Business Intelligence for the masses with SharePoint and Excel
Already now MOSS licenses are valid for Performance Point Server
In an announcement of January 27th 2009 Microsoft updates the strategy for the company's business intelligence products.
PerformancePoint Server is terminated as a stand-alone product with Service Pack 3 (mid-2009). The BI functionality (monitoring and analysis) will be incorporated beginning with Office "14" (expected in late 2009/early 2010) as PerformancePoint services in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS).
Microsoft has found that the planning functionality (financial budgeting and consolidation) "is not critical for broad deployment of BI", but are closely linked to ERP systems - such as Dynamics.
The planning functionality is therefore removed from PerformancePoint but will be continued in Excel models, "for ISVs and solution partners to build on". Parts of the budgeting and planning functionality are expected to be incorporated into Dynamics products.
Microsoft has not announced detailed plans for the analysis functionality. Indications, however, are that some ProClarity functionality will be transferred to Excel "14" and Excel Services in MOSS.
Already from April 1st 2009, SharePoint Enterprise licenses (MOSS e-CALs) with software assurance (SA), provides the right to use Performance Point Server, in its present version.
ebs.dk assesses that Microsoft's new roadmap for BI-products may prove very beneficial for the many organizations that have already invested in and are using Office SharePoint Server. These organizations, as well as new SharePoint users can look forward to increased value for money by extending SharePoint and Excel to also represent the organization' BI-frontend. The announcement is expected to further consolidate the Microsoft BI-platform' competitive advantage on the "total cost of ownership".
For ebs.dk the change means that our vast experience in development and deployment of SharePoint solutions can be leveraged to add additional value to our BI-customers.
PerformancePoint Services for SharePoint
The consolidation of functions from the Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Enterprise will be marketed as PerformancePoint Services for SharePoint. Pricing are not yet available.
More specifically, it is the scorecard,
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Dashboard and Analysis functionality from Office PerformancePoint Server that Microsoft has decided to consolidate in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Enterprise.
Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 will with Service Pack 3, which among other things includes updates for the current products' scheduling engine, be replenished with important and highly sought after updates through mid-2009.
Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 with Service Pack 3 will be the last stand-alone version of Office PerformancePoint Server 2007.
BI for the masses
Integration of Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 features in Office SharePoint Server will contribute to achievement of the vision "BI for the masses" and separates Microsoft from the BI-vendors, who requires the purchase of several specialized applications.
The larger the number of employees who have access to business data, the greater is the organization's ability to anticipate changes and make the appropriate adjustments.
Traditional BI solutions from other vendors are typically used only by about 20 percent of the employees in a given organization. A part of the reason for this low penetration of BI is the often very expensive license cost per user, as well as the often very steep learning curve to be able to use the BI applications.
Microsoft's BI solution, on the other hand, is based on well-known, widely-used tools like SharePoint Server and Excel, which without doubt is the world's most used analysis and planning tool.
Continued support of Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 customers
Microsoft commits to ensure that customers get the most out of their investment in PerformancePoint Server - as reflected in the release of Service Pack 3 later this year.
In addition, Microsoft will continue to support the PerformancePoint Server implementations "well into the next decade".
Microsoft promises, moreover – albeit in somewhat vague phrases – existing PerformancePoint customers license compensation: "our account teams will work with customers to ensure their satisfaction with any changes in their licensing agreements. In fact, it's more than likely that customers will be able to license more of their employees to use the Microsoft BI solution".
Further information
• Microsoft’ official announcement
• See the video |