Business Connexion, the black-owned Microsoft IT solutions provider, has teamed up with Microsoft, KPMG and business intelligence company Harvey Jones Systems to bring SAP customers a holistic solution based on global best practices that enhances the return on their SAP investments and improves the use of the ERP software within their businesses.
The partnership transforms existing systems into a business intelligence framework, simplifying day-to-day services into a platform that provides access to shared data in mixed technology environments.
"By leveraging their investment in Microsoft technology, users can add significant value to SAP in terms of business intelligence and business process management, integrated workflow applications, integration assistance into legacy systems, communicating directly with SAP, and cost-effective migration capabilities," says Bruce Krebs, marketing director at Business Connexion.
The consortium players each bring a crucial component of a holistic solution to the party. Business Connexion contributes by enabling businesses to leverage from existing technology investments as well as to manage and support Microsoft solutions. Microsoft brings the technology, the applications and the framework on which everything hinges; Harvey Jones Systems supplies the ProClarity business intelligence tool that gives users enterprise-level reporting capabilities; and KPMG provides a depth of business process consulting and design methodologies services and experience.
Kim Dixon, Microsoft Alliance manager at KPMG, says: "The consortium brings together a valuable mix of business consulting skills as well as in-depth SAP and Microsoft knowledge. This combination will allow us to partner with our clients to adopt agile business practices through supporting technologies to increase profitability and competitiveness.
"KPMG Consulting has a wealth of experience in implementing and supporting enterprise-wide solutions using both SAP and Microsoft. Our global methodologies are based on best practices and cover important business requirements such as business intelligence, system integration, implementation and change management."
David Ives, business productivity specialist at Microsoft, says: "We provide an enterprise framework that consists of a range of products totally focused on the integration and exchange of information, allowing the business to deliver its critical data throughout the organisation. Products such as Windows 2000, Exchange, SQL Server, Biztalk Server and Sharepoint Portal Server underpin this enterprise offering and give the consortium partners a framework on which to base their value added offerings to achieve true enterprise business solutions."
"Microsoft`s strategic entry into the business intelligence arena has given Harvey Jones Systems and its ProClarity products a leading new framework to support," says Keith Jones, MD of Harvey Jones Systems.
The solution that the consortium partners deliver consists of SAP R/3 at the centre, surrounded by workflow and management; integration; business intelligence; and consulting. While Business Connexion is involved in all of these apart from the consulting, each member of the consortium plays a crucial role in delivering on the whole.
KPMG corners the consulting component of the solution and assists with integration, alongside Business Connexion, with Microsoft applications such as BizTalk Server fulfilling on the technology component. Business Connexion handles workflow and management, piggybacking the Microsoft Exchange technology. Harvey Jones Systems, with its ProClarity solution, is involved in high-end business intelligence, alongside Microsoft`s SQL Server and its bundled application, Analysis Server, which is used for lower end business intelligence delivery. Business intelligence solutions are delivered to the front end through the Microsoft Office suite of products.
"The consortium leverages Microsoft technology to unlock the full value of SAP ERP investments and is equipped to integrate systems and make valuable business information available to the organisation. It will empower businesses to make accurate, real-time decisions, without unnecessary expenditure," concludes Krebs.
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