Computer system for financial analyses and reporting

• US 4,989,141 A
• Filed: 06/01/1987
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Corporate Class Software
• Inventors: Nolan, Kevin F., Lyons, Richard J., Chu, Wah C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYES, GAIL O
• Application Number:
  US07/055,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 364/408
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

An advanced financial reporting and analysis software package is described. The package collects, organizes, manages and consolidates financial data and provides user defined capabilities for creating financial and corporate reports. Financial data is organized into four business classifications or dimensions: Schedule, Entity, Period and Type. Data is stored in the system in such a way that all data associated with a particular Schedule, Entity, Period and Type is identified by that particular SEPT value. To accommodate automatic data entry, a mapping means or template is provided that specifies for each different input spreadsheet the location of the first data cell in the spreadsheet and the size of the spreadsheet. Data is read from the data store by various report and spreadsheet generating functions which convert data associated with particular SEPT values to desired output formats.

Claims

1. A method of operating on a computer a financial database in which financial data is organized in accordance with at least the attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity to which such data pertains comprising the steps of:

defining in said computer the time periods in which said financial data is organized,

for each time period, defining in said computer the financial schedules and business entities in which said financial data is organized,

receiving financial data in the form of financial schedules of different business entities for defined periods of time, each of said schedules having one of a plurality of first formats,

creating for each different first format a template for conversion of financial data from said first format to a common second format,

storing with the aid of said templates financial data from the defined time periods, financial schedules and business entities in said second format in a database in said computer, said database being organized in accordance with said attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity,

selecting financial data stored in said database for output from said database by generating a display of the different time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is stored in said database, and indicating to the computer by means of the display the time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is to be output from the database, and

generating an output from the database of the financial data for the time periods, financial schedules, and business entities selected by means of the display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is to be output are indicated to the computer by advancing a cursor through the display of different time periods, financial schedules and business entities and providing an input to the computer whenever the cursor is at that portion of the display associated with a time period, financial schedule or business entity for which financial data is to be output.

3. An apparatus for operating on a computer a financial database in which financial data is organized in accordance with at least the attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity, to which such data pertains comprising:

means for defining in said computer the time periods in which said financial data is organized,

for each time period, means for defining in said computer the financial and business entities in which said financial data is organized,

means for receiving financial data in the form of financial schedules of different business entities for defined periods of time, each of said schedules having one of a plurality of first formats,

means for creating for each different first format a template for conversion of financial data from said first format to a common second format,

means for storing with the aid of said templates financial data from the defined time periods, financial schedules and business entities in said second format in a database in said computer, said database being organized in accordance with said attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity,

means for selecting data stored in said database for output from said database comprising;

a display screen,

means for generating on the display screen a listing of the different time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is stored in said database, and

means for indicating to the computer by means of the display screen the time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is to be output from the database, and

means for generating an output from the database of the financial data for the time periods, financial schedules, and business entities selected by means of the display screen.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for indicating comprises:

means for generating a cursor on said display screen,

means for advancing said cursor through said listing of the different time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is stored in said data base, and

means for providing an input to the computer whenever the cursor is at that portion of the display associated with a time period, financial schedule or business entity for which financial data is to be output.

5. A method of generating in a computer a spreadsheet of financial information of the type used in financial schedules comprising the steps of:

storing said financial information in a first format in a storage means in which each of a plurality of financial data values is associated with a set of identifying attributes,

defining for each said financial data value a range value which identifies it,

generating a reference file which associated the financial data values stored in said storage means with individual cells of said spreadsheet, said reference file comprising coded headings for said spreadsheet which specify by range value and identifying attribute the financial data values to be located in the individual cells of the spreadsheet, and

using said reference file and the financial data values stored in said storage means to generate the spreadsheet.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the coded headings comprise:

a value that specifies the range value or an identifying attribute

a means for identifying the value as a range value or an identifying attribute, and

an indicator that the heading is a code.

7. The method of claim 6 herein the indicator is one or two pound signs.

8. A method of operating on a computer a financial database in which financial data is organized in accordance with at least the attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity to which said data pertains comprising the steps of:

defining in said computer the time periods in which said financial data is organized,

for each time period, defining in said computer the financial schedules and business entities in which said financial data is organized,

defining in said computer a hierarchical relationship between at least two of said business entities,

storing financial data from the defined time periods, financial schedules and business entities in a database in said computer,

generating an output from the database of financial data from selected time periods, financial schedules and business entities in which financial data from business entities having a hierarchical relationship is consolidated,

modifying the value of at least one item of financial data associated with a business entity for which a hierarchical relationship has been specified, said business entity being at a lower level in the hierarchical relationship than that of the business entity for which the consolidated financial data is generated, and

updating the consolidated financial data by generating a record of the difference between the original value of the item of financial data that was modified and the modified value of said item of financial data and adding the difference specified by said record to the value of the corresponding item of financial data in the output of consolidated financial data.

9. The method of claim 8 whereby an audit trail and data verification are automatically performed.

10. A method of operating on a computer a financial database in which financial data is organized in accordance with at least the attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity to which such data pertains comprising the steps of:

defining in said computer the time periods in which said financial data is organized,

for each time period, defining in said computer the financial schedules and business entities in which said financial data is organized,

receiving financial data in the form of financial schedules of different business entities for defined periods of time, each of said schedules having one of a plurality of first formats,

creating for each different first format a template for conversion of financial data from said first format to a common second format,

storing with the aid of said templates financial data form the defined time periods, financial schedules and business entities in said second format in a database in said computer, said database being organized in accordance with said attributes of time period, financial schedule and business entity,

selecting financial data stored in said database for output from said database by indicting to the computer the time periods, financial schedules and business entities for which financial data is to be output from the database as well as an output format, and

generating an output from the database of the financial data for said time periods, financial schedules, and business entities in the output format selected.