Patent ID: 7734625

Claim:
A method for performing expression-based validation of hierarchical audience data records operating on a computer coupled to a computer system database comprising: generating a token-based menu for an expression-builder user interface for display on a display device informationally coupled to a computer system database, wherein said token-based menu comprises a drop-down list of at least one token and further wherein said token-based menu contributes said at least one token to a validation expression, and further wherein said validation expression references said at least one token, and further wherein said token-based menu further comprises a drop-down list of attributes; displaying said drop-down list coupled to said expression-builder user interface; using said user interface to build said validation expression for validating a plurality of hierarchical audience data records in said computer system database, wherein said validation expression further comprises said at least one token selected from said drop-down list of attributes of said token-based menu, wherein the hierarchical audience data records are stored in an audience hierarchy formed from the viewpoint of a given audience; executing said validation expression to produce a Boolean result for each of said plurality of hierarchical audience data records; where when any of said Boolean results comprises a failure, obtaining a level of execution for said validation expression wherein said level of execution comprises one of a plurality of levels; and, displaying said plurality of Boolean results.