A system and method are provided for extracting user selected data from a database. Configuration data is stored defining how a user selected data is to be extracted in response to a user request. A database query is generated from the user request using the configuration data and data extracted in response to the query. This extracted data is supplied to the user. The database query includes data defining to be measured and displayed and data defining any dimensions for that measure selected by the user. The data defining the measure and dimensions are a portion of the configuration data. Another aspect of the invention provides a method and apparatus for supplying a set of chart data from a database to a user in response to the user input. A number of sets of chart data are stored in a cache memory and a determination is made as to whether or not a user input corresponds to a request for a set of chart data stored in the cache memory. A set of chart data is supplied from the cache memory to the user in dependence on the result of the determination.