Metamor Enterprise Solutions Establishes SAP Business Information Warehouse Competence Center.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1999--Metamor Enterprise Solutions Monday announced the appointment of Hans Hess as director of the newly created Metamor Business Information Warehouse Competence Center (BWCC), which will serve as a nationwide support hub for data warehouse solutions.

Today's decisionmakers require an accurate, up-to-date picture of their total business environment. Oftentimes, that information is spread throughout corporate IT structures, involving use of a wide variety of platforms and applications. This makes attainment of vital information complex and time-consuming, often resulting in more than one-third of IT resources being used just to meet users' basic reporting needs.

Data warehousing is the recognized technology for meeting this challenge. A data warehouse involves a dedicated database that draws upon diverse data sources to support query and analysis. In the past, data warehouse systems sometimes resulted in a patchwork of different tools and techniques, instead of performing as a structured and homogenous solution.

With the introduction of Business Information Warehouse (BW), SAP offers a quick and easy way to gain access to required information in a cohesive and comprehensive manner. BW is a state-of-the-art data warehouse solution, providing users with rapid access to data from SAP systems, as well as the ability to draw data from other enterprise applications and from external sources.

"BW raises the capabilities of R/3 integrated information systems, such as LIS, COPA, GLX and Open Information Warehouse 3.1H, to completely new levels," Hess explained. "BW is designed specifically for R/3 environments, but also remains open to other systems for source and target data."

The importance of BW is underscored by its use as the cornerstone and underlying architecture of a whole future suite of SAP solutions, such as Advanced Planner and Optimizer (APO) and SAP Strategic Enterprise Management (SAP SEM).

Consultants with advanced knowledge of SAP R/3 operational functions, R/3 reporting and information systems, and information modeling are organized as teams in Metamor's new BWCC.

"Metamor recognizes that only consultants with the highest levels of training and experience can support customers fully in defining their reporting/data warehouse strategies, and in implementing their SAP information warehouse solutions in a smooth, timely and cost- efficient manner," said Vishnu Choudhary, managing director of Metamor's SAP Practice.

"Hans Hess has the experience, business background and management expertise to ensure that our BWCC teams are developed and trained to be the very best in the marketplace."

Metamor's expert BWCC consultants provide:

-- Project assessments and evaluations -- Project and change management -- Product demonstrations and workshops -- Technical installation of SAP BW/Implementation of SAP BW -- Post implementation support of SAP BW

Metamor's BWCC is based in Los Angeles, will operate nationwide, and will be directed by Hans J. Hess. Hess has more than 14 years of professional experience in logistics, information technology and consulting, in Germany, Switzerland and in the United States.

He has more than six years of SAP R/3 consulting experience in reporting, controlling and data warehousing, and holds master's degrees in both mechanical engineering and economics.

He is the co-author of "Management Information Systems," and currently serves as a contributing writer to the new SAP guidebook "Reporting Made Easy." Hess will be a featured speaker at the Annual ASUG (America's SAP Users Group) Conference in Dallas on May 15-16. He will speak on the topic of SAP R/3 logistics reporting.

Metamor Enterprise Solutions SAP Practice is a full-service SAP National Implementation and certified AcceleratedSAP(TM) Partner, providing a comprehensive suite of SAP(R) service offerings. Metamor offers project management, total implementation consulting, documentation and training, post implementation and ABAP/4 development services.

Metamor Enterprise Solutions is a division of Metamor Worldwide, a $1 billion company, with offices strategically located throughout the world. Established in 1993, Metamor Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:MMWW) provides a single source for clients' IT support needs.