Patent ID: 7546304

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: storing a plurality of key definitions in a database table in a database of an Financial Service Organization (FSO) computer system, wherein the FSO computer system is configured to perform processing on FSO transaction-related data, wherein the key definitions in the database table are configured for use in processing FSO transaction-related data in the FSO computer system, wherein storing the plurality of key definitions in the database table comprises, for each of at least two rows in the database table: displaying two or more key element representations on a display screen in data communication with the Financial Service Organization (FSO) computer system; receiving a selection by a user of at least two key element representations from the two or more displayed key element representations; preparing a key definition from two or more key elements corresponding to the at least two selected key element representations in response to the user selecting the at least two key element representations; storing the key definition in the database table, the key definition being configured for use in preparing a processing key value from transaction-related data in the FSO computer system, wherein the processing key value is configured for use in locating a process control data set in the database in the FSO computer system, the process control data set comprising one or more process control data values and configured for use in processing the transaction-related data in the FSO computer system; defining by the user one or more key masks for the key definition, wherein each key mask comprises one or more mask fields, and wherein the one or more mask fields in the key mask correspond to one or more key elements in the key definition; and storing the one or more key masks in the database.