Business Objects to Front-End OLAP Product Resulting from Microsoft's Acquisition of Panorama OLAP Technology; Business Objects To Extend Position As The Industry's Only Universal Decision Support System Client.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 1996--Business Objects (NASDAQ: BOBJY), the world's leading provider of integrated query, reporting, and online analytical processing (OLAP) tools today announced that it will front-end OLAP product that results from Microsoft's acquisition of Panorama technology (editor's note: see press release from Microsoft dated Oct. 9, 1996).

With this announcement Business Objects extends its position as the only universal decision support system (DSS) client tool. This is because: -0-

-- Business Objects supports all major relational databases, including Oracle, Sybase, Informix, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and numerous others

-- Business Objects has announced support for major OLAP servers, including for Arbor's Essbase and Oracle's Express

-- Business Objects has announced support for major ROLAP solutions, including Informix Metacube. The company supports Sybase IQ today, and intends to support future Sybase offerings. -0-

Moreover, unlike all other DSS products, BusinessObjects allows users to integrate data from all of the above sources into a single report. So users can compare forecasts stored in an OLAP server with actuals stored in an operational SQL Server database, historical data stored in a data warehouse or data mart, and even local data stored in a personal spreadsheet or database.

Furthermore, since BusinessObjects has seamlessly integrated query, reporting, and OLAP functionality on the client, end users have full DSS capability regardless of whether the data is in an RDBMS, OLAP, or ROLAP server, or even a local client data source. This approach differentiates Business Objects from other DSS product offerings, such as OLAP client tools that support various OLAP servers, but do not provide full reporting capability.

"We are pleased that Business Objects has endorsed our addition of Panorama's OLAP multidimensional technology to the Microsoft BackOffice family of products," said Jim Ewel, group product manager for SQL Server at Microsoft Corp.

"We chose Business Objects to be a charter member of the Microsoft Alliance for Data Warehousing because Business Objects clearly complements and enhances Microsoft's technology direction and product offerings. We look forward to continued partnership with Business Objects to provide our mutual customers with a powerful end-to-end OLAP solution."

"We are very excited about Microsoft's acquisition of technology and their entry into the OLAP market," said Dave Kellogg, vice president of corporate marketing at Business Objects. "We think this development provides a great opportunity for Business Objects to front-end the product that results from this acquisition, and to take a leadership position in doing so."

About Business Objects

Business Objects (NASDAQ:BOBJY) is the world's leading supplier of integrated query, reporting, and OLAP tools. The company's flagship product, BusinessObjects, provides mainstream business users with access to information stored in corporate databases, data warehouses, and packaged applications.

The company pioneered the market for business-intelligent decision support tools in 1990 by introducing the first product to use a "semantic layer." This patented technology maps complex database schemas to a business representation understandable by non-technical end users.

Business Objects led the overall decision support tools market in 1995 with software license revenues of $48.7M, and outsold its nearest query and reporting tools competitor two-to-one according to IDC. Business Objects products are in use at over 3,600 organizations in over 60 countries, and the company has sold more than 400,000 licenses worldwide.

More information on Business Objects can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.businessobjects.com. -0-

Note to Editors: BusinessObjects is a trademark of Business Objects SA. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

CONTACT: Business Objects

Tracy Eiler, 408/953-6031

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Blanc & Otus

Danielle Dawson, 415/512-0500