Computer system and method for business data processing

• US 20060167704A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP America Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SeeWhy Acquisition Corp.
• Inventors: Thomas, Paul, Nicholls, Charles Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The system enables business people to understand the impact of business transactions, changes and events in real-time using advanced rules and analytics to filter, categorize and interpret the significance of streams of real-time information. Most business performance analysis today is done manually and this process is a time consuming and skilled task leading to a time delay in producing the analysis. This time lag between the transaction or event happening and being able to take action on the analysis is measured in weeks or months at many companies. By blending real-time information with historical data and performance goals, this system enables business users to assess business events and collaborate within teams to drive optimal business performance. Using forecasting techniques enables business managers to predict the likelihood of achieving a particular goal without relying on manual analysis by a skilled analyst. The system automatically updates the forecast based on real-time changing data, enabling the business manager to have an up to the minute and statistically valid projection of future business performance.

Claims

1. A computer system for managing data relating to the performance of an enterprise, comprising:

a plurality of terminals each having a user interface for displaying data to a business person of the enterprise;

a communications network to which said terminals are connected; and

a database storing a database of historical data comprising values of each of a plurality of indicators at a plurality of points in time, said indicators including raw data; and

at least one computer configured to receive real-time events comprising new values of a plurality of said indicators comprising new raw data from one or more external sources, and

configured to combine the new raw data with selected historical business data from said database to calculate at least one value of a metric therefrom, so as to provide real-time event-driven values of the metrics.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which said at least one computer is arranged to repetitively calculate an actual, expected and predicted value of said metric from selected historical data from said database so as to provide realtime actual, expected and predicted values.

3. A system according to claim 1, in which said at least one computer is arranged to store one or more rules operating on said real-time event-driven values and/or said real-time actual, expected and predicted values in accordance with predefined conditions, and to execute said rules in event-driven fashion when said values change.

4. A system according to claim 1, in which said at least one computer is arranged to store one or more target values and to compare said real-time event-driven values and/or said real-time predicted values with said target values.

5. A system according to claim 1, in which said at least one computer is arranged to store one or more alert definitions causing a signal to be sent when a said rule is met.

6. A system according to claim 5, in which said at least one computer is arranged to send a message to a terminal selected in dependence on the nature of the alert.

7. A system according to claim 6, in which the message is an email message.

8. A system according to claim 7, which is arranged to open a discussion thread under predefined conditions, and involving a predefined group.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating a real-time-updated graphical user interface to display data selected from said real-time event-driven values and/or said real-time actual, expected and predicted values and/or said raw business data and/or said alerts.

10. A computer readable medium at said at least one computer of the system of claim 1, wherein said computer readable has a program which configures said at least one computer to combine said new raw data and calculate said at least one value of a metric.

11. A computer implemented method of understanding the impact on an organization of new transactions, events or changes in data, the method comprising:

defining metrics which describe the performance of an organization, corporation, team or group, or business process;

storing historical values for the metrics;

defining goals for the current and future performance as measured by the metrics;

projecting the likelihood of targets being achieved in the future;

testing, improving and/or optimizing performance of one or more metrics;

detecting the significance of a transaction, event or change in data;

performing an action in response to the detecting the significance of a transaction, event or change in data; and

distributing collective understanding of the meaning and significance of a metric, transaction, event or change in data across an organization, corporation, team or group.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the defining metrics which describe the performance of an organization, corporation, team or group, or business process, includes one or more of:

definition of metrics by an expert operator of the computer system to establish standard metrics for an organization, corporation, team or group, or business process;

definition of metrics by an operator of the computer system to establish metrics for an organization, corporation, team or group, business process or personal use.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the defining targets for the current and future performance as measured by the metrics includes:

definition of goals by an expert operator of the computer system to establish standard goals for an organization, corporation, team or group, or business process; and

definition of goals by a business operator of the computer system to establish targets for an organization, corporation, team or group, business process or personal use.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the projecting the likelihood of goals being achieved in the future includes forecasts performance and ranges of potential likely performance.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the optimizing performance of one or more metrics includes one or more of:

detecting relationships between different metrics;

use of the computer system to calculate optimal values for goals which have a relationship with the metric or metrics to be optimized;

development of scenarios to simulate performance under certain circumstances.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting the significance of a transaction, event or change in data includes one or more of:

likelihood of achieving a goal or not;

recalculation of forecast performance;

recalculation of optimal goal values;

notifying an operator of the computer system that the detection has taken place; and

interpretation of why the transaction, event or change in data is significant.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the performing an action in response to the step of detecting the significance of a transaction, event or change in data includes one or more of:

notifying a user or groups of users of the computer system;

storing status information to reflect the priority of action;

storing information on the action taken;

storing status information after the action has been taken; and

correlating previous actions taken with performance and achievement of goals.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the distributing collective understanding of the meaning and significance of a metric, transaction, event or change in data across an organization, corporation, team or group includes one or more of

storing annotations, comments and threads of discussion;

linking annotations, comments and threads of discussion to metrics, targets and forecasts;

publishing metrics, goals and forecast performance across an organization, corporation, team or group;

publishing annotations, comments and threads of discussion across an organization, corporation, team or group.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring performance of one or more metrics includes one or more of:

the automatic calculation of a previously defined dimension on the metric;

the automatic creation by the system of additional individual level metrics as new instances of the dimension are added, without any operator involvement; and

the automatic interpretation of this new metric over time;

wherein the automatic calculation of expected and forecast metrics, including but not limited to, the calculation of expected time of arrival at certain goal points or points in a process.

20. A method of enabling users, without day to day support from expert computer operators, to configure a system the method comprising:

creating user interfaces for displaying data, including but not limited to metrics, goals, forecast performance, alerts, annotations, comments and threads of discussion using graphical and non-graphical displays;

publishing user interfaces across an organization, corporation, team or group in different formats, including but not limited to web based formats, documents and third party electronic document formats; and

scheduling automatic publishing and distribution based on specified time intervals or defined business rules and alerts.

21. A computer system for managing data relating to the performance of an enterprise, comprising:

a plurality of terminals each having a user interface for displaying data to a member of the enterprise;

a communications network to which said terminals are connected; and

a database storing a database of historical business data comprising values of each of a plurality of indicators at a plurality of points in time, said indicators including raw data; and

at least one computer configured to receive new values of a plurality of said indicators comprising new raw data from one or more external sources, and

configured to calculate a plurality of predicted current values of a metric from selected historical data from said database, so as to provide a real-time predicted current model of the performance of the enterprise.