Microsoft to acquire ProClarity

Microsoft announced Monday that it plans to acquire business analytics software developer ProClarity, a third party Microsoft developer, ProClarity to increase its presence in the business intelligence market. Proclarity has business analytics that work with such Microsoft products as SQL Server 2005, Microsoft Office Business Scorecard Manager 2005 and Microsoft Office Excel. Microsoft's Office productivity suite and server products, such as its SharePoint portal software, are expected to feature business intelligence and collaboration capabilities.

The business intelligence market is an industry to watch, said Bruce Richardson of AMR Research. Companies that face restrained budgets are more willing to pay for technology that aids them in making better business decisions using their installed software applications. "This acquisition advances our (business intelligence) strategy and our ability to deliver performance management applications to customers," Jeff Raikes, Microsoft business division president, said in a statement.