Patent ID: 7644009

Claim:
A computer implemented method for generating forecast information corresponding to an organization, comprising: creating a forecast series, using the computer, wherein the forecast series comprises a set of parameters that define attributes of forecasts that are based thereon; identifying opportunity data corresponding to members of the organization, wherein the members of the organization are associated with positions in a hierarchy structure of the organization, wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a plurality of management levels; associating revenue data with identified opportunity data to create at least one revenue schedule containing a plurality of entries; providing, using the computer, a plurality of visual adjustment patterns in graphical shapes displaying a corresponding plurality of member-selectable adjustment values, wherein selection of a visual adjustment pattern by a member of the organization results in an automatic application of the corresponding member-selected adjustment value to a member-selected entry in a revenue schedule, in a manner depicted by a shape of the selected visual adjustment pattern; calculating, using the computer, forecast data associated with the forecast series and corresponding to the members of the organization using the identified opportunity data and said at least one revenue schedule; defining visibility rules that specify the forecast data corresponding to the members of the organization that are visible to a first member of the organization having at least one subordinate member, wherein the visibility rules are defined according to the position of the first member in the hierarchy; and generating a forecast for the first member of the organization using the set of parameters in the forecast series and based on a forecast submitted by said at least one subordinate member who is required to provide corresponding subordinate member-level forecast to said first member, wherein the data used for said generating the forecast for the first member is limited to forecast data corresponding to the members of the organization according to the visibility rules, a forecast for said at least one subordinate member is automatically generated when said at least one subordinate member fails to submit a forecast prior to generation of the forecast for the first member, the first member of the organization is a manager, and the visibility rules include a maximum hierarchy depth search value n defining a search scope such that the forecast for the manager is generated from the manager's own forecast data and from forecast data corresponding to members of the organization who are defined to be both subordinate to the manager and occupy a management level in the hierarchy that is <=n levels below a management level occupied by the manager.