Intermediate Resource Allocation Tracking in Financial Data Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large and complex financial allocation models in businesses make it difficult to accurately determine the total cost of ownership and generate reporting information, especially for larger enterprises, due to the complexity of resource allocation and the number of tracked activities and entities.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data model that includes aspect objects to track intermediate resource allocation, allowing for the traversal of data models based on allocation rules and the generation of assignment ratio tables, enabling accurate resource allocation and reporting by associating resources with aspect objects without obscuring other relationships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of tracked activities and entities in financial allocation models increases to improve accuracy and responsiveness, then the complexity of the model increases, making it difficult to ascertain total cost of ownership and generate reporting information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the financial allocation model into hierarchical levels (enterprise, business unit, department, account) and introduces intermediate allocation objects to break down complex resource flow paths. This segmentation allows tracking of numerous activities and entities while maintaining manageable complexity at each level through structured decomposition of the overall model.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate allocation objects as mediators between resource sources and destinations. These intermediate objects serve as tracking points that capture resource allocation without requiring direct complex relationships between all source-destination pairs, thereby enabling accurate cost tracking while reducing overall model complexity through the mediator layer.
2Productivity
If sophisticated computer programs are used to assist in generating budgets based on complex financial allocation models, then productivity improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring resource allocation relationships increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through intermediate allocation objects that capture and report resource allocation relationships at each hierarchical level. This feedback structure enables sophisticated computer programs to efficiently process budget generation while maintaining traceability of resource flows, as the intermediate objects provide structured feedback information about allocation relationships without requiring complex direct tracking between all entities.
3Device complexity
If traditional financial allocation models are used without intermediate tracking, then device complexity remains lower, but loss of information occurs regarding intermediate resource allocation relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing intermediate allocation objects that proactively capture resource allocation relationships as they occur in the hierarchical structure. This preliminary tracking at intermediate levels prevents information loss about resource flows, while the structured hierarchical approach maintains reasonable model complexity through organized data collection points rather than requiring complex direct tracking of all relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed towards intermediate resource allocation tracking in data models. A data model that includes data objects traversed on a path through the data model that follows allocation rules that are included in the data model. If an aspect object is encountered during the traversal, resources from line items of a source data object are associated with line items of the aspect object based on the traversal path. The resources associated with the line items of the aspect object are also available for allocation to other data objects. If a data object, rather than an aspect object, may be encountered during the traversal, resources from line items of a source data object may be allocated to line items of the data object based on another of the allocation rules, the resources allocated to the line items of the data object are unavailable for further allocation.