Patent Document ID: 7693737
Application ID: 11591129
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-based method for conducting an enterprise planning process by executing software on a networked computer system, the method comprising: storing a model of an organization in a database accessible by the computer system, wherein the model that has been stored includes a plurality of nodes hierarchically arranged into a number of levels; storing information, accessible by the computer system, that identifies a contributor for each node of the model; capturing, with the computer system, forecast data from a first contributor associated with a first node within a first level of the model; capturing, with the computer system, target data for the first node from one or more analysts that use at least one computing device that communicates with the computer system; updating, with the computer system, a current level of the model from the first level to a second, higher level, wherein the second level includes a second node associated with a second contributor, and wherein the second node is a parent of the first node; selectively presenting, with the computer system, the forecast data and the target data to the second contributor for reconciliation based on the current level of the model; responsive to selectively presenting the forecast data and the target data to the second contributor, receiving, with the computer system, review information from the second contributor regarding reconciliation of the forecast data and the target data; updating the current level, with the computer system, according to the review information; determining, with the computer system, when the current level is a highest level of the model; and generating, with the computer system, an enterprise planning report for the organization based on the forecast data when the forecast data is approved by a contributor associated with a root node within the highest level of the model.