Allocating heritage information in data models

• US 10,325,232 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Apptio (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Santiago, III, Michael, Ko, Supin, Friedl, Justin Alexander, Elliott, Tavis Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US14/033,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed towards including heritage information when allocating costs for a plurality of cost objects. A target object, a source object and heritage objects may be determined from a data model. At least one line item in the source object may be generated by allocating costs from the heritage objects with the generated source object line items corresponding to a line item from a heritage object. At least one line item in the target object may be generated based on allocating costs from the source object. And, at least one generated target object line item may be based on at least one source object line item and its corresponding heritage object line item. A final cost value for the target object may be generated based on a sum of each target object line item and displayed in the data model.

Claims

1. A method for allocating costs for a plurality of cost objects employing a network computer, wherein one or more processors in the network computer performs actions, comprising:

employing a budgeting and forecasting application to rapidly perform actions, including;

providing, by the one or more processors, a target object, a source object, and a heritage object from a data model, wherein the heritage object is associated with the source object, and wherein the data model is created based on a logical architecture that includes categories for general ledger information, server information, support information and business unit information;

providing, by the one or more processors, one or more heritage object line items from the heritage object based on a value threshold, wherein the one or more heritage object line items have a value that exceeds the value threshold;

providing, by the one or more processors, an allocation rule from the source object to the target object that produces assignment rations that correspond to the one or more object to the target object that produces assignment ratios that correspond to the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the execution of the allocation rule enables the data model to expose at least one detail that is obscured by at least one intervening object in the data model;

providing, by the one or more processors, an assignment ratio table that is configured and arranged by executing the allocation rule to include;

an identity of one or more target object line items;

an identity of the one or more heritage object line items;

an identity of one or more source object line items;

assignment ratio data of the one or more heritage object line items; and

assignment ratio data of the one or more target object line items; and

wherein the assignment ratio table is stored in a non-transitory computer readable media of the network computer; and

employing an allocation application to rapidly perform actions, comprising;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more source object line items of the source object based in part on allocating costs from the heritage object by executing the allocation rule, wherein the one or more source object line items are associated with heritage object assignment ratio data provided by the execution of another allocation rule that is associated with the one or more heritage object line items, and wherein the heritage object assignment ratio data and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items is store in the assignment ratio table;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more target object line items in the target object based in part on allocating costs from the source object based on the allocation rule, wherein the costs allocated to the one or more target object line items are based on the one or more source object line items and the execution of the allocation rule, wherein each of the target object line items are individually iterated over and each of the source object line items are processed in parallel or concurrently to rapidly determine the cost allocation for two or more object line items that are physically disposed at two or more remote locations;

providing, by the one or more processors, assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items based on a combination of the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more source object line items and the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items, the identity of the one or more target object line items, and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items are stored in the assignment ratio table, and wherein the data model categories employ one or more allocation rules to identify allocation of resources in each category for assignment to the one or more target object line items; and

providing, by the one or more processors, a final cost value for the target object based on a sum of each of the one or more target object line items in the data model, wherein the final cost value is communicated over a wired network or a wireless network and displayed with a separate hardware display, wherein one or more visualizations of reports are generated and rendered for displaying on the separate hardware display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating costs from the source object, further comprises, providing the target object assignment ratio based on a combination of the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data, wherein the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data is obtained from the assignment ratio table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, displaying, by the one or more processors, a portion of a cost of the one or more target object line items that are contributed from the one or more heritage object line items.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors, at least one other heritage object in the data model that is associated with the source object; and

propagating, by the one or more processors, at least heritage information that corresponds to the at least one other heritage object to one or more intervening data objects disposed between the source object and the provided other heritage object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, displaying, by the one or more processors, a list of potential heritage objects that are associated with the source object, wherein the list of potential heritage objects includes one or more data objects located in the data model that allocates one or more values to the source object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more target object line items, further comprises, computing a cost allocated to the one or more target object line items based on a combination of a heritage information ratio value and a source object line item ratio value, wherein the heritage information ratio value corresponds to the provided source object line item.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, employing, by the one or more processors, a filter to that selects the one or more source object line items.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the one or more source object line items, further comprise, employing a filter that selects the assignment ratio data from the one or more heritage object line items.

9. A network computer for allocating costs for a plurality of cost objects, comprising:

a transceiver for communicating over the network;

a memory for storing at least instructions;

one or more processor devices that execute instructions stored in the memory to perform actions, including;

employing a budgeting and forecasting application to rapidly perform actions, including;

providing, by the one or more processors, a target object, a source object, and heritage object from a data model, wherein the heritage object is associated with the source object, and wherein the data model is created based on logical architecture that includes categories for general ledge information, server information, support information and business unit information;

providing, by the one or more processors, a target object, a source object, and a heritage object from a data model, wherein the heritage object is associated with the source object, and wherein the data model is created based on a logical architecture that includes categories for general ledger information, server information, support information and business unit information;

providing, by the one or more processors, one or more heritage object line items from the heritage object based on a value threshold, wherein the one or more heritage object line items have a value that exceeds the value threshold;

providing, by the one or more processors, an allocation rule from the source object to the target object that produces assignment ratios that correspond to the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the execution of the allocation rule enable the data model to expose at least one detail that is obscured by at least one intervening object in the data model;

providing, by the one or more processors, an assignment ratio table that is configured and arranged by executing the allocation rule to include;

an identity of one or more target object line items;

an identity of the one or more heritage object line items;

an identity of one or more source object line items;

assignment ratio data of the one or more heritage object line items; and

assignment ratio data of the one or more target object line items; and

wherein the assignment ratio table is stored in a non-transitory computer readable media of the network computer; and

employing an allocation application to rapidly perform actions, comprising;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more source object line items of the source object based in part on allocating costs from the heritage object by executing the allocation rule, wherein the one or more source object line items are associated with heritage object assignment ratio data provided by the execution of another allocation rule that is associated with the one or more heritage object line items, and wherein the heritage object assignment ratio data and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items is stored in the assignment ratio table;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more target object line items in the target object based in part on allocating costs from the source object based on the allocation rule, wherein the costs allocated to the one or more target object line items are based on the one or more source object line items and the execution of the allocation rule, wherein each of the target object line items are individually iterated over and each of the source object line items are processed in parallel or concurrently to rapidly determine the cost allocation for two or more object line items that are physically disposed at two or more remote locations;

providing, by the one or more processors, assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items based on a combination of the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more source object line items and the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items, the identity of the one or more target object line items, and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items are stored in the assignment ratio table, and wherein the data model categories employ one or more allocation rules to identify allocation of resources in each category for assignment to the one or more target object line items; and

providing, by the one or more processors, a final cost value for the target object based on a sum of each of the one or more target object line items in the data model, wherein the final cost value is communicated over a wired network or a wireless network and displayed with a separate hardware display, wherein one or more visualizations of reports are generated and rendered for displaying on the separate hardware display.

10. The network computer of claim 9, wherein allocating costs from the source object, further comprises, providing the target object assignment ratio data based on a combination of the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data, wherein the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data is obtained from the assignment ratio table.

11. The network computer of claim 9, wherein the one or more processor devices perform actions, further comprising, displaying a portion of a cost of the one or more target object line items that are contributed from the one or more heritage object line items.

12. The network computer of claim 9, wherein the one or more processor devices perform actions, further comprising:

providing at least one other heritage object in the data model that is associated with the source object; and

propagating at least heritage information that corresponds to the at least one other heritage object to one or more intervening data objects disposed between the source object and the provided other heritage object.

13. The network computer of claim 9, wherein the one or more processor devices perform actions, further comprising, displaying a list of potential heritage objects that are associated with the source object, wherein the list of potential heritage objects includes one or more data objects located in the data model that allocate one or more values to the source object.

14. The network computer of claim 9, wherein providing at least one line item in the target object, further comprises, computing a cost allocated to the one or more target object line item based on a combination of a heritage information ratio value and a source object line item ratio value, wherein the heritage information ratio value corresponds to the provided source object line item.

15. The network computer of claim 9, wherein the one or more processor devices perform actions, further comprising, employing that selects the one or more source object line items.

16. The network computer of claim 9, wherein providing the one or more source object line items, further comprise, employing a filter that selects the assignment ratio data from the one or more heritage object line items.

17. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes instructions for allocating costs for a plurality of cost object, wherein one or more processors in a network computer execute at least a portion of the instructions to perform actions, comprising:

employing a budgeting and forecasting application to rapidly perform actions, including;

providing, by the one or more processors, a target object, a source object, and a heritage object from a data model, wherein the heritage object is associated with the source object, and wherein the data model is created based on a logical architecture that includes categories for general ledger information, server information, support information and business unit information;

providing, by the one or more processors, one or more heritage object line items from the heritage object based on a value threshold, wherein the one or more heritage object line items have a value that exceeds the value threshold;

providing, by the one or more processors, an allocation rule from the source object to the target object that produces assignment ratios that correspond to the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the execution of the allocation rule enables the data model to expose at least one detail that is obscured by at least one intervening object in the data model;

providing, by the one or more processors, an assignment ration table that is configured and arranged by executing the allocation rule to include;

an identity of one or more target object line items;

an identity of the one or more heritage object line items;

an identity of one or more source object line items;

assignment ratio data of the one or more heritage object line items; and

assignment ratio data of the one or more target object line items; and

wherein the assignment ratio table is stored in a non-transitory computer readable media of the network computer; and

employing an allocation application to rapidly perform actions, comprising;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more source object line items of the source object based in part on allocating costs from the heritage object by executing the allocation rule, wherein the one or more source object line items are associated with heritage object assignment ratio data provided by the execution of another allocation rule that is associate with the one or more heritage object line items, and wherein the heritage object assignment ratio data and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items is stored in the assignment ratio table;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more target object line items in the target object based in part on allocating costs from the source object based on the allocation rule, wherein the costs allocated to the one or more target object line items are based on the one or more source object line items and the execution of the allocation rule, wherein each of the target object line items are individually iterated over and each of the source object line items are processed in parallel or concurrently to rapidly determine the cost allocation for two or more object line items that are physically disposed at two or more remote locations;

providing, by the one or more processors, assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items based on a combination of the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more source object line items and the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items, the identity of the one or more target object line items, and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items are stored in the assignment ratio table, and wherein the data model categories employ one or more allocation rules to identify allocation of resources in each category for assignment to the one or more target object line items; and

providing, by the one or more processors, a final cost value for the target object based on a sum of each of the one or more target object line items in the data model, wherein the final cost value is communicated over a wired network or a wireless network and displayed with a separate hardware display, wherein one or more visualizations of reports are generated and rendered for displaying on the separate hardware display.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein allocating costs from the source object, further comprises, providing the target object assignment ratio data based on a combination of the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data, wherein the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data is obtained from the assignment ratio table.

19. The media of claim 17, further comprising, displaying a portion of a cost of the one or more target object line items that are contributed from the one or more heritage object line items.

20. The media of claim 17, further comprising:

providing at least one other heritage object in the data model that is associated with the source object; and

propagating at least heritage information that corresponds to the at least one other heritage object to one or more intervening data objects disposed between the source object and the provided other heritage object.

21. The media of claim 17, further comprising, displaying a list of potential heritage objects that are associated with the source object, wherein the list of potential heritage objects includes one or more data objects located in the data model that allocate one or more values to the source object.

22. The media of claim 17, wherein providing one or more target object line items, further comprises, computing a cost allocated to the one or more target object line items based on a combination of a heritage information ratio value and a source object line item ratio value, wherein the heritage information ratio value corresponds to the provided source object line item.

23. The media of claim 17, further comprising, employing a filter to that selects the one or more source object line items.

24. A system for allocating costs for a plurality of cost objects, comprising:

a network computer, including;

a transceiver for communicating over the network;

a memory for storing at least instructions;

one or more processor devices that execute instructions stored in the memory to perform actions, including;

employing a budgeting and forecasting application to rapidly perform actions, including;

providing, by the one or more processors, a target object, a source object, and a heritage object from a data model, wherein the heritage object is associated with the source object, and wherein the data model is created based on a logical architecture that includes categories for general ledger information, server information, support information and business unit information;

providing, by the one or more processors, one or ore heritage object line items from the heritage object based on a value threshold, wherein the one or more heritage object line items have a value that exceeds the value threshold;

providing, by the one or more processors, an allocation rule from the source object to the target object that produces assignment ratios that correspond to the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the execution of the allocation rule enables the data model to expose at least one detail that is obscured by at least one intervening object in the data model;

providing, by the one or more processors, an assignment ratio table that is configured and arranged by executing the allocation rule to include;

an identity of one or more target object line items;

an identity of the one or more heritage object line items;

an identity of one or more source object line items;

assignment ratio data of the one or more heritage object line items; and

assignment ratio data of the one or more target object line items; and

wherein the assignment ratio table is stored in a non-transitory computer readable media of the network computer; and

employing an allocation application to rapidly perform actions, comprising;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more source object line items of the source object based in part on allocating costs from the heritage object by executing the allocation rule, wherein the one or more source object line items are associated with heritage object assignment ratio data provided by the execution of another allocation rule that is associated with the one or more heritage object line items, and wherein the heritage object assignment ratio data and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items is stored in the assignment ratio table;

providing, by the one or more processors, the one or more target object line items in the target object based in part on allocating costs from the source object based on the allocation rule, wherein the costs allocated to the one or more target object line items are based on the one or more source object line items and the execution of the allocation rule, wherein each of the target object line items are individually iterated over and each of the source object line items are processed in parallel or concurrently to rapidly determine the cost allocation for two or more object line items that are physically disposed at two or more remote locations;

providing, by the one or more processors, assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items based on a combination of the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more source object line items and the assignment ratio data associated with the one or more heritage object line items, wherein the assignment ratio data for the one or more target object line items, the identity of the one or more target object line items, and the identity of the one or more heritage object line items are stored in the assignment ratio table, and wherein the data model categories employ one or more allocation rules to identify allocation of resources in each category for assignment to the one or more target object line items; and

providing, by the one or more processors, a final cost value for the target object based on a sum of each of the one or more target object line items in the data model, wherein the final cost value is communicated over a wired network or a wireless network and displayed with a separate hardware display; and

a client network computer, including;

a transceiver for communicating over the network;

a memory for storing at least instructions;

one or more processor devices that execute instructions stored in the memory to perform actions, including

providing information to the network computer for generating the data model; and

displaying at least one report related to the data model that is communicated over a wired network or a wireless network from the network computer, wherein one or more visualizations of the at least one report is generated and rendered for displaying on the separate hardware display.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein allocating costs from the source object, further comprises, providing the target object assignment ratio data based on a combination of the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data, wherein the source object assignment ratio data and the heritage object assignment ratio data is obtained from the assignment ratio table.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more processor devices of the network computer execute instructions that perform actions, further comprising, displaying, by the one or more processors, a portion of a cost of the one or more target object line items that are contributed from the one or more heritage object line items.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more processor devices of the network computer execute instructions that perform actions, further comprising:

providing at least one other heritage object in the data model that is associated with the source object; and

propagating at least heritage information that corresponds to the at least one other heritage object to one or more intervening data objects disposed between the source object and the provided other heritage object.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more processor devices of the network computer execute instructions that perform actions, further comprising, displaying a list of potential heritage objects that are associated with the source object, wherein the list of potential heritage objects includes one or more data objects located in the data model that allocate one or more values to the source object.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein providing one or more target object line items, further comprises, computing a cost allocated to the one or more target object line items based on a combination of a heritage information ratio value and a source object line item ratio value, wherein the heritage information ratio value corresponds to the provided source object line item.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein providing the one or more source object line items, further comprise, employing a filter that selects the assignment ratio data from the one or more heritage object line items.