A method and apparatus for utilizing a single data grid to display one of a plurality of displayable views using a software program or formatter that receives user criteria identifying one of the plurality of displayable views and the data grid a definition. The definition identifies the data set(s) the data grid is to obtain data from, the query used to retrieve the data from the data set(s), and the format used to display the data in the data grid. The definition is included in a set of configuration data associated with one of the plurality of views that is stored in a configuration file. The configuration file is external to the application program that includes the data grid such that the configuration data can be updated without effecting the operation of the application program.