Parallel availability control checks in financial management system

Abstract

A rule set for an AVC system permits AVC operations to be performed at various levels of hierarchy within a governing budget data structure. A rule set contains a plurality of rules, each having an address field which relates an arbitrarily assigned control object to budget nodes in a budget data structure. Control objects typically are assigned to various units and aggregation levels within an organization and also across other dimensions. Rule arrays with several independent rule sets can be activated in parallel for checking an individual input data record against multiple budgetary requirements defined for the organization. This structure provides a comprehensive AVC control feature even for very large budget data structures and complex budgetary control environments.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An AVC method, comprising:
 responsive to a transaction identifying a new expenditure of an organization, determining whether the new expenditure is relevant to any AVC control objects in a rule set,   if so, executing the relevant AVC control objects until an error is generated, the executing comprising:
 retrieving budget information and expenditure information for the control object, 
 determining with reference to the retrieved budget information, the retrieved expenditure information and the new expenditure information, whether a rule represented by the control object is violated; and 
   if execution the rule is violated and the control object identifies an error as a response thereto, blocking the transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The AVC method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing an aggregation of budget values addressed by a control object in a separate ledger database. 
     
     
         3 . The AVC method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing an aggregation of expenditure values addressed by a control object in a separate ledger database. 
     
     
         4 . The AVC method of  claim 1 , wherein the control objects are organized into rule sets and control objects of a common rule set address budget nodes in a common hierarchical level of a budget data structure. 
     
     
         5 . The AVC method of  claim 1 , wherein the control objects address budget nodes at various hierarchical levels of a budget data structure. 
     
     
         6 . The AVC method of  claim 1 , further comprising admitting the new transaction if no rule generates an error. 
     
     
         7 . The AVC method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a warning message if the new transaction violates a rule for which a warning notification is defined. 
     
     
         8 . A computer readable medium in which are stored program instructions that when executed, cause a financial management system to:
 determine whether a new expenditure is relevant to any AVC control objects in a rule set responsive to a transaction identifying the new expenditure,   if so, execute rules represented by the relevant control objects by:
 retrieving budget information and expenditure information for the control object, 
 determining, with reference to the retrieved budget information, the retrieved expenditure information and the new expenditure information, whether a rule represented by the control object is violated; and 
 if execution the rule is violated and the control object identifies an error as a response thereto, blocking the transaction. 
   
     
     
         9 . The medium of  claim 8 , further comprising a budget data structure storing aggregations of expenditure data. 
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause storage of an aggregation of budget values addressed by a control object in a separate ledger database. 
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause storage of an aggregation of expenditure values addressed by a control object in a separate ledger database. 
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the control objects are organized into rule sets and control objects of a common rule set address budget nodes in a common hierarchical level of a budget data structure. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the control objects address budget nodes at various hierarchical levels of a budget data structure. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause admission of the new transaction if no rule generates an error. 
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause a warning message to be generated if the new transaction violates a rule for which a warning notification is defined. 
     
     
         16 . An AVC method, comprising:
 responsive to an attempted adjustment in budget for an organization, executing a plurality of AVC control objects until an error is generated, the executing comprising:
 retrieving budget information and expenditure information for the control object, 
 determining, with reference to the retrieved budget information and the retrieved expenditure information, whether a rule represented by the control object is violated; and 
   if execution the rule is violated and the control object identifies an error as a response thereto, blocking the attempted budget adjustment.