Assistive overlay for report generation

摘要

In general, techniques are described for providing a user interface to create report specifications and included source definitions for business reporting and analysis. For example, a computing device includes a user interface (UI) module for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) and receiving a selection of a data element at a start location of the GUI. The UI module may display an overlay element having a boundary forming a plurality of paths from the start location to a plurality of end locations, the paths corresponding to a plurality of report options associated with the data element. The UI module may receive a second input indicative of a traversal of the overlay element along a chosen path. The computing device may include a definition module operable to create a definition for a report specification based at least in part on the report option corresponding to the chosen path.

主权项

1. A computing device for providing an assistive overlay for report generation, the computing device comprising:
one or more processors; one or more computer-readable memories; one or more input devices; one or more output devices; a user interface module, and a definition module, wherein the user interface module is operable by the one or more processors via the one or more memories to: display at the one or more output devices a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI including at least one representation of a data element defined within a data source; receive, from a user via the one or more input devices, a first input indicative of a selection of the representation of the data element at a start location of the GUI; display at the one or more output devices and in response to receiving the selection, an overlay element with the GUI, the overlay element having a boundary forming a plurality of paths from the start location to a plurality of end locations of the GUI, wherein the plurality of paths corresponds to a plurality of report options associated with the data element, and the plurality of paths traverses multiple levels of the report options, thereby enabling the user to drag a selection through multiple chosen levels of the report options; and receive, from the user via the one or more input devices, a second input indicative of a traversal of the overlay element along a chosen path from among the plurality of paths, from the start location to one of the end locations corresponding to the chosen path, wherein the definition module is operable by the one or more processors via the one or more memories to: modify, responsive to receiving the second input and based at least in part on the chosen path, the data element in accordance with a report option corresponding to the chosen path; and create a definition for a report specification, based at least in part on the modified data element and based at least in part on the multiple chosen levels of the report options.