Business Objects, the world`s leading provider of integrated enterprise decision support tools, today announced that it has signed a worldwide value added reseller (VAR) agreement with FICS Group, a Belgium-based provider of electronic services delivery and financial reporting software to leading banks and financial service organizations worldwide.
Business Objects products enable non-technical users to access and analyze data stored in corporate data warehouses, data marts, and packaged applications. This agreement enables FICS Group to integrate and bundle Business Objects software including BUSINESSOBJECTS, its full-client decision support system (DSS), as well as its thin-client solution, WEBINTELLIGENCE, with ABACUS, FICS Group`s tool for creating and submitting financial reports.
This technology integration will enable ABACUS customers - including banks, insurance companies, and mutual fund providers - to utilize one system to fulfill their legal reporting obligations and also access, analyze, and share information stored in corporate databases so they can make better, more informed business decisions.
"We look forward to working with FICS Group and helping it supply its extensive customer base with an integrated corporate standard upon which to build financial reporting and query applications," said Dave Kellogg, vice president of corporate marketing at Business Objects. "Business Objects web technology will also allow banks to expand their DSS applications beyond their `four walls` using internet- and extranet-based systems, which can be a vital feature in this time of consolidation and competition in the financial services industry."
"FICS Group is committed to providing a total query and reporting solution to financial institutions," said Jean de Crane, FICS Group regional manager. "The worldwide agreement with Business Objects will combine the strengths of both our companies` tools: The ABACUS package will now provide financial institutions with an integrated tool for fulfilling legal reporting obligations. Business Objects tools will complete the picture, providing functionality for data analysis, report building online analytical processing (OLAP), and data mining. By using a single data source, bank staff will be able to meet a variety of reporting business needs, both internal and external."

