Business Objects prepares Performance Manager

NEW YORK - Business Objects is preparing for July release a new performance-tracking analytics application.

BusinessObjects Performance Manager includes role-based scorecarding functionality and a wizard-driven workflow tool for defining performance goals based on employees' roles. Part of Business Objects' Enterprise Performance Management suite, Performance Manager works in conjunction with BusinessObjects Application Foundation and Dashboard Manager, according to a company spokesperson.

One customer said he's impressed with the quality of Performance Manager's data.

"It lets you define strategies and then specific goals against that. Other business intelligence products I've seen don't really have that. They don't tie into strategy," said John Arnold, president of application development and services firm DataLan Corp., in White Plains, New York. "You can link goals from a high level down to individual goals, which is how we think and work here."

DataLan has been testing the Performance Manager with a pilot project deploying the software for 15 of its sales and marketing employees. The company runs several other Business Objects products and a CRM (customer relationship management) system from Pivotal. DataLan is using Performance Manager to gauge the success of both individual employees and the company overall in meeting sales and marketing targets, Arnold said.

So far, the company is pleased with the product and expects to expand its rollout. One useful feature of the software is its ability to suggest next steps employees can take as they examine recorded performance indicators, he said. Using the wizards, configuring the software wasn't too cumbersome, according to Arnold, though he recommends that potential buyers have in place strategic goals mapped to specific employee roles.

Performance Manger is now in the final stages of beta testing, according to Business Objects, based in San Jose, California. When the software is released next month, perpetual licensing costs will be $35,000 per server and $350 per user, for a minimum of 25 users, a spokesman said.