InternetBusiness Objects Upgrades With a Focus on SMBs

Crystal Reports Server, Edge 3.0 helps SMBs compete with the big guys.

Business Objects, which merged with SAP (NYSE: SAP) in October for $6.7 billion, has announced upgrades to two of its key products. It has unveiled BusinessObjects Edge 3.0, the latest generation of its mid-market business intelligence (BI) platform, and Crystal Reports Server 2008, the newest version of its reporting platform. Both were introduced in January to give SMBs access to the same capabilities as the enterprise version. Edge 3.0 lets users access company data through a Web-based interface the company said is designed for ease of use. Users can use the standard point-and-click interface to analyze and customize data. Crystal Reports Server 2008 lets report designers create highly formatted business information that can be delivered within and outside the corporate firewall through e-mail, corporate portals or Microsoft Office. "Many medium-sized organizations have business intelligence needs that are very similar to large organizations," IDC analyst Dan Vesset told InternetNews.com. "The Business Objects offering to the SMB market offers the same functionality to SMBs as products for large enterprises." RELATED ARTICLES SAP, Business Objects in $6.7B Merger SAP Talks Up Business Objects Union Oracle Fuses BI, Performance Management IBM Lays Out Ambitious Cognos Strategy Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Ready for Download For more stories on this topic: Business Objects is "leading the mid-market... [ Read more on www.internetnews.com ]

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