# US 9,882,849 B2 · Action assignment and tracking functionality for email > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,849 B2 - Document ID: US9882849B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/659,900 - Filed: 2015-03-17 - Published: 2016-09-22 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-17 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Samuel Mathew Jawaharlal; Bala Priyadarshini Muralidharan; Arunachalam Narayanan; Sathya Santhar; Balamurugaramanathan Sivaramalingam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882849B2 ## CPC - H04L 51/08: Annexed information, e.g. attachments - H04L 51/18: Commands or executable codes - H04L 51/234: for tracking messages - H04L 51/02: using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In an approach to action assignment and tracking, a computer receives a first email from a first computing device, where the first email includes at least one action assigned by a sender of the first email to at least one recipient of the first email. The computer determines whether the sender specified a due date for the action. The computer determines whether the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the action. In response to determining the sender specified at least one of a due date for the action and one or more time intervals for a status update of the action, the computer initiates a timer. In response to determining the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the action, the computer provides a status of the action to the sender at the one or more time intervals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for action assignment and tracking, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, by one or more computer processors, a first email from a first computing device wherein the first email includes at least one action assigned by a sender of the first email to at least one recipient of the first email; determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the sender specified a due date for the at least one action; determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the at least one action; responsive to determining the sender specified at least one of the due date for the at least one action and the one or more time intervals for a status update of the at least one action, initiating, by the one or more computer processors, a timer; responsive to determining the at least one action includes the due date, determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the at least one recipient is available; responsive to determining the at least one recipient is not available, determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the at least one recipient will be available prior to the due date of the at least one action; responsive to determining the at least one recipient is not available prior to the due date of the at least one action, notifying, by the one or more computer processors, via a short messaging service message, the at least one recipient that the first email is sent; and responsive to determining the sender specified the one or more time intervals for the status update of the at least one action, providing, by the one or more computer processors, a status of the at least one action to the sender at the one or more time intervals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to receiving the first email from the first computing device, sending, by the one or more computer processors, the first email to a second computing device; and notifying, by the one or more computer processors, via a short messaging service message, the at least one recipient that the first email is sent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to determining the at least one action includes the due date, determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the at least one action is complete by the due date; responsive to determining the at least one action is not complete by the due date, notifying, by the one or more computer processors, the at least one recipient; and providing, by the one or more computer processors, the status of the at least one action to the sender. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein notifying the recipient includes at least one of: sending a notification via a short messaging service message, or displaying an alert on a second computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising, responsive to determining the at least one action is complete by the due date, providing, by the one or more computer processors, the status of the at least one action to the sender. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the status of the at least one action to the sender includes at least one of: providing a dashboard that displays the status of the at least one action on the first computing device, or displaying a pop-up box on the first computing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action assigned by a sender includes at least one of: a name of the at least one recipient, the due date, the one or more time intervals for one or more status updates, and a description of the at least one action. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the sender specified the due date for the at least one action further comprises, retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, data associated with the first email that indicates the due date. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the sender specified the one or more time intervals for the status update of the at least one action further comprises, retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, data associated with the first email that indicates the one or more time intervals for the status update of the at least one action. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sender generates the first email utilizing a function capable of assigning the at least one action to the at least one recipient. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the function is further capable of notifying the at least one recipient via a short messaging service message. ### Claim 12 A computer program product for action assignment and tracking, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: program instructions to receive a first email from a first computing device wherein the first email includes at least one action assigned by a sender of the first email to at least one recipient of the first email; program instructions to determine whether the sender specified a due date for the at least one action; program instructions to determine whether the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the at least one action; responsive to determining the sender specified at least one of the due date for the at least one action and the one or more time intervals for a status update of the at least one action, program instructions to initiate a timer; responsive to determining the at least one action includes the due date, program instructions to determine whether the at least one recipient is available; responsive to determining the at least one recipient is not available, program instructions to determine whether the at least one recipient will be available prior to the due date of the at least one action; responsive to determining the at least one recipient is not available prior to the due date of the at least one action, program instructions to notify via a short messaging service message, the at least one recipient that the first email is sent; and responsive to determining the sender specified the one or more time intervals for the status update of the at least one action, program instructions to provide a status of the at least one action to the sender at the one or more time intervals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising: responsive to receiving the first email from the first computing device, program instructions to send the first email to a second computing device; and program instructions to notify via a short messaging service message, the at least one recipient that the first email is sent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising: responsive to determining the at least one action includes the due date, program instructions to determine whether the at least one action is complete by the due date; responsive to determining the at least one action is not complete by the due date, program instructions to notify the at least one recipient; and program instructions to provide the status of the at least one action to the sender. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein notifying the recipient includes at least one of: sending a notification via a short messaging service message, or displaying an alert on a second computing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising, responsive to determining the at least one action is complete by the due date, program instructions to provide the status of the at least one action to the sender. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, wherein providing the status of the at least one action to the sender includes at least one of: providing a dashboard that displays the status of the at least one action on the first computing device, or displaying a pop-up box on the first computing device. ### Claim 18 A computer system for action assignment and tracking, the computer system comprising: one or more computer processors; one or more computer readable storage media; program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising: program instructions to receive a first email from a first computing device wherein the first email includes at least one action assigned by a sender of the first email to at least one recipient of the first email; program instructions to determine whether the sender specified a due date for the at least one action; program instructions to determine whether the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the at least one action; responsive to determining the sender specified at least one of the due date for the at least one action and the one or more time intervals for a status update of the at least one action, program instructions to initiate a timer; responsive to determining the at least one action includes the due date, program instructions to determine whether the at least one recipient is available; responsive to determining the at least one recipient is not available, program instructions to determine whether the at least one recipient will be available prior to the due date of the at least one action; responsive to determining the at least one recipient is not available prior to the due date of the at least one action, program instructions to notify via a short messaging service message, the at least one recipient that the first email is sent; and responsive to determining the sender specified the one or more time intervals for the status update of the at least one action, program instructions to provide a status of the at least one action to the sender at the one or more time intervals.