7. A method of operating a common point authoring system for complex sharing of hierarchically authored data objects in a distribution chain, comprising: enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising a draft informational object, which uniquely identifies a product for tracking purposes; enabling an authorized individual to authenticate said draft informational object created by said authorized authoring member; converting said authenticated informational object created by said authorized authoring member to a corresponding immutable informational object which is identified by a unique identifier; writing said created immutable informational object into a memory for use by authorized accessing members; enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising at least one draft data element; wherein said step of enabling an authorized authoring member incorporates said at least one draft data element into said draft informational object; wherein said step of enabling an authorized individual to authenticate comprises: enabling an authorized individual to authenticate said draft data element created by said authorized authoring member; and wherein said step of converting converts said authenticated at least one draft data element to a corresponding immutable draft data element which is identified by a unique identifier.
7. A method of operating a common point authoring system for complex sharing of hierarchically authored data objects in a distribution chain, comprising: enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising a draft informational object, which uniquely identifies a product for tracking purposes; enabling an authorized individual to authenticate said draft informational object created by said authorized authoring member; converting said authenticated informational object created by said authorized authoring member to a corresponding immutable informational object which is identified by a unique identifier; writing said created immutable informational object into a memory for use by authorized accessing members; enabling an authorized authoring member to create data comprising at least one draft data element; wherein said step of enabling an authorized authoring member incorporates said at least one draft data element into said draft informational object; wherein said step of enabling an authorized individual to authenticate comprises: enabling an authorized individual to authenticate said draft data element created by said authorized authoring member; and wherein said step of converting converts said authenticated at least one draft data element to a corresponding immutable draft data element which is identified by a unique identifier. 8. The method of operating a common point authoring system of claim 7 further comprising: enabling an authorized accessing member to retrieve a selected informational object.