Apparatus and method for inserting portions of reports into electronic documents
The invention includes a computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions to generate a set of reports through access to a data source. A selected report from the set of reports is specified. A report part is extracted from the selected report. The report part is augmented with metadata. The report part is then inserted within an electronic document.
1 . A computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions to:
specify a selected report;
choose a report part from said selected report;
augment said report part with metadata characterizing said report part; and
insert said report part within an electronic document.
2 . The computer readable medium of claim 1 said metadata provides information facilitating a link to said selected report.
3 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein said metadata provides information supplying a data context.
4 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein said metadata provides information to coordinate a refresh request for said selected report part.
5 . The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said metadata provides information to coordinate a refresh request for said selected report part to said selected report.
6 . The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said metadata provides information to coordinate a refresh request for said selected report part to a database.
7 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein said metadata provides security information to preserve security settings from said selected report.
8 . The computer-readable medium of claim 2 , further comprising executable instructions to facilitate copying of said report part from said electronic document to a secondary electronic document while maintaining said metadata.
9 . A computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions to:
select a report part from an existing report;
augment said report part with metadata characterizing a report part source report and data context;
insert said report part within an electronic document; and
refresh data within said report part of said electronic document.
10 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising executable instructions to facilitate copying of said report part from said electronic document to a secondary electronic document while maintaining said metadata.
11 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said metadata provides information to coordinate a refresh request to said existing report.
12 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said metadata provides information to coordinate a refresh request to a database.
13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein said metadata provides security information to maintain security settings.
14 . A computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions to:
generate a set of reports through access to a database;
specify a selected report from said set of reports;
extract a report part from said selected report;
augment said report part with metadata; and
insert said report part within an electronic document.
15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein said executable instructions to insert said report include an application plugin to insert said report part within said electronic document.
16 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said application plugin includes executable instructions to access a data provider module to facilitate a refresh operation of said report part.
17 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said application plugin includes executable instructions to access a data provider module to facilitate a refresh operation of said report via access to said selected report.
18 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said application plugin includes executable instructions to access a data provider module to facilitate a refresh operation of said report via access to said selected database.