NGS Launches SaaS Initiative to Deliver BI as a Service

Published: June 3, 2008

by Alex Woodie

Buoyed by the emerging market for software as a service (SaaS), New Generation Software last week announced a new business partner initiative to deliver access to its i OS-based business intelligence software over the Web. Under the NGS SaaS Collaboration Program, the company's business partners--including other ISVs, resellers, or consulting firms--will provide end-user companies with access to several New Gen products, including Decision Assist, NGS-IQ, and its Concert Series financial software.

According to Bill Langston, director of marketing and channel development for New Generation, the new SaaS Collaboration Program is aimed at making it affordable and easy for small and mid size companies to get started with business intelligence software, and fosters a "win-win" situation for all parties.

"By not having to bring software, hardware, and trained staff in-house, the customer’s start-up cost, staffing and training commitment are substantially reduced," Langston says. "It opens doors for the business partner to develop long-term customer relationships and have a steady stream of services revenue. And it enables NGS to reach new customers who would not typically be able to use our solutions."

Currently, NGS is recruiting business partners in the i OS (formerly i5/OS) business community that have skills and experience in finance, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, and healthcare. Those are market segments targeted by Decision Assist, NGS' turnkey business intelligence solution that delivers an i OS-based data mart, Web browser-based dashboards, and pre-configured reports common for companies in these industries.

Partners will sell access to NGS products like the Decision Assist series, as well as the full-blown NGS-IQ software (on which Decision Assist is based), to customers requiring the rapid roll-out of Web-based business intelligence capabilities. NGS is also including its integrated suite of financial software, called the Concert Series, in its SaaS program.

As part of the program, NGS is providing access to the applications, as well as marketing, sales, and technical support to help business partners attract customers, close deals, and maintain good relationships. The business partners will need to provide the IBM servers to run the software, and will pay NGS an annual fee in exchange for the software and services.

SaaS is poised for tremendous growth over the next few years, according to market research. A 2007 report by IDC predicted the SaaS market will account for nearly $11 billion in business by 2009. A Gartner report from last year predicted the SaaS market to triple in size from $6 billion in 2006 to $19 billion by 2011.

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