| tly as of the time of this writing, Microsoft took yet | | | | says, “We're bringing the entire BI strategy |
| another step in the direction of making it easier for | | | | from Microsoft to life”. He expects Dynamics |
| business partners and clients to add customization to | | | | CRM to be an important proof in the pudding for that |
| its BI suite of software. (BI stands for “business | | | | concept, as it merges the analytics capabilities and |
| intelligence”.) | | | | data mining capabilities of the software with the |
| Microsoft has released its Dynamics CRM Analytics | | | | company's SQL Server. Another piece of the |
| Foundation. This is a bundle of customizable | | | | Dynamics CRM suite that Microsoft will be releasing |
| documentation and source code, and it's for free to all | | | | later on in this year at the time of this writing, according |
| users of MS CRM software. Clients and business | | | | to Pederson, is going to be its PerformancePoint |
| partners can build on the tools found in this bundle for | | | | Server 2007. |
| the creation of customized BI applications, or simply | | | | PerfomancePoint Server 2007 has been undergoing |
| use them as they are found. | | | | Beta testing since November of 2006. It comprises a |
| Microsoft is just one of the sellers of CRM software | | | | conglomeration of technologies that Microsoft acquired |
| that is now endorsing what it calls “BI for the | | | | through the buying of ProClarity last year and its own |
| masses”, which essentially comprises the | | | | proprietary BI technologies. PerfomancePoint functions |
| implementation of real-time metrics, information, and | | | | as a way for users to put their data and business |
| data in a format that is usable by all staff members | | | | rules onto a central server to then be integrated with |
| and not confined to upper management. Microsoft is | | | | BI forecasting, planning, scorecarding, and analysing. |
| hoping that by selling the software that enables this, it | | | | The latest step in Dynamics CRM can allow a |
| can increase its own sales volume of CRM software. | | | | company to study predictive analytics concerning client |
| Microsoft's Dynamics CRM software draws upon | | | | activities in order to cross-sell or upsell with more |
| Microsoft's data analysis and management software | | | | success. When a client contacts your company, your |
| programs including its SharePoint Portal technologies, | | | | salesmen would be able to access the data in |
| Visual Studio suite of developmental tools, Office | | | | Dynamics CRM related to things beyond just that |
| Business Scorecard Manager, and its SQL Server | | | | client, such as other clients' buying habits, that put the |
| relational database. Christian Pederson, the senior | | | | salesman in a position to make informed and relevant |
| director for Microsoft's Dynamics CRM development, | | | | recommendations for additional products. |