Information Builders Introduces New Do-It-Yourself Business Intelligence Tool

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - October 15, 2008) - Information Builders, the independent leader in operational business intelligence (BI) systems, today announced WebFOCUS InfoAssist, an intuitive ad hoc reporting solution built on the latest in AJAX technology with a familiar Microsoft Office-like user interface. It provides business users with the easy-to-use, robust query, reporting, and analysis tool they need to make faster business and operational decisions.

For years, business professionals have been able to use ad hoc reporting solutions to transform enterprise data into the compelling reports necessary to effectively perform their jobs without IT intervention. But most solutions solve only part of the problem by providing only static output or by leaving the user with limited options for answering additional questions raised by the information contained within the report. Often these tools are quite technical, with hundreds of features that can confuse even the most astute end user. While most ad hoc reporting tools minimize report development tasks for IT teams, they pose a new burden in the need to install and administer related software on user desktops.

Information Builders is the first to fulfill all of a business users' needs and continues to support access to the widest array of databases in the industry. The combination of guided ad hoc technology for easy access for the non-technical users and InfoAssist for advanced business users helps everyone solve business problems with a single tool. InfoAssist delivers native support of all major cubes and multidimensional databases including SAP Business Information Warehouse, Oracle Hyperion Essbase, and Microsoft Analysis Services.

Flexible and Powerful Report Generation

WebFOCUS InfoAssist extends the power of WebFOCUS Managed Reporting by providing users with advanced, yet simple to use ad hoc reporting capabilities. The first thin client BI tool to offer both the rich functionality of a Windows application and to combine ad hoc query, report design, and cube browsing in one interface, InfoAssist gives business users access to all the features they need to generate even the most intricate reports and analyses on their own. They no longer need to rely on IT development teams to create advanced reports. WebFOCUS InfoAssist allows business users to leverage ad hoc functionality to quickly and easily:

--  Generate highly complex reports, charts, and documents from any
    enterprise information source -- without IT intervention
--  Rapidly complete basic tasks, such as building a simple query
--  Easily progress to more sophisticated activities such as publishing
    and sharing documents
--  Convert reports to charts or charts to reports in a single click
--  Create and analyze multiple reports and charts simultaneously, and
    utilize advanced tiling options to view the data from multiple perspectives
--  Output report data in a variety of formats, including HTML, PDF, or
    PowerPoint, as well as WebFOCUS Active Reports format for offline analysis
    

A Highly Intuitive Environment

WebFOCUS InfoAssist shields users from the underlying technical complexities associated with ad hoc reporting features, while providing them with unhindered access to all the functionality they need to address their most mission-critical information requirements. The function ribbon adapts to user actions, dynamically changing to expose more secondary dialogues and options. Additionally, dynamic, interactive, and fully customizable WYSIWYG development enables the rapid and efficient design and deployment of ad hoc reports. Users receive instant feedback throughout the process to ensure that reports and charts are properly built. In addition, preview options allow for development against sample and source data.

"Information Builders understands that ad hoc reporting is critical to ensuring fast, effective decision-making and the smooth execution of day-to-day operations," said Gerald Cohen, CEO of Information Builders. "We have developed a robust and user-friendly solution that helps companies overcome the common challenges associated with traditional ad hoc reporting environments. By offering the most sophisticated capabilities without the complexity, InfoAssist will extend the power of ad hoc reporting to a broader community of users."

Hassle-Free Deployment and Maintenance

With zero footprint, WebFOCUS InfoAssist offers powerful ad hoc reporting in a single, thin-client environment at a lower total cost. There is no software to install, no desktop clients to maintain, no user licenses to track; just a rich Internet application that makes powerful desktop-style ad hoc applications readily available via the Web to business users across the enterprise.

For more information about WebFOCUS InfoAssist, or other WebFOCUS BI solutions, visit our Web site at informationbuilders.com.

About Information Builders

As a leading independent business intelligence (BI) company for the past 30 years, Information Builders has provided innovative solutions to more than 12,000 customers, including most of the Fortune 100 and numerous U.S. federal government agencies. The company's flagship WebFOCUS product is the world's most widely used BI platform. Superior architecture and intuitive nature enables WebFOCUS to address the needs of everyone in the extended global enterprise -- executive, analytical, operational, and beyond. It provides the agility to adapt to changing business conditions with the security, scalability, and flexibility to support dozens to millions of users.

Unique to the company is the integration expertise it brings to the BI market. Information Builders iWay Software suite solves complex integration problems with pre-built components that require minimal custom programming. The award-winning combination of WebFOCUS and iWay give Information Builders customers the ability to embrace the company motto: "Because Everyone Makes Decisions."

Information Builders is committed to customer service excellence with a Professional Services division that specializes in building custom applications using WebFOCUS and iWay Software. Headquartered in New York City with 90 offices worldwide, the company employs 1,450 people and has more than 350 business partners. Visit http://www.informationbuilders.com.

Contact Information: Press Contacts: Kathleen Moran Information Builders (917) 339-6313 Stephanie Fallon Emerge PR (617) 729-3176