1. A method of defining a chart that graphically represents data stored in an electronic data source, the method comprising: causing display of a first graphical user interface of a chart maintenance program that enables a user to define display characteristics of a chart within a second graphical user interface of a software application that is different than the chart maintenance program; receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user selection of 1) a data object family contained in the electronic data source, and 2) an attribute for the selected data object family, wherein the selected attribute has multiple possible predefined values that are to serve as category axis values in the chart; receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user identification of a database query to perform on the electronic data source to obtain data needed to generate the chart, the data including data for the selected data object family; receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, a user definition of a first data series comprising a value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associated with the data object family; receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of the software application to associate with the chart, the software application including multiple business components that each correspond to a different work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application; receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection, from among the multiple business components included in the software application, of a business component included in the software application to associate with the chart, the selected business component corresponding to a particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application and the user selection of the business component defining that the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during run time execution of the software application; receiving, using the first graphical user interface of the chart maintenance program, user selection of an executable setting for the chart that controls whether or not the chart is displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application, the executable setting being selected from among at least a first setting that controls the chart to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application and a second setting that controls the chart not to be displayed in the particular work area within the second graphical user interface of the software application during runtime execution of the software application; and storing an electronic chart definition file including an identification of the selected data object attribute, an identification of the database query, the defined first data series, the software application associated with the chart, the business component associated with the chart, and the executable setting that controls whether or not the chart is made available during runtime execution of the software application.