Method and system for forecasting using an online analytical processing database

Abstract

A method for providing a forecast includes providing a database storing data at a lowest level in a first dimension, calculating a first forecast at a level that is higher than the lowest level of a first dimension in the database, calculating a forecast for each category within the lowest level of the first dimension, aggregating a second forecast across a category at the lowest level of the first dimension based upon an aggregation of the calculated forecast for the category within the lowest level of the first dimension, determining a difference between the first forecast and the second forecast, and creating a dummy category including a new category at the lowest level of the first dimension.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a forecast, the method comprising:
 executing a processor of a computer for:
 calculating a first forecast at a level that is higher than a lowest level in a first dimension in a database; 
 calculating a forecast for each category within the lowest level of the first dimension; 
 aggregating a second forecast across a category at the lowest level of the first dimension based upon an aggregation of the calculated forecast for the category within the lowest level of the first dimension; 
 determining a difference between the first forecast and the second forecast; and 
 creating a dummy category including a new category at the lowest level of the first dimension. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregating of the second forecast is performed across all categories at the lowest level of the first dimension based upon an aggregation of the calculated forecasts for each category within the lowest level of the first dimension. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database comprises an OnLine Analytical Processing Cube. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregation of the calculated forecast for the category within the lowest level of the first dimension includes an aggregation of at least one value in at least one category within the lowest level of the first dimension. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forecasts comprise revenue forecasts. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database stores data at the lowest level in a second dimension. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 calculating a third forecast at a level that is higher than the lowest level of the second dimension in the database;   calculating a forecast for a category within the lowest level of the second dimension;   aggregating a fourth forecast across all categories at the lowest level of the second dimension based upon an aggregation of the calculated forecasts for each category within the lowest level of the second dimension;   determining a difference between the third forecast and the fourth forecast; and   storing the difference in a dummy category at the lowest level of said second dimension.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein calculating the forecast for the category within the lowest level of the second dimension comprises calculating a forecast for each category within the lowest level of the second dimension. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein aggregating a first forecast across a category at the lowest level of the second dimension comprises aggregating the fourth forecast across all categories at the lowest level of said second dimension based upon the aggregation of the calculated forecasts for each category within the lowest level of said second dimension. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding the dummy category at the lowest level of the first dimension before storing the difference in the dummy category at the lowest level of the first dimension. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating the dummy category at the lowest level of said first dimension based upon the determined difference.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the calculating of the forecast for said each category within the lowest level of the first dimension comprises periodically calculating the forecast for each category within the lowest level of said first dimension. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said aggregating the second forecast across the category at the lowest level of the first dimension comprises periodically aggregating the second forecast across all categories at the lowest level of said first dimension based upon the aggregation of the calculated forecasts for each category within the lowest level of said first dimension. 
     
     
         14 . A system for providing a forecast, the system comprising:
 a database storing data at a lowest level; and   a processing unit of a computer for executing:
 a forecaster that calculates a first forecast at a level in a first dimension that is higher than the lowest level in the database and that calculates a forecast for a category within the lowest level in the first dimension; 
 another forecaster that calculates a second forecast based upon an aggregation of a calculated forecast for a category within the lowest level in the first dimension; 
 a processor that creates a dummy category including a new category at the lowest level in the first dimension; and 
 a difference determiner that determines a difference between the first forecast and the second forecast. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the forecaster calculates a forecast for each category within the lowest level in said first dimension. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said another forecaster calculates the second forecast based upon an aggregation of the calculated forecasts for each category within the lowest level in said first dimension. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the database comprises an OnLine Analytical Processing Cube. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said another forecaster comprises an OnLine Analytical Processing forecaster. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the database stores the data at the lowest level in a second dimension. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the forecaster calculates a third forecast at a level that is higher than the lowest level of the second dimension in the database and that calculates a forecast for each category within the lowest level for the second dimension, said another forecaster calculates a fourth forecast based upon an aggregation of a calculated forecast for a category within the lowest level in the second dimension, and
 wherein the difference determiner further determines a difference between the third forecast and the fourth forecast and stores the difference in a dummy category at the lowest level in the second dimension of the database.