as to maintain the first section and the second section with the same identified modifications.

In a data processing system, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• providing a first document having a first section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program and is identified by a first section identifier;
• providing a second document having a second section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program and is identified by a second section identifier;
• determining whether the first section identifier and the second section identifier match;
• and
• when the first section identifier and the second section identifier match, reconciling the first section and the second section.

In a data processing system, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• providing a first document having a first section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program, the first section being identified by a first globally unique identifier;
• providing a second document having a second section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program, the second section being identified by a second globally unique identifier;
• comparing the first globally unique identifier with the second globally unique identifier;
• and
• when the first globally unique identifier matches the second globally unique identifier, reconciling the first section and the second section.

In a data processing system, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• providing a first document with a first section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program, the first section having a history list;
• providing a second document with a second section which constitutes a grouping of data for processing by an application program, the second section having a history list;
• determining that the first section and the second section match;
• determining which of the sections have been modified using the history lists;
• and
• notifying a user which of the sections have been modified.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a first document having first sections, each of the first sections having an associated history list, each associated history list identifying versions of the associated section in a temporal order, each of the versions being associated with a set of modifications made to a section;
• a second document having second sections, each of the second sections having an associated history list, each associated history list identifying versions of the associated section in a temporal order, each of the versions being associated with a set of modifications made to a section, the second section matching the first section;
• a reconciler for reconciling matching sections of the first document and the second document, the reconciler comprising:
• a correlator for determining matching sections;
• a comparator for determining which of the matching sections has been modified;
• an updator for updating matching sing sections based on which of the matching sections has been modified and for setting a reconciliation indicator.

A computer-readable storage medium, upon which is stored a reconciliation application program, the reconciliation application program comprising:

• a retriever for retrieving a first document and a second document, each of the documents containing sections, each of the sections having section identifiers and history lists, each of the history lists having version entries associated with modifications to a version of that section;
• a correlator for determining that the section identifiers match;
• a comparator for determining which of the matching sections has been modified using the version entries in each of the history lists;
• and
• an updator for updating the matching sections based on which of the matching sections has been modified.