Method and system for providing graphical user interface with contextual view

In a computer system having a processor, a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device communicatively coupled to the processor, the graphical user interface comprising:

• a display region within the graphical user interface, the display region being adapted to display a plurality of nodes in a hierarchical chart, the plurality of nodes corresponding to information representing a plurality of entities stored in a database, relationship data associated with the plurality of entities being stored in the database, each of the plurality of entities including unique action types, the plurality of entities including a first entity and a second entity, the first entity including a first plurality of predefined actions, the second entity including a second plurality of predefined actions;
• a menu region display within the display, the menu region including a first menu, the first menu including a first plurality of actions items, the plurality of actions items being common to each of the plurality of entities;
• wherein, upon receiving a user selection of one or more nodes using the user interface selection device:
• the processor processes the user selection;
• the first menu is updated to include a second plurality of action items, the second plurality of action items includes the first plurality of actions if the user selection indicates that a node for the first entity is selected and the second set of menu actions are based on nodes related to the user selected one or more nodes;
• the first menu is updated to include a second plurality of action items, the second plurality of action items includes the second plurality of predefined actions if the user selection indicates that a node for the second entity is selected;
• the first menu is updated to include a second plurality of action items, the second plurality of action items includes the predefined actions that are common to both the first entity and the second entity if the user selection indicates that nodes for both the first entity and the second entity are selected;
• and
• the second set of menu actions consists of actions related to the selected one or more nodes, wherein the related actions are configured to provide a selection menu of actions that are uniquely associated with the selected one or more nodes,
• wherein the graphical user interface includes a plurality of regions for performing the actions related to the selected one or more nodes and display information based on the actions, wherein the plurality of regions include various control functions depending on specific applications involved with the region, and
• the graphical user interface includes context sensitive menus which are not limited to the actions related to the selected one or more nodes, wherein the context sensitive menus are based on attributes of the nodes selected.

A computer system for providing an interactive graphical user interface, the system comprising:

• a graphical user interface including a display, the display including a menu region and a display region within the graphical user interface, the menu region including a first menu, the display region being adapted to display a plurality of entities as a hierarchical chart based on at least relationship data from a database obtained, the relationship data associated with the plurality of records being stored in the database, each of the plurality of records including unique action types, the plurality of records including a first record and a second record, the first record including a first plurality of predefined actions, the second record including a second plurality of predefined actions;
• a memory;
• an input module for receiving user inputs, the input module being configured to receive a user selection of one or more records displayed within the display region;
• a processor, the processor being configured to obtain records from the database and process the user input to determine a first set of menu actions based on the user selection and to process user input to determine a second set of menu action based on nodes related to the user selected one or more nodes;
• wherein:
• the first set of menu actions consists of the first plurality of predefined actions if the user selection indicates that the first record is selected;
• the first set of menu actions consists of the second plurality of predefined actions if the user selection indicates that the second record is selected;
• the first set of menu actions consists of the predefined actions that are common to both the first record and the second record if the user selection indicates that both the first record and the second record are selected;
• the graphical user interface updates the first menu to include the first set of the menu actions;
• and
• the second set of menu actions consists of actions related to the selected one or more nodes, wherein the related actions are configured to provide a selection menu of actions that are uniquely associated with the selected one or more nodes,
• wherein the graphical user interface includes a plurality of regions for performing the actions related to the selected one or more nodes and display information based on the actions, wherein the plurality of regions include various control functions depending on specific applications involved with the region, and
• the graphical user interface includes context sensitive menus which are not limited to the actions related to the selected one or more nodes, wherein the context sensitive menus are based on attributes of the nodes selected.