Patent ID: 7913173

Claim:
A method for importing data, which is presented visually within a web page to a user of an application, the method comprising: receiving a command from the user to import data from the web page to the application; in response to the command, overlaying a semi-transparent layer over at least a portion of the web page, wherein the portion of the web page that is covered by the semi-transparent layer is still visible to the user; receiving a drawing command, from the user, to select an item of data by drawing a shape around the item of data displayed within the web page, wherein the item of data includes a visually presented data value, and wherein non-selected data content within the web page remains visible to the user after the item of data is selected; in response to the drawing command, drawing the shape around the item of data on the semi-transparent layer; and importing the item of data, which is encircled by the boundary of the shape, to the application by: populating the visually presented data value as presented to the user by the web page to a temporary table associated with the application, and mapping the visually presented data value to a field within the application, wherein a row in the temporary table includes the visually presented data value as presented to the user by the web page and a name of the mapped field.