Patent ID: 8341512

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: providing a spreadsheet application interface for designing a report including a plurality of cells, each of the cells being disposed at an intersection of a spreadsheet coordinates corresponding with and configured to present information derived from data retrievable from a multidimensional database; in one or more of the cells of the spreadsheet, receiving a run-time formula specified in syntax understandable by the spreadsheet application that is stored separately from the report, the formula being configured to generate a result in the one or more cells that modifies a result of the report; associating a tuple with the formula identifying the spreadsheet coordinates of the one or more cells with which the formula is associated, the spreadsheet coordinates being specified in terms of content represented by the row and column addresses; generating a formula list associated with the report, the formula list including an entry for the tuple and the formula associated with the tuple; storing the formula list in metadata associated with the report; and configuring the report to be locally generated in the spreadsheet application, wherein locally generating the report includes: retrieving the data from the multidimensional database referenced in the report; determining whether the report includes the spreadsheet coordinates corresponding to the tuple in the formula list; prioritizing an application of formulas in the formula list when at least two formulas operate on a same value within the report; applying the formula stored in the formula list to the one or more cells in the report having the spreadsheet coordinates identified by the tuple; and displaying the report as a spreadsheet in the spreadsheet application including results generated by the application of the formula.