System and method for performing detailed planning functions

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for performing detailed planning functions for businesses, enterprises and other types of organizations. According to an embodiment, the system comprises a graphical user interface configured to allow a user to define calculations based on data associated with an entity that may have scalar attributes for each entity, and/or a time series, and execution of the defined calculation generates time series result. According to another aspect, a calculation definition may be configured to be adjustable allowing a user to adjust parameter value(s) for each entity associated with the calculation definition. According to another aspect, a calculation definition may be configured to be discretionary allowing a user to attach or assign a calculation to each entity individually. According to another aspect, multiple calculations may be created and have the same name.

1 . A system for defining and executing one or more calculations associated with a planning process for an entity, said system comprising:
 a user interface module configured for a user machine;   a server being operatively coupled to said user machine and comprising a processor, and an entities module and a calculations module operatively coupled to said processor;   said user interface module being operatively coupled to said processor and comprising a screen configured to be responsive to one or more inputs for defining a calculation associated with a planning process for said entity comprising processing selected data retrieved from said entities module or said calculations module;   said processor comprising a calculation engine, and said calculation engine being configured to execute said calculation defined according to said user interface, and generate one or more results associated with said process definition; and   said server comprising calculation results module operatively coupled to said calculation engine and configured to receive said one or more calculation results.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said calculation results module further comprises a database configured for storing financial based results and a database configured for storing detailed planning data. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said entities module a computer-readable storage media configured with a table comprising a record for a plurality of entities, wherein each of said plurality of entities comprises a process definition including a detailed planning calculation. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said calculations module comprises a computer-readable storage media configured with one or more relational tables comprising one or more of said process definitions defined by said user. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said process definitions comprise conditional calculations configured to apply to selected entities or for a selected time period. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said calculation results module comprises a computer-readable storage media configured with a table for storing said one or more results. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said financial based results database comprises an OLAP cube configured to be populated with data comprising summarized data from said calculations results module. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said detailed planning database comprises an OLAP cube configured to be populated with data comprising detailed planning data from said calculations results module. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said detailed planning data comprises data generated from execution of one or more calculations associated with said process definition, and comprises data for executing further calculations including variance calculations. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said user interface module is configured to allow a user to define a plurality of calculations with a calculation name that is the same. 
     
     
         11 - 29 . (canceled)