A computerized method of generating an optimized coating formulation for a target coating through a user interface making use of a computer system comprising one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform in accordance with the method, the method comprising: receiving, by the computer system, spectrometric data related to a target coating; processing the spectrometric data, by the one or more processors, through a probabilistic colorant analysis, wherein the probabilistic colorant analysis generates a set of colorants, each colorant within the set of colorants being associated with a calculated probability that the associated colorant is present within the target coating; identifying, by the one or more processors, a proposed group of colorants from within the set of colorants, wherein the proposed group of colorants comprises colorants selected from the set of colorants that are associated with the highest calculated probabilities of being present within the target coating; displaying, by the one or more processors, on a graphical user interface an indication of each colorant within the proposed group of colorants corresponding to the target coating; displaying, by the one or more processors, one or more selectable interface elements on the graphical user interface, wherein the one or more selectable interface elements are configured to allow selecting one or more individual colorants within the proposed group of colorants; and upon receipt of user input through the one or more selectable interface elements, generating, by the one or more processors, a coating formulation from user selected colorants of the proposed group of colorants, wherein generating the coating formulation comprises processing, by the one or more processors, at least a portion of the colorants within the user selected colorants of the proposed group of colorants through a formulation engine, and processing at least a portion of the colorants within the user-defined group of colorants through the formulation engine comprises: iteratively adding colorants selected from the user-defined group of colorants to the formulation engine in order of decreasing calculated probability of the colorant being present within the target coating until a predetermined qualitative or quantitative threshold is met. receiving, by the computer system, spectrometric data related to a target coating; processing the spectrometric data, by the one or more processors, through a probabilistic colorant analysis, wherein the probabilistic colorant analysis generates a set of colorants, each colorant within the set of colorants being associated with a calculated probability that the associated colorant is present within the target coating; identifying, by the one or more processors, a proposed group of colorants from within the set of colorants, wherein the proposed group of colorants comprises colorants selected from the set of colorants that are associated with the highest calculated probabilities of being present within the target coating; displaying, by the one or more processors, on a graphical user interface an indication of each colorant within the proposed group of colorants corresponding to the target coating; displaying, by the one or more processors, one or more selectable interface elements on the graphical user interface, wherein the one or more selectable interface elements are configured to allow selecting one or more individual colorants within the proposed group of colorants; and upon receipt of user input through the one or more selectable interface elements, generating, by the one or more processors, a coating formulation from user selected colorants of the proposed group of colorants, wherein generating the coating formulation comprises processing, by the one or more processors, at least a portion of the colorants within the user selected colorants of the proposed group of colorants through a formulation engine, and processing at least a portion of the colorants within the user-defined group of colorants through the formulation engine comprises: iteratively adding colorants selected from the user-defined group of colorants to the formulation engine in order of decreasing calculated probability of the colorant being present within the target coating until a predetermined qualitative or quantitative threshold is met.