Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) application program has one or more screens and a number of objects hereinafter "field objects", each field object being uniquely associated with a single field in a screen. Each field object contains storage elements that hold data displayed in a screen's field. Each field object also contains storage elements that indicate functions that can be performed on data held in the field object. The field object may have at least three data member storage elements, one for holding data, another for holding a label, and yet another for holding a search operator. The GUI application program also includes field map storage elements, each of which maps a field in a screen to a corresponding column in the database, thereby allowing database queries to be created and performed dynamically on user entered field information. Such field map storage elements allow a database to be changed without affecting various parts, e.g. field objects and screen functions, of the GUI application program.