Hyperion to unify finance, biz intelligence

Hyperion Solutions is expected on Tuesday to detail its latest product release, a server software suite that creates closer integration between its business intelligence tools and financial planning applications.

Company executives said that Hyperion System 9, which is available now, is designed as a single system that combines Web browser-based business intelligence tools and financial applications for tasks, such as budgeting, planning and scorecards. The server suite is built on a common software foundation, which is designed to make different applications work better together. For example, a financial controller can do ad hoc analysis from a financial planning application by tapping into databases of historical data. The upgrade also introduces a new user interface meant to make it easier to use. Hyperion's competitors, Business Objects and Cognos, have both recently introduced major upgrades to their business intelligence tools. Similarly, those upgrades added more common back-end software designed to make the suites more cohesive and easier to use.