Abstract: A collaboration database service may allow users to create, edit, and share collaborative content on custom databases, and may also integrate and interoperate with various productivity applications. For example, a collaboration database engine of the service may detect creation or modification of a table through an application associated with the service. In response to a request to add a choice type column to the table, the engine may automatically select, provide, and enable modification of a set of symbols and associated text values corresponding to choices. The engine may then provide the choice type column for display within the table such that each cell of the choice type column is automatically and/or manually populated with at least one of the choices. The choice may be represented by a symbol and/or associated text value from the modified set of symbols and associated text values corresponding to the choice.

Abstract: A consumer oriented data service is provided. A data collaboration service initiates operations to provide access to data from multiple sources by managing a data table of aggregate data fields based on a request from a client application. The request includes a consumer identification and data queries. An ownership of the data table is assigned based on the consumer identification. Local data fields identified in the data queries are inserted into the data table and populated with local datasets stored in the queries. External data fields identified in the data queries are inserted into the data table and populated with links to external datasets stored in external data sources.

Abstract: A collaboration database service may allow users to create, edit, and share collaborative content on custom databases consistently across a variety of platforms and devices. For example, a collaboration database engine of the service may be configured to detect creation of a table through an application associated with the service, the table including one or more columns and rows that form a plurality of cells. The engine may also be configured to determine and optionally reduce a character count of data within each cell, map each cell to a bucket based on the character count of the data, and automatically select an optimal configuration of the table to be provided for display through the application based on the mapping. The optimal configuration may maximize an amount of the data presented within each cell of the table and enable consistent presentation of the table across a variety of platforms and devices.

Abstract: A collaboration database service may allow users to create, edit, and share collaborative content on custom databases consistently across a variety of platforms and devices. For example, a collaboration database engine of the service may be configured to detect creation of a table through an application associated with the service, the table including one or more columns and rows that form a plurality of cells. The engine may also be configured to determine and optionally reduce a character count of data within each cell, map each cell to a bucket based on the character count of the data, and automatically select an optimal configuration of the table to be provided for display through the application based on the mapping. The optimal configuration may maximize an amount of the data presented within each cell of the table and enable consistent presentation of the table across a variety of platforms and devices.

Abstract: Data presentation functionality associated with a collaboration database may be provided. A presentation of a table in conjunction with a collaboration database may be detected. At least one field in the table that includes people type data may also be detected. Initial letters associated with a person or an entity may be detected as input into the at least one field. A type of entry of the initial letters may be detected. A local data source may be searched to identify matching entries. Suggestions may then be displayed. If one of the suggestions is selected, additional information associated with the selected suggestion may be displayed on a contact card in a vicinity of the at least one field. An interactive functionality associated with the additional information through the contact card may be provided upon selection of the at least one field when the table is presented.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) capable of presenting a display that indicates that navigation controls can be used for navigating through results of a search using a search engine. The GUI highlights the GUI control that accepts text characters for indicating a search term such that the area contrasts with the display of an adjacent display area in response to entering the search term. Once the search is initiated, such as by actuating a search initiation control, the GUI may change to highlight navigation controls to indicate that those controls can be used to navigate between search result hits. Additional icons or controls may be displayed to further indicate the function of navigation controls and actions that may be taken to further modify the display of controls, such as collapsing some of the controls.

Abstract: A consumer oriented data service is provided. A data collaboration service initiates operations to provide access to data from multiple sources by managing a data table of aggregate data fields based on a request from a client application. The request includes a consumer identification and data queries. An ownership of the data table is assigned based on the consumer identification. Local data fields identified in the data queries are inserted into the data table and populated with local datasets stored in the queries. External data fields identified in the data queries are inserted into the data table and populated with links to external datasets stored in external data sources.

Abstract: Data presentation functionality associated with a collaboration database may be provided. A presentation of a table in conjunction with a collaboration database may be detected. At least one field in the table that includes people type data may also be detected. Initial letters associated with a person or an entity may be detected as input into the at least one field. A type of entry of the initial letters may be detected. A local data source may be searched to identify matching entries. Suggestions may then be displayed. If one of the suggestions is selected, additional information associated with the selected suggestion may be displayed on a contact card in a vicinity of the at least one field. An interactive functionality associated with the additional information through the contact card may be provided upon selection of the at least one field when the table is presented.

Abstract: Smart cards are used to provide a consolidated summary of tabular data from a collaboration database. Card layouts may be responsive to table schema and present data consistently across different devices and platforms. Cards may have pre-set layouts designed to present content in a user-friendly manner enhancing user experience and enabling interactivity. Card layouts may be determined by a set of pre-defined rules, which may be based on a type of data in a first column of an underlying table and types of data in other columns (such as images, communications, and other forms of rich data).

Abstract: A collaboration database service allows end users to create and collaborate on custom databases as any other type of productivity content (presentations, word processing documents, spreadsheets, etc.). Providing a more data centric experience rather than formatting centric may allow for a malleable experience. The custom entities the user defines may indicate how to best display the data on various devices, what rules should be enforced, and what actions need to be taken on behalf of the user. A collaboration database service according to embodiments may not only provide easy creation and sharing of various databases across devices, but also integrate and interoperate with various productivity application workloads. Each productivity application may play a unique role, and those individual strengths may be highlighted in an example service to bring the system together.

Abstract: A collaboration database service may allow users to create, edit, and share collaborative content on custom databases consistently across a variety of platforms and devices. For example, a collaboration database engine of the service may be configured to detect creation of a table through an application associated with the service, the table including one or more columns and rows that form a plurality of cells. The engine may also be configured to determine and optionally reduce a character count of data within each cell, map each cell to a bucket based on the character count of the data, and automatically select an optimal configuration of the table to be provided for display through the application based on the mapping. The optimal configuration may maximize an amount of the data presented within each cell of the table and enable consistent presentation of the table across a variety of platforms and devices.

Abstract: A collaboration database service may allow users to create, edit, and share collaborative content on custom databases, and may also integrate and interoperate with various productivity applications. For example, a collaboration database engine of the service may detect creation or modification of a table through an application associated with the service. In response to a request to add a choice type column to the table, the engine may automatically select, provide, and enable modification of a set of symbols and associated text values corresponding to choices. The engine may then provide the choice type column for display within the table such that each cell of the choice type column is automatically and/or manually populated with at least one of the choices. The choice may be represented by a symbol and/or associated text value from the modified set of symbols and associated text values corresponding to the choice.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance the user experience with collaboration services. In at least one implementation, the presentation of a user interface to a collaboration service is enhanced by identifying collaboration sites associated with a user and identifying events that occurred with respect to the collaboration sites. Active summaries are then surfaced in the user interface that correspond to the collaboration sites associated with the user. In addition, active elements are surfaced in the active summaries that are indicative of at least the events that occurred with respect to the collaboration sites associated with the user.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) capable of presenting a display that indicates that navigation controls can be used for navigating through results of a search using a search engine. The GUI highlights the GUI control that accepts text characters for indicating a search term such that the area contrasts with the display of an adjacent display area in response to entering the search term. Once the search is initiated, such as by actuating a search initiation control, the GUI may change to highlight navigation controls to indicate that those controls can be used to navigate between search result hits. Additional icons or controls may be displayed to further indicate the function of navigation controls and actions that may be taken to further modify the display of controls, such as collapsing some of the controls.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) capable of presenting a display that indicates that navigation controls can be used for navigating through results of a search using a search engine. The GUI highlights the GUI control that accepts text characters for indicating a search term such that the area contrasts with the display of an adjacent display area in response to entering the search term. Once the search is initiated, such as by actuating a search initiation control, the GUI may change to highlight navigation controls to indicate that those controls can be used to navigate between search result hits. Additional icons or controls may be displayed to further indicate the function of navigation controls and actions that may be taken to further modify the display of controls, such as collapsing some of the controls.

Abstract: A multi-state viewing mode user interface (UI) element is used to switch between different viewing modes on a display of a computing device. A user may switch between hidden mode where commands are hidden, a collapsed mode where a portion of the commands are hidden, and an expanded mode where the commands are shown on the display. The viewing mode UI element may remain displayed such that a user may interact with the element to switch to another viewing mode. A trigger zone UI element may be displayed that when activated temporarily displays commands that are hidden according to the selected viewing mode. Other UI elements (e.g. closing the application) may also be shown. A selected viewing mode may persist across an application closing and re-opening. A status UI element may also be surfaced (e.g. temporarily) to indicate various events.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a user interface that enables a user to more readily identify and use one or more storage services (e.g., cloud storage services or local storage services) to save, open and/or retrieve documents and other data. Embodiments include receiving user credentials from a user that identify the user and also identify one or more storage services that are available to the user. In response to a request to save a document, a list of available services is provided to the user. In an embodiment, the list of services is provided to the user via a user interface. The user may select a storage service from the list and save the document using the selected service.