An application adapted to run within an enterprise wide, web-based framework which provides reusable services and facilities such as security, meta-data management and traceability of data and a framework supporting the same. The framework supports decision making across the value chain, with an emphasis on the meta-data needed for decision making. The framework can support the activities of a virtual organization (internal or external) and the inevitable variations in data types, file formats etc. without requiring massive integration between the various sources of data involved.