Patent Document ID: 8996494
Application ID: 14190585
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: creating, by at least one processor, a network comprising a plurality of costed entities based on an input received by the at least one processor, wherein the network includes edges linking a plurality of costed entities in a value chain, the costed entities having attributes that affect costs relating to business activities; receiving, by the at least one processor, a change in at least one attribute associated with at least one of the plurality of costed entities included in the value chain; analyzing, by the at least one processor, costs associated with the plurality of costed entities by evaluating the attributes, including the change in the at least one attribute, using formulas associated with the costed entities along the value chain, wherein the formulas are defined by functional metadata; determining, by the at least one processor, a difference in costs resulting from the change in the at least one attribute; and outputting, by the at least one processor, a result of at least one of the analyzing the costs or the determining the difference.