International Business Machines Corporation

Cognos, Inc.

James Wallace Sinclair

David Walter Edmunds

Robert Minns

Marc Desbiens

This invention addresses the need for dealing with complex planning calculations based on data warehouse or Planning Data Repository (PDR) data where some aggregated data or forecast data might be changed without directly manipulating the underlying data, and where there may be several relationships linking the data. The system is able to deal with complex relationships along more than one axis or dimension. A number of iterations are typically used involving both back-solving and 'forward-solving'. The subset of cells that needs to be recalculated is identified before steps of back-solving and/or forward-solving using parent/child tables. The scanning of these tables looking for potential dependencies is much simpler and faster than to looking at the actual formulae or functions relating the cells. The step of creating the parent/child tables is carried out in advance of the actual calculation by parsing all the relationships (formulae and functions) and summarising the dependencies between cells in the parent/child tables.

Calculation engine for use in OLAP environments

The invention allows several users to manipulate complex data interactively, but separately, and then have the results of their inputs merged. It is based on hierarchical planning which matches typical business environments. The planning process is distributed over the management hierarchy and each level may contribute one or more alternative plans for consideration by a superior level. The distribution of the process is carried out using computer-enabled 'delegation'. Relationships are specified between a dimensional structure and a responsibility structure such that sub-plans and plans using the dimensional structure of a planning data repository (PDR) may be partitioned into components corresponding to the responsibility structure. Part of 'delegation' is the process of setting up the conditions, requirements, etc. for a subordinate to draft one or more sub-plans for their particular area. The subordinate then submits one or more of these sub-plans based on these conditions and information in the PDR, as well as on their specific experience and other (local) input. On &#x2018;submission&#x2019;, this sub-plan is able to be incorporated into higher level sub-plans. During the submission process sub-plans are integrated into a single plan, ensuring overall consistency of the data, and conformance with any constraints defined by users. The process is iterative in nature.

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Ottawa, Canada

James Wallace Sinclair