Designing and generating charts to graphically represent data in a data source

1. A method of defining a chart that graphically represents data stored in an electronic data source, the method comprising:

causing display of a first graphical user interface of a chart maintenance program that enables a user to define display characteristics of a chart within a second graphical user interface of a software application that is different than the chart maintenance program;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user selection of 1) a data object family contained in the electronic data source, and 2) an attribute for the selected data object family, wherein the selected attribute has multiple possible predefined values that are to serve as category axis values in the chart;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user identification of a database query to perform on the electronic data source to obtain data needed to generate the chart, the data including data for the selected data object family;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user definition of a first data series comprising a value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associated with the data object family;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of the software application to associate with the chart, the software application including multiple business components that each correspond to a different work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection, from among the multiple business components included in the software application, of a business component included in the software application to associate with the chart, the selected business component corresponding to a particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application and the user selection of the business component defining that the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during run time execution of the software application;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of an executable setting for the chart that controls whether or not the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application, the executable setting being selected from among at least a first setting that controls the chart to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application and a second setting that controls the chart not to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application; and

storing an electronic chart definition file including an identification of the selected data object attribute, an identification of the database query, the defined first data series, the software application associated with the chart, the business component associated with the chart, and the executable setting that controls whether or not the chart is made available during runtime execution of the software application.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user definition of a second data series comprising a second value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associate with the data object family; and

storing the defined second data series in the stored electronic definition file.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the defined first and second data series are defined to use a common value axis scale.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the defined first and second data series are defined to use different value axis scales.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving user definitions of display attributes for the chart.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the user definitions of the display attributes are received within a launched chart control component.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to receiving user selection of the software application to associate with the chart and user selection of the business component included in the software application to associate with the chart, integrating the chart into the business component included in the software application.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving, during execution of the business component included in the software application, a selection of a chart display sub-component of the business component; and

in response to receiving the selection of a chart display sub-component of the business component:

programmatically accessing the electronic chart definition file; and

programmatically generating and displaying the chart by executing the database query defined in the electronic chart definition file and arranging data retrieved from the database query in the chart in accordance with the electronic chart definition file.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the electronic chart definition file is not accessed and the chart is not generated and displayed in response to selection of another chart display sub-component of another business component included in the software application.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the chart is only made available, within the software application, in the particular work area that corresponds to the selected business component such that the chart is not made available in work areas within the software application that correspond to the multiple business components included in the software application that were not selected.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response a user accessing the particular work area within the software application that corresponds to the selected business component:

programmatically accessing the electronic chart definition file, and

programmatically generating and displaying the chart within the particular work area by executing the database query defined in the electronic chart definition file and arranging data retrieved from the database query in the chart in accordance with the electronic chart definition file.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

during run time execution of the software application, receiving user input navigating from a first work area within the software application to the particular work area within the software application that corresponds to the selected business component, the first work area being different than the particular work area; and

in response to receiving the user input navigating from the first work area to the particular work area, displaying an interface that corresponds to the particular work area,

wherein programmatically generating and displaying the chart within the particular work area comprises programmatically generating and displaying the chart within the interface that corresponds to the particular work area in response to receiving the user input navigating from the first work area to the particular work area.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving user selection of a software application to associate with the chart comprises receiving user selection of a business software application to associate with the chart, the business software application including multiple business components that each correspond to a different work area within the business software application and the business software application being at least one of a mobiles sales software application, a customer relationship management software application, and a supply chain management software application.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

during run time execution of the software application, receiving user input navigating from a first work area within the software application to the particular work area within the software application that corresponds to the selected business component, the first work area being different than the particular work area; and

in response to receiving the user input navigating from the first work area to the particular work area:

displaying an interface that corresponds to the particular work area;

programmatically generating and displaying the chart within the interface that corresponds to the particular work area conditioned on the executable setting for the chart having been selected as the first setting that controls the chart to be made available for display during runtime execution of the software application; and

maintaining the interface that corresponds to the particular work area without displaying the chart conditioned on the executable setting for the chart having been selected as the second setting that controls the chart not to be available for display during runtime execution of the software application.

15. A computer program product tangibly stored on non-transitory computer-readable memory and comprising program instructions that, when executed, perform a method to define a chart that graphically represents data stored in an electronic data source, wherein the method comprises:

causing display of a first graphical user interface of a chart maintenance program that enables a user to define display characteristics of a chart within a second graphical user interface of a software application that is different than the chart maintenance program;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user selection of 1) a data object family contained in the electronic data source, and 2) an attribute for the selected data object family, wherein the selected attribute has multiple possible predefined values that are to serve as category axis values in the chart;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user identification of a database query to perform on the electronic data source to obtain data needed to generate the chart, the data including data for the selected data object family;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user definition of a first data series comprising a value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associated with the data object family;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of the software application to associate with the chart, the software application including multiple business components that each correspond to a different work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection, from among the multiple business components included in the software application, of a business component included in the software application to associate with the chart, the selected business component corresponding to a particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application and the user selection of the business component defining that the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during run time execution of the software application;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of an executable setting for the chart that controls whether or not the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application, the executable setting being selected from among at least a first setting that controls the chart to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application and a second setting that controls the chart not to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application; and

storing an electronic chart definition file including an identification of the selected data object attribute, an identification of the database query, the defined first data series, the software application associated with the chart, the business component associated with the chart, and the executable setting that controls whether or not the chart is made available during runtime execution of the software application.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a user definition of a second data series comprising a second value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associate with the data object family; and

storing the defined second data series in the stored electronic definition file.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the defined first and second data series are defined to use a common value axis scale.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the defined first and second data series are defined to use different value axis scales.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises receiving user definitions of display attributes for the chart.

20. A system comprising:

at least one computer; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one computer and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one computer, causes the at least one computer to perform operations comprising:

causing display of a first graphical user interface of a chart maintenance program that enables a user to define display characteristics of a chart within a second graphical user interface of a software application that is different than the chart maintenance program;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user selection of 1) a data object family contained in the electronic data source, and 2) an attribute for the selected data object family, wherein the selected attribute has multiple possible predefined values that are to serve as category axis values in the chart;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user identification of a database query to perform on the electronic data source to obtain data needed to generate the chart, the data including data for the selected data object family;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user definition of a first data series comprising a value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associated with the data object family;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of the software application to associate with the chart, the software application including multiple business components that each correspond to a different work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection, from among the multiple business components included in the software application, of a business component included in the software application to associate with the chart, the selected business component corresponding to a particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application and the user selection of the business component defining that the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during run time execution of the software application;

receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of an executable setting for the chart that controls whether or not the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application, the executable setting being selected from among at least a first setting that controls the chart to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application and a second setting that controls the chart not to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application; and

storing an electronic chart definition file including an identification of the selected data object attribute, an identification of the database query, the defined first data series, the software application associated with the chart, the business component associated with the chart, and the executable setting that controls whether or not the chart is made available during runtime execution of the software application.