Patent ID: 7841011

Claim:
A computer readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions which, when executed by a digital processing system, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising: responsive to a request for a value of an option for an application for a user represented by a first user identifier, determining a first value of the option from a plurality of option values, based upon the first user identifier; and customizing the application for the user, based upon the first value of the option, wherein the application is hosted for simultaneous access by a plurality of users of a plurality of organizations, each of the plurality of option values is specified at a respective one of a plurality of hierarchical tiers, and determining the first value comprises: identifying an organization identifier associated with the first user identifier, wherein the organization identifier identifies a first organization of the plurality of organizations, and wherein the first organization comprises the user; determining whether the plurality of option values comprises an organization value associated with the organization identifier in an organization tier of the plurality of hierarchical tiers; identifying a role identifier associated with the first user identifier, wherein the role identifier identifies a first role of a plurality of user roles in the first organization, and wherein the user performs the first role in the first organization; and determining whether the plurality of option values comprises a role value associated with the role identifier in a role tier of the plurality of hierarchical tiers; determining whether the plurality of option values comprises a user value associated with the first user identifier in a user tier of the plurality of hierarchical tiers; and selecting a highest precedence option value as the first value of the option.