a software development method and system having a suite of graphical customization tools that enables developers to rapidly configure all aspects of the underlying application software , including the look - and - feel , behavior , and workflow . this is accomplished without modifying application source code , base objects , or sql . the sophisticated repository management capabilities of the method and system of our invention allows teams of developers to work efficiently on configuring applications . the application upgrader provides an automated process to upgrade the customizations to future product releases thus protecting the investment in customization . the ease , comprehensiveness , scalability , and upgradeability of the customization process help reduce the total lifecycle cost of customizing enterprise applications .