Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ) introduced a new initiative that enables its industry-leading partner community to extend the recently introduced Business Objects Crystal Decisions® mid-market portfolio. The program is designed to encourage and support partner development of “QuickStart Packs” – certified, add-on solutions that address specific vertical, application, or operational needs of small to mid-size companies.
QuickStart Packs are integrated solutions that essentially package the extensive experience Business Objects partners have in key vertical industries, including Retail Banking, Insurance, Healthcare and Manufacturing; or with specific line-of-business applications such as JD Edwards. Each QuickStart Pack will include report and dashboard templates, as well as pre-built data connectors to help speed and simplify the deployment of relevant and results-driven business intelligence. With QuickStart Packs, mid-size organizations can quickly get up and running with a business intelligence solution that is already tailored to their specific business needs.
“Business Objects’ mid-market value proposition continues to strengthen with each new product release,” said James Kobielus, principal analyst at Current Analysis. “Crystal Decisions provides Business Objects channel partners with a robust, extensible, SOA-enabled platform for developing mid-market QuickStart Packs that are tailored to the BI needs of various horizontal, vertical, compliance, and regional customer segments. The new product line and associated QuickStart Pack partner program will provide mid-size companies with tailored BI solutions that bring together key business metrics, data connectors, and reports with off-the-shelf convenience.”
Initial QuickStart Packs Launched by Partners Today
Three initial QuickStart Packs were launched today by INSolve, Preferred Strategies, and RapidDecision. Business Objects is also currently working with a number of other partners on QuickStart Pack development and certification. These rapid deployment solutions are expected to be launched throughout 2007 and beyond.
The first set of QuickStart solutions launched in separate announcements today by INSolve, Preferred Strategies, and RapidDecision include:
- INSolve Functional Intelligence QuickStart Pack – an insurance-based fast track to business intelligence, this solution provides the initial framework for consolidated and customizable views of enterprise and departmental data, structured to optimize analysis, reporting, and decision-making capabilities. Full details available are at www.insolve.com.
- Preferred Strategies BI Quick Launch for JDE QuickStart Pack – a cost-effective jumpstart for integrating JD Edwards with Business Objects (against live data or data warehouse) that empowers management with instant visibility into financial and operational performance with reports fully customized to your data in one day. The solution, which is based on Preferred Strategies report templates, samples, queries, and universes, significantly accelerates additional report customization, development, deployment, and processing. Full details are available at http://www.preferredstrategies.com.
- RapidDecision QuickStart Pack – an out-of-the-box JD Edwards data warehouse solution that allows organizations to perfect the connection between JDE and their Business Objects software. The solution delivers real-time information allowing companies to immediately perform simple queries, generate ad hoc reports, or develop robust dashboards and analytics, while also simplifying the process of getting information out of JDE application and into the hands of key decision-makers. Full details are available at www.rapiddecision.com.
These three solutions are available directly from each partner. In addition, partners also have the option to enable Business Objects to resell their certified QuickStart Packs.
“We realize that our extensive partner network has considerable industry and application-specific knowledge that brings significant value to our joint customers,” said Todd Rowe, vice president and general manager of worldwide mid-market business at Business Objects. “By working with our partner community to create add-on solutions that are deeply integrated with the Business Objects Crystal Decisions platform, Business Objects and our partners make it even easier for our customers to gain access to tailored business intelligence. The new QuickStart Packs will shorten deployment processes and deliver even faster time to value.”
Today’s announcement aligns with a recent commitment from Business Objects to drive mid-market professional services primarily through the company’s network of proven partners. By offering the Crystal Decisions portfolio, certified QuickStart Packs, and optional consulting services, Business Objects partners can offer mid-size companies a complete, cost-effective solution for relevant BI.
About Business Objects Crystal Decisions
Business Objects Crystal Decisions offers a flexible and affordable way for mid-size companies to gain the benefits of business intelligence. The portfolio includes all the functionality of the enterprise-class BusinessObjectsâ„¢ XI platform, but at a lower price and with streamlined deployment options designed for small to mid-sized companies. The solution provides the flexibility to deploy and use BI to complement existing business applications, data sources, and platforms, and delivers insight in a single, affordable package. For more information, visit www.businessobjects.com/grow.