Arrangement enabling thin client to access and present data in custom defined reports

A method of outputting data from a database in a report governed by a report definition file, the method comprising:

• retrieving the report definition file, the report definition file being in a format defined by a markup language (XML) having user definable tags and that describes a relationship between a document's content and structure;
• converting the report definition file to a report file expressed in commands of a database query language (SQL);
• retrieving the data from the database in accordance with the report file;
• and
• outputting the retrieved data in a format governed at least in part by the report file.

An arrangement for outputting data from a domain database in a report governed by a report definition file that is in XML format, the arrangement comprising:

• a definition wizard configured to provide report definition options to a thin client, and to input user selections through the thin client that govern creation of the report definition file;
• an SQL builder configured to construct Standard Query Language (SQL) based on definition attributes generated from user inputs;
• an XML engine configured to store, retrieve, transform, and process the XML-format report definition file based on either the definition wizard or the SQL builder;
• and
• a data retriever configured to assemble and generate the data from the domain database in accordance with the report definition file.