What Effects For Microsoft?

It is the first time a major publisher announced that it reduces the wing in the coveted field of Business Intelligence, which all analysts are predicting it will be one of the main engines of growth information. This perspective is also the origin of concentrations, including the acquisition of Business Objects by SAP is one of the most prominent.

While Microsoft continues to invest and develop its offering integrated BI SQL Server, which is experiencing strong gains in market share. The withdrawal of PerformancePoint however, may have unexpected effects.

First, competition is very strong in this area, all editors have made sure to offer tenders related to performance management, and more or less integrated into their business intelligence solutions in the strict sense. Microsoft's argument on the clarity of its roadmap and integration of its offerings can no longer play. It remains as arguments the quality of supply, integration with MS Office or low cost to meet strict reporting and analysis. The first risk for Microsoft is losing potential customers attracted by publishers making an offer wider and designed to evolve.

Nevertheless, it is certain that the market share of Microsoft in the field of Business Intelligence will continue to grow. Customers wishing to implement a BalancedScorecard or structured budget process will likely appeal to publishers of complementary solutions, which began to appear after the announcement of Microsoft. This is where SAP may play the card BPC (Business Planning and Consolidation). Indeed, the solution ex-Outlooksoft bought in 2007, and ever developed, based on the integrated Microsoft SQL platform. True to its logical platform, NetWeaver version (integrated BW) will be released this year.

It is therefore ironic that this decision makes SAP the publisher natural solution planning integrated Microsoft BI offering. This would enable SAP to gain a foothold in new customers and extend a little more dominance in this area.