Abstract: A method for storing object state on hash chains. A read request that includes a received field name is received by an object with a plurality of fields. A field value that corresponds to the received field name is retrieved from a hash chain of the object by traversing the hash chain. A block is found that includes the field value from the plurality of field values that corresponds to the received field name. A response to the read request that includes the field value is generated and transmitted.

Abstract: A method for recommendation model integration includes obtaining, using a first model, multiple text scores ranking multiple software applications according to a first user submitted terms in a source software application, and obtaining, using a second model, multiple feature scores ranking the software applications according to multiple features of the software applications. The method further includes integrating the text scores and the feature scores to generate multiple combined scores for the software applications, and presenting, to a user, the software applications according to the combined scores.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a message based on the occurrence of a workflow event and the output of an externally augmented propensity model. The method includes scoring a business entity by applying a propensity model to data. The data includes a first portion created based on a platform utilized by users associated with the business entity, and a second portion that includes financial data of an owner of the business entity. The method includes generating, based on the score, a classification of a future financial requirement of the business entity, and determining that the classification meets a financial requirement threshold. Moreover, the method includes determining, using the first portion of data, that an aspect of the business entity meets a business activity threshold. Also, the method includes detecting that a workflow event has occurred on the platform, and, in response, transmitting a message to a user of the business entity.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media which perform an operation comprising establishing a video conference between a first application instance and a second application instance, and during the video conference: receiving, by an application server from the first application instance, an indication of a first data element required to prepare a tax return, storing, by a notification server, the indication of the first data element, and publishing, by a notification server, the indication of the first data element to the second application instance, wherein the second application instance is configured to output the indication of the data element for display.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for managing data in a plurality of nodes of a distributed system. Embodiments include storing, by a node of the plurality of nodes, sensitive data in a block of a hash chain. Embodiments further include determining, by the node, that the sensitive data should not be distributed to other nodes of the plurality of nodes. Embodiments further include distributing, by the node, a limited version of the block to the other nodes. The limited version of the block may comprise a hash and a pointer to a previous block of the hash chain, and the limited version of the block may not contain the sensitive data.

Abstract: A method and system generates extended patterns from base patterns with an automatic pattern generation engine. The patterns correspond to configurations for implementing cloud-based applications. The patterns are extendable to make additional extended patterns. Extended patterns carry the characteristics of the patterns from which they were extended. Updating a base pattern with new security measures causes a cascade effect that updates all extended patterns that descend from the base pattern.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for enforcing build policies for a software development project of a software platform. Metrics are collected during a stage in a build process for the software development project. The metrics are collected via a build module for building a software development project. The build module is common to software development projects of the software platform. Each of the metrics is evaluated against a plurality of policies. Each policy specifies one or more rules for whether to allow the build process to proceed. Upon determining that one of the metrics does not comply with at least one of a plurality of policies, the build process is aborted at the stage.

Abstract: Detect duplicated questions using reverse gradient adversarial domain adaptation includes applying a general network to multiple general question pairs to obtain a first set of losses. A target domain network is applied to multiple domain specific network pairs to obtain a second set of losses. Further, a domain distinguishing network is applied to a set of domain specific questions and a set of general questions to obtain a third set of losses. A set of accumulated gradients is calculated from the first set of losses, the second set of losses, and the third set of losses. Multiple features are updated according to the set of accumulated gradients to train the target domain network.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for determining tax recommendations for a taxpayer by using a tax calculation graph to identify tax variables that a taxpayer can control and modify. The tax preparation system of comprises a recommendation engine configured to analyze a tax calculation graph which is calculated using tax data of the taxpayer. The recommendation engine determines tax variables from the tax calculation graph which can affect the tax result. The recommendation engine analyzes these tax variables to determine which of them can be reasonably controlled by the taxpayer using a controllability model. The recommendation engine then executes a tax calculation engine to calculate the tax calculation graph by varying the taxpayer controllable variables to determine how varying the user controllable variables affects the tax result. The recommendation engine then analyzes the affect on the tax result and determines one or more tax recommendation for the taxpayer.

Abstract: A system for explaining added tax questions resulting from modified tax data for an electronic tax return preparation program includes a computing device having a completeness graph engine, an explanation engine, and a user interface controller. The computing device executes the completeness graph engine, which takes a first snapshot of input needs for a completeness graph corresponding to a tax topic, takes a second snapshot of input needs for the completeness graph corresponding to the tax topic after receiving modified tax data, and compares the first and second snapshots to identify an added variable in the completeness graph. An explanation engine analyzes the completeness graph and the modified tax data to generate an explanation asset for the added variable. A user interface controller generates a tax question corresponding to the added variable. The computing device presents the tax question and the explanation asset to a user.

Abstract: A method to configure a software solution may include receiving a first specification of a type of configuration data items and a second specification of system selected user attributes associated with the type of configuration data items, and receiving a configuration data item that is used to configure a first localized version of the software solution. The method may further include receiving a contributing user attribute specification that specifies a first user attribute and a second user attribute of the system selected user attributes, and generating a search tag assigned to the configuration data item. The method may further include receiving a search request to search the configuration data items, selecting, in response to the search request, the configuration data item based on the search tag, and configuring, in response to selecting the configuration data item, a second localized version of the software solution based on the configuration data item.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, computerized systems and articles of manufacture for processing sensitive electronic tax return data. A tax logic agent reads runtime data of the electronic tax return from a shared data store and identifies logic computations to be performed given a directed completion graph and runtime data. Certain logic computations involve sensitive runtime data (name, social security number, other personal identification data, and private data such as address, telephone number and account numbers), are indicated as such, and may be processed differently than other logic computations involving runtime data not indicated to be sensitive data. Logic computations involving sensitive data may be performed locally, whereas logic computations not involving sensitive data may be performed by a remote computing resource, in which case computation results are merged and used to generate a non-binding suggestion of a topic or question to present to the user via the user interface controller.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a personalized self-support service to a user of an online application coupled with an online community forum. Embodiments include obtaining a plurality of questions from the online community forum and obtaining historical user data. Embodiments further include identifying one or more part-of-speech words in the plurality of questions and generating a high-dimensional vector for each question of the plurality of questions based on a frequency of the one or more part-of-speech words. Embodiments further include identifying one or more user features of the plurality of users based on the historical user data and establishing, based on the historical user data, one or more statistical correlations between user features and part-of-speech words. Embodiments further include training a predictive model based on the one or more statistical correlations. Embodiments further include using the predictive model to predict to provide one or more relevant questions to the user.

Abstract: A method and system parses natural language in a unique way, determining important words pertaining to a text corpus of a particular genre, such as tax preparation. Sentences extracted from instructions or forms pertaining to tax preparation, for example are parsed to determine word groups forming various parts of speech, and then are processed to exclude words on an exclusion list and word groups that don't meet predetermined criteria. From the resulting data, synonyms are replaced with a common functional operator and the resulting sentence text is analyzed against predetermined patterns to determine one or more functions to be used in a document preparation system.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for removing text from an image of a form document. The text is removed by determining a spectral domain representation of the image and applying a filter to remove the high-frequency components which correspond to the text in the form. An image is reconstructed from the filtered spectral domain representation which maintains the low-frequency components, while deemphasizing or removing the high-frequency components. A shape of the filter applied to the spectral domain representation is determined based on a similarity measure between the image of the form and the reconstructed image.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for processing a digital image of a document, for example, to determine whether the document is a long document. An exemplary method generally includes obtaining a plurality of digital images of the document, segmenting at least a first digital image of the plurality of images into pixels associated with a foreground of the first digital image and pixels associated with a background of the first digital image, detecting a plurality of contours in the segmented first digital image, deciding, for each detected contour of the plurality of contours, whether that contour is an open contour or a closed contour, and determining that one or more sides of the document is out-of-bounds based, at least in part, on the decisions.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for analyzing metrics during a build process for a software development project of a software platform. Metrics associated with a stage in a build process for a software development project are collected via a build module common to software development projects in the software platform. Correlations are identified between the metrics of the software development project and metrics of other software development projects in the software platform. A report describing the metrics and the correlations may be generated.

Abstract: Embodiments of a computer system that determines a time history are described. During operation, the computer system receives a single command which accesses information associated with the time history, wherein the command is received from a user, and the information is to be used by financial software. Then, the computer system generates multiple queries corresponding to the time history, where the multiple queries access multiple data sources. Next, the computer system executes the multiple queries to obtain the time history.

Abstract: Systems of the present disclosure provide a versatile, reusable mock server to respond to Application-Programming-Interface (API) requests. The mock server receives an API request and a cookie associated with the API request. The API server identifies response instructions found in the cookie. The response instructions may include a static response value, a name of an API server for the mock server to imitate, or code for the mock server to execute in the process of generating a mock API response. The mock server generates a mock API response based on the response instructions and sends the mock API response in reply to the API request.

Abstract: Various aspects described herein are directed to a method or system that automates the release and deployment of a software application delivery model for the continuous release and deployment of the software application delivery model. These techniques identify a release and pertinent information thereof for a software application delivery model and determine dependencies among at least some of the pertinent information. Tracking records may be generated at least by tracking the release based in part or in whole upon the dependencies. The release or a portion of the release may be advanced from a current stage to a next stage along a release pipeline based in part or in whole upon the tracking records.