DATA VISUALIZATION CONFIGURATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . In a data visualisation configuration system, a method of creating one or more modifiable data interface objects that are used to represent data values for visualization in a graphical representation, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object from a list of parent modifiable data interface objects,

creating a proxy modifiable data interface object as the new modifiable data interface object for each parent modifiable data interface object associated with the instruction, and

enabling the proxy modifiable data interface object to be available for modification, where the proxy modifiable data interface object refers to its associated parent modifiable data interface object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifiable data interface object is one of a modifiable metric record and a modifiable dimension record.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the proxy modifiable data interface object refers to its associated parent modifiable data interface object when the proxy modifiable data interface object is not modified.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein when the parent modifiable data interface object is updated, the same updates are applied to the proxy modifiable data interface object.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the proxy modifiable data interface object is used when forming at least part of the graphical visualization.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the proxy modifiable data interface object no longer refers to its associated parent modifiable data interface object when the proxy modifiable data interface object is modified.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object comprises the steps of:

detecting an instruction to create a new graphical representation,

retrieving a list of parent modifiable data interface objects associated with the new graphical representation, and

detecting a selection of one or more of the parent modifiable data interface objects that are associated with the new graphical representation.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object comprises the steps of:

detecting an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object within an existing graphical representation,

retrieving a list of parent modifiable data interface objects associated with the existing graphical representation, and

detecting a selection of one or more of the parent modifiable data interface objects that are associated with the existing graphical representation.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of detecting an instruction to modify an existing modifiable data interface object, retrieving the existing modifiable data interface object,

enabling the retrieved existing modifiable data interface object to be modified, and

saving the modified existing modifiable data interface object as the proxy modifiable data interface object.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting an instruction comprises the steps of detecting a selection of a table in a database and detecting an instruction to create the new modifiable data interface object based on the selected table.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of retrieving data values for representation in the graphical representation from a data retrieval module in communication with the data visualisation configuration system, wherein the data values retrieved are associated with the proxy modifiable data interface object.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying the proxy modifiable data interface object to the graphical representation.

13 . A data visualization configuration system adapted to create one or more modifiable data interface objects that are used to represent data values for visualization in a graphical representation, the system comprising a data interface object module arranged to:

detect an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object from a list of parent modifiable data interface objects,

create a proxy modifiable data interface object as the new modifiable data interface object for each parent modifiable data interface object associated with the instruction, and

enable the proxy modifiable data interface object to be available for modification, where the proxy modifiable data interface object refers to its associated parent modifiable data interface object.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the modifiable data interface object is one of a modifiable metric record and a modifiable dimension record.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the data interface object module is further arranged to cause the proxy modifiable data interface object to refer to its associated parent modifiable data interface object when the proxy modifiable data interface object is not modified.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein when the parent modifiable data interface object is updated, the data interface object module is arranged to apply the same updates to the proxy modifiable data interface object.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the proxy modifiable data interface object is used when forming at least part of the graphical visualization.

18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the proxy modifiable data interface object no longer refers to its associated parent modifiable data interface object when the proxy modifiable data interface object is modified.

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein during the detection of an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object, the data interface object module is further arranged to:

detect an instruction to create a new graphical representation,

retrieve a list of parent modifiable data interface objects associated with the new graphical representation, and

detect a selection of one or more of the parent modifiable data interface objects that are associated with the new graphical representation.

20 . The system of claim 13 , wherein during the detection of an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object, the data interface object module is further arranged to:

detect an instruction to create a new modifiable data interface object within an existing graphical representation,

retrieve a list of parent modifiable data interface objects associated with the existing graphical representation, and

detect a selection of one or more of the parent modifiable data interface objects that are associated with the existing graphical representation.

21 . The system of claim 13 wherein the data interface object module is further arranged to detect an instruction to modify an existing modifiable data interface object,

retrieve the existing modifiable data interface object,

enable the retrieved existing modifiable data interface object to be modified, and

save the modified existing modifiable data interface object as the proxy modifiable data interface object.

22 . The system of claim 13 , wherein during the detection of an instruction the data interface object module is further arranged to detect a selection of a table in a database and detect an instruction to create the new modifiable data interface object based on the selected table.

23 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the data visualization configuration system is arranged to retrieve data values for representation in the graphical representation from a data retrieval module in communication with the data visualisation configuration system, wherein the data values retrieved are associated with the proxy modifiable data interface object.

24 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the data visualization configuration system is further arranged to apply the proxy modifiable data interface object to the graphical representation.