Business Objects Unveils New Mid-Market Product Line

The business intelligence needs of mid-sized companies are very similar to those of larger, enterprise companies. However, these companies typically have smaller budgets and fewer technical resources. Most BI companies have approached the mid-market by reducing the price of their enterprise solutions by turning off some of the features and functionality. With the new Business Objects Crystal Decisions product line, Business Objects is providing mid-market companies with all the features of the enterprise-class

BusinessObjects(TM) XI platform, but at a lower price and with streamlined deployment configurations to speed implementation.

A Flexible and Affordable BI Solution for the Mid-Market

Business Objects Crystal Decisions, Standard Edition provides the flexibility to deploy and use business intelligence to complement existing business applications, data sources, and platforms, and delivers insight in a single, affordable package. Business Objects Crystal Decisions, Standard Edition features:

• Ad hoc reporting, query and analysis - based on an intuitive web interface from BusinessObjects Web Intelligence(R), business users can easily access and analyze company information and format it for their specific needs - without
  relying on IT
• Dashboards and visualizations - decision-makers can interact with visual sliders, gauges, and 'what if' models through the integration of dashboards and visualizations created using Crystal Xcelsius(TM), an award-winning dashboard design tool
• Live data in Microsoft environments - users can conveniently access company data directly in familiar tools such as Microsoft Office and SharePoint; information is instantly updated while retaining all formatting and calculations added using Microsoft Office
• Proven, open BI platform - built using the same code base as the proven BusinessObjects XI business intelligence platform, Business Objects Crystal Decisions includes a reliable and open architecture that integrates with the applications, platforms, and databases mid-size companies are already using
  to run their business

Business Objects currently expects to deliver additional versions of the Business Objects Crystal Decisions product line throughout 2007, incorporating additional functionality for companies that want to do more complex things with their BI deployment. Business Objects Crystal Decisions, Professional Edition is expected to include all the functionality of the Standard Edition, with the addition of data integration functionality for greater trust and confidence in the data people use to base their decisions on. Business Objects Crystal Decisions, Premium Edition is expected to extend the product line further by adding performance management functionality, including advanced metrics and scorecards. All three editions of the new product line are built using BusinessObjects XI technology, allowing for easy migration to Business Objects' enterprise BI solutions as these mid-sized companies grow.

"With this new mid-market product line, Business Objects is truly breaking down the barriers to entry for business intelligence," said Jonathan Rothman, director of data management at Emergency Medical Associates, a physician-owned, privately held medical group that manages hospital emergency rooms in the New Jersey and New York metropolitan areas. "Business intelligence is now accessible and affordable to mid-size organizations that demand a quick return on their technology investments. It's exciting to see a solution with all the features of enterprise-level BI delivered in a size-appropriate package with a price tag that fits a smaller organization. This new product line is a very important development in the business intelligence market and something I am not seeing from other BI vendors."

"With more than 30,000 small and mid-sized customers, Business Objects has a clear understanding of the unique business intelligence needs of the mid-market," said Todd Rowe, vice president and general manager of worldwide mid-market business at Business Objects.
"Business Objects is the only leading BI vendor to offer a full-featured product line designed to fit within the price and deployment constraints of these growing companies. Business Objects Crystal Decisions delivers a holistic platform to address the full spectrum of business intelligence needs in the mid-market, with a low total cost of ownership."

Availability and Pricing

Business Objects Crystal Decisions, Standard Edition is currently available from Business Objects and its channel partners in twelve languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese. Pricing for Business Objects Crystal Decisions, Standard Edition starts at $20,000 USD in North America for five concurrent users on a single Windows or Linux server. Pricing in Europe, Asia Pacific, and Japan will differ based upon local market conditions.