Abstract: A system for client caching of target addresses for network requests includes one or more processors and memory coupled to the processors, where the memory stores instructions executable by the processors to implement an application configured to direct network requests received from users to target servers over the network. The application attempts to update a current version of a local data object storing network addresses, where the attempt includes sending an update request to a redirecting server over a network. If the attempt succeeds, the application accesses the updated version of the local data object to obtain a target address for a network request. If the attempt fails, the target address is obtained from the version of the local data object that existed before the update was attempted. The application directs the network request to the appropriate server using the target address.

Abstract: A method for providing payroll services to an employer includes obtaining employee data for an employee of the employer, wherein the employee data is used by a payroll system, obtaining employer tax data of the employer, wherein the employer tax data is used by the payroll system, and managing a payroll and taxes of the employer using the payroll system, wherein managing the payroll of the employer comprises issuing a direct deposit paycheck by the payroll system based on the employee data and employer tax data, wherein managing the payroll of the employer and taxes of the employer is provided by the payroll system without cost to the employer.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for performing voice-based credit card processing. During operation, the system receives voice input from a merchant at a computer via a telephone to initiate a credit card transaction. Next, the system authenticates the merchant. After authenticating the merchant, the system prompts the merchant for a credit card number. Next, the system authenticates a consumer associated with the credit card. Note that the system can authenticate the consumer with pre-registered information that is associated with the credit card. Once the consumer is authenticated, the system prompts the merchant for a transaction amount. Next, the system receives the transaction amount from the merchant. The system then authorizes the credit card transaction for the transaction amount. Finally, the system reports the result of the authorization to the merchant.

Abstract: A method for managing human resource services, including determining a profile of a first business, where the profile comprises a plurality of attributes of the first business; identifying a second business matching the profile of the first business; receiving a first human resource service requirement of the second business and a second human resource service requirement of the second business; sending the first human resource service requirement and the second human resource service requirement to a plurality of third party providers; receiving a plurality of products from the plurality of third part providers; generating a first benefits package comprising a first subset of the plurality of products, where the first benefits package satisfies the first human resource service requirement and the second human resource service requirement; and installing the first subset of products.

Abstract: A computer-readable medium includes instructions for managing output settings in a form-based application by modifying a first output setting control associated with a first output version of a form of the form-based application, initiating outputting the first output version based on modifying the first output setting control, and initiating outputting a second output version based on a second output setting control.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating user interaction with physical documents. A system may include a physical document interface configured to receive a physical document having a surface including document data items, such that at least a portion of the surface of the physical document is visible to a user. The system further includes a device including a computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the device to implement an application, which may be executable to display a user interface including application data items, each of which may be selectable via the user interface. In response to the selection of a given application data item via the user interface, the device is configured to cause the physical document interface to visibly indicate a location on the surface of the physical document, where the location includes a document data item corresponding to the application data item selected via the user interface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for managing a financial account. The method involves directing a primary transaction request to a holding account controlled by an account owner, evaluating the primary transaction request based on a selected rule to obtain an evaluation, routing the primary transaction request, based on the evaluation, from the holding account to the financial account of a plurality of financial accounts.

Abstract: A user-driven document data collection system may allow the user to enter document data in no particular order. The data collection system may help the user identify documents and determine whether those documents are relevant. The document data collection system may also allow the user to input a description of a document, identify the document based on the description, and determine whether or not the document is appropriate for data collection. The data collection system may be configured to display example documents for the user to verify the identification of a document. A user may enter data for a document via a data entry screen based in part on a scanned image of the document. The document data collection system may analyze the data from documents to determine whether or not any additional information, such as from additional documents, is required to perform a particular task using the document data.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling are described. The system and method for adapting software elements may include a mood state component configured to, among other things, create a mood state profile of a user. The mood state profile may indicate characteristics of a user's mood state. The system and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling may also include a method of application development. The method of application development may include creating an application profile that indicates the mood-altering characteristics of the application. The application profile may be used to, among other things, determine modifications to the application during the application development phase. The mood state component may also enable applications to adapt to a user's mood state while the application is in use (e.g., at runtime).

Abstract: A method and system for correlating medical treatments with symptoms and metrics includes a process for correlating medical treatments with symptoms and metrics whereby treatment implementation data regarding what medical treatments are prescribed/recommended, and/or employed/implemented by the patient, and when and how the treatments are implemented over a given time frame, is obtained. Patient's specific treatment experience data is also collected that represents the patient's specific treatment experience with, and/or specific results from, the medical treatment over the same time frame. The patient is then provided with processed data correlating the patient's specific treatment experience data with the patient's medical treatment implementation data.

Abstract: A method and system for collecting and analyzing data found across multiple sites on the internet or stored in a self-contained or pre-loaded database, is disclosed which captures, extracts, analyzes, categorizes, synthesizes, summarizes and displays, in a customizable format, both the substance and sentiment embodied within user-generated content, such as comments or reviews, found across such sites and/or stored within such databases.

Abstract: A method for rating a submission, including receiving the submission from a user, where the submission is associated with a category; obtaining a self-rating and a user contribution level associated with the category, where the self-rating is obtained from the user; determining a submission score for the submission based on the self-rating and the user contribution level; and presenting the submission score for the submission.

Abstract: A method of configuring a personalized geographical area for a user. An electronic system for providing a geographical-based service (e.g., a business directory, mapping, consumer opinions) obtains information regarding locations that can be associated with the user. Such locations may include his home address, the zip code in which he works, a business district he provides or reviews consumer opinions for, an address of an establishment for which he requests a map, etc. Using the various locations associated with the user, a personalized geographical area is configured for the user, to act as his default area when reviewing consumer opinions, requesting business locations and/or other purposes. His personalized area may change over time as the system obtains newer information regarding his activities. The personalized area may be of any size and shape, particularly non-circular, as it may be derived based on travel distances over terrain (i.e., instead of straight-line distance).

Abstract: A system for tax planning with legislation conformance options comprises one more processors coupled to a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processors to implement a tax planner configured to receive data exported from a tax return preparation tool. The tax planner receives input indicating whether a tax projection to be prepared using the data is to include an impact of specified tax legislation. If the input indicates that the tax projection is to include the impact of the specified legislation, the tax planner is configured to include the impact of the specified legislation in the tax projection without requiring data to be re-exported from the tax return preparation tool. If the input indicates that the tax projection is to exclude the impact of the specified legislation, the tax planner is configured to prepare the tax projection without including the impact of the specified legislation.

Abstract: A method for filtering online content involves uploading application data from a desktop application to a data repository associated with a website, where the application data are associated with a user of the desktop application, and where the website includes a message board associated with the desktop application. The method further involves designating at least part of the application data as message filtering criteria, and filtering messages on the message board based on message filtering criteria, where filtering messages provides a customized experience of the message board for the user.

Abstract: A method and mechanism identify various discrepancies that commonly arise when downloading transactional data from one database to another, and provide an ordered sequence of user interface tools to correct each type of discrepancy.

Abstract: A system and method for error reduction may reduce errors of tax returns filed with a taxing authority. The system and method for error reduction may include an error reduction component that may compare user-supplied tax information to corresponding tax entity information accessed from a taxing authority. The error reduction component may present the corresponding tax information to the user. If a discrepancy is detected by the error reduction component, the error reduction component may notify the user so that the discrepancy may be corrected before a tax return containing the discrepant information is filed with a taxing authority. The error reduction component may enable a user to correct discrepancies in user-supplied tax information and/or corresponding tax entity information possessed by a taxing authority. In various embodiments, the error reduction component may be implemented with a tax preparation application.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a method and apparatus for linking businesses to customers through a trusted source network includes creating and providing an authenticated rating and review/referral database. The authenticated rating and review/referral database is then used as a central hub to distribute authenticated ratings and reviews to various interested parties in one or more trusted source networks and/or through one or more portals linked to existing trusted source networks.

Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a method for collecting information. The method includes receiving a request for user information from a preparer application executing on a preparer system and sending a notification of the request to a browser application executing on a user system, where the notification of the request is presented on a user interface of the browser application. The method further includes receiving the user information from the browser application, where the user information corresponds to content of the browser application. The method further includes sending a notification of receiving the user information to the preparer application, where the user information is used by the preparer application to prepare documentation, and where interactions with the browser application occur through a browser extension of the browser application.

Abstract: A tax preparation application may initiate a tax preparation process for a user. The tax preparation process may detect that the user is having difficulty with the tax preparation process and present an option to the user to contact a tax preparation professional. If the user chooses to contact a tax preparation professional, the tax preparation application may present a list of tax preparation professionals to the user and request the user select one. Subsequent to the selection of a tax preparation professional, the tax preparation process may establish a communication channel between the tax preparation application and the tax preparation professional so that the tax preparation professional may assist the user. In some embodiments, the tax preparation process may be performed on a kiosk.