Patent ID: 7702622

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving a rule defining one or more calculations to be performed on specified data stored in a multidimensional database to yield at least one result; wherein the rule comprises a scope definition that describes: the dimension when the rule applies to a whole dimension of the multidimensional database; members within a dimension when the rule does not apply to the whole dimension; and an expressions definition that defines operations to perform on the specified data; converting the rule to an object-oriented form that comprises a scope node and an expressions node at a first hierarchical level; wherein the scope node comprises child elements identifying the data to retrieve from the multidimensional database; wherein the expressions node comprises child elements identifying operations to perform; generating a relational database query seeking the specified data relevant to the rule to be retrieved from the multidimensional database; creating an intermediary table to accommodate the specified data retrieved from the multidimensional database; storing the specified data in the intermediary table; and manipulating the specified data in the intermediary table as specified by the rule to determine the at least one result.