Configurable software application
A configurable software application is provided, where the software application may be designed on a platform including at least one configuration utility for enabling end users to customize various aspects of the application. For example, end users may use the configuration utility to customize one or more user interface elements, event handlers, data handlers, and/or data elements of the application. The software application may be automatically updated to incorporate the user customizations. In one implementation, custom user interface elements may be used to control a navigation of the application or an interaction with data elements of the application. In another implementation, custom data elements, based on a hierarchical metadata structure, may dictate an organization of the application. In another implementation, custom event handlers may control business logic and rules for the application, while custom data handlers may control interfacing with the data elements.
1. A method for configuring a software application, the method being executed by a computer having one or more physical processors programmed by computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the one or physical processors to perform the method, the method comprising:
providing, by the one or more physical processors, access to one or more configuration utilities of a software application;
receiving, through the one or more configuration utilities, one or more user inputs that specify one or more data or event handlers used to customize an operation of the software application, wherein the one or more configuration utilities are related to the software application such that the software application is self-configuring based on the one or more user inputs;
defining the one or more data or event handlers to be used in the software application based on the one or more user inputs;
building one or more displays of the software application, wherein the one or more displays are: (i) configured with the one or more configuration utilities of the software application, and (ii) cause the one or more data or event handlers to be triggered; and
displaying a populated user interface associated with the software application, wherein the populated user interface includes the one or more displays configured with the one or more configuration utilities;
wherein the one or more configuration utilities expose a framework associated with the software application, and wherein the exposed framework includes a hierarchical metadata structure that contains one or more data elements within the one or more displays, the one or more displays within one or more chapters that describe relationships among the one or more data elements, and the one or more chapters within one or more groups that assign one or more roles to one or more users.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising:
using the one or more configuration utilities to create or extend one or more metadata records that control the software application and the one or more displays of the software application.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein building the one or more displays of the software application includes binding one or more metadata records created or extended with the one or more configuration utilities to a hierarchical metadata structure that controls the software application.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more metadata records control navigation and interaction associated with the one or more displays.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein defining the one or more data or event handlers further comprising:
using the one or more configuration utilities to create or extend one or more data handlers that control the software application and convert data elements from the hierarchical metadata structure to a format associated with the exposed framework; and
using the one or more configuration utilities to create or extend one or more event handlers that initiate one or more actions in response to one or more events associated with the software application.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more displays are built and displayed in the populated user interface in response to receiving an authenticated request from one or more of the users.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the one or more data or event handlers comprises defining one or more data handlers that are attached to one or more external services or applications that perform a function external to the software application, wherein the function allows the software application to access the one or more external services or applications.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more external services or applications comprise a batch print server.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more external services or applications comprise an interactive voice recognition service.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the one or more data or event handlers comprises defining one or more event handlers that respond to one or more events occurring at the software application.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more event handlers include a workflow wizard that guides a user through a task to be completed responsive to the one or more events.
12. A system for configuring a software application, wherein the system comprises one or more physical processors programmed by computer program instructions to:
provide access to one or more configuration utilities of a software application;
receive, through the one or more configuration utilities, one or more user inputs that specify one or more data or event handler used to customize an operation of the software application, wherein the one or more configuration utilities are related to the software application such that the software a dication is self-configuring based on the one or more user inputs;
build one or more displays of the software application, wherein the one or more displays are: (i) configured with the one or more inputs to the one or more configuration utilities of the software application, and (ii) cause the one or more data or event handlers to be triggered;
display a populated user interface associated with the software application, wherein the populated user interface includes the one or more displays configured with the one or more configuration utilities; and
wherein the one or more configuration utilities expose a framework associated with the software application, and wherein the exposed framework includes a hierarchical metadata structure that contains one or more data elements within the one or more displays, the one or more displays within one or more chapters that describe relationships among the one or more data elements, and the one or more chapters within one or more groups that assign one or more roles to one or more users.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more inputs to the one or more configuration utilities create or extend one or more metadata records that control the software application and the one or more displays of the software application.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to bind one or more metadata records created or extended with the one or more inputs to the one or more configuration utilities to a hierarchical metadata structure that controls the software application to build the one or more displays.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more metadata records control navigation and interaction associated with the one or more displays.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:
create or extend one or more data handlers in response to the one or more inputs to configure the framework associated with the software application, wherein the one or more data handlers control the software application and convert data elements from the hierarchical metadata structure to a format associated with the exposed framework; and
create or extend one or more event handlers in response to the one or more inputs to configure the framework associated with the software application, wherein the one or more event handlers initiate one or more actions in response to one or more events associated with the software application.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to build the displays and display the populated user interface in response to receiving an authenticated request from one or more of the users.
18. A computer-readable storage medium for configuring a software application, wherein the computer-readable storage medium contains computer-executable instructions that cause one or more processors to:
provide access to one or more configuration utilities of a software application;
receive, through the one or more configuration utilities, one or more user inputs that specify one or more data or event handler used to customize an operation of the software application, wherein the one or more configuration utilities are related to the software application such that the software application is self-configuring based on the one or more user inputs;
build one or more displays of the software application, wherein the one or more displays are: (i) configured with the one or more inputs to the one or more configuration utilities of the software application, and (ii) cause the one or more data or event handlers to be triggered;
display a populated user interface associated with the software application, wherein the populated user interface includes the one or more displays configured with the one or more configuration utilities; and
wherein the one or more configuration utilities expose a framework associated with the software application, and wherein the exposed framework includes a hierarchical metadata structure that contains one or more data elements within the one or more displays, the one or more displays within one or more chapters that describe relationships among the one or more data elements, and the one or more chapters within one or more groups that assign one or more roles to one or more users.
19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more inputs to the one or more configuration utilities create or extend one or more metadata records that control the software application and the one or more displays of the software application.
20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to bind one or more metadata records created or extended with the one or more inputs to a hierarchical metadata structure that controls the software application to build the one or more displays.
21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the one or more metadata records control navigation and interaction associated with the one or more displays.
22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
create or extend one or more data handlers in response to the one or more inputs to configure the framework associated with the software application, wherein the one or more data handlers control the software application and convert data elements from the hierarchical metadata structure to a format associated with the exposed framework; and
create or extend one or more event handlers in response to the one or more inputs to configure the framework associated with the software application, wherein the one or more event handlers initiate one or more actions in response to one or more events associated with the software application.
23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors build the displays and display the populated user interface in response to receiving an authenticated request from one or more of the users.
24. A method for configuring a software application, the method being executed by a computer having one or more physical processors programmed by computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the one or physical processors to perform the method, the method comprising:
providing, by the one or more physical processors, access to one or more configuration utilities of a software application, wherein the one or more configuration utilities receive one or more user inputs that specify one or more data or event handlers used to customize an operation of the software application and are related to the software application such that the software application is self-configuring based on the one or more user inputs;
defining the one or more data or event handlers to be used in the software application based on the one or more user inputs;
building one or more displays of the software application, wherein the one or more displays are: (i) configured with the one or more configuration utilities of the software application, and (ii) cause the one or more data or event handlers to be triggered; and
displaying a populated user interface associated with the software application, wherein the populated user interface includes the one or more displays configured with the one or more configuration utilities.