Generally described, the invention is a graphical method for creating an
embedded database, or List Object, within a spreadsheet program, wherein
the List Object is made up of a number of individual records, which in
turn are made up of a number of data fields. The method is a multi-step
process that uses a graphical interface to create the List Object, also
known as a List. In the first step of the process, the user must define
where the data for the List is coming from and where the List will be
stored in the spreadsheet program. Specifically, the user must identify
whether any pre-existing data will be used to populate the List or
whether the List will be populated from scratch. Next, the user must
define the data fields in the list, which includes naming each field and
defining the data type for each field. Finally, in the last step of the
process, the List is created in the spreadsheet program in such a manner
that each field in each record is logically associated to every other
field in the record.