Method and system for customizing a user interface to an on-demand database service

Abstract

In embodiments, methods and systems for customizing a user interface to an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for customizing a user interface to an on-demand database service can enable embodiments to provide a user interface designed by a tenant of the on-demand database service. The customization can include including third party content into the customized user interface, overriding a standard object, and providing content inline at a specified location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a first of a plurality of tenants, one or more definitions of a customization of a user interface, wherein at least one of the definitions includes a reference to content not stored in an on-demand database;   associating the definitions with information that is specific to the first tenant and that is stored in the on-demand database;   receiving, from a user of the first tenant, a request for at least a portion of the information; and   sending, to the user, a user interface modified according to the definitions such that a customized user interface that includes a combination of the referenced content and the requested information is displayed to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, from the first tenant, how the definitions are to be applied, wherein which information is associated depends on at least one of the definition or a selection of how the definition is to be applied. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: retrieving the referenced content; and combining the referenced content and the requested information to form the modified user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reference to the content includes a URL. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising; determining whether the user has access to the requested information, wherein only the requested information to which the user has access is included in the modified user interface, 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the definitions includes custom content that is hosted by the on-demand database service hut executed by a client application of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the definitions includes an addition of a custom button, tab, or link in the user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein associating the definitions with information that is specific to the first tenant and that is stored in the on-demand database includes: defining a behavior on a single object or on multiple objects as appearing in a list, wherein the information includes the single or multiple objects. 
     
     
         9 . A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising: computer code for receiving, from a first of a plurality of tenants, one or more definitions of a customization of a user interface, wherein at least one of the definitions includes a reference to content not stored in an on-demand database;
 computer code for associating the definitions with information that is specific to the first tenant and that is stored in the on-demand database;   computer code for receiving, from a user of the first tenant, a request for at least a portion of the information; and   computer code for sending, to the user, a user interface modified according to the definitions such that a customized user interface that includes a combination of the referenced content and the requested information is displayed to the user.   
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a processor for:
 receiving, from a first of a plurality of tenants, one or more definitions of a customization of a user interface, wherein at least one of the definitions includes a reference to content not stored in an on-demand database; 
 associating the definitions with information that is specific to the first tenant and that is stored in the on-demand database; 
 receiving, from a user of the first tenant, a request for at least a portion of the information: and 
 sending, to the user, a user interface modified according to the definitions such that a customized user interface that includes a combination of the referenced content and the requested information is displayed to the user.