Method and apparatus for customizable search parameters

1 . A method comprising:

accepting at least one entry from a user for at least one of a plurality of search parameters;

receiving a selection of one of a plurality of storage classes; and

storing the at least one entry as a preconfigured search according to the selected storage class.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of storage classes comprises:

a class whose contents are available to one user; and

a class whose contents are available to a plurality of users.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accepting an identifier of the at least one entry; and

storing the identifier with the at least one entry.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a privilege level of the user; and

eliminating at least one storage class from the plurality of storage classes if the privilege level is below a predefined level.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one entries comprises an indicator to control whether a user of the preconfigured search may alter the entry before executing a search.

6 . A method comprising:

retrieving at least one preconfigured search parameter value from a database;

displaying a search dialog containing the at least one search parameter value if at least one of the at least one search parameter values is not locked; and

executing a search based on the at least one search parameter value.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

retrieving a first group of preconfigured search parameter sets from the database;

retrieving a second group of preconfigured search parameter sets from the database, the second group associated with a user;

presenting a list of preconfigured search parameter sets including the first group and the second group; and

accepting a selection of a preconfigured search parameter set from the list.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

executing a search based on the at least one search parameter value after accepting the selection if all of the search parameters of the selected preconfigured search parameter set are locked.

9 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions to cause a programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

collecting information about operations of a business;

selecting a subset of the information that matches a preconfigured search query; and

displaying the subset.

10 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 containing additional instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying a list of preconfigured search queries; and

accepting a selection of the preconfigured search query from the list.

11 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 containing additional instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying a plurality of search parameters of the preconfigured search query; and

accepting modifications to at least one of the plurality of search parameters before performing the selecting operation.

12 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 containing additional instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

accepting entries for at least one of a plurality of search fields;

storing the entries as a preconfigured search query, the preconfigured search query to be associated with an identifier and a group.

13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the information about operations of the business comprises:

a supply of input materials;

a demand for processed goods;

a manufacturing status; and

logistics.

14 . A system comprising:

a mass storage device to store a plurality of preconfigured search queries;

an output device to display some of the preconfigured search queries;

an input device to permit a selection of one of the preconfigured search queries;

a mass storage device to contain data in a database; and

a processor to locate data in the database that corresponds to the selected one of the preconfigured search queries.

15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

privilege logic to determine an access level of a user; and

preconfigured search parameter storage logic to store a preconfigured search query in one of a plurality of groups, wherein accessibility of each group depends upon the access level of the user.

16 . The system of claim 14 wherein a preconfigured search query comprises:

a value for at least one of a plurality of search fields;

a locking indicator to control whether a user may alter the value; and

a name to identify the preconfigured search query.