Report generating system

A method of and system for generating reports from a database generate a master report from the database and from that master report generate one or more sub-reports including a proportion of the master report based on predefined criteria. The preferred embodiment provides a method and system for producing personalised electronic reports for access over a computer network. After generating an electronic report in an open document format (for example, HTML, RTF, PDF), commonly produced by a desktop reporting or 'business intelligence' application, the system analyses the logical layout of that report data and then, by comparison with a database of recipient users and their attributes, the system outputs a subset of the original report personalised to the profile of each recipient. This subsetting or 'bursting' is carried out without recourse to regeneration of the whole report or any part thereof from its source data. Furthermore, as the structure and content of the output sets is understood, the system provides a facility to insert hyperlinks automatically so as to associate the sub-components of each subset together in order to allow the recipient to navigate more easily between related data items.