Patent ID: 8121998

Claim:
A computer implemented method of managing and maintaining traceability of information as the information is provided to a plurality of information storage entities, the method comprising the steps of: storing, by a first device, first information in a first information storage entity, the first information comprising information for which provenance is desired; generating first provenance meta-data indicating the provenance of the first information stored in the first information storage entity, the first provenance meta-data having a data structure for defining the provenance of the first information, the data structure including at least a first portion including an indication of an original source information storage entity of the first information, and a second portion including an indication of an intermediary information storage entity from which the first information was last provided; incorporating the first provenance meta-data into the first information storage entity; in response to a predetermined user-initiated action: storing at least one representation of the first information stored in the first information storage entity in a second information storage entity; and automatically updating the first provenance meta-data, the updated first provenance meta-data having the data structure including at least the first portion including the indication of the original source information storage entity of the first information, and the second portion including the indication of the intermediary information storage entity from which the first information was last provided, wherein the first information storage entity is indicated in the updated first provenance meta-data as the intermediary information storage entity; in response to the predetermined user-initiated action to store the representation of the first information in the second information storage entity, propagating the updated first provenance meta-data to the second information storage entity for storage in the second information storage entity; modifying the first information within the first information storage entity; determining a presence of the at least one representation of the first information within the second information storage entity using the updated first provenance meta-data; in response to the determination of the presence of the at least one representation of the first information within the second information storage entity using the updated first provenance meta-data, substituting a representation of the modified first information for the representation of the first information within the second information storage entity, wherein the second information storage entity includes a representation of at least one calculated quantity; recalculating each calculated quantity within the second information storage entity that depends upon the modified first information; and substituting a representation of the recalculated quantity for the representation of the calculated quantity within the second information storage entity.