Microsoft Forecaster 7.0 to Ship This Month

Published: March 7, 2007

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft's subsidiary, FRx Software, will ship a new release of its budgeting and planning application, called Microsoft Forecaster 7.0, at the end of the month, the software giant announced yesterday.

Forecaster is a Windows Server-based application designed to help mid size companies with their initial budgeting process, as well as performing periodic updates to their original forecast throughout the year.

Microsoft says it has focused on three areas with Forecaster 7.0: usability, adaptability and visibility. A new Windows Vista-based interface makes the product easier to use for those people who will only use the product once or twice a year, Microsoft says. Adaptability has been boosted by enabling the product to work with up to 10 segments, or dimensions, for more precise budgeting. In terms of visibility, the product brings new functionality related to fields that can be viewed and new formatting options.

Andy Kamlet, director of marketing and sales for Denver-based FRx Software, predicts Forecaster 7.0 will strike a chord with budget-minded users. "Customers are getting a lot of value for the dollar in this release, a lot of capabilities without a high cost of ownership," he says. "Many of the capabilities are things you would find in competitive offerings, but at a higher cost. Additionally, there is integration between Microsoft FRx and Microsoft Forecaster for accomplishing key tasks such as moving data from the general ledger system to set up an initial budget."

Microsoft Forecaster 7.0 will be released to manufacturing on March 28, with general availability expected in early April. Pricing starts at $8,500 for the server component and a single user license, and $500 for each additional user.

Next month, Microsoft will take the product on a national tour of 20 cities, including New York, Boston, Atlanta, San Diego, Detroit, and Toronto. For more information and to register for the events, see www.frxsoftware.com.

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