Patent ID: 7496598

Claim:
A method performed by a computer system for processing data objects that describe developments of business transactions, the method comprising: selecting an initial data object to be updated; identifying a first process chain of the initial data object, wherein the first process chain comprises a series of linked data objects, including the initial data object, and wherein the linked data objects each describe developments of a common business transaction at different points in time; determining related data objects that are dependent upon changes to the initial data object, wherein the related data objects comprise linked data objects from the first process chain that are later in time than the initial data object; updating the related data objects and the initial data object, wherein the updating further comprises; locking real-time access of the related data objects; updating the initial data object; and updating the related data objects while locked from real-time access; and storing the related data objects and the initial data object in a database accessible by the computer system.