System, method, and apparatus for locating and merging data fields of lost records with found records

A method for generating a merged report, comprising:

• receiving, at a server, a first report, the first report including first report information, the first report information including at least one descriptive term and at least one internal term;
• associating the at least one descriptive term with a generic code or a product code;
• and
• associating the at least one descriptive term with at least one main code, the associated main code based upon the associated generic code or product code.

A method for generating a merged lost report, comprising:

• receiving, at a server, a lost report, the lost report including lost report information, the lost report information including at least one descriptive term and an internal term;
• associating the at least one internal term with at least one of a plurality of public terms;
• associating the at least one descriptive term with a generic code or a product code;
• associating the at least one descriptive term with at least one main code, the associated main code based upon the associated generic code or product code;
• locating a found report having found report information, the found report information including at least a public term and at least one main code;
• and
• determining whether the found report public term and main code matches the first report public term and main code.

A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for generating a merged record for a lost item, the method comprising:

• receiving a first report, the first report including first report information, the first report information including at least one descriptive term;
• associating the at least one descriptive term of the first report with a generic code or a product code;
• associating the generic code or the product code for the first report with at least one main code;
• receiving a second report, the second report including second report information, the second report information including at least one descriptive term;
• associating the at least one descriptive term of the second report with a generic code or a product code;
• associating the generic code or product code for the second report with at least one main code;
• comparing the first report information and one or more of the associated generic, product or main codes therefor with the second report information and one or more of the associated generic, product or main codes therefor;
• determining whether the first report and the second report should be merged based on the comparing;
• and
• producing a merged record for the lost item based on the comparing.