Patent ID: 7516084

Claim:
A method for managing access to forecast data, the method comprising the computer executed steps of: identifying a user, wherein the user has a position in an organization; identifying a first node in a product data hierarchy, wherein the first node is assigned to the user based on the position in the organization, and wherein the product data hierarchy comprises a product root node that corresponds with a broadest product grouping and one or more child nodes that correspond with divisions of the broadest product grouping; traversing the product data hierarchy from the first node by a first forecasting depth, wherein the first forecasting depth is assigned to the user based on the organization; identifying a first group of one or more nodes at the first forecasting depth from the first node; identifying a second node in a customer data hierarchy, wherein the second node is assigned to the user based on the position in the organization, and wherein the customer data hierarchy comprises a customer root node that corresponds with a broadest customer grouping and one or more child nodes that correspond with divisions of the broadest customer grouping; traversing the customer data hierarchy from the second node by a second forecasting depth, wherein the second forecasting depth is assigned to the user based on the organization; identifying a second group of one or more nodes at the second forecasting depth from the second node; and presenting forecast data as a function of the first group of one or more nodes and the second group of one or more nodes.