Patent ID: 7305621

Claim:
A method of processing a report definition on a computer to generate a report, the report definition including a plurality of items of standard data that can be processed by a report process of the computer with predetermined standard functions of such report process, the report definition also including a plurality of items of custom data that cannot be processed by the report process, each item of custom data being referenced by and modifying a corresponding item of standard data within the report definition, the method comprising: processing each item of standard data of the report definition at the report process of the computer with the predetermined standard functions thereof; for each item of custom data within the report definition: recognizing the item within the report definition as a custom data item based on an identification within the report definition that the item is a custom data item that cannot be processed by the report processor; determining an associated extension sub-process of the computer that is operable to process the item of custom data, the associated extension sub-process being determined based on an identification of the associated extension sub-process within the report definition; passing the item of custom data as referenced by the corresponding processed item of standard data from the report process to the extension sub-process of the computer as an annotation of and along with the corresponding item of standard data and in a format that maintains the reference thereto by the corresponding item of standard data; and processing the passed item of custom data of the report definition at the extension sub-process with the predetermined extended functions thereof and with regard to the corresponding item of standard data.