Patent ID: 8429527

Claim:
A method for complex data merging, comprising: at a computer having a workflow facility: retrieving, at the workflow facility, multiple input components from one or more input sources accessible by the workflow facility, wherein the multiple input components comprise a first input component and a second input component, wherein the first input component contains a first sequence of information conforming to a first record type, wherein the first sequence of information relates to a first plurality of database records of results from a first prior task performed by the workflow facility, wherein the second input component contains a second sequence of information conforming to a second record type, and wherein the second sequence of information relates to a second plurality of database records of results from a second prior task performed by the workflow facility; determining, at the workflow facility, a parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component; identifying, at the workflow facility, one of the first input component and the second input component as a controlling input component based on the parent/child status between the first input component and the second input component; matching, at the workflow facility, each foreign key contained in each of the first plurality of database records associated with the first input component with a corresponding primary key from the second plurality of database records associated with the second input component; and producing, at the workflow facility, a single merged document based on a result of the matching, wherein a shape, size, format, or a configuration of the single merged document is determined at run-time based on the controlling input component.