Tracking business performance is the goal of the Business Scorecard Manager 2005, released Nov. 2005. Formerly code-named Maestro, this Web server application enables business performance analysis using scorecards, in which a business unit evaluates itself over time against a consistent set of metrics (e.g., average revenue per user, subscriber churn, employee retention rates). Scorecards help organizations track progress toward goals and identify problem areas quickly. Because scorecards are widely used and industry-independent, Microsoft hopes Business Scorecard Manager will spearhead further expansion into business intelligence applications and drive demand for the many Microsoft products that it requires.

Driver for SQL Server, Windows Server, Office

The heart of Business Scorecard Manager is a set of scorecard components for Windows SharePoint Services (WSS), the document-sharing and data-sharing service of Windows Server 2003. These components summarize data from a variety of sources (including SQL Server databases), calculate values for the scorecard metrics, and present scorecard views that combine reports and charts. A Business Scorecard Builder client application enables chart and report layout for scorecards; the resulting scorecard charts and reports are accessible from a browser.

Business Scorecard Manager requires:

• Windows Server 2003 with WSS (a free add-on) installed
• SQL Server 2000 SP4 or SQL Server 2005 to store scorecards
• SQL Server 2000 or 2005 Analysis Services to pre-compute key performance indicators from raw business data (in large installations)
• Office 2003 on clients if the organization's scorecards use pivot charts and reports (which enable end users to dynamically change the summarization level and metrics displayed).

Pricing, Availability, and Resources

Business Scorecard Manager is coming into a crowded area, with competing business performance analysis products already available from Business Objects, Cognos, Hyperion, and others. Microsoft says that Business Scorecard Manager is priced significantly below its competition. The product will be licensed solely as a server with Client Access Licenses (CALs) for each client user or computer; estimated retail prices are US$5,000 for server licenses and US$175 for CALs. An External Connector, which licenses access to a single server by an unlimited number of clients outside of an organization (e.g., extranet users) will cost US$30,000. Business Scorecard Manager is currently available in English only, but other languages are under development.

For more technical detail on Business Scorecard Manager, see "Maestro to Direct Business Scorecards" on page 27 of the June 2005 Update.

Microsoft's Business Scorecard Manager site is office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX012225041033.aspx.