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Patent application title: CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE IN AN ON-DEMAND DATABASE SERVICE
Thomas Tobin (San Francisco, CA, US)
Vladislav Eroshin (Tiburon, CA, US)
Guillaume Lestum (San Francisco, CA, US)
Neelav Rana (San Francisco, CA, US)
Neelav Rana (San Francisco, CA, US)
Thomas Kim (San Francisco, CA, US)
salesforce.com, Inc.
IPC8 Class: AG06F1730FI
USPC Class:
Class name: Database and file access preparing data for information retrieval transforming data structures and data objects
Publication date: 2012-08-02
Patent application number: 20120197916
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Analytic snapshots aid reporting and dashboard infrastructure to be more
scalable and responsive to users. By storing the results of a query
generating aggregates, and refreshing these aggregates on a scheduled
basis, refreshing the dashboard (using the current dashboard
infrastructure) can be accelerated.
1. A method of creating an aggregation metric object, the method
comprising: identifying one or more source objects; identifying a target
object; determining an aggregation level, the aggregation level
describing a granularity of an aggregation of data from the source
objects into the target object; mapping fields between the one or more
source objects and the target object; automatically updating fields in
the target object pursuant to a user defined schedule; and providing an
update outside of the user defined schedule to a dashboard object using
the target object in response to a user-generated request to update the
dashboard object.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: receiving a drill-down query on data supplied by the target object; when the target object has a sufficient aggregation level to support the drill-down query, using information within the target object to form a response to the drill-down query; and when the target object has insufficient aggregation level to support the drill-down query, performing the drill-down query on the source objects to retrieve data to form a response to the drill-down query.
3. The method of claim 4, wherein the drill-down query is received by the dashboard object.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically updating fields further comprises automatically updating fields having a custom summary formula.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first field mapped to the target object is mapped as a previous field to a second field in the target object, and wherein the first field is accessed in the target object by requesting the previous field to the second field.
6. A method for speeding retrieval of data, the method comprising: selecting a source dataset to aggregate; selecting a target report object to contain an aggregated dataset, the aggregated dataset including a tabular dataset based at least in part on the source dataset, the tabular dataset being mapped to the target report object; providing the aggregated dataset from the target report object to a dashboard object; automatically updating the target report object from the source dataset periodically; and updating the dashboard object in response to a request, the request causing the target report object to update the aggregated dataset from the source dataset and provide the updated aggregated dataset to the dashboard object.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the aggregated dataset comprises two or more tuples forming summarized dimension values.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining an aggregation level for storing the aggregated dataset, the aggregation level describing the granularity of an aggregation of data from the source dataset into the target report object.
9. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising selecting an update operation.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the update operation is selected from the group of refresh, upsert or add.
11. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising the steps of: receiving a drill-down query on the aggregated dataset supplied by the target report object; when the target report object has sufficient aggregated data to support the drill-down query, using information within the target report object to form a response to the drill-down query; and when the target report object has insufficient aggregated data to support the drill-down query, performing the drill-down query on the source dataset to retrieve data to form a response to the drill-down query.
12. The method of claim 6, wherein the aggregated data contains a plurality of period snapshots of data.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of period snapshots contains a past period snapshot and a current period snapshot, and wherein updating the aggregated dataset further comprises updating the current period snapshot without updating the past period snapshot.
14. A method of speeding retrieval of summarized data, the method comprising: selecting a dataset to summarize from a data source; selecting a target report object to receive summarized data from the dataset; mapping the dataset to the target report object; storing the summarized data in the target report object; receiving a drill-down query on the summarized data; when the target report object has sufficient data to support the drill-down query, using the summarized data to form a response to the drill-down query; and when the target report object has insufficient data to support the drill-down query, performing the drill-down query on the source information to retrieve data to form a response to the drill-down query.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the target report object sends dashboard data based at least in part on the summarized data to a dashboard object.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the dashboard data is further summarized from the summarized data stored in the target report object.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising automatically updating the target report object periodically.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein a first field mapped to the target report object is mapped as a previous field to a second field in the target report object, and wherein the first field is accessed in the target object by requesting the previous field to the second field.
19. One or more computer-readable storage media having collectively stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least: select a source dataset to aggregate; select a target report object to contain an aggregated dataset, the aggregated dataset including a tabular dataset based at least in part on the source dataset, the tabular dataset being mapped to the target report object; provide the aggregated dataset from the target report object to a dashboard object; automatically update the target report object from the source dataset periodically; and update the dashboard object in response to a request, the request causing the target report object to update the aggregated dataset from the source dataset and provide the updated aggregated dataset to the dashboard object.
20. The computer readable media of claim 19, the instructions further causing the computer system to at least: receive a drill-down query on the aggregated dataset supplied by the target report object; when the target report object has sufficient aggregated data to support the drill-down query, use information within the target report object to form a response to the drill-down query; and when the target report object has insufficient aggregated data to support the drill-down query, perform the drill-down query on the source dataset to retrieve data to form a response to the drill-down query.
21. The computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the aggregated data contains a plurality of period snapshots of data.
22. The computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the plurality of period snapshots contains a past period snapshot and a current period snapshot, and wherein updating the aggregated dataset further comprises updating the current period snapshot without updating the past period snapshot.
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/693,256, filed Jan. 25, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/147,023, filed Jan. 23, 2009 (the content of application Ser. No. 12/693,256 and the content of provisional application Ser. No. 61/147,023 are incorporated by reference herein).
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
[0003] The subject matter described herein generally relates to sharing and accessing data, and more particularly to sharing and accessing data via an on-demand database and/or application service.
[0004] An on-demand database and/or application service may be embodied as a database system and/or an application system that is made available to outside users. These outside users need not necessarily be concerned with building and/or maintaining the database system and/or application system. Instead, they merely access or obtain use of the system when needed (e.g., on the demand of the users).
[0005] Some on-demand database or application services may store information from one or more users (or tenants) into tables of a common database image to form a multi-tenant database system (MTDS). A relational database management system (RDMS) or the equivalent may execute storage and retrieval of information against database object(s). An application platform may be a framework that allows applications to run and access data in the database.
[0006] In the following drawings, like reference numbers are used to refer to like elements. Although the following figures depict various exemplary embodiments, the subject matter is not limited to the examples depicted in the figures.
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an environment in which an on-demand database service might be used;
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative block diagram of the environment depicted in FIG. 1, along with various possible interconnections between elements according to an embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates a process of ensuring that an analytic job is not a complete failure;
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates a user interface (UI) screen with additional options on what columns/field values must be equal to merge data rows;
[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates a UI screen for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc.;
[0012] FIG. 6A illustrates a set of UI screens for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc.;
[0013] FIG. 6b illustrates a UI screen for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc.;
[0014] FIG. 7 illustrates a UI screen for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc.;
[0015] FIG. 8A illustrates a matrix report of bugs, by scrum team and priority, and by scheduled build and created date for the bug;
[0016] FIG. 8B is a unified modeling language (UML) diagram;
[0017] FIG. 9 illustrates a custom summary formula editor;
[0018] FIG. 10 illustrates a matrix report; and
[0019] FIG. 11 illustrates a formula builder.
[0020] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to sharing and accessing data, and more particularly to sharing and accessing data via an on-demand database and/or application service. Various methods, systems having elements or components configured to implement certain techniques, devices, and computer-readable storage media storing executable code and/or instructions are disclosed.
[0021] A method is provided for creating an aggregation metric object for use in accelerating data update operations. The method typically includes identifying one or more source objects, identifying a target object, mapping fields between the one or more source objects and the target object, automatically updating fields in the target object pursuant to a user defined schedule, and providing updates to a dashboard object using the target object upon request from the user to update the dashboard object.
[0022] Reference to the remaining portions of the specification, including the drawings and claims, will realize other features and advantages of the described subject matter. Additional features and advantages of the subject matter, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments, are described in detail below with respect to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
[0023] As used herein, the term "multi-tenant database system" (MTDS) refers to those systems in which various elements of hardware and software of a database system may be shared by one or more customers. For example, a given application server (which may, for example, be running an application process) may simultaneously process requests for a great number of customers, and a given database table may store rows for a potentially much greater number of customers. As used herein, the term "query plan" refers to a set of steps used to access information in a database system.
[0024] System Overview
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an environment 10 wherein an on-demand database service might be used. The environment 10 may include user systems 12, a network 14, a system 16, a processor system 17, an application platform 18, a network interface 20, tenant data storage 22, system data storage 24, program code 26, and process space 28. In other embodiments, the environment 10 may not have all of the components listed and/or may have other elements instead of, or in addition to, those listed above.
[0026] The environment 10 is an environment in which an on-demand database service exists. A user system 12 may be any machine or system that is used by a user to access a database user system. For example, any of the user systems 12 can be a handheld computing device, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a work station, and/or a network of computing devices. As illustrated in FIG. 1 (and in more detail in FIG. 2) the user systems 12 might interact via the network 14 with an on-demand database service, which in this embodiment is represented by the system 16.
[0027] An on-demand database service, such as the system 16, is a database system that is made available to outside users that do not need to necessarily be concerned with building and/or maintaining the database system, but instead may be available for their use when the users need the database system (e.g., on the demand of the users). Some on-demand database services may store information from one or more tenants stored into tables of a common database image to form an multi-tenant database system. Accordingly, "on-demand database service 16" and "system 16" will be used interchangeably herein. A database image may include one or more database objects. A relational database management system (RDMS) or the equivalent may execute storage and retrieval of information against the database object(s). The application platform 18 may be a framework that allows the applications of the system 16 to run, such as the hardware and/or software, e.g., the operating system. In an embodiment, the on-demand database service 16 may include an application platform 18 that enables creation, managing, and executing one or more applications developed by the provider of the on-demand database service, users accessing the on-demand database service via the user systems 12, or third party application developers accessing the on-demand database service via the user systems 12.
[0028] The users of the user systems 12 may differ in their respective capacities, and the capacity of a particular user system 12 might be entirely determined by permissions (permission levels) for the current user. For example, where a salesperson is using a particular user system 12 to interact with the system 16, that user system has the capacities allotted to that salesperson. However, while an administrator is using that user system to interact with the system 16, that user system has the capacities allotted to that administrator. In systems with a hierarchical role model, users at one permission level may have access to applications, data, and database information accessible by a lower permission level user, but may not have access to certain applications, database information, and data accessible by a user at a higher permission level. Thus, different users will have different capabilities with regard to accessing and modifying application and database information, depending on a user's security or permission level.
[0029] The network 14 is any network or combination of networks of devices that communicate with one another. For example, the network 14 can be any one or any combination of a LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), telephone network, wireless network, point-to-point network, star network, token ring network, hub network, or other appropriate configuration. As the most common type of computer network in current use is a TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol and Internet Protocol) network, such as the global internetwork of networks often referred to as the Internet, that network will be used in many of the examples herein. However, it should be understood that the networks that the present invention might use are not so limited, although TCP/IP is a frequently implemented protocol.
[0030] The user systems 12 might communicate with the system 16 using TCP/IP and, at a higher network level, use other common Internet protocols to communicate, such as HTTP, FTP, AFS, WAP, etc. In an example where HTTP is used, the user system 12 might include an HTTP client commonly referred to as a "browser" for sending and receiving HTTP messages to and from an HTTP server at the system 16. Such an HTTP server might be implemented as the sole network interface between the system 16 and the network 14, but other techniques might be used as well or instead. In some implementations, the interface between the system 16 and the network 14 includes load sharing functionality, such as round-robin HTTP request distributors to balance loads and distribute incoming HTTP requests evenly over a plurality of servers. At least as for the users that are accessing that server, each of the plurality of servers has access to the MTS data; however, other alternative configurations may be used instead.
[0031] In one embodiment, the system 16 shown in FIG. 1 implements a web-based customer relationship management (CRM) system. For example, in one embodiment, the system 16 includes application servers configured to implement and execute CRM software applications (application processes) as well as provide related data, code, forms, web pages and other information to and from the user systems 12 and to store to, and retrieve from, a database system related data, objects, and webpage content. With a multi-tenant system, data for multiple tenants may be stored in the same physical database object, however, tenant data typically is arranged so that data of one tenant is kept logically separate from that of other tenants so that one tenant does not have access to another tenant's data, unless such data is expressly shared. In certain embodiments, the system 16 implements applications other than, or in addition to, a CRM application. For example, the system 16 may provide tenant access to multiple hosted (standard and custom) applications, including a CRM application. User (or third party developer) applications, which may or may not include CRM, may be supported by the application platform 18, which manages creation, storage of the applications into one or more database objects and executing of the applications in a virtual machine in the process space of the system 16.
[0032] One arrangement for elements of the system 16 is shown in FIG. 1, including a network interface 20, the application platform 18, the tenant data storage 22 for tenant data 23, the system data storage 24 for system data 25 accessible to the system 16 and possibly multiple tenants, program code 26 for implementing various functions of system 16, and a process space 28 for executing MTS system processes and tenant-specific processes, such as running applications as part of an application hosting service. Additional processes that may execute on system 16 include database indexing processes.
[0033] Several elements in the system shown in FIG. 1 include conventional, well-known elements that are explained only briefly here. For example, each user system 12 could include a desktop personal computer, workstation, laptop, PDA, cell phone, or any wireless access protocol (WAP) enabled device or any other computing device capable of interfacing directly or indirectly to the Internet or other network connection. A user system 12 typically runs an HTTP client, e.g., a browsing program, such as the INTERNET EXPLORER web browser application by MICROSOFT, the OPERA web browser application by OPERA SOFTWARE, or a WAP-enabled browser in the case of a cell phone, PDA or other wireless device, or the like, allowing a user (e.g., a subscriber of the multi-tenant database system) of the user system 12 to access, process and view information, pages and applications available to it from the system 16 over the network 14. Each user system 12 also typically includes one or more user interface devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, trackball, touch pad, touch screen, pen or the like, for interacting with a graphical user interface (GUI) provided by the browser on a display (e.g., a monitor screen, LCD display, etc.) in conjunction with pages, forms, applications and other information provided by the system 16 or other systems or servers. For example, the user interface device can be used to access data and applications hosted by the system 16, and to perform searches on stored data, and otherwise allow a user to interact with various GUI pages that may be presented to a user. As discussed above, embodiments are suitable for use with the Internet, which refers to a specific global internetwork of networks. However, it should be understood that other networks can be used instead of the Internet, such as an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a non-TCP/IP based network, any LAN or WAN or the like.
[0035] According to one embodiment, the system 16 is configured to provide web pages, forms, applications, data and media content to the user (client) systems 12 to support the access by the user systems 12 as tenants of the system 16. Some of the figures depict exemplary web pages, forms, and content that can be provided to support the functionality described in more detail herein. The system 16 provides security mechanisms to keep each tenant's data separate unless the data is shared. If more than one MTDS is used, they may be located in close proximity to one another (e.g., in a server farm located in a single building or campus), or they may be distributed at locations remote from one another (e.g., one or more servers located in city A and one or more servers located in city B). As used herein, each MTDS could include one or more logically and/or physically connected servers distributed locally or across one or more geographic locations. Additionally, the term "server" is meant to include a computer system, including processing hardware and process space(s), and an associated storage system and database application (e.g., OODBMS or RDBMS) as is well known in the art. It should also be understood that "server system" and "server" are often used interchangeably herein. Similarly, the database object described herein can be implemented as single databases, a distributed database, a collection of distributed databases, a database with redundant online or offline backups or other redundancies, etc., and might include a distributed database or storage network and associated processing intelligence.
[0036] FIG. 2 also illustrates the environment 10. However, in FIG. 2 elements of the system 16 and various interconnections in an exemplary embodiment are further illustrated. FIG. 2 shows that the user system 12 may include a processor system 12A, a memory system 12B, an input system 12C, and an output system 12D. FIG. 2 also shows the network 14 and the system 16. FIG. 2 also shows that the system 16 may include tenant data storage 22, tenant data 23, system data storage 24, system data 25, a user interface (UI) 30, an Application Program Interface (API) 32, PL/SOQL 34, save routines 36, application setup mechanism 38, application servers 1001-100N, system process space 102, tenant process spaces 104, tenant management process space 110, tenant storage area 112, user storage 114, and application metadata 116. In other embodiments, the environment 10 may not have the same elements as those listed above and/or may have other elements instead of, or in addition to, those listed above.
[0037] The user system 12, the network 14, the system 16, the tenant data storage 22, and the system data storage 24 were discussed above in FIG. 1. Regarding the user system 12, the processor system 12A may be any combination of one or more processors. The memory system 12B may be any combination of one or more memory devices, short term, and/or long term memory. The input system 12C may be any combination of input devices, such as one or more keyboards, mice, trackballs, scanners, cameras, and/or interfaces to networks. The output system 12D may be any combination of output devices, such as one or more monitors, printers, and/or interfaces to networks. As shown by FIG. 2, the system 16 may include a network interface 20 (of FIG. 1) implemented as a set of HTTP application servers 100, an application platform 18, tenant data storage 22, and system data storage 24. Also shown is system process space 102, including individual tenant process spaces 104 and a tenant management process space 110. Each application server 100 may be configured to access tenant data storage 22 and the tenant data 23 therein, and system data storage 24 and the system data 25 therein to serve requests of user systems 12. The tenant data 23 might be divided into individual tenant storage areas 112, which can be either a physical arrangement and/or a logical arrangement of data. Within each tenant storage area 112, user storage 114 and application metadata 116 might be similarly allocated for each user. For example, a copy of a user's most recently used (MRU) items might be stored to user storage 114. Similarly, a copy of MRU items for an entire organization that is a tenant might be stored to tenant storage area 112. A UI 30 provides a user interface and an API 32 provides an application programmer interface to system 16 resident processes to users and/or developers at user systems 12. The tenant data and the system data may be stored in various databases, such as one or more systems that use ORACLE database technology.
[0038] The application platform 18 includes an application setup mechanism 38 that supports application developers' creation and management of applications, which may be saved as metadata into tenant data storage 22 by save routines 36 for execution by subscribers as one or more tenant process spaces 104 managed by tenant management process space 110 for example. Invocations to such applications may be coded using PL/SOQL 34 that provides a programming language style interface extension to API 32. A detailed description of some PL/SOQL language embodiments is discussed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,730,478 entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ALLOWING ACCESS TO DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS VIA A MULTI-TENANT ON-DEMAND DATABASE SERVICE," issued Jun. 1, 2010, and hereby incorporated in its entirety herein for all purposes. Invocations to applications may be detected by one or more system processes, which manages retrieving application metadata 116 for the subscriber making the invocation and executing the metadata as an application in a virtual machine.
[0039] Each application server 100 may be communicably coupled to database systems, e.g., having access to system data 25 and tenant data 23, via a different network connection. For example, one application server 1001 might be coupled via the network 14 (e.g., the Internet), another application server 100N-1 might be coupled via a direct network link, and another application server 100N might be coupled by yet a different network connection. Transfer Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) are typical protocols for communicating between application servers 100 and the database system. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that other transport protocols may be used to optimize the system depending on the network interconnect used.
[0040] In certain embodiments, each application server 100 is configured to handle requests for any user associated with any organization that is a tenant. Because it is desirable to be able to add and remove application servers from the server pool at any time for any reason, there is preferably no server affinity for a user and/or organization to a specific application server 100. In one embodiment, therefore, an interface system implementing a load balancing function (e.g., an F5 Big-IP load balancer) is communicably coupled between the application servers 100 and the user systems 12 to distribute requests to the application servers 100. In one embodiment, the load balancer uses a least connections algorithm to route user requests to the application servers 100. Other examples of load balancing algorithms, such as round robin and observed response time, also can be used. For example, in certain embodiments, three consecutive requests from the same user could hit three different application servers 100, and three requests from different users could hit the same application server 100. In this manner, the system 16 is a multi-tenant system, wherein the system 16 handles storage of, and access to, different objects, data and applications across disparate users and organizations.
[0041] As an example of storage, one tenant might be a company that employs a sales force where each salesperson uses the system 16 to manage their sales process. Thus, a user might maintain contact data, leads data, customer follow-up data, performance data, goals and progress data, etc., all applicable to that user's personal sales process (e.g., in tenant data storage 22). In an example of an MTDS arrangement where all of the data and the applications to access, view, modify, report, transmit, calculate, etc., can be maintained and accessed by a user system having nothing more than network access, the user can manage his or her sales efforts and cycles from any of many different user systems. For example, if a salesperson is visiting a customer and the customer has Internet access in their lobby, the salesperson can obtain critical updates as to that customer while waiting for the customer to arrive in the lobby.
[0042] While each user's data might be separate from other users' data regardless of the employers of each user, some data might be organization-wide data shared or accessible by a plurality of users or all of the users for a given organization that is a tenant. Thus, there might be some data structures managed by the system 16 that are allocated at the tenant level while other data structures might be managed at the user level. Because an MTDS might support multiple tenants including possible competitors, the MTDS should have security protocols that keep data, applications, and application use separate. Also, because many tenants may opt for access to an MTDS rather than maintain their own system, redundancy, up-time, and backup are additional functions that may be implemented in the MTDS. In addition to user-specific data and tenant-specific data, the system 16 might also maintain system level data usable by multiple tenants or other data. Such system level data might include industry reports, news, postings, and the like that are sharable among tenants.
[0043] In certain embodiments, the user systems 12 (which may be client systems) communicate with the application servers 100 to request and update system-level and tenant-level data from the system 16 that may require sending one or more queries to the tenant data storage 22 and/or the system data storage 24. The system 16 (e.g., an application server 100 in the system 16) automatically generates one or more SQL statements (e.g., one or more SQL queries) that are designed to access the desired information. The system data storage 24 may generate query plans to access the requested data from the database.
[0044] A table maintained by a database system generally contains one or more data categories logically arranged as columns or fields in a viewable schema. Each row or record of a table contains an instance of data for each category defined by the fields. For example, a CRM database may include a table that describes a customer with fields for basic contact information such as name, address, phone number, fax number, etc. Another table might describe a purchase order, including fields for information such as customer, product, sale price, date, etc.
[0045] In some multi-tenant database systems, tenants may be allowed to create and store custom objects, or they may be allowed to customize standard entities or objects, for example by creating custom fields for standard objects, including custom index fields. U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,039 entitled "CUSTOM ENTITIES AND FIELDS IN A MULTI-TENANT DATABASE SYSTEM," issued Aug. 27, 2010 (and incorporated by reference herein) teaches systems and methods for creating custom objects as well as customizing standard objects in a multi-tenant database system.
[0046] A system or environment 10 as described above with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 can be utilized to support the various operations, features, processes, and techniques described in more detail in the following sections.
[0047] Analytic Snapshots
[0048] This feature advantageously makes the reporting and dashboard infrastructure more scalable and responsive to users. By storing the results of a query generating aggregates, and refreshing these aggregates on a scheduled basis, the user's experience when refreshing the dashboard (using the current dashboarding infrastructure) is advantageously accelerated.
[0049] This feature advantageously allows snapshot creation of a set of data, speeds up dashboard presentation, allows drilling to a report which is produced from pre-calculated aggregate data, and thus orders of magnitude faster to present, and allows the refreshing of the aggregate data on a periodic basis.
[0050] Currently the queries run across all data present in the system, and so take time, e.g., on the order of about one second per thousand rows returned. The user's view of a dashboard is based on data cached in the dashboard component. This view is refreshed on user demand. These refreshes are placed in a queue and run sequentially, with up to 22 components (or any practical number) running at the same time.
[0051] Once the user drills down, the report is re-executed synchronously--the user must wait until the report is complete before they see a rendered page. Thus, if the user refreshes the dashboard, they wait until all elements have been re-run against the current data before they can see new results. If the user then clicks on an element to see the detail, the report is re-run against all the current data, then this result is presented to the user.
[0052] If the data is over large chunks of the historical data, much of the data will not change, but if some elements are fast-changing, and some slow-changing, refreshing the dashboard may, for instance run nine fast queries, and one slow query. To the user, the dashboard refresh will be taking the time for the slowest element.
[0053] Assume, for example, that a user is building a dashboard. The dashboard has both mostly historical, trend-based components as well as components based on current month or fast-changing data. Also assume that the user wishes to refresh the dashboard, or to drill down to the data, but does not want to wait a long time for the results. Dashboard components have to all be refreshed, and the target for the data refresh is a report that could take five minutes or more for the trend report.
[0054] A user is looking at a dashboard, which has been refreshed. They see a trending component, and want to drill down. They click on the element, and want to see more detail behind the graph.
[0055] There is no "XLR8 me" button on the dashboard component. An administrator must create the report, object, job, and schedule it, and recreate the report for the dashboard component to take advantage of the pre-summarized data.
[0056] Also, today the typical way to build up a history of values in an object is to either: (1) use a report, export to comma-separated values (CSV), then import via a feature of a spreadsheet application such as the EXCEL application; or (2) use a tool, such as an application of the type offered by INFORMATICA, to export and import data.
[0057] End User Component
[0058] Using the Aggregated Data in a Report
[0059] Assume that the end user wants to create a report--they can do so by creating a new report, and selecting the aggregate metric object as the source. They can then build a report which, at the lowest level of detail, can generate the report based on the data aggregated in the metric object. They can also build a report which transforms the metric object into a matrix report, or further summarizes the data.
[0060] Using the Aggregated Data in a Dashboard
[0061] Once a report based on the aggregated metric data is created, then this report can be used as the source of a dashboard component. The drill location can also be directly to the source report, or to another report (perhaps on the unsummarized data).
[0062] Administrator Component
[0063] An Administrator generally is required to set up the metric refreshing system, because this activity may require the creation of a custom object. This activity may also require the choice of a user, where the choice is only available to administrators with the "view all data" privilege, or makes data which may not be normally visible to users available to them in the metric data. This is used to run the report from which the data is exported (for instance, similar to the dashboard "running user").
[0064] Setting Up Aggregation
[0065] The administrator responsible for setting up the aggregation has to define a source for the data, and a target, and how often the report should be re-run, and the values replaced in the target object. They should also be able to change the way the results are placed in the target table--whether the target table is emptied before inserting the new data, or whether the old data is there, and rows with the same dimension data are overwritten.
[0066] Creating a Valid Target Custom Object
[0067] The administrator user creates a custom object as the destination of the aggregation. This object includes columns for the data to be stored, and security to allow only some data out.
[0068] Choosing a Source Report
[0069] The administrator user chooses the source report for the aggregation. This source report can be either tabular or summary--in preferred embodiments the source report is not in matrix form.
[0070] Targeting the Report to a Custom Object
[0071] The administrative user chooses the destination for the reporting data. At least one column of the report is mapped into columns of the target object (there may be more columns of the target object--for instance formula columns, which are not the target of report columns). In the case of the summary report, there should be at minimum one summarized axis (dimension) and one totaled value (measure) in this mapping, and in the source report and target custom object.
[0072] Setting the Refresh Frequency
[0073] The administrator sets the frequency with which the data in the metric object will be refreshed, and whether the data will be overwritten (all data in the metric object will be deleted prior to the insertion of new data) or whether it will be merged (where metrics relating to dimensions in the new query will be replaced with the new values, new values of dimensions will create new records, and old records that no longer match anything in the query will be left intact).
[0074] Looking at the List of Analytic Jobs
[0075] Viewing the List of Analytic Jobs
[0076] The administrator can see the list of aggregations planned, and then drill to see the report and the target object. They can then edit this aggregation to change any elements--the source report, the target report, the mapping of columns, or the schedule on which the aggregation is done.
[0077] Deleting an Analytic Job
[0078] The administrator can delete an aggregation from the list. After confirming, the system will delete the record of the schedule and mapping, leaving the custom object and the associated reports intact.
[0079] System Actions
[0080] Refreshing the Data in the Custom Object
[0081] When the system is refreshing data in the object, the system: (1) empties all records from the object; (2) executes the query; and (3) creates one record for each row returned on the screen (e.g., for aggregations, the detail rows are not inserted). An example of a refreshing operation is shown in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Existing Contents New Query Results Contents After Refresh A B C D A B C D A B C D 1 email@example.com 1 2 1 firstname.lastname@example.com 1 2 1 firstname.lastname@example.com 1 2 2 email@example.com 2 4 2 email@example.com 4 8 2 firstname.lastname@example.com 4 8 3 email@example.com 3 6 4 firstname.lastname@example.com 5 5 4 firstname.lastname@example.com 5 5
[0082] Upserting Data into the Custom Object
[0083] When upserting, the system needs a definition of the comparable identifiers for records. These identifying columns are used to match records, and the other mapped columns are updated.
[0084] Here, the identifying columns are A and B, and columns C and D are measure columns that may be calculated in the report. An example is shown in Table 2.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Existing Contents New Query Results Contents After Upsert A B C D A B C D A B C D 1 email@example.com 1 2 1 email@example.com 1 2 1 email@example.com 1 2 2 email@example.com 2 4 2 firstname.lastname@example.com 4 8 2 firstname.lastname@example.com 4 8 3 email@example.com 3 6 4 firstname.lastname@example.com 5 5 3 email@example.com 3 6 4 firstname.lastname@example.com 5 5
[0085] Adding Data into the Custom Object
[0086] If data is added to the custom object, no matching is done, and the data consists of all data placed ever into the object (this may be most useful when the date of the data is also inserted). An example is shown in Table 3.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Existing Contents New Query Results Contents After Add A B C D A B C D A B C D 1 firstname.lastname@example.com 1 2 1 email@example.com 1 2 1 firstname.lastname@example.com 1 2 2 email@example.com 2 4 2 firstname.lastname@example.com 4 8 2 firstname.lastname@example.com 2 4 3 firstname.lastname@example.com 3 6 4 email@example.com 5 5 3 firstname.lastname@example.com 3 6 1 firstname.lastname@example.com 1 2 2 email@example.com 4 8 4 email@example.com 5 5
[0087] Using a Summary Report as the Source
[0088] When using a summary report as a source, the administrator needs to select the level of aggregation at which the totals are taken. This is necessary to convert the n-dimensional hierarchy of the summary report into a one-dimensional tabular dataset ready to be inserted. See Table 4.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Summary report on opportunities and account info, grouped by close date (Q) and stage Account Annual Opportunity Has Owner revenue amount products Opportunity Created Date: Q3 5,000 20,000 Stage: Prospecting 2,500 7,000 Bill 1,000 2,000 Yes Posters Stickers Bill 1,500 5,000 No Jobs Stickers Stage: Closed 2,000 13,000 Terry 500 3,000 Yes More Fish Bull Bill 2,000 10,000 Yes Kitten Stickers Supplies Summary report data output (when "stage summaries" is chosen as the summary level to take Annual Opportunity Stage Revenue Amount Prospecting 2,500 7,000 Closed 2,500 13,000
[0089] Setting Up the Job
[0090] Setting Up a Job Generally Includes Six Steps:
[0091] (1) choosing the source report--if the source report is a summary report, choose the level of summary the totals are at;
[0092] (2) choosing the target object;
[0093] (3) mapping fields--if the report is a summary report, then choose the summary level;
[0094] (4) choosing the insertion method--if the insertion method is "upsert" choose the key pairs to match rows;
[0095] (5) choose the schedule;
[0096] (6) then the job can be started.
[0097] Running the Job
[0098] When the job is run, the system initially ensures that the job is not a complete failure. If it is, the report is not run, and the data is not attempted to be inserted. The job will be marked as a failure, and then execution will stop. The job will retry each time through these steps to ensure that the sources of the problem have not been fixed. See FIG. 3, which illustrates a process 150 associated with an analytic job. The process 150 begins by loading the analytic job (task 152). The process 150 may continue by checking whether running user is currently active (query task 154). If not, then the process 150 sets an error message to indicate that the running user is inactive or is out of hours (task 156), which is representative of a failure. If query task 154 determines that the running user is active, then the process 150 leads to a query task 158.
[0099] Query task 158 checks whether the report can be accessed by the running user. If not, then the process 150 sets an error message to indicate that the source report is not accessible (task 160), which is representative of a failure. If query task 158 determines that the report can be accessed by the running user, then the process 150 leads to a query task 162.
[0100] Query task 162 checks whether the target object can be accessed by the running user. If not, then the process 150 sets an error message to indicate that the target object is not accessible (task 164), which is representative of a failure. If query task 162 determines that the target object can be accessed by the running user, then the process 150 leads to a query task 166.
[0101] Query task 166 checks whether the running user can insert records. If not, then the process 150 sets an error message to indicate that the user can't create any records (task 168), which is representative of a failure. If query task 166 determines that the running user can insert records, then the process 150 leads to a query task 170.
[0102] Query task 170 checks whether the user can write to the mapped fields. If not, then the process 150 sets an error message to indicate that the mapped fields cannot be written to (task 172), which is representative of a failure. If query task 170 determines that the mapped fields can be written to, then the process 150 leads to a query task 174.
[0103] Query task 174 checks whether the report is a matrix report. If not, then the process 150 sets an error message to indicate that the fields cannot be written to (task 176), which is representative of a failure. If query task 174 determines that the report is a matrix report, then the process 150 continues by running the report (task 178) and inserting the rows as needed (task 180).
[0104] Insert-Time Errors
[0105] At insert-time, each line can be failed individually. When a row fails, the failure reason (e.g., MAX_ACTIONS_PER_RULE_EXCEEDED, MAX_ACTIVE_RULES_EXCEEDED, MAX_APPROVAL_STEPS_EXCEEDED) will be available for the given line. In accordance with this exemplary embodiment, for each line that fails, there will be: a line number; an error code; and a CSV-separated set of values for the line.
[0106] The user can see the list of these errors in a job run detail page. These errors will be present for a given period of time, e.g., eight days, before being physically deleted. Old job details of failed rows will not be available after that period of time. After this time, the job run detail page will show only total numbers of lines in the report and added to the object. In certain embodiments, the error rows and their failure codes are only visible to users with the permission to see the source report.
[0107] After Run-Time
[0108] At the end of inserting a particular number of rows, such as the first 2000 rows, there can be a number of problems. For example, there may be more rows, and the insert is complete at 2000 rows. In this case, the job is marked with a warning and completes, and the warning shows that the insert was truncated.
[0109] After-Run-Time Email
[0110] After the run is complete, an email can be sent to any user in the system to tell them that the load has completed. In one exemplary embodiment, the email will have the following content:
[0111] Subject:
[0112] Analytic Snapshot: <snapshot name> run at <start time> finished with status: <status>
[0113] Body:
[0114] The Analytic Snapshot <snapshot name> ran from <start time> to <end time>, running as the user <running user>.
[0115] <rows inserted> rows were inserted
[0116] <rows failed> rows failed
[0117] The job's status is <status>
[0118] You can obtain further details by viewing the job's detail page in setup, or following this link: <link to job run detail>
[0119] Merge Mode
[0120] If the choice is "merge the report results", then the additional options on what columns/field values must be equal to merge the data rows should be shown, for example as depicted in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates a user interface (UI) screen 200 with additional options on what columns/field values must be equal to merge data rows. As shown in FIG. 4, the UI screen 200 may include dropdown menus 202 for the list of fields in the chosen report, along with a list of custom object fields 204 to which the fields in the chosen report can be mapped.
[0121] For this merging step there could be a validation that the field chosen to merge is for tabular data from the lowest object in the primary objects chosen in the report.
[0122] Building an Analytic Job (Step 2)
[0123] FIGS. 5-7 illustrate a variety of UI screens for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc. FIG. 5 illustrates a UI screen 300 for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc., FIG. 6A illustrates a set of UI screens 330 for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc., FIG. 6b illustrates a UI screen 350 for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc., and FIG. 7 illustrates a UI screen 370 for use when building an analytic job based on a summary report, scheduling, etc.
[0124] The UI screen 300 depicted in FIG. 5 is similar to that shown in FIG. 4, but with a different set of selected options. In contrast to the UI screen 200 of FIG. 4, the UI screen 300 indicates that all the data in "Custom Object 1" is to be replaced with the report results. FIG. 6A depicts the manner in which various UI screens 330 can be presented to facilitate the building of an analytic job. For this example, the UI screens 330 include the UI screen 350 depicted in more detail in FIG. 6b, and the UI screen 370 depicted in more detail in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 6b, the UI screen 350 indicates a schedule associated with an analytic job. Moreover, the UI screen 370 depicted in FIG. 7 indicates certain details regarding a saved analytic job.
[0125] Previous Value in Custom Summary Formula
[0126] Custom Summary Formulas (CSFs) are a good way of letting the user build formulas in summary reports--formulas that are calculated on aggregate numbers inside the cells. CSFs are calculated based on the current aggregation context and level. For instance, where a report is grouped by four dimensions (e.g., a matrix report with two X and two Y groupings), each aggregate can be calculated only based on the data for that grouping--the two X grouping values, and the two Y grouping values. As used herein, an "aggregation context" is the set of dimension values for a calculation. The set of values of grouping dimensions makes a distinct context within which aggregates can be calculated.
[0127] Having the aggregate calculations work in this way has the major advantage that it's easy--the same calculation can be performed at each level, and the user doesn't have to know aggregation contexts. Also, the grouping dimensions can be changed, and there will be no error in calculating a given aggregate, because no calculation depends on a specific dimension or dimension value.
[0128] It is currently possible in reports to define custom summary formulas, however they can only access the values of standard summaries in the same context. It would be useful to have access to previous values as well as rolled up values in order to calculate e.g., difference between consecutive time periods, and percentages of total.
[0129] In one embodiment, new formula functions are introduced to access previous and total values from custom summary formulas. Additionally, a new CSF configuration is provided to pinpoint a CSF to a specific context (because a formula referencing a previous value most likely won't make sense when rolled up), and report rendering changes are introduced to take this selective CSF calculation/display into account.
[0130] A previous function would let a user: build a report that calculates differences with prior periods; build a report that shows differences between product versions; and build a dashboard that only shows delta changes between periods.
[0131] The previous function is important because, with the data stored in analytic snapshots, period-by-period snapshots of data can be provided. Such functionality enables users to calculate and display the differences between individual snapshots.
[0132] In one aspect, aggregation is achieved using a set of functions: Sum; Average; Max; Min. This set of functions applies to the fields of type: Number; Currency; Percent; Boolean.
[0133] Calculations can be carried out for each context, with no interaction between contexts, and for all applicable contexts. They are carried out for each tuple of dimension values.
[0134] As one example in the illustration below, the report is a matrix report of bugs, by scrum team and priority, and by scheduled build and created date for the bug. The aggregation at each vertex is "count"--accordingly, at the most detailed aggregate, this represents a count of bugs for each priority and week, per scrum team and build.
[0135] All aggregates are replicated at all levels of aggregation. Moreover, the count is repeated for each grouping level. See FIG. 8A for an example. For this example, FIG. 8A illustrates a matrix report 400 of bugs, by scrum team and priority, and by scheduled build and created date for the bug. Calculations in each cell are only based on bugs satisfying these criteria:
[0136] Tuple 1: Tuple of dimensions=(Scrum Team Name=Analytics, Priority=P1, Scheduled Build=156, Week=May 4, 2009).
[0137] Tuple 2: (Scrum Team Name=Analytics, Scheduled Build=156, Week=May 18, 2009). Note that there is no Priority as a dimension here; the stated values are for all priorities.
[0138] Tuple 3: (Scrum Team Name=Analytics, Scheduled Build=154). Note that the stated values are for all priorities and for all weeks.
[0139] Tuple 4: (Week=Apr. 20, 2008). Note that the stated value is for all scrum teams and all priorities.
[0140] Tuple 5: This is for all scheduled builds, for all weeks, for scrum team "calendar and activities", and for all priorities.
[0141] Tuple 6: This is for all scheduled builds, for all weeks, for all scrum teams, and for all priorities.
[0142] In certain implementations, only values in each tuple can be used in the calculation of aggregates for that display cell--it cannot get data from outside its aggregation context.
[0143] Business Use Cases
[0144] Example Use Case 1: Assume that a user has an analytic snapshot, and wants to get the difference between the current period and the last period for a total of data across each snapshot. The user has a set of historical data, and wants to see the percentage change over each time period. The user has a metric stored, and wants to be able to graph changes in the metric over time, rather than metric values. The user also wants to be able to show both month/month and quarter/quarter comparisons in a report.
[0145] Example Use Case 2: Assume that a user has a set of products, and wants to see how much of the total sales for all products are because of any one product.
[0146] These and other use cases can be supported with the systems and methods described here. In this regard, FIG. 8B is a unified modeling language (UML) diagram 500 that schematically depicts various use cases associated with an actor 502 (identified as a Report Author in FIG. 8B). The UML diagram 500 also includes a variety of use cases 504 that can be initiated or performed by the actor 502. For this particular example, the use cases 504 include, without limitation: [0147] add previous function to single-level summary report; [0148] add previous custom summary formula to double-level summary report; [0149] add previous function to 1/1 matrix report; [0150] add previous function to 2/1 level matrix report; [0151] add previous custom summary formula to 2/1 matrix report; [0152] turn two-level summary report to matrix; [0153] turn matrix report to summary; [0154] drill without choosing another grouping dimension; and [0155] drill and choose another grouping dimension.
[0156] End User Component
[0157] Creating a New Formula in a Summary Report
[0158] When a formula is created, the user is presented with a custom summary formula editor. An exemplary embodiment of a custom summary formula editor 600 is shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the custom summary formula editor 600 allows the user to define the custom summary formula, provide a label and a description for the formula, designate a format, designate a number of decimal places, and the like.
[0159] For this particular embodiment, the "PREVIOUS" function can only be applied to an existing field, not a created CSF. CSFs are not available in the list of fields that can be used in the formula.
[0160] For this particular embodiment, the "PREVIOUS" function can only be used on aggregates. This characteristic is summarized as follows:
TABLE-US-00005 Previous(SALES: SUM . . . OK Previous(SALES . . . Not OK
[0161] In addition, a dimension is specified. This refers to the dimension by which to obtain the previous value. This characteristic is summarized as follows:
TABLE-US-00006 Previous(SALES: SUM, Account.Name, . . . OK Previous(SALES: SUM, . . . Not OK
[0162] If the dimension is the lowest-level dimension, then consider the example depicted in FIG. 10, which illustrates a matrix report 700.
[0163] If one specifies Previous (Count, Priority), then the cells can be easily seen to be evaluated (because they will fetch the count from the cell with the preceding priority, where the other dimensions are the same). However, the formulae can also work for "all-priority sub-total level". For instance, in the "analytics, all priority, all dates" tuple, (currently value 12), the values will be: Null, 1, 5, 5. Accordingly, their sum would be 11.
[0164] Once "PREVIOUS" is used in a CSF, the CSF should explicitly specify the levels at which it works, as shown in FIG. 11. For this example, FIG. 11 depicts a formula builder 800 having selectable radio buttons that allow the user to designate whether the CSF works at all levels (as shown in FIG. 11) or only at one or more specified levels.
[0165] The formula builder 800 may utilize dropdown menus that take their values from the dimensions chosen in the grouping stage. For summary reports, there is a single list of all chosen grouping dimensions. For matrix reports, there are two lists, one that at most shows the two levels of horizontal grouping, and one that may show one of the two vertical groupings. This allows the other tuples to not have values calculated--there will be no calculations other than at levels specified. This will ensure that values are not calculated on non-additive or semi-additive measures where the calculations would not make sense.
[0166] If the previous dimension is not the lowest one, then it will fetch the data for all lower-level aggregates from the previous dimension chosen. See, for instance, a matrix with the structure as shown in Table 5:
TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 5 Year Month Month Territory Product Measure Measure Product Measure Measure
[0167] Then if the CSF "PREVIOUS" function was used with the Territory as the dimension, and the levels chosen for the calculation were the product and month, then calculations done at the Product level will fetch the measure value for all Products of the previous Territory.
[0168] Use in a Summary Report
[0169] The system works the same in a summary report context--the aggregation level can be chosen, and the previous value of the dimension chosen will be fetched for that aggregation level, and brought into the formula. The change is at definition time, when the UI only includes one choice of dimension on where the formula will be calculated as shown in FIG. 11.
[0170] Drilling and Choosing Another Dimension
[0171] When a drill operation is done, and another dimension is chosen, then:
[0172] (1) If the drill dimension is not the aggregation dimension specified in the "PREVIOUS" function, or the drill is performed and no replacement dimension is chosen, then nothing is changed, and the tuple cells are recalculated according to the rules above.
[0173] (2) If the drill dimension is the aggregation dimension, and a new then the choice of dimension made, then CSF using the "PREVIOUS" function may become invalid, and the CSF is removed from the report. The CSF may become invalid because: (a) the chosen aggregation context at which the function is valid is no longer present (e.g., Account Name was chosen, and the report is no longer grouped by account name); or (b) the dimension used for the "PREVIOUS" function is no longer present (e.g., Previous(Revenue:sum, Close Date) was used, and close date is no longer one of the "summarize by" dimensions).
[0174] Changing a 2×2 Matrix to a Summary Report
[0175] In certain aspects, summary reports have three levels of dimensions to aggregate in their "grouping" choice in the wizard. In one implementation, the second horizontal grouping is made to disappear. If the second horizontal grouping is on the dimension used in the "PREVIOUS" function, then those CSFs created using that as the dimension will no longer be displayed.
[0176] Controlling Whether Aggregates Appear Horizontally and Vertically
[0177] When a matrix report is being used, then the user can choose the levels at which the aggregate will operate. See, for example, FIG. 11. When the user chooses a low-level aggregate, then the aggregates are not calculated at higher levels. See, for instance, an exemplary report having a structure grouped by year and half-year, and by product, as shown in Table 6:
TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 6 2006 2007 Total Pipeline H1 H2 Total H1 H2 Total Grand Total Product A 20 30 50 20 40 60 110 Product B 10 15 25 20 25 45 70 Grand Total 30 45 75 40 65 105 180
[0178] If a previous measure is added on the pipeline, one can select to have the new measure only aggregate at the "half year" level, and at the "product name" level as shown in Table 7:
TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 7 2006 2007 Total Pipeline H1 H2 Total H1 H2 Total Grand Total Product A 20 30 50 20 40 60 100 -- 20 a 30 20 b e Product B 10 15 25 20 25 45 70 10 c 15 20 d f Grand Total 30 45 75 40 65 105 180 g h i j K 1 m
[0179] Accordingly, there are no aggregates calculated for some of the tuples (as noted above as letters):
[0180] a) 2006, for all half years, product A
[0181] b) 2006, for all half years, product b
[0182] c) 2007, for all half years, product a
[0183] d) 2007, for all half years, product b
[0184] e) For all years, product a
[0185] f) For all years, product a
[0186] g) 2006, H1, for all products
[0187] h) 2006, H2, for all products
[0188] i) 2007, H1, for all products
[0189] j) 2007, H2, for all products
[0190] k) 2006, for all half years, for all products
[0191] l) 2007, for all half years, for all products
[0192] m) For all years, for all products
[0193] Getting a Tuple Value More than One Dimension Away
[0194] In certain aspects, the function also is able to fetch data from more than one step away. An optional argument of the function would allow the data to be fetched from more than one tuple away as shown in FIG. 11. This will fetch the aggregate from four cells away--for instance--from the 5/18 week to the 4/20 week.
[0195] A better example might be from Q4 of one year, to fetch from four previous, and thus to fetch Q4 of the previous year. Previous(year . . . ) would not work, because that would fetch the aggregate for that whole year.
[0196] Using the "PREVIOUS" Function with Other Functions
[0197] When used with other functions, the CSF:Previous function will allow the data to be fetched from other cells, for instance as shown in Table 8:
TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 8 Close_date2 Q1 Q2 Grand Amount Close_date January February March Total April May June Total Total Product 20 30 40 90 20 40 30 90 180 A Product 10 15 20 45 20 25 25 70 115 B Grand 30 45 60 135 40 65 55 160 295 Total
[0198] Now Add the Fields: [0199] Change: (available for Product/close date) [0200] amount:sum-CSFPrevious(amount:sum,close_date,1) [0201] % of last value: (available for Product/close date) [0202] CSFPrevious(amount:sum,close_date, 1)/amount:sum [0203] % change: (available for Product/close date) [0204] (amount:sum-CSFPrevious(amount:sum,close_date,1))/amount [0205] Change on quarter: (available for Product/close date) [0206] Amount:sum-CSFPrevious(amount:sum,close_date,3) [0207] % of sales of last quarter(available for Product/close date) [0208] Amount:sum/CSFPrevious(amount:sum,close_date2,1) [0209] Q-on-Q change (available for Product/close date2) [0210] Amount:sum-CSFPrevious(amount:sum,close_date2,1)
[0211] This results in that shown in Table 9 below:
TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 9 Amount Change % of last % change Chg-on-q Close % ofLastQ date2 Q-on-Q Close Q1 Q2 Grand Product date January February March Total April May June Total total A Amount 20 30 40 90 20 40 30 90 180 Change +10 +10 -20 +20 -10 % of last 150% 133% 50% 200% 75% % change 50% 33% -50% 100% -25% Chg-on-q 0 +10 -10 % ofLastQ 22% 44% 33% Q-on-Q 0 B Amount 10 15 20 45 20 25 25 70 115 Change +5 +5 0 +5 +0 % of last 150% 133% 100% 125% 100% % change 50% 33% 0% 25% 0% Chg-on-q +10 +10 +5 % ofLastQ 44% 55% 55% Q-on-Q +25 Grand 30 45 60 135 40 65 55 160 295 Total
[0212] While the subject matter has been described by way of example and in terms of the specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Patent applications by Guillaume Lestum, San Francisco, CA US
Patent applications by Neelav Rana, San Francisco, CA US
Patent applications by Thomas Kim, San Francisco, CA US
Patent applications by Thomas Tobin, San Francisco, CA US
Patent applications by Vladislav Eroshin, Tiburon, CA US
Patent applications by salesforce.com, Inc.
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Active local environmental work behind Climate City of the Year Award
9 October 2018
Uppsala has been named Climate City of the Year in 2018. One important factor behind the award is the Uppsala Climate Protocol network that Uppsala University has participated in since it started in 2010.
Uppsala has been named Climate City of the Year in 2018 in the World Wildlife Fund's One Planet City Challenge. Uppsala was named Climate City of the Year by 132 cities from 23 countries.
One of the reasons for the award is the systematic climate work initiated by the Municipality of Uppsala through the Uppsala Climate Protocol network.
"Uppsala University has been active in the network since it started eight years ago," says Karolina Kjellberg, head of environment at Uppsala University.
The network members are local businesses, organisations and public bodies that are working jointly on various themes to achieve specific objectives.
"Uppsala University has, for instance, taken part in work on sustainable mobility in the city. One example here is that all our campuses are now certified as cycle-friendly workplaces."
Change to biobased plastics
Uppsala University is also active in work to reduce the quantity of fossil-based plastics sent to refuse combustion. In Uppsala emissions of carbon dioxide from plastics made from fossil raw materials are of around the same size as emissions from traffic. Uppsala University is working to reduce the quantity of plastics or to change over to plastics made from renewable raw materials so as to minimise the increase in carbon dioxide emissions.
"We use a lot of plastic, especially in all our laboratories. Our environmental representatives around the University have helped us get a picture of the use of plastics. We are now working on finding alternatives to fossil-based plastics."
Uppsala University is also participating in work to minimise the negative effects of goods transport, food and greater use of solar cells.
New challenges in the autumn
This autumn the Uppsala Climate Protocol network will take its next steps and raise the bar so as to further minimise the City's impact on the climate. The Municipality's ambition is to be fossil free in 2030 and climate positive no later than 2050.
"In the Uppsala Climate Protocol network we will be given new challenges in the autumn in various areas including buildings, purchasing, air travel, plastics and transport." Each organisation participating in the network has to choose at least five challenges, and they are tough challenges that have to be met by 2030.
A decision will be made in the autumn about what challenges in the Uppsala Climate Protocol will be taken up by Uppsala University.

subset: commoncrawl


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Polly's inspiration for her work comes from the ever changing skies, the weather and the influence these have on the landscape. Every minute can be a different mood, light and colour; and these moments are what she conveys in her work.
Clouds particularly fascinate Polly and the powerful formations that nature gives us. Her favourite place to observe these skies, are the Scottish coasts and highlands. Her paintings reflect the point somewhere between the moment captured at a location and her imagination.


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2013 335is Purchase Price
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Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,525
Mein Auto: '16 M4, '06 Z4MR, '18 M3
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Originally Posted by
When you say 335is, do you mean 335ix?
Also, it's hard to tell without you listing every single option, package, and the trim, but $58k+ sounds really high for a plain RWD sedan, even if it has every singl option available.
On bmwusa.com, I configured the exact 335 RWD sedan I wanted and it came out to about $55k MSRP. And we're talking about a car that was basically loaded with just about everything. Prem, tech, DHP, sport line, HK Sound system, heated seats, camera, sport transmission.
krash, you need to educate yourself on what a 335is is. It is a distinct model of the previous generation 3 Series available only as a Coupe (E92) or a Convertible (E93) which still uses the N54 engine and is tuned for an additional 20 HP. It is not an F30. It is not a plain RWD sedan, far from it. The 335is is the first "is" branded 3 Series that BMW has produced since the E36 328is, last produced in 1999. Previous "is" models had exclusive high-performance equipment on them. BMW never made an E46 "is" model (see ZHP instead). The only other "is" model that BMW currently produces is the Z4 35is, considered to be the ///M model of the E89 Z4 that BMW never made. The 2013 335is is probably the last "is" 3 Series model that BMW will ever produce, as rumors are that future "is" models will be branded as "M Performance", not to be confused with ///M models. $58K may sound high to you, but ours, not quite fully maxed out, had an MSRP of just over $60K (with Euro Delivery we paid far less than that).
Originally Posted by
Keep in mind that the new F3x 4 series coupes will be out this year. The current coupe is based on the old E9x platform.
So you should be able to get an even better deal. Plus, you may want to consider waiting for the new coupes to come out. If not, you're basically going to be driving around in a car with a dated platform that is 6 years old.
But it won't be a 335is and you won't ever be able to buy one again. I would take an E92 335is Coupe over an F32 coupe any day, even if it is "a dated platform that is 6 years old".
Now an F82 M4 with Euro Delivery in 2015/2016, that's another story!
- Tom
His: 2016 M4 Coupe |
Sakhir Orange Metallic
| Black Full Merino Leather | CF Trim | M DCT | Adaptive M Suspension | 19" Black Alloy Wheels | ZEC | ZLP | ZDB | MPE |
Hers: 2018 M3 Sedan |
San Marino Blue Metallic
| Black Full Merino Leather | CF Trim | M DCT | ZCP | ZEC | ZDA | 5AG | ED 7/18/18
Ours: 2006 Z4 M Roadster |
Interlagos Blue Metallic
| Black Extended Nappa Leather | Carbon Leather Trim | Purchased 7/19/12
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I don't know if I can accept unconditional love.
Growing up, my mother didn't know how to communicate a love without expectations. Even to this day, when I mentioned to her that I made a good grade on a recent MSW assignment, my mother replied with "Looks like you're going to be my 'A' student again!" In short, anything lower than an A is just not quite as good. I remember actually getting disciplined with a belt because I made an F on an assignment in the 4th grade. The hyper-critical nature of my mother implanted a subconscious notion in myself that if I can't do things perfect, it's just not quite as good. Along the way, I accepted I wasn't perfect, but I never wholly abandoned that gnawing, perfectionist voice.
I've noticed a pattern since Carlie died and my marriage fell apart. I am terrified at the thought of losing someone I love again. This terror leads me to many bouts of self-sabotage. The moment there's friction in my relationship, I give up. Even if I'm in the wrong. Because it's just too damn hard to put your all into a person without the guarantee that they will stick around forever. Sometimes I wonder if my ex got the best parts of me. Perhaps I'm a used up, cynical shrew who will never find happiness in a man again.
It makes me angry to know that my ex fed this insecure monster inside of me. That a man like Kyle, who loves me, is patient with me, and intuitively understands what I need, is still viewed as a threat. If he expresses any form of anger, disappointment, or frustration… I freeze. That voice inside of me pulls me into the darkness I create. I start to have flashes in my head of my ex giving up. Smashed glasses and computer screens. Hidden Facebook conversations he had with other females. The many times he called me crazy. The time he grabbed the video camera and filmed me as I was falling apart. Making me feel insane for so many years, only for me to find out later that he was the one with a mental sickness; indeed, sometimes I wonder if he brought on my own mental health issues. My ex gave up, while I gave him the best four years I could physically, emotionally, and spiritually muster. I tried to do everything right. I played the crazy role so that he could pull me back into sanity, because that is the role he put me in. And it still failed. He still abandoned me. And I cannot handle the possibility of another abandonment.
So, when I'm hurt from an argument and curled up inside, the easiest path to take is running from the pain. But it doesn't happen before I spout out all levels of verbal vomit, like a wounded animal afraid for anyone to get close to tend to the wound. And he can only take so much. He becomes upset at my ability to give up so easily, and I become upset with the same fact. However, sometimes eliminating the source of pain is the easiest way to numb it. Many times I think he'd be much better without me. I look at the bags underneath his eyes after I've fell apart for a millionth time, and I know it is wearing on him. And I don't know if I can allow myself to damage him any further. If I'm miserable, I should be miserable alone. I shouldn't drag anyone down with me. That is selfish to the fullest degree. But I also don't know if I can do this without him. Which is also selfish.
Sometimes, truly, living is just too damn difficult.


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Teri Ann Lapsey Animal Communicator
Does your pet have something to say to you? Teri Ann Lapsey, a nationally known animal communicator, offers 15 minute sessions with your pet for $20. Bring in five questions to ask your pet about their behavior. Likes, dislikes, fun silly things they do and why. Appointments are needed. Please call Teri Ann 612-788-4114 to schedule an appointment.
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The Full moon falls on August 10, 2014 at 18:09, in the sign of Aquarius. This full moon is not only the closest and largest full moon of the year. It also presents the moon's closest encounter with Earth for all of 2014. The moon will not be so close again until the full moon of September 28, 2015. In other words, it's not just a super moon. It's the closest super moon of 2014.
The Aquarius placement exudes a sparkling energy that wakes up the psyche and the urge to purge old psychological patterns and habits. Welcome change and movement as you become aware of a growing desire to link with like-minded souls. Work together with colleagues and contribute to solutions. This is your Wake Up Call!
In Aquarius the moon tangos with sunny Leo here it revives courage and propels one to actualize! Become who you truly are. This super moon calls one to be true to yourself and see your role in designing your future. Thunderstorms bring rain. Don't cry because it rains! See your part in creating the thunderstorm and endure the rain. It will pass and the sun will shine again. We must all swim in the cauldron of change and out of our comfort zones. Surrender to it. Let go of control. Free your mind of expectations and open up to possibility.
The energies stirring in the atmosphere are risk inducing. To undergo that change that you sense is necessary requires risk. There are no guarantees . You will not know how this will change you until you have experienced it. Do not fear change…just breathe through is….it helps! Restructure, air out old stuck energies and heal!
And on the western sky a sunset!


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We offer a variety of emergency water storage barrels and containers like pouches and storage supplies. Nothing is more important to the well-being of you and your family than clean water for drinking and hygiene.
We recommend you store at least (14) days of emergency water (recommended 1 gallon per person per day). Buy the 30 or 55 gallon barrels and get several 5-6 gallon container jugs. (Cont. below...)
Height: 30" Diameter: 24"
Collapsable 5 quart water carrier with spigot.
These water pouches contain 4.25 fluid ounces of filtered water. Packed in tightly sealed, Coast Guard approved packaging, they have a five year shelf life.
Ideal for emergency water storage for any disaster situation. Sturdy, impact-resistant plastic barrel for storing emergency survival water.
Why the 55 gal water barrel cover?
Includes the following items:
Water should be high on your list of priorities when going through your emergency planning. Recommendations vary from 1 gallon per person per day up to 10 gallons. 1 gallon would be your bare minimum for survival and would only cover drinking water. However you should also prepare water for washing and sanitation on top on clean drinking water.
In order to weather a basic disaster event you should aim to store a two week supply of clean emergency water. When a natural disaster hits, utilities will either stop working all together or your water supply will be contaminated.
After a flood event, it is common for water to be contaminated with a variety of pollutants like sewage, agricultural or industrial waste, chemicals, oil and other substances that can cause serious illness. The safest option is to assume the water is unsafe.
Drinking unsafe water put you at a high risk for becoming dangerously ill. You may ingest any number of common microscopic pathogens like bacteria or viruses that cause upset stomachs. There is also the chance that you consume toxic chemicals that cause both short and long term illness.
This bad situation is compounded in an emergency for a couple of reasons – 1. Access to medical care is likely limited and 2. Illness like diarrhea and vomiting will easily spread when there is limited, clean running water to help you sanitize.
One way of cleansing water is to boil it. Bringing water to a rolling boil for at least one minute generally renders it safe to use to drink, cook and wash. However there are some strong disadvantages to this as well.
To start with, use food grade containers to store your water to prevent chemicals leaching into your emergency water supply. All our containers, including the large 30 and 55 gallon water barrels are constructed from FDA approved plastics.
Once you have filled the container it is a good idea to treat the water with a preserver to stop harmful bacteria and algae from forming. Bleach is commonly used to help preserve water however this is an industrial product which is not tested, approved or recommended for this use. We stock a Water Preserver solution has undergone 12 years of extensive testing and is registered and licensed by the federal and state EPA (Environmental protection agency) to specifically extend the life of the water you are storing. It's stabilized and PH balanced formula works to kill existing bacteria, virus, mold and fungus and prevent them from developing in your containers. It is best to use in new (unused), blow molded, rigid, all plastic containers made of virgin polyethylene resin like these water barrels. A container of water preserver will sanitize up to 55 gallons of water.
It is better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to your water storage. So even with treatment, it is best to check your water every year and rotate out with a fresh supply if needed. Always sterilize the container in between batches of water to prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms.
The dark blue plastic of our barrels is perfect to keep direct light off the water supply but it is still recommended to store your barrels of water in a consistently cool and dark place, like a basement as this will extend the life of potable water.
Raise your barrels off the floor by resting them on wooden pallets. The reason is that chemicals in the cement could possibly cause a chemical reaction with the plastic storage container but the risk is very low. It's a good idea to have a gap underneath the barrels to promote airflow and keep the temperature of the barrels down.
You can't go wrong with large size water barrel. We stock the 35 or 55-gallon sizes. They will provide you with a solid supply of safe water when you need it the most. They're made from sturdy food-grade plastic and have bungs at the top that can be sealed up tight in order to protect your water from contamination. The plastic is also BPA-free and UV-resistant – exactly what you need for long term storage.
Two barrels will give a family of four about 27 days worth of water and they come highly recommended as a water storage solution.
Water pouches are a convenient option for carrying safe water with you. Perfect for an evacuation kit, these self contained pouches hold 4.25 ounces of sterilized and filtered water that you can drink, use to clean and for first aid. We offer a six pack or a case of 96 pouches depending on your needs.


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Talk Overview
Growing up in Puerto Rico, most of the science Colón-Ramos learned in school did not feel relevant to his life; an experience shared by many other Puerto Rican scientists. So, Colón-Ramos, together with a group of collaborators, founded Ciencia Puerto Rico allowing geographically dispersed Puerto Rican scientists to communicate, mentor, educate and promote scientific research in Puerto Rico. It is a model that could work well to connect scientists all over the world.
Speaker Bio
Daniel Colon Ramos
Daniel Colón-Ramos is an Associate Professor of Cell Biology at the Yale School of Medicine. His lab uses C. elegans to study how the brain forms precise neural connections during development. Colón-Ramos was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is a co-founder of Ciencia Puerto Rico (http://www.cienciapr.org/en), a non-profit organization that connects Puerto Rican… Continue Reading


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11 of the Best WordPress Themes for Small Business Websites
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- You are never alone when choosing SmallBiz – we provide personal email support
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Driving School
Driving School is a WordPress theme focused on small businesses. It includes everything a small business website will ever need. It's an adaptive theme that looks amazing on desktops, tablets and also mobile phones.
Foxy is a sleek, all-in-one solution for businesses. From eCommerce integration to responsive design, Foxy includes everything you need to bring your business online. The theme finds harmony in a balance of simple and striking design elements. Foxy is fun, but it doesn't let anything get in the way of its structured and functional layout.
ThemeTastic is a modern, flat, business WordPress theme with a wide range of possible uses and lots of customization options.
Minim is a very clean and professional portfolio and small business theme. The focus is on the portfolio content which allows you to easily showcase your work online in an elegant fashion. You can upload portfolio items via custom post types, create unlimited portfolio categories and of course choose between the 6 different portfolio item styles (default, slider, video, gallery, full images and plain). The portfolio template comes with a drop-down where users can choose what category to browse and pagination support. Since the portfolio template isn't paginated you can get full SEO benefits from showcasing the static category pages.
The Corporation
The Corporation is a sleek and professional theme for business sites. Grab your visitor's attention immediately with the prominent and flashy jQuery slider, and let them know who you are via the simple page-based homepage design. The Corporation was built to be sophisticated and user friendly, and will surely impress your potential clients.
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Aqua is a premium, responsive, HTML5/CSS3 WordPress theme that features a clean and slick design that is suitable for a wide variety of websites. It utilizes Skeleton CSS Framework and is 100% tablet/phone friendly. Aqua also includes the awesome Revolution slider ($15 value), FlexSlider, jCarousel, Google Web fonts, unlimited colors, plenty of customization options and more to contribute to an enjoyable, intuitive and functionally exhaustive user experience. The theme includes plenty of custom shortcodes: headers, tabs, accordions, testimonials, messages, lists, buttons, tooltips, highlights, tables, several presets of text titles and some awesome looking icons you can use for your featured text sections. Aqua is also cross-browser compatible and has very clean code and documentation along with a support forum for all buyers.


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Pali Terms
anapanasati: mindfulness of breathing
anatta: not-self
anicca: impermanence; inconstancy
Arahat: Liberated one
bhavana: meditation
bhikku: monk
bhikkuni: nun
bodhi: awakening; enlightenment
bodhicitta: awakened heart-mind
Bodhisatta (Sanskrit-Bodhisattva) A future Buddha
Buddha: an Enlightened being
citta: mind, consciousness
Dhamma (Skt. dharma)-liberating law discovered by the Buddha, summed up in the Four Noble Truths, the Truth, Reality, natural law, all physical and mental phenomena
dosa: aversion
dukkha– unsatisfactoriness, suffering, pain, distress, discontent, stress,
jhana: (Skt. dhyana) meditative absorption, a state of strong concentration.
kalyana mitta– spiritual friend
kamma (Skt. karma): (lit.-action) The law of cause and effect; intentional acts
karuna: compassion
khanda (skandha):Five aggregates which form the raw material for one's sense of self: form/body, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness
kilesa (defilements)- greed, aversion, delusion
lobha: greed
magga: path
metta: Lovingkindness, good will
mindfulness (sati) the quality of noticing, of being aware of what's happening in the moment, not allowing the mind to be forgetful
moha: (lit.-to be stupified) delusion
nibbana (Skt. nirvana): the cessation of suffering, enlightenment, liberation
pañña: wisdom
papañca: Complication, proliferation; tendency of the mind to proliferate issues from the sense of "self."
parami: perfections, virtues necessary for the realization of Awakening
sacca: truth
saddha: faith, confidence (Lit.-to place one's heart on)
samadhi: concentration; meditative absorption
sampajañña: alertness
samsára: (lit.-perpetual wandering) ocean of worldly suffering; round of rebirth; pursuit of renewed existence
samvega– spiritual urgency
sangha: the community of Buddhist monks & nuns; recently: "the community of followers on the Buddhist path."
sati: mindfulness, awareness
sila: moral conduct; precept; virtue; moral restraint
sukha: happiness; pleasure; ease; bliss
sutta: (lit. thread; Skt. sutra) discourse of the Buddha or one of his leading disciples
tanha: (lit. thirst) craving
Tathagata: (Lit. thus gone) an Enlightened person
Theravada: (Doctrine of the elders)- school of Buddhism that draws its inspiration from the Pali Canon, or Tipitaka, the oldest surviving record of the Buddha's teachings. Has been the predominant religion of southeast Asia (Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma)
Tipitaka (Literally Three baskets)- The Pali Canon- has Three divisions:
1. Sutta Pitaka- discourses of the Buddha, (Five collections-nikayas- 10,000 suttas)
2. Abhidhamma Pitaka- treatises offering systematic treatment of topics in the suttas
3. Vinaya Pitaka- rules for ordained monks and nuns
upekkha: equanimity
Vipassana: literally, "to see clearly"; insight; insight into the truth of anicca (impermanence), anatta (not-self), & dukkha (unstatisfactoriness), to see things as they really are
viriya: effort; persistence; energy


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There are people serving in Congress who have been there since I was in college, some since I was in high school. Our campaign finance system and gerrymandered districts have institutionalized this stagnant incumbency. The longer they stay, the more entrenched they become, making it seem as if it is always a battle to get even modest things accomplished. These politicians have had their time. Incumbency is now an institutional weakness. If they cannot create the solutions our nation needs then we need to change the players.
Until we have an amendment that sets term limits I will promote voluntary term limits in the Congressional ranks. I will serve one term and dedicate it to fulfilling the job I was elected to do, legislate on behalf of South Carolinians. Rather than waste the time you have entrusted me with on securing my re-election prospects, I will be working for you, working to change the political culture in Congress and return it to a body representative of our citizens. When there is a finite time in office there is a motivation to get things done. And where I succeed, others will follow. We'll be able to set the agenda, and generate the solutions for the problems that affect real people's lives — the mother with a diabetic son, the disabled vet, the students who struggle with college debt.
I will give six years of hard, honest service to the citizens of my state and country. I won't be taking money from corporate PACs, and I won't be angling for lobbying jobs and lucrative speaking engagements afterwards. At the end of my term in the Senate I will become Citizen Joe Reynolds once again and leave the door open for another fresh face with new ideas. I hope you will look back and say we are all better off for what we accomplished together.
We must have a system that ensures all Americans can access healthcare. Lowering the costs of premiums and prescriptions drugs is an imperative. Pre-existing conditions are the very definition of the need for affordable, ongoing care and should never be penalized or excluded. Building on the systems we have, rather than threatening funding for public programs or replacement of private plans can achieve this goal.
Our country can only thrive when people feel secure in meeting the needs of their daily existence. This includes a steadily increasing wage to match the inflationary costs of housing, education, health care, and childcare. Our workforce should enjoy a secure retirement. I will work to ensure that Social Security is funded to keep pace with the cost of living. I will promote pension benefits in the workplace, which were a big part of creating the comfortable middle class we once had.
I support streamlining the bureaucratic process to see projects more quickly become reality. Our road, rail, sea, and air systems need to be improved now, not ten years from now. A major infrastructure bill is required with a commitment to produce 22nd century standards of safety and efficiency, creating a shining example of modern transport.
The recurring flooding of our rivers and coastal areas demands protective solutions from our Army Corps of Engineers. I back the expansion and accelerated access to funding for these projects. FEMA's resources should include the capacity to upgrade restoration efforts with prevention measures against future catastrophes.
I will work toward a comprehensive overhaul of our immigration system that includes border security, increased processing capabilities, and a crackdown on those who overstay legal visas. Our country will continue to embrace a rigorous and legal immigration system, which has always enriched our nation and its economy.
The structure of our democracy is by the people, for the people. We should not prevent nor deter access to any of our elections. A high priority should be placed on safeguarding election outcomes from foreign influence and cyber attacks. Independent committees should oversee the redistricting process, eliminating the gerrymandering that favors incumbents and political parties.
I will preserve your Second Amendment right, and also protect public safety. These results can both be achieved with popular, commonsense regulation recognized by the Supreme Court. Universal background checks, red flag laws, and terrorist watch lists are measures that can accomplish both goals.
Our military and our veterans are a vital part of our society. I will promote greater participation in our armed services. The VA should be state of the art, streamlined, and serve as the model of public benefits for all public service agencies. Our veterans, wounded both physically and mentally, deserve the best and we will give it to them.
As we work to make America a more perfect union, I will apply that same principle to our interactions with nations around the world. Our allies deserve our respect and support. I will look to preserve and promote partnerships where we can work together on cybersecurity, climate change, intellectual property rights, military security and intelligence.