"This autumn will see Microsoft add a business analysis software tool to its Office XP application family. The inclusion could broaden the appeal of trend visualisation programs. The software, called Data Analyzer, lets users gain insight into business patterns through graphical depictions of activity that can be exported to PowerPoint 2002 and Excel 2002, or published on the Web."
Microsoft first attempt at an EIS front-end was an add-on to Excel 4.0 released in 1993. Three years later they acquired Panorama Software in an effort that lead to the addition of OLAP features in SQL Server 7.0. Excel pivot tables and charts now make quite decent interfaces, and it’s going to be interesting to see what’s left for the Cognos and BOs of the world once this Data Analyser ships. Will the Data Warehousing Framework and Alliance still make sense as Microsoft adds more features?
BTW, I like how this 404 page tries to guess from the URL what I’m trying to look up. All attempts don’t come with suggestions though.
11/09/01 update: I just realized this product is the result of an acquisition (Maximal Innovative Intelligence, an Israeli company).
02/16/02 update: Juice (see AtNY article):
"takes information access to the next level by delivering any kind of online data into desktop applications like Microsoft Word and Excel – and keeping that information up-to-date, as it changes."
08/15/04 update: , Juice Software was acquired by Proclarity in May 2004.