Displaying multiple row and column header areas in a summary table

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying a summary table having a plurality of adjacent header areas, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more data fields associated with a first row header area;

receiving a selection of one or more data fields associated with a second row header area, the selection of the one or more data fields associated with the second row header area having at least one data field different from the selection of the one or more data fields associated with the first row header area;

reading data from a data source containing values for the one or more data fields associated with the first row header area and the one or more data fields associated with the second row header area;

transforming the data from the data source to summary level data for rendering the summary table; and

rendering to a display device the first row header area and the second row header area in the summary table, the first row header area and the second row header area comprising distinct sets of rows labeled with values from the associated selection of one or more data fields and the first row header area and the second row header area displayed substantially vertically adjacent to each other in the summary table.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein an aggregate label is displayed in the first row header area, such that data associated with the first row header area may be summarized in a single row.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein operations performed in regard to the first row header area in the summary table do not affect the display of the second row header area.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein operations performed regarding a column header area of the summary table affect the display of both the first and second row header areas.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein operations performed to an entirety of the summary table affect the display of both the first and second row header areas.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the summary table is rendered to the display device by a spreadsheet program.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the data source comprises a spreadsheet maintained in the spreadsheet program.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a first data field selection associated with a first column header area of a summary table;

receive a second data field selection associated with a second column header area of the summary table, the second data field selection having at least one data field different from the first data field selection;

read data from a data source containing values for the selected data fields;

transform the data from the data source to summary level data for rendering the summary table; and

render to a display device the first column header area and the second column header area in the summary table, the first column header area comprising a distinct set of columns labeled with values from the first data field selection, the second column header area comprising a distinct set of columns labeled with values from the second data field selection, and the first column area and the second column header area rendered substantially horizontally adjacent to each other in the summary table.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein operations performed in regard to to the first column header area in the summary table do not affect the display of the second column header area.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , where operations performed regarding a row header area of the summary table affects the display of both the first and second column header areas.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein operations performed to an entirety of the summary table affect the display of both the first and second column header areas.

12. A system for displaying a summary table having a plurality of adjacent row header areas or column header areas, the system comprising:

a computer;

a display device operably connected to the computer;

a data source operably connected to the computer; and

a data analysis program module executing on the computer, the data analysis program module operable to:

receive a first selection of data fields associated with a first of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas,

receive a second selection of data fields associated with a second of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas, the second selection of data fields having at least one data field different from the first selection of data fields,

read data from the data source containing values for the data fields,

transform the data from the data source to summary level data for rendering the summary table, and

render to the display device each of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas in the summary table, the first of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas comprising a distinct set of rows or columns labeled with values from the first selection of data fields, the second of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas comprising a distinct set of rows or columns labeled with values from the second selection of data fields, and the first of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas being displayed substantially adjacent to each other in the summary table, wherein operations performed in regard to the first of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas do not affect the display of the second of the adjacent row header areas or column header areas in the summary table.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data analysis program module is further operable to display an aggregate row label in each of the adjacent row header areas and an aggregate column header area in each of the adjacent column header areas.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data analysis program module comprises a spreadsheet program, and wherein the data source comprises a spreadsheet maintained in the spreadsheet program.