System and method for visualizing trace of costs across a graph of financial allocation rules

• US 8,766,981 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Apptio Inc (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: McLachlan, Paul Damien, Moeller, William Byron, Bero, Brian John, Elliott, Tavis Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Xiao, Ke
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOSSAIN, FM RASHED
• Application Number:
  US13/917,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20140006085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 345/441
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards budgeting and forecasting of information technology and services. In at least one of the various embodiments, financial allocation models may include multiple cost objects and one or more allocation rules. In at least one of the various embodiments, allocation rules may determine how costs associated with cost objects may be allocated to other cost objects. In at least one of the various embodiments, costs corresponding to one or more selected cost objects may be traced within a financial allocation model. Also, costs associated with multiple cost line items from different cost objects may simultaneously traced for efficient cross-referencing of disparate cost line items. Further, in at least one of the various embodiments, a display of the cost traces may be rendered and displayed to provide a visualization of the traced costs.

Claims

1. A method for tracing costs for a plurality of cost objects with a network device that is operative to perform actions, comprising:

determining at least one of the plurality of cost objects that are displayed to a user, wherein the determination is based at least in part on a selection of the at least one cost object by the user;

determining a financial allocation model for the plurality of cost objects, wherein a path in the financial allocation model is characterized by a selection of at least a starting point of at least one cost object and an endpoint of at least one other cost object in the financial allocation model,

characterizing the other cost objects as one of above, below, and unrelated to the at least one determined cost object;

generating a first traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be below the at least one determined cost object;

generating a second traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be above the at least one determined cost object; and

displaying a total traced cost for at least one of the other cost objects related to the at least one cost object, wherein the total traced cost includes at least each of the first traced costs and each of the second traced costs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of cost objects includes at least one cost line item that are selectively filterable for accumulation in the total traced cost.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one cost object further comprises employing data collected by a dialog box for at least one property.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the total cost trace further comprises:

determining each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs;

determining at least a portion of a display that is available;

displaying the selected at least one cost object and each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs in the determined portion of the available display; and

displaying a visualization of at least one allocation rule that corresponds to each cost object that is displayed in the determined portion of the available display.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least one intermediate cost object that is on the path characterized by the start point and the endpoint, wherein each intermediate cost object includes an allocation table;

merging each allocation table for each intermediate cost object on the path in the financial allocation model; and

generating a cross reference allocation table for the at least one other cost object that is characterized by the end point, wherein the cross reference allocation table is based on a merger of the merged intermediate allocation tables with each allocation table for the at least one other cost object.

6. A system that is operative to trace costs for a plurality of cost objects over a network, comprising:

a server device, including;

a transceiver that is operative to communicate over the network;

a memory that is operative to store at least instructions; and

a processor device that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including;

determining at least one of the plurality of cost objects that are displayed to a user, wherein the determination is based at least in part on a selection of the at least one cost object by the user;

determining a financial allocation model for the plurality of cost objects, wherein a path in the financial allocation model is characterized by a selection of at least a starting point of at least one cost object and an endpoint of at least one other cost object in the financial allocation model;

characterizing the other cost objects as one of above, below, and unrelated to the at least one determined cost object;

generating a first traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be below the at least one determined cost object;

generating a second traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be above the at least one determined cost object; and

a client device, comprising;

a transceiver that is operative to communicate over the network;

a memory that is operative to store at least instructions; and

a processor device that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including displaying a total traced cost for the at least one of the other cost objects related to the at least one cost object, wherein the total traced cost includes at least each of the first traced costs and each of the second traced costs.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of cost objects includes at least one cost line item that are selectively filterable for accumulation in the total traced cost.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein determining the at least one cost object further comprises employing data collected by a dialog box for at least one property.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein displaying the total cost trace further comprises:

determining each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs;

determining at least a portion of a display that is available;

displaying the selected at least one object and each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs in the determined portion of the available display; and

displaying a visualization of at least one allocation rule that corresponds to each cost object that is displayed in the determined portion of the available display.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the server device enables further actions comprising:

determining at least one intermediate cost object that is on the path characterized by the start point and the endpoint, wherein each intermediate cost object includes an allocation table;

merging each allocation table for each intermediate cost object on the path in the financial allocation model; and

generating a cross reference allocation table for the at least one other cost object that is characterized by the end point, wherein the cross reference allocation table is based on a merger of the merged intermediate allocation tables with each allocation table for the at least one other cost object.

11. A network device that is operative to trace costs for a plurality of cost objects comprising:

a transceiver that is operative to communicate over a network;

a memory that is operative to store at least instructions; and

a processor device that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including;

determining at least one of the plurality of cost objects that are displayed to a user, wherein the determination is based at least in part on a selection of the at least one cost object by the user;

determining a financial allocation model for the plurality of cost objects, wherein a path in the financial allocation model is characterized by a selection of at least a starting point of at least one cost object and an endpoint of at least one other cost object in the financial allocation model;

characterizing the other cost objects as one of above, below, and unrelated to the at least one determined cost object;

generating a first traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be below the at least one determined cost object;

generating a second traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be above the at least one determined cost object; and

displaying a total traced cost for at least one of the other cost objects related to the at least one cost object, wherein the total traced cost includes at least each of the first traced costs and each of the second traced costs.

12. The network device of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of cost objects includes at least one cost line item that is selectively filterable for accumulation in the total traced cost.

13. The network device of claim 11, wherein determining the at least one cost object further comprises employing data collected by a dialog box for at least one property.

14. The network device of claim 11, wherein displaying the total cost trace further comprises:

determining each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs;

determining at least a portion of a display that is available;

displaying the selected at least one object and each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs in the determined portion of the available display; and

displaying a visualization of at least one allocation rule that corresponds to each cost object that is displayed in the determined portion of the available display.

15. The network device of claim 11, wherein the server device enables further actions comprising:

determining at least one intermediate cost object that is on the path characterized by the start point and the endpoint, wherein each intermediate cost object includes an allocation table;

merging each allocation table for each intermediate cost object on the path in the financial allocation model; and

generating a cross reference allocation table for the at least one other cost object that is characterized by the end point, wherein the cross reference allocation table is based on a merger of the merged intermediate allocation tables with each allocation table for the at least one other cost object.

16. A processor readable non-transitive storage media that includes instructions for tracing costs for a plurality of cost objects, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor device enables actions, comprising:

determining at least one of the plurality of cost objects that are displayed to a user, wherein the determination is based at least in part on a selection of the at least one cost object by the user;

determining a financial allocation model for the plurality of cost objects, wherein a path in the financial allocation model is characterized by a selection of at least a starting point of at least one cost object and an endpoint of at least one other cost object in the financial allocation model;

characterizing the other cost objects as one of above, below, and unrelated to the at least one determined cost object;

generating a first traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be below the at least one determined cost object;

generating a second traced cost in the financial allocation model if any of the other cost objects are determined to be above the at least one determined cost object; and

displaying a total traced cost for at least one of the other cost objects related to the at least one cost object, wherein the total traced cost includes at least each of the first traced costs and each of the second traced costs.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of cost objects includes at least one cost line item that are selectively filterable for accumulation in the total traced cost.

18. The media of claim 16, wherein determining the at least one cost object further comprises employing data collected by a dialog box for at least one property.

19. The media of claim 16, wherein displaying the total cost trace further comprises:

determining each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs;

determining at least a portion of a display that is available;

displaying the selected at least one object and each cost object having one of the first traced costs and the second traced costs in the determined portion of the available display; and

displaying a visualization of at least one allocation rule that corresponds to each cost object that is displayed in the determined portion of the available display.

20. The media of claim 16, further comprising:

determining at least one intermediate cost object that is on the path characterized by the start point and the endpoint, wherein each intermediate cost object includes an allocation table;

merging each allocation table for each intermediate cost object on the path in the financial allocation model; and

generating a cross reference allocation table for the at least one other cost object that is characterized by the end point, wherein the cross reference allocation table is based on a merger of the merged intermediate allocation tables with each allocation table for the at least one other cost object.