Microsoft
Adds Solution Accelerators To Office
Microsoft is getting ready for
the launch of Office System 2003, the latest version of its office
suite, on October 21. It
will kick off with a media event in New York City, and customer and
partner events nearly everywhere (I have gotten about six
invitations so far).
A key to understanding the newest
version of Microsoft Office is that it’s all about thinking of
Office not as an application – or a set of applications – but
rather as a platform, a launching point to all of your work.
A key way Microsoft will
accomplish that was announced yesterday, with the unveiling of the
first seven Office Solution Accelerators.
These are new offerings that are designed to be used with the
Office System to solve specific customer business problems.
They will start to be available this fall and roll out into
the New Year. More are
expected.
Office Solution Accelerators
include an integrated set of software components, templates and
Microsoft-authored architectural guidance. Initial packages are
designed to accelerate the development of solutions for streamlining
tasks in common organizational areas such as finance, operations,
sales and human resources.
Customers could develop their own
solutions or work with partners who will build complete solutions
by.
Initial offerings include
Microsoft Office Solution Accelerators for:
- Sarbanes-Oxley
assists organizations to quickly and cost-effectively achieve
compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Based on industry
best-practices, the Microsoft Office Solution Accelerator for
Sarbanes-Oxley enables organizations to address key compliance
needs such as business process documentation and distributed
certification.
- XBRL
enables organizations to streamline their financial reporting
process by utilizing the eXtensible Business Reporting
Language (XBRL). By standardizing both internal and external
financial information management processes using XBRL,
organizations will increase financial transparency, improve
decision making, and support new financial compliance
legislation.
- Recruiting
reduces inefficiencies associated with recruiting functions.
The Microsoft Office Solution Accelerator for Recruiting is
designed to help customers reduce costs and administrative
burdens stemming from the lack of integration between
recruiting tools, while enabling companies to improve service
levels and optimize their recruiting processes.
- Proposals
enables organizations to compose winning proposals with
greater speed, effectiveness and compliance. It streamlines
the proposal creation process, leveraging the corporate
knowledge base, enabling effective document management and
collaboration, as well as ensuring project control.
- Six
Sigma provides the visibility, insight, control, and
flexibility companies need to achieve and sustain breakaway
business results. It is designed to help an organization
manage Six Sigma projects more effectively, provide deeper
insight into the financial impact of Six Sigma projects, and
enable organizations to learn from previous knowledge gathered
across the enterprise.
- Business
Scorecard
provides accurate
decision making, and utilize strategic assets more
efficiently. By simplifying scorecard management, firms gain
visibility into key performance metrics leading to timely
decisions aimed at reducing costs and improving business
performance.
- Excel
Reporting enables executives and Information Workers alike
to extend Microsoft Excel's reporting capabilities for
freeform analysis and reporting. By improving dynamic analysis
and report creation, organizations can achieve productivity
gains by enabling their employees to quickly identify, analyze
and respond to business opportunities, and make timely
decisions.
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