November 2005 Document F110

SCORECARD
BUSINESSOBJECTS XI

THE BOTTOM LINE

Improved product integration and new user interface elements, along with
enhanced performance, has increased BusinessObjects’s ability to deliver
a solid ROI.

BusinessObjects XI combines query and analysis, reporting, enterprise performance

management dashboard tools and scorecards, and data integration tools within a
unified infrastructure. The suite provides full integration of the Crystal Decisions
reporting technology, acquired in 2003, with the BusinessObjects product line,
resulting in a single infrastructure that can be used for all aspects of business
intelligence.

The suite combines the following products: BusinessObjects Enterprise, Crystal

Reports, Web Intelligence, OLAP Intelligence, Dashboard Manager, Performance
Manager, and Data Integrator. In addition to the new shared infrastructure of the
products, other highlights of product include:
New business intelligence delivery mechanisms that will present information to
users in a more intuitive manner. These features will help to extend the
number of users who can tap into the business intelligence system. The focus
on user accessibility also has the potential to lower IT support costs, if the user
can build their own reports without having to rely on assistance from IT.
The platform is built on a service-oriented architecture, enabling Web services
delivery of information. This capability enables information to be shared in
new ways, such as embedding it within applications, or providing secure access
to partners and customers via the Internet.
Collaborative features such as threaded discussions enable people to pose
questions, share comments, and view the history on reports, documents, and
dashboard pages.
Deployment

Adoption

Business
Support

Vendor
Impact

BusinessObjects XI 4.6 ● ● ◕ ◕ ●
Guide to the ratings:
Overall score is a composite score indicating the solution’s ability to deliver ROI based on the following factors:
Deployment is how easily and quickly the solution can be deployed. Adoption is based on usability and the
potential scalability of adoption. Support is based on the ability of the solution to function with limited internal
support costs. Business impact measures the potential of the solution to deliver returns through clear and
repeatable benefits. Vendor is the vendor’s track record and ability to help a customer maximize ROI. Scale
indicates from high 5= ●, 4=◕, 3= ◑ 2= ◔, 1= ○ to low rating.

Corporate Headquarters Europe, Middle East, Africa Nucleus Research Inc.

Nucleus Research Inc. Nucleus Research EMEA www.NucleusResearch.com
36 Washington Street 17a rue Pavee
Wellesley MA 02481 75004 Paris FRANCE
Phone: +1 781.416.2900 Phone: +33 1 42 77 75 38
Fax: +1 781.416.5252
 November 2005 Document F110

RELATED DEPLOYMENT
RESEARCH Score: 5
FX ROI Score: Deployment time varies depending upon the number of users and locations, the
Cognos
level of customization required, and the number of data sources that will be used
F91 Business Objects
completes
with BusinessObjects XI. New tools have been added to speed the initial
acquisition of SRC deployment process, and assist in the upgrade process deployment for existing
F71 Business Objects BusinessObjects implementations. Import, migration, and conversion tools can
ROI Case Study:
reduce the time it takes to move reports and data objects into new release.
Shands
HealthCare
E130 Business Objects ADOPTION
makes the case
Score: 5
for standardization
BusinessObjects has devoted considerable resources on user interface
E24 Using the Nucleus
Research Vendor enhancements to ease adoption for business users that are new to BI tools. The
ROI Score intelligent question feature is especially impressive as it provides a unique
approach that doesn’t force the user to learn much, if anything, about the BI
system prior to using it the user is guided through the process of constructing a
question from pulldown menus, enabling the user to pose questions that frame the
parameters of the resulting report.

The user interface has been overhauled to provide Windows users with an XP-like
workspace, and tighter integration with Microsoft Office applications allows reports
and data contained in BusinessObjects to be embedded within Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint documents. Data can be linked to keep changes in sync between the
BI and Office applications, and clicking on the data brings up the original report for
reference and further examination.

SUPPORT
Score: 4
The new architecture of BusinessObjects delivers new administrative features that
can lower support requirements. The product has a single repository for data, and
a centralized administrative console for managing system configuration, licenses,
user settings, and security requirements. New usability-features that enable users
to navigate the product to view and produce their own reports, also lowers the IT
support requirements once users are comfortable with the system and do not have
to rely on IT to obtain the information they need.

BUSINESS IMPACT
Score: 4
BusinessObjects users have gained some significant returns from the product
within some very fast payback periods. These returns are driven initially by
improved visibility into data, and then as metrics are tracked and analyzed,
operational changes can be made to control costs. As this level of visibility is
extended to more users, which will be now be easier to do with the user interface
and accessibility features in BusinessObjects XI, the magnitude of benefits should
be extended and achieved at a faster pace.

© 2005 Nucleus Research, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
Nucleus Research is the leader in the return on investment analysis of technology. www.NucleusResearch.com
2
November 2005 Document F110

VENDOR
Score: 5
In 2005 BusinessObjects achieved its objective of delivering an integrated platform
and has made acquisitions to broaden its product line. Its acquisition of SRC
Software in August adds a full-featured corporate performance management (CPM)
product. This puts them on par with other competitors such as Cognos and
Hyperion, and complements the BusinessObjects business intelligence platform
with capabilities for financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting.

In November, BusinessObjects closed its acquisition of Infommersion, a data

visualization company. The addition of the technology to the BusinessObjects XI
platform will provide users with new tools to take static data and transform it into a
visual, interactive form that can be incorporated into dashboards, PowerPoint
presentations, or available on a portal.

As BI vendors move out to attract a broader segment of corporate users, the visual
elements of data and increasing the level of interactivity a user has with the data
are key selling points. For most companies, just knowing how to access data
provides a huge ROI boost. The next step is being able to use the data for
predictive analysis – given what you know about your business operations, what
actions should you take either to avoid a problem, or take advantage of a major
opportunity?

RANKING OUTLOOK
BusinessObjects has made solid improvements to its product line that has added to
the business value of its offerings. The company was the first among its
competitors to reach the $1 billion in annual revenue mark, which shows not only
the strength of the BI and analytics market, but also a very healthy license growth
rate since its release of Business Objects XI. Nucleus anticipates that Business
Object’s ranking will be stable over the coming year.

METHODOLOGY
The Nucleus ROI Scores are based on Nucleus analysts’ independent assessment of
the vendor’s ability to deliver positive ROI to potential customers and on data
gathered from an individual vendor’s customers as well as other users in the
market sector. For more details on Nucleus ROI Scores, see research note E24,
Using the Nucleus Research Vendor ROI Score.

© 2005 Nucleus Research, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
Nucleus Research is the leader in the return on investment analysis of technology. www.NucleusResearch.com
3