SRC Software. (Technology Tools: Business Performance Management).

SRC Software, a leading provider of performance management products, is sharply expanding its product line beyond its historic niche in budgeting and forecasting. The company planned to launch a new suite of products in early May and to push more into strategic planning, capital management and scorecarding.

The Portland, Ore.-based firm has been ramping up its spending and its product line since a private equity firm bought a controlling interest last summer. Earlier this year, it brought out its I*Net Reporting product, which Web-enables SRC's core Advisor Series systems, and it launched Advisor FI in late March, a product specifically designed for financial institutions.

President and CEO Tom Malone said in an interview that the company sees itself not just as a survivor, but in the long run, as a strong competitor to the largest BPM software firms.

He said the company has had 43 percent compound annual revenue growth in the past five years and now has 1,400 customers, with particular strength in verticals such as health care, insurance, hospitality and financial institutions.

Malone says a big selling point for SRC is that it has "taken Excel and integrated it into a state-of-the-art technology. We've embraced it." So, while rivals may be asking users to learn new interfaces, SRC counts on the vast popularity of Excel to make its systems immediately usable.

SRC has been partnering with Cognos, he noted, and is determined to improve its scorecarding product, where it feels it is weakest. He foresees higher growth in 2004-5, including in Europe, where SRC has partnered with Frango, a Swedish-based firm providing management reporting, budgeting and forecasting.

Web: www.srcsoftware.com