Computer-based data collection, management, and forecasting

1. A method implemented by a computer comprising:

collecting historical data for a plurality of items;

categorizing each of the plurality of items;

assigning at least one of the plurality of items as an index item for at least another of the plurality of items, wherein the assigning enables accurate forecasting, wherein forecasting comprises:

(1) using a first factor and a second factor with reference to a first context parameter of the plurality of context parameters to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if a period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time with reference to the first context parameter is above a first threshold, wherein the first factor and the second factor are related to the plurality of items,

(2) using the first factor of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time with reference to the first context parameter of the plurality of context parameters and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and above a second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, and if a period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is greater than a third threshold;

(3) using the first factor of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time with reference to the first context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to an index context parameter of the plurality of context parameters, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and above the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the third threshold;

(4) using a first factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and below the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is greater than the third threshold;

(5) using the first factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the index context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and below the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the third threshold, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is greater than a fourth threshold; or

(6) using the first factor of the index item with reference to the index context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the index context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and below the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the third threshold, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the fourth threshold, collecting data for a plurality of context parameters related to at least one of the plurality of items; and

forecasting a value for one of the plurality of items needed over a future period of time, wherein the method reduces a data storage capacity requirement for the computer and increases said computer's processing speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold is one full forecast cycle, wherein the second threshold is a first subset of one full forecast cycle, wherein the third threshold is one full forecast cycle, and wherein the fourth threshold is a second subset of one full forecast cycle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first threshold is one year, wherein the second threshold is four fiscal periods, wherein the third threshold is one year, and wherein the fourth threshold is four fiscal periods.

4. A data collection, management, and forecasting computer system comprising:

a datastore

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions which when executed by the one or more processors causes the computer system to reduce a data storage capacity requirement for the computer system and increase the one or more processors' processing speed by:

collecting historical data for a plurality of items;

storing the historical data for a plurality of items in a first part of the datastore;

categorizing each of the plurality of items;

storing a categorization of each of the plurality of items in a second part of the datastore;

assigning at least one of the plurality of items as an index item for at least another of the plurality of items, wherein the assigning enables forecasting a value, wherein forecasting the value comprises:

(1) use a first factor and a second factor with reference to a first context parameter of the plurality of context parameters to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if a period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time with reference to the first context parameter is above a first threshold, wherein the first factor and the second factor are related to the plurality of items,

(2) use the first factor of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time with reference to the first context parameter of the plurality of context parameters and using a second factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and above a second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, and if a period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is greater than a third threshold;

(3) use the first factor of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time with reference to the first context parameter of the plurality of context parameters and using the second factor of the index item with reference to an index context parameter of the plurality of context parameters, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and above the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the third threshold;

(4) use the first factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and below the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is greater than the third threshold;

(5) use the first factor of the index item with reference to the first context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the index context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and below the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the third threshold, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is greater than a fourth threshold; or

(6) use the first factor of the index item with reference to the index context parameter and using the second factor of the index item with reference to the index context parameter, to calculate the forecast value of the one of the plurality of items needed over the future period of time, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the one of the plurality of items is below the first threshold with reference to the first context parameter and below the second threshold with reference to the first context parameter, if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the third threshold, and if the period of time for the historical data collected for the index item with reference to the first context parameter is less than the fourth threshold,

collecting data for a plurality of context parameters related to at least one of the plurality of items;

storing the historical data for the plurality of context parameter in a third part of the datastore; and

forecasting a value for one of the plurality of items needed over a future period of time.