Biz# = Office PerformancePoint Server 2007

Microsoft has finally announced the existence of Biz#, now to be called Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007.

For those of you who feel left out, don't worry, you've probably already been using some of it.

So what is this new product? It is the integration and rebranding of a couple of old technologies, and the addition of one.

Take ProClarity (newly purchased by Microsoft and needing to do something with the investment), mix in Business Scorecard Manager, throw in bits of Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft Analysis Server 2005, SharePoint 2007, Outlook 2007, and Excel 2007 -- let some developers stir things around, and there you have it.

This is not to say there is nothing new in there tho. Forecasting is new, and could be a big win for everyone if they get it right. Also, they seem to have a mechanism to create new cubes on the fly. That could also be really cool. Also it has its own API that is web service based which could make for some very interesting integration opportunities.

At this point, this product is being sold as a one-stop-shop for data analysts...and that has been said before by other players.

But this was only a one hour demo, and leaves a lot of questions to be answered.

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 is due in mid 2007.

Links:
Performance Point Official site: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX101550371033.aspx
Office Business Scorecard Manager 2005: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX012225041033.aspx
ProClarity: http://www.proclarity.com