Filtering objects in a multi-tenant environment

A computer system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory comprises computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer system to:

• provide a first graphical user interface element to enable selection of a first object type of a plurality of object types for a plurality of objects maintained by the computer system in a database, each object type of the plurality of object types defining respective fields associated with one or more objects of the plurality of objects having that respective object type, wherein values for the respective fields of one or more objects of the plurality having the first object type are maintained as metadata in the database;
• provide a second graphical user interface element to enable selection of a second object type of a second plurality of object types for the plurality of objects, each object type of the second plurality being capable of being associated with the first object type indicated by the first graphical user interface element, and each object type of the second plurality of object types defining respective fields associated with one or more objects of the plurality of objects having that respective object type, wherein values for the respective fields of one or more objects having the second object type are maintained as metadata in the database;
• provide a third graphical user interface element to enable selection of a dissociative filtering operation from a plurality of possible filtering operations;
• and
• after indication of the dissociative filtering operation, identify a filtered subset of the plurality of objects having the first object type, wherein each object of the filtered subset has the first object type and is not associated with another object having the second object type.

A method of filtering a plurality of objects associated with a virtual application provided to a client device over a network, the virtual application being created based on data from a database, the plurality of objects being maintained in the database, the method comprising:

• providing a first graphical user interface element within the virtual application, the first graphical user interface element enabling selection of a first object type of a plurality of object types for the plurality of objects, each object type of the plurality of object types defining respective fields associated with one or more objects of the plurality of objects having that respective object type, wherein values for the respective fields of one or more objects of the plurality having the first object type are maintained as metadata in the database;
• providing a second graphical user interface element within the virtual application, the second graphical user interface element enabling selection of a second object type of a second plurality of object types for the plurality of objects, each object type of the second plurality being capable of being associated with the first object type selected by the first graphical user interface element, and each object type of the second plurality of object types defining respective fields associated with one or more objects of the plurality of objects having that respective object type, wherein values for the respective fields of the one or more objects of the plurality having the second object type are maintained as metadata in the database;
• providing a third graphical user interface element within the virtual application, the third graphical user interface element enabling selection of a dissociative filtering operation from a plurality of possible filtering operations;
• and
• after selection of the first object type, the second object type, and the dissociative filtering operation:
• identifying a filtered subset of the plurality of objects having the first object type based on the second object type and the dissociative filtering operation, wherein:
• each object of the filtered subset is not associated with another object of the plurality of objects having the second object type;
• and
• presenting at least a portion of the filtered subset within the virtual application.