PerformancePoint now free with SharePoint Enterprise CAL

As part of this vision, and feedback from a wide variety of customers, PerformancePoint scorecarding and dashboarding capabilities will now become part of SharePoint Enterprise CAL and available to customers who are on SharePoint SA. This means that customers who want to deploy PerformancePoint can do so today at no additional cost.

In mid 2009, we will release PerformancePoint Server 2007 “service pack 3” which will include updates to the current product’s planning module. Thereafter, customers should not expect further investment in standalone versions of PerformancePoint Server. However, we will continue to invest in a performance management platform and increased functionality through Excel, SharePoint and SQL Server to support broad-based performance management models and simulations. These changes enable customers to deploy a complete BI solution with existing investments in SharePoint Server, SQL Server, and Excel.

http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2009/01/23/microsoft-business-intelligence-strategy-update-and-sharepoint.aspx

BI is BI

Just had a facebook chat with a friend who is using SharePont for a massive US company.  One thing that came up was that many firms use content management to store massive Excel docs with links to SQL databases.

Just to rant a bit, this SHOULD be done using a BI feature: ProClarity, Reporting Services, or Excel Services.  Companies fail too provide proper support with SharePoint rollouts.

To a company using MOSS please get a Gold Partner and Strategic Partner.  Try to find someone who can do more than just listen and say yes.  These days IT consultants are told to listen and collect requirements.  Is this what you need?  If you are like 90% of firms I have seen you need someone to tell you how you should do it.  Get a partner or, if you can find them, staff who have the guts and knowledge to guide a true MOSS takeup.