Collaborative workflow through messaging conversations

Abstract

A networked application and email application were described herein that provide for an intuitive system by which users can participate in collaborative workflow relating to a network document. In one implementation, a system includes a messaging server component to provide messaging services and an application server component to provide a networked application. The application server component interacts with the messaging server component in response to a user command to initiate collaboration on the network document. The interaction with the messaging server component includes providing a link that refers to a version of the network document as created or edited by the user.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 storing, by a server computing system, one or more versions of a network document, wherein the one or more versions include a current version of the network document;   responsive to receiving a request to share the network document with a group of users, creating, by the server computing system, a link that references a current version of the network document;   assigning, by the server computing system and to each user of the group of users, at least one editing or view-only privilege associated with the network document;   outputting, by the server computing system and to a group of client computing devices associated with the group of users, a first message, wherein the first message includes the link referencing the current version network document, and wherein the current version of the network document is accessible via the link according to the respective at least one editing or view-only privilege assigned to each user of the group of users;   receiving, by the server computing system and from a client computing device of the group of client computing devices, an indication of a selection of the link referencing the current version of the network document, wherein the client computing device is associated with a user of the group of users, wherein the respective at least one editing or view-only privilege assigned to the user includes the editing privilege for the current version of the network document, and wherein the client computing device is configured to execute a network application to create one or more modifications to the current version of the network document;   after receiving the indication of the selection of the link, receiving, by the server computing system and from the client computing device, the one or more modifications to the current version of the network document;   updating, by the server computing system and based on the one or more modifications, the current version of the network document; and   outputting, by the server computing system and to the group of client computing devices, a second message, wherein the second message includes an indication of the one or more modifications to the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the server computing system and to the client computing device, at least a portion of the network application.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein transmitting, by the server computing system and to the client computing device, at least the portion of the network application occurs responsive to the server computing system receiving the indication of the selection of the link from the client computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to share the network document with the group of users comprises receiving, by the server computing system, a group of email addresses with which to share the network document, wherein the group of email addresses are associated with the group of users. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to share the network document with the group of users comprises receiving, by the server computing system, an indication of a selection of a graphical button to share the network document with the group of users. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the indication of the selection of the link, outputting, by the server computing system and to the client computing device, the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server computing system and from the client computing device, an indication of a selection of a portion of the current version of the network document; and   outputting, by the server computing system and to the client computing device, an indication of which one of the group of users last edited the portion of the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network application comprises a spreadsheet application. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the link referencing the current version of the network document comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes an indication of the network application. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 preventing, by the server computing system, at least one client computing device included in the group of client computing devices from modifying the current version of the network document, wherein the at least one client computing device is associated with at least one user included in the group of users is assigned to the view-only privilege associated with the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more modifications comprise a first modification, wherein the user comprises a first user, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the server computing system and from a second client computing device of the group of client computing devices, a second modification to the current version of the network document, wherein the second client computing device is associated with a second user of the group of users; and   responsive to receiving an indication of a further selection of the link by at least one of the group of client computing devices, outputting, by the server computing system and to the at least one of the group of client computing devices, the first modification to the current version of the network document in a first color and the second modification to the current version of the network document in a second color.   
     
     
         12 . A server computing system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 store one or more versions of a network document, wherein the one or more versions include a current version of the network document; 
 responsive to receiving a request to share the network document with a group of users, create a link that references a current version of the network document; 
 assign, to each user of the group of users, at least one editing or view-only privilege associated with the network document; 
 output, to a group of client computing devices associated with the group of users, a first message, wherein the first message includes the link referencing the current version of the network document, and wherein the network document is accessible via the link according to the respective at least one editing or view-only privilege assigned to each user of the group of users; 
 receive, from a client computing device of the group of client computing devices, an indication of a selection of the link referencing the current version of the network document, wherein the client computing device is associated with a user of the group of users, wherein the respective at least one editing or view-only privilege assigned to the user includes the editing privilege for the current version of the network document, and wherein the client computing device is configured to execute a network application to create one or more modifications to the current version of the network document; 
 after receiving the indication of the selection of the link, receive, from the client computing device, the one or more modifications to the current version of the network document; 
 update, based on the one or more modifications, the current version of the network document; and 
 output, to the group of client computing devices, a second message, wherein the second message includes an indication of the one or more modifications to the current version of the network document. 
   
     
     
         13 . The server computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that cause the one or more processors to receive the request to share the network document with the group of users further cause the one or more processors to receive a group of email addresses with which to share the network document, wherein the group of email addresses are associated with the group of users. 
     
     
         14 . The server computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium further cause the one or more processors to:
 responsive to receiving the indication of the selection of the link, output, to the client computing device, the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         15 . The server computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from the client computing device, an indication of a selection of a portion of the current version of the network document; and   output, to the client computing device, an indication of which one of the group of users last edited the portion of the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         16 . The server computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium further cause the one or more processors to:
 prevent at least one client computing device included in the group of client computing devices from modifying the current version of the network document, wherein the at least one client computing device is associated with at least one user included in the group of users is assigned to the view-only privilege associated with the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to:
 store one or more versions of a network document, wherein the one or more versions include a current version of the network document;   responsive to receiving a request to share the network document with a group of users, create a link that references a current version of the network document;   assign, to each user of the group of users, at least one editing or view-only privilege associated with the network document;   output, to a group of client computing devices associated with the group of users, a first message, wherein the first message includes the link referencing the current version of the network document, and wherein the current version of the network document is accessible via the link according to the respective at least one editing or view-only privilege assigned to each user of the group of users;   receive, from a client computing device of the group of client computing devices, an indication of a selection of the link referencing the current version of the network document, wherein the client computing device is associated with a user of the group of users, wherein the respective at least one editing or view-only privilege assigned to the user includes the editing privilege for the current version of the network document, and wherein the client computing device is configured to execute a network application to create one or more modifications to the current version of the network document;   after receiving the indication of the selection of the link, receive, from the client computing device, the one or more modifications to the current version of the network document;   update, based on the one or more modifications, the current version of the network document; and   output, to the group of client computing devices, a second message, wherein the second message includes an indication of the one or more modifications to the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the at least one processor to receive the request to share the network document with the group of users cause the at least one processor to receive a group of email addresses with which to share the network document, wherein the group of email addresses are associated with the group of users. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
 receive, from the client computing device, an indication of a selection of a portion of the current version of the network document; and   output, to the client computing device, an indication of which one of the group of users last edited the portion of the current version of the network document.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
 prevent at least one client computing device included in the group of client computing devices from modifying the current version of the network document, wherein the at least one client computing device is associated with at least one user included in the group of users is assigned to the view-only privilege associated with the current version of the network document.