Apparatus and method for embedding and utilizing report controls within an online report

1 . A computer implemented method, comprising:

adding a web element to a report;

generating a segment of code for the web element;

embedding the segment of code within the report; and

publishing the report, wherein in the published report the web element operates as a web element control.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein adding includes adding the web element to a report in a first graphical user interface, where the method further comprises opening the report within a second graphical user interface.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising facilitating navigation of the report with the web element control.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising specifying a parameter to the web element control to interact with the report.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising writing data back to a data source in response to the web element control.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a web element with at least one property set to a default value; and

displaying a parameter associated with the web element, wherein the parameter is selected from a: name, type, description, and value.

7 . A computer readable medium including executable instructions, comprising executable instructions to:

add a web element to a report;

generate a segment of code for the web element;

embed the segment of code within the report;

associate a property value for the web element with the embedded segment of code; and

publish the report to support interactive web element control.

8 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instructions to:

present to a first user a control value for the web element control; and

accept selection of the control value.

9 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instructions to:

open the report within a second graphical user interface associated with a second user; and

build the web element control within the second graphical user interface.

10 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instructions to associate custom code with the web element control.

11 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instructions to define a link between the web element control and another web element control.

12 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising executable instructions to save the web element control to a repository of web element controls.

13 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the segment of code within the report supports user interactivity.

14 . The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the web element control passes web element control values to the report as a report parameter.