A method and system is disclosed for interactively controlling user access
to a plurality of user interface elements contained in a graphical user
interface of a computer program. An access control profile means is
associated with each user of the computer program. An access control
profile means is associated with each user interface element in the
computer program. An authorized administrator can select an access
control profile means for each user interface element. Each access
control profile means includes an option to assign user access privileges
to view the data contained in the user interface element, activate a
function contained in the user interface element, and an option to assign
user access privileges to edit the data contained in the user interface
element. The authorized administrator can interactively assign these
access privileges to each and every user interface element contained in
the program, therefore controlling the manner and method in which each
user interface element is displayed to a variety of users depending upon
the user's particular level of access privilege and use of the computer
program, thus giving greater control of the computer program's features
and data to the administrator while increasing ease of use to the users
and administrators of the computer program.