System and method for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data

A system for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, comprising:

• data storage including:
• one or more parents having associated values;
• and
• a plurality of children having associated values, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
• and
• a server coupled to the organization of data and operable to:
• receive a new value for one or more of the parents;
• receive a current value for one or more of the children;
• receive an identification of the relationship between each parent and its children;
• receive a variation for each child;
• and
• determine a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and the variations of the children.

Software for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

• determine new values for one or more parents in the organization of data;
• determine current values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
• determine the relationship between each parent and its children;
• determine a variation for each child;
• and
• determine a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and the variations of the children.

A system for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, comprising:

• means for determining new values for one or more parents in the organization of data;
• means for determining current values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
• means for determining the relationship between each parent and its children;
• means for determining a variation for each child;
• and
• means for determining a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and the variations of the children.

A method for allocating data in a hierarchical, multi-dimensional organization of data, comprising:

• determining demand forecasts for one or more parents in the organization of data;
• determining current demand values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
• determining the relationship between each parent and its children, the parents and children each representing a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more dimensions of the organization of data;
• determining a variation for each child, the variation calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child over a specified time period;
• and
• determining a new demand value for each child by allocating the demand forecasts for the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current demand values of the children, and the variations of the children.

A system for allocating data in a hierarchical, multi-dimensional organization of data, comprising:

• a hierarchical, multi-dimensional organization of data including:
• one or more parents having demand associated values;
• and
• a plurality of children having associated demand values, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
• the parents and children each representing a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more dimensions of the organization of data;
• and
• a server coupled to the organization of data and operable to:
• receive a forecasted demand value for one or more of the parents;
• receive a current demand value for one or more of the children;
• receive an identification of the relationship between each parent and its children;
• receive a variation for each child, the variation calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child;
• and
• determine a new demand value for each child by allocating the demand forecasts of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current demand values of the children, and the variations of the children.

Software for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

• determine demand forecasts for one or more parents in the organization of data;
• determine current demand values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
• determine the relationship between each parent and its children, the parents and children each representing a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more dimensions of the organization of data;
• determine a variation for each child, the variation calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child;
• and
• determine a new demand value for each child by allocating the demand forecasts for the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current demand values of the children, and the variations of the children.