Patent ID: 7577653

Claim:
A method, which is implemented by a computer including a processor, of comparing a first and second data entry, each data entry having a plurality of data fields, in a database system comprising the steps of: calculating, by the processor, a matching percentage score for each data field by comparing each data field of the first data entry with a corresponding data field of the second data entry; combining each of said matching percentage scores to produce a composite score; defining each of said data fields as being in a category from at least a matching category, a non-matching category, and an undefined category using said matching percentage scores; defining a plurality of predetermined patterns, each predetermined pattern corresponding respectively to a subset of the plurality of data fields, each data field of the patterns set to at least one of said matching category, said non-matching category and said undefined category; comparing, by the processor, each category of each of said data fields to said predetermined patterns to make an initial determination whether said data entries are in a category from a set of categories including at least initial approval and initial rejection; and using both said composite score and said initial determination to generate final comparison results.