SAP BusinessObjects is continuing to leverage its relationship with Microsoft with the announcement that Redmond is to support the SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation application as a preferred solution for customers running their business applications on the Microsoft platform. The companies are currently identifying potential targeted go-to-market initiatives to accelerate the adoption of SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation among the Microsoft user base, as well as the SAP’s mid market versions of these applications among small to midsize organisations. The move reflects a growth strategy to broaden SAP’s influence beyond the native SAP user base following the acquisition of Business Objects just over two years ago. It may also be an attempt to fill the vacuum left by Microsoft’s decision to dump PerformancePoint
But the announcement will also put pressure on Oracle which is keen to extend its user base beyond the customers it acquired when it bought the Hyperion business and adds an interesting dimension for IBM Cognos which had been relatively agnostic in terms of ERP platform. The latter, which does not have any in-house ERP solution may lose out if SAP tightens its grip on the Microsoft installed base.
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