Patent ID: 8766981

Claim:
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.