Persisting instance-level report customizations

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for persisting instance-level report customizations. Input is received from a user to run an original report. An original query associated with the original report is executed against a data store. The original report is displayed to the user. At least one instance-level customization is received from the user to customize an instance of the original report. The instance-level customizations that the user makes to the customized report are tracked in a manner that allows a history of changes from the original report to the customized report to be determined. The customized report is generated in subsequent executions of the report. The instance-level changes the user made to the report can be audited to allow users to see the changes made to the original report.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for persisting report customizations comprising:
 receiving at least one customization to customize an instance of original data of an original report that was generated by executing a first query against a data store, the at least one customization including a change to a value of a field in the original report;   tracking the at least one customization in a manner that allows a history of changes from the original report to be determined; and   generating at least one query configured to achieve the at least one customization in a customized report that is a customized version of the original report.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining the at least one query for subsequent execution against the data store to generate the customized report.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling the user to audit changes made to the original report due to the at least one customization at least by displaying the changes made to the original report with annotations describing the changes.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating comprises:
 modifying the first query to implement the at least one customization.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating comprises:
 generating a second query that can be executed after the first query to take the original data from the first query and further manipulate the original data to achieve the at least one customization.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , said receiving comprises:
 receiving a changed value of a particular field for a particular one or more instances of the field in the original report;   receiving a change to a position of an instance of original data within a group of instances of original data sorted by one or more fields;   receiving an ad-hoc grouping of items; or   receiving a collapsing of multiple instances of original data into a single instance.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the customization is persisted using a new sort field that has a custom formula that produces the changed position of the instance. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the ad-hoc grouping of items is achieved by inserting a new group whose grouping expression is a formula. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the customization is persisted by wrapping a grouping expression of an affected group into a custom formula that returns a new value for each value in the affected group being combined and an original value for all other values in the affected group. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the at least one customization in a user interface.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the generated at least one query in a user interface.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the history of changes in a user interface.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said displaying comprises:
 displaying a visual indicator in association with a particular field in a user interface of a reporting application to indicate that the particular field was changed.   
     
     
         14 . A computing device, comprising:
 at least one processing unit; and   memory that stores computer readable instructions, the at least one processing unit configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 enable a user to make one or more customizations in a report generated by executing an original query on a data store; 
 track the at least one customization; 
 generate at least one query configured to achieve the at least one customization in a customized report that is a customized version of the original report; and 
 maintain the at least one query for subsequent execution against the data store to generate the customized report. 
   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 enable the user to audit changes made to the original report due to the at least one customization at least by displaying the changes made to the original report with annotations describing the changes.   
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein to generate the at least one query, the at least one processing unit is configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 modify the original query to implement the at least one customization.   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein to generate the at least one query, the at least one processing unit is configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 generate a second query that can be executed after the original query to take original data from the original query and further manipulate the original data to achieve the at least one customization.   
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein to enable a user to make one or more customizations in the report, the at least one processing unit is configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 receive a changed value of a particular field for a particular one or more instances of the field in the original report;   receive a change to a position of an instance of original data within a group of instances of original data sorted by one or more fields;   receive an ad-hoc grouping of items; or   receive a collapsing of multiple instances of original data into a single instance.   
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 display the at least one customization in a user interface.   
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein to display the at least one customization in a user interface, the at least one processing unit is configured to execute the computer readable instructions to enable the computing device to:
 display a visual indicator in association with a particular field in a user interface of a reporting application to indicate that the particular field was changed.   
     
     
         21 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the generated at least one query is displayed in a user interface. 
     
     
         22 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein a history of tracked customizations is displayed in a user interface. 
     
     
         23 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one customization includes a change to a value of a field in the original report. 
     
     
         24 . A computer storage medium that stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform acts, comprising:
 enabling a user to make one or more customizations in a report generated by executing an original query on a data store;   tracking the at least one customization;   generating at least one query configured to achieve the at least one customization in a customized report that is a customized version of the original report; and   maintaining the at least one query for subsequent execution against the data store to generate the customized report.   
     
     
         25 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , wherein said generating comprises:
 modifying the original query to implement the at least one customization.   
     
     
         26 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , wherein said generating comprises:
 generating a second query that can be executed after the original query to take original data from the original query and further manipulate the original data to achieve the at least one customization.   
     
     
         27 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , the acts further comprising:
 displaying the at least one customization in a user interface.   
     
     
         28 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , the acts further comprising:
 displaying the generated at least one query in a user interface.   
     
     
         29 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , the acts further comprising:
 displaying a history of tracked customizations in a user interface.   
     
     
         30 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , wherein said displaying comprises:
 displaying a visual indicator in association with a particular field in a user interface of a reporting application to indicate that the particular field was changed.   
     
     
         31 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one customization includes a change to a value of a field in the original report. 
     
     
         32 . The computer storage medium of  claim 24 , the acts further comprising:
 enabling the user to audit changes made to the original report due to the at least one customization at least by displaying the changes made to the original report with annotations describing the changes.