Method of selecting and representing time-varying data

In an interactive data entry system wherein a user is presented with a data entry screen, a method for selecting and representing time-varying data from a time-relational database management system having a plurality of timestamped versions of master, pending, and history records each comprising at least one data field and displayable at least in part as logical records, comprising the steps of:

• a. initially displaying on the data entry screen a logical master record as a current record with a default attribute;
• b. enabling selection by the user of one of a group of pending records or history records having a timestamp version within a predefined time period as selected records, and in response to such selection:
• (1) time-sequentially reading the selected records;
• (2) generating a composite record by selecting all of the data fields of the earliest version of the selected records as an initial composite record, then comparing the data fields of the next earliest version of the selected records to the corresponding data fields of the composite record, selecting all data fields from said next earliest version that differ from the corresponding data fields of the composite record, overlaying the selected data fields on the corresponding data fields of the composite record to generate a next composite record, and repeating such comparison, selection, and overlaying for all selected records;
• (3) comparing the data fields of the composite record to the corresponding data fields of the current record;
• (4) selecting as difference fields all data fields from the composite record that differ from the corresponding data fields of the current record;
• (5) displaying on the data entry screen the selected difference fields from the composite record overlaid on the corresponding data fields of the displayed current record to generate a next current record, the selected difference fields being displayed with an attribute distinct from the default attribute.

In an interactive data entry system wherein a user is presented with a data entry screen, a method for selecting and representing time-varying data from a time-relational database management system having a plurality of timestamped versions of master, and error records each comprising at least one data field and displayable at least in part as logical records, comprising the steps of:

• a. initially displaying on the data entry screen a logical master record as a current record with a default attribute;
• b. enabling selection by the user of an error record as a selected record, and in response to such selection:
• (1) reading the selected record;
• (2) validating the data fields of the selected record to determine which data fields are in error;
• (3) comparing the data fields of the selected record to the corresponding data fields of the current record;
• (4) selecting as difference fields all data fields from the selected record that differ from the corresponding data fields of the current record and selecting as error fields all data fields from the selected record which are in error;
• (5) displaying on the data entry screen the selected difference fields and the selected error fields from the selected record overlaid on the corresponding data fields of the displayed current record to generate a next current record, the selected difference fields being displayed with an attribute distinct from the default attribute, and the selected error fields being displayed with an attribute distinct from the default attribute and distinct from the attribute used to display the selected difference fields.

In an interactive data entry system wherein a user is presented with a data entry screen, a method for representing time-varying data from a time-relational database management system having a plurality of time-differentiated records, each record including a plurality of data fields, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) reading a first record:
• b) displaying on the data entry screen the first record with a first character attribute;
• c) enabling selection by the user of a second record;
• d) reading the second record in response to the user selection;
• e) comparing each of a plurality of data fields of the first record with each of a corresponding plurality of data fields of the second record;
• and
• f) displaying on the data entry screen with a second character attribute different from the first character attribute only those data fields wherein the comparing step indicates a difference between the corresponding data fields of the first and second records, while continuing to display the remaining data fields with a character attribute different from the second character attribute, wherein the different data fields of the second record are overlaid on the corresponding data fields of the first record.