Marketing investment optimizer with dynamic hierarchies

1. A method for generating a dynamic, investment-related, data hierarchy utilizing investment variables in a plurality of levels in the hierarchy and further utilizing one or more functions describing relationships between the variables in the plurality of levels, wherein the functions further describe the relationships if the hierarchy is modified to include the variables at different levels, the method comprising:

storing information related to sales, wherein the information includes dimensions and each of the dimensions includes at least one level and each of the levels is described by variables;

storing relationships between at least some of the variables;

receiving a request for a hierarchy, wherein the requested hierarchy includes a set of dimensions from the stored dimensions, at least one level for each dimension in the set, and a sequence of the dimensions or levels in the hierarchy;

calculating, by a computer system, values for the variables in the levels for the requested hierarchy using the stored relationships that are applicable to the variables in the levels;

determining whether there are multiple constraints for the different levels, and upon a determination that there are multiple constraints, determining whether there is a conflict between the multiple constraints; and

upon a determination that there is a conflict between the multiple constraints:

determining ranges for the multiple constraints;

determining an overlapping range for the multiple constraints; and

applying the overlapping range as a constraint; and

generating a view of the hierarchy including the calculated values, wherein the view includes the dimensions or levels of the requested hierarchy in the sequence specified for the requested hierarchy.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a modification to a value for a variable of the variables;

running a simulation using the modification and models associated with the variables; and

estimating values for some of the variables based on the simulation.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a change to the sequence of the dimensions and the levels of the hierarchy to generate a view of a new hierarchy;

identifying a new stored relationship from the stored relationships applicable for the new hierarchy, wherein the new stored relationship is different from the stored relationships used to calculate the hierarchy;

recalculating at least some of the variables in the levels using the new stored relationship; and

generating a view of the new hierarchy using the recalculated variables.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the relationships is a fixed ratio between two variables in the levels.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the relationships is a function representing a curve defining the relationship between two variables in the levels.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the relationships represents a halo effect, a cannibalization effect, or a synergy effect between two variables in the levels.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the relationships describes the impact of corporate spending on a variable in the hierarchy at a level of the hierarchy spanning lower levels of hierarchies.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the relationships describes a rule for determining a value for a variable in a lower level or a higher level based on an organization of the hierarchy.

9. A system to generate a dynamic, investment-related, data hierarchy utilizing investment variables in a plurality of levels in the hierarchy and further utilizing one or more functions describing relationships between the variables in the plurality of levels, wherein the functions further describe the relationships if the hierarchy is modified to include the variables at different levels, the system comprising:

a data storage device to store information related to sales, wherein the information includes dimensions and each of the dimensions includes at least one level and each of the levels is described by variables, and the data storage device is to store relationships between at least some of the variables;

a processor to:

receive a request for a hierarchy, wherein the requested hierarchy includes a set of dimensions from the stored dimensions, at least one level for each dimension in the set, and a sequence of the dimensions or levels in the hierarchy; and

calculate values for the variables in the levels for the requested hierarchy using the stored relationships that are applicable to the variables in the levels;

determine whether there are multiple constraints for different levels of the hierarchy;

upon a determination of multiple constraints for the different levels, determine whether there is a conflict between the multiple constraints; and

upon a determination that there is a conflict, determine whether the conflict is resolvable, and resolve the conflict upon a determination that the conflict is resolvable; and

a user interface to provide a view of the hierarchy including the calculated values, wherein the view includes the dimensions or levels of the requested hierarchy in the sequence specified for the requested hierarchy.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is to:

receive a change to the sequence of the dimensions and the levels of the hierarchy to generate a view of a new hierarchy,

identify a new stored relationship from the stored relationships applicable for the new hierarchy, wherein the new stored relationship is different from the stored relationships used to calculate the hierarchy, and

recalculate at least some of the variables in the levels using the new stored relationship, and

wherein the user interface is to provide a view of the new hierarchy using the recalculated variables.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is to:

receive a modification to a value for a variable of the variables;

run a simulation using the modification and models associated with the variables, and

predict values for some of the variables based on the simulation.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is to provide a view of the hierarchy including the predicted values.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer code, the computer code, which when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to:

store information related to sales, wherein the information includes dimensions and each of the dimensions includes at least one level and each of the levels is described by variables;

store relationships between at least some of the variables;

receive a request for a hierarchy, wherein the requested hierarchy includes a set of dimensions from the stored dimensions, at least one level for each dimension in the set, and a sequence of the dimensions or levels in the hierarchy;

calculate values for the variables in the levels for the requested hierarchy using the stored relationships that are applicable to the variables in the levels;

determine whether there are multiple constraints for different levels of the hierarchy;

upon a determination of multiple constraints for the different levels, determine whether there is a conflict between the constraints; and

upon a determination that there is a conflict, determine whether the conflict is resolvable, and resolve the conflict upon a determination that the conflict is resolvable; and

generate a view of the hierarchy including the calculated values, wherein the view includes the dimensions or levels of the requested hierarchy in the sequence specified for the requested hierarchy.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 13 , wherein the computer code is to cause the computer system to:

receive a modification to a value for a variable of the variables;

run a simulation using the modification and models associated with the variables; and

estimate values for some of the variables based on the simulation.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 13 , wherein the computer code is to cause the computer system to:

receive a change to the sequence of the dimensions and the levels of the hierarchy to generate a view of a new hierarchy;

identify a new stored relationship from the stored relationships applicable for the new hierarchy, wherein the new stored relationship is different from the stored relationships used to calculate the hierarchy;

recalculate at least some of the variables in the levels using the new stored relationship; and

generate a view of the new hierarchy using the recalculated variables.