Budgeting Software Journal

Springhill Medical Center signed a multi-suite contract with Lawson Software (Nasdaq:LWSN) in Lawson’s second quarter of fiscal 2007, which ends Nov. 30, 2006. The private medical center licensed the Lawson Human Capital Management, Enterprise Financial Management and Business Intelligence suites to create a unified business system that will help reduce operational costs while providing enhanced workflow capabilities.

Based in Mobile, Ala., Springhill Medical Center has 1,375 employees and operates a 252-bed, acute care facility serving the greater Mobile community. Springhill Medical Center also operates several clinical centers, including the Women’s Diagnostic Center, the Diabetes Educational Center, the Cancer Center, the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, and the Southwest Regional Center for Sleep/Wake Disorders. [Read more →]

Lawson Software (Nasdaq:LWSN) today announced the general availability of Lawson Budgeting & Planning 9 to help executives and managers make more accurate financial forecasts and faster budgeting decisions using up-to-date information. Lawson Budgeting & Planning 9 is designed to be easier to deploy and use than best-of-breed offerings, features low total cost of ownership and can deliver strategic business benefits for users.

Bassett Healthcare, a rural teaching hospital in upstate New York, provides one example of how Lawson Budgeting & Planning 9 can deliver strategic benefits. Bassett and its affiliates consist of four hospitals and 23 health centers covering 5,000 square miles in eight counties. Accurate forecasts are critical to the success of this rural healthcare network, but in the past the budgeting process was inefficient. [Read more →]

CODA plc, the finance systems specialist quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM; stock code: CODA), today announced it has signed a contract with Caterpillar Inc, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.

The contract covers licenses for CODA e-Finance, CODA’s web-browser based international accounting system, along with several related products (CODA-XL, CODA e-Assets and XMLi) for use at Caterpillar Inc. sites and Caterpillar dealers worldwide.

CODA focuses on financial accounting systems for medium to large organizations, particularly those that have a strong international focus. This is the latest in a series of international clients won by CODA, including the recently announced Louvre Hotels, based in France.

“We are delighted to be working with Caterpillar Inc., and providing the core finance system for their global dealer network,” said Jeremy Roche, CEO of CODA plc. “I believe this project demonstrates the ability of CODA-Financials to scale across businesses of all sizes, and particularly exploits the product’s suitability for multi-site, multi-company and dealer-network operations.”

arcplan, a global provider of Process-Driven Analytics and Services, today announced that it has signed a master distributorship agreement with Cyber BI, a Chinese IT services company specializing in business intelligence (BI) and enterprise data integration (EDI). The renewable three-year agreement focuses on a significant expansion of arcplan’s sales across China as well as establishing the arcplan name as a leading light in the Process-Driven Analytics sector there. Cyber BI is headquartered in Shenzhen with subsidiaries in Beijing and Shanghai, covering the three most dynamic business zones in China, and plans additional offices in other high-growth provinces. arcplan’s current customer base includes Siemens China, Hongta Tobacco, and BMW Brilliance.

Within the framework of the agreement, Cyber BI has committed to generating software sales revenues totaling several million euros to be spread over the three-year duration of the contract. Alongside its in-house sales team, Cyber BI is rapidly building a network of strong strategic partnerships across the country, both with systems integrators and within key vertical sectors such as the tobacco industry and utilities. The company has significant expertise in the development and implementation of complex analytic applications for large corporations, including SAP R/3 and SAP BW in the manufacturing, telecommunications, government and retail sectors. [Read more →]

Cognos (Nasdaq: COGN; TSX: CSN), the world leader in business intelligence and performance management solutions, today announced that Challenger has selected Cognos 8 Business Intelligence (BI) and Cognos 8 Planning for enterprise-wide reporting and performance management.

Challenger is an established player in Australian financial services and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company is focused on its four core business lines of mortgage management, funds management, asset management, and financial planning.

Challenger chose Cognos 8 BI and Cognos 8 Planning after an analysis of competitive options, which showed that Cognos 8 BI delivers a comprehensive set of BI capabilities on a single, Web-based services-oriented architecture. Combined with Cognos’ enterprise planning capabilities, it provides decision makers at all levels with a consistent, accurate view of information to better manage performance. [Read more →]

New Module for Hyperion System 9 Extends BPM Leader’s Suite of Packaged Solutions Designed to Integrate Financial and Operational Planning

Hyperion (Nasdaq Global Select: HYSL), the global leader in Business Performance Management software (BPM), today unveiled Hyperion System 9 Capital Expense Planning, the industry’s first packaged solution focused on automating the entire process of planning for capital asset-related expenses.

A module with both pre-built functionality and flexible customization tools, Capital Expense Planning extends the capabilities of Hyperion System 9 Planning software. Capital Expense Planning enables both financial and operational planners to collaboratively manage capital assets and related expenses. As a result, planners can instantly assess the impact a specific capital expense might have on general expense plans and financial statements – and take immediate action when necessary. The new module is built on Hyperion’s integrated business planning framework, which helps to ensure accurate forecasts and enhances predictability. [Read more →]

Cognos (Nasdaq: COGN; TSX: CSN), the world leader in business intelligence and corporate performance management, says it will be looking to extend its market leadership and raise brand awareness when it participates at GITEX 2006, the Middle East’s premier IT exhibition.

As the leading vendor in Corporate Performance Management, GITEX provides an ideal platform for Cognos to meet clients and demonstrate how they can continue to drive their business forward while gaining insights on the regional enterprise technology market. The company will focus on its software - the hugely successful Cognos 8 Business Intelligence and Cognos 8 Planning. Cognos 8 BI is the industry’s first Web-services based solution that provides the complete range of BI functionalities in a single product on a proven, single architecture. [Read more →]

Reflecting the spirit of innovation and collaboration that is energizing its offerings for small and midsize enterprises, SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced significant enhancements to the SAP(R) Business One independent software vendor (ISV) certification program with 20 newly certified solutions, enhanced tools for easier solution certification and additional partner benefits. SAP ISVs including CitiXSys Technologies, Inc., Computer Decisions International, IronWare Technologies and numerous others are taking advantage of the certification program by developing, integrating and certifying new add-on solutions for SAP Business One, SAP’s business management application for small businesses. As businesses around the world require a broad catalogue of integrated functionalities to remain competitive, SAP PartnerEdge(TM) P2P Network allows ISVs and resellers to collaborate and meet specialized customer needs while expanding their global business reach. SAP Business One ISVs currently offer more than 330 innovative, solution add-ons featuring vertical-specific business management capabilities that enhance the SAP Business One application to support SAP’s expanding customer base. [Read more →]

Varicent Software Incorporated, a market leader in incentive and sales performance management (SPM) solutions, today announced record revenue and earnings for its third quarter ended September 2006. Licensing revenue for its flagship product, Varicent Sales Performance Management was up 93.7% from the second quarter 2006, and total revenue for the quarter was more than doubled from prior quarter results. [Read more →]

85 per cent of UK IT directors and managers believe business unit managers treat IT resources like a all you can eat buffet, according to a survey by ALG Software.

The survey, a study of IT Shared Services functions in UK organisations, showed discord between IT departments and business units, with respondents reporting that half of business unit managers believe that IT cross-charges on their departments are unfair. [Read more →]