[ Deliver Intuitive and Inclusive BI Solutions That Complete the Picture and Inspire Action 2009 arcplan, Inc.
Real Partnership Since its inception in 1993, arcplan has been the Business Intelligence software that inspires action for professionals whose decisions drive company performance because our solutions are easy to use, visual, full of personalized data and collaborative. They close the gap between what you know and what you don t, regardless of how complex your questions or IT environment are. arcplan is aligned with the major software vendors and has been an SAP certified Software Solution Partner since 1996 with SAPcertified team members throughout the organization. SAP is a recognized market leader for transactional business software solutions used by a host of national and multinational corporations across a diverse range of industries. Today, SAP is the world s third largest independent software vendor with more than 12 million users in 75,000+ customers in 120 countries. A Decade of Expertise with SAP arcplan s strengths are complementary to SAP s, so arcplan and SAP jointly developed s unique, fully integrated, real-time interfaces for a broad suite of SAP products. No other web reporting and analysis platform can match the deep integration level of with the SAP product suite. is the leading third party front end to SAP, according to the BI Survey, which also reports that arcplan is #1 among all BI products for customer project success. arcplan Competitive Advantages Personalized Management Reporting and Dashboards: arcplan analytics applications reflect the nuances of the business and each is the most-widely used third-party individual user s requirements, allowing managed ad hoc and selfservice analysis that empowers users decision-making. front end in SAP environments Deep and Broad Data Integration: Most companies have multiple instances of SAP as well as other applications and data sources. arcplan integrates them all natively and combines data from different SAP and non-sap interfaces not only into the same screen, but even within the same table(s) at runtime. Federated query and write-back capabilities truly leverage and preserve the integrity of non-sap and all SAP systems and modules. Integration with Microsoft Excel: arcplan Excel Analytics is the only Excel-based analytics front end with complete federated query and write back to and from Excel. It secures spreadsheets and provides real-time data access through the world s most popular analysis tool, Source: The BI Survey 7 (2008) Microsoft Excel. Collaboration-Fostering Environment: Rather than simply provide data to disconnected consumers, includes workflow and collaboration tools so that team members can compare results, share best practices and view qualitative information (e.g. comments, explanations and questions). This helps all drive performance results to a higher, uniform level throughout the enterprise. Rapid Implementation Cycles: is deployed in weeks due to the power of the arcplan application development environment and available data connectors. Unmatched Value: Total Cost of Ownership of is a fraction of other BI applications, making it a great investment to meet departmental or enterprise needs. Flexibility & Versatility: Vast data access plus the ability to utilize a Microsoft Excel or web interface ensures that your reporting and analysis platform can grow along with you as your users needs change - and greatly enhance your overall web deployment strategy. Service Oriented Architecture: arcplan s Web 2.0 architecture makes arcplan both a consumer and producer and enables integration with portals and innovative data presentation methods such as mashups. By combining our world-class business intelligence development platform with SAP s robust applications, companies can deploy the most complete, precise and customer-pleasing analytics applications on the market.
Real Integration of Data and People In order to drive performance improvements in the organization, both quantitative and qualitative information are needed. It s easy to get standard metrics from packaged reporting tools, but that s not where the real value is. Comparative metrics that tell a cause and effect story or ratios that show the relationship between processes help decision-makers draw the most meaningful conclusions. Yet these metrics are often lost in the compromise between business users and IT because they are typically too difficult to supply and often require complex calculations using data from multiple systems. Qualitative information provides context and guidance and often originates from the decision-makers themselves. Sharing qualitative information in effect integrates the people who share common goals. Some of the most helpful information could be guidance from a more successful colleague or an explanation about why sales trended in a direction or which mix of product and promotion had the best result. Yet most Business Intelligence applications have overlooked the value of collaboration through shared knowledge and do not supply a systematic way to capture and retain knowledge in the context of the relevant quantitative data. Data Intelligence Beyond Reporting delivers far more than reporting. It unites all SAP and non-sap data sources, easily provides personalized comparative metrics and ratios and commentary from throughout the enterprise, allowing a company to combine, analyze and act upon data from every key point within the organization. for SAP NetWeaver BI/BW Query and analyze directly against BI Queries, Cubes, DSO data, and all InfoObjects. for SAP Planning Deploy strategic and operational planning process; Plan, simulate & forecast on various business models within BPS. Write back from arcplan to the Planning Cubes of BI Integrated Planning. for Any Non-SAP Data Source arcplan connects to any non-sap data source including the Oracle suite (including any Oracle database, Oracle OLAP, Hyperion Essbase, Hyperion Financial Management, Hyperion Enterprise), IBM (Applix TM1, IBM DB2 UDB, DB2 Cube Views, DB2 OLAP Server), Microsoft (SQL Server & Microsoft Analysis Services), Microstrategy, any ODBC, OLE DB, XMLA, XML or any Web application with an open API. Users Support for Native SAP Functions and Programs SAP functions can be executed in arcplan because provides a feature (through SAPEXEC function module) to call up any RFC enabled function components available in SAP NetWeaver BI and SAP R/3 and pass parameters to the function components. for SAP Query Access and query any information in SAP ERP (R/3) and SAP BI/BW data sources, including custom structures, logical databases or standard business structures and content. for SAP ERP (R/3) Drilldown Reporting Profitability Analysis (CO-PA), Legal Consolidation - Management Consolidation (ECMC), Executive Information System (EIS), Profit Center Accounting (PCA), Corporate Finance Management, Treasury Cash & Risk Management (TR-TM), Market Risk Analysis (IS-B-RM), Counterparty Limit (TRLM)
with SAP NetWeaver BI for SAP NetWeaver BI/BW Through our native interface to SAP BW OLAP, users can quickly develop OLAP-based business intelligence applications against SAP NetWeaver BI. was the first third party software platform to fully support SAP s BW OLAP MDX technology. This powerful solution allows users to query and analyze directly against BI InfoCubes and other InfoObjects, including DSO data. All data are queried directly from the BI, ensuring rapid implementation and low maintenance. arcplan functionality with SAP NetWeaver BI/BW Rapid deployment of management reporting and personalized dashboards for any level from executive to line manager Federated Query, Analysis and Write-Back for Web or Excel Interface: is the only BI platform to support true real-time disjoint reporting and analysis, allowing you to join data from separate cubes and even separate SAP systems and utilize the data in either a Web or Microsoft Excel environment with complete write back capabilities. Support for user self service functionality such as managed ad hoc analysis Calculation of multi-step and multi-variable metrics, presented with the ability to drill down and across source data All relevant SAP NetWeaver BI features and products that contribute to application performance are supported, such as Aggregates, OLAP Caching and the BI Accelerator. Security / authority checking: The SAP BW communication interface fully integrates with BI security. Cube level security, query level security, role level security, authorization object security, authorization hierarchy (node) security, and all other security levels are supported. arcplan fully supports SAP functionality such as: multi-language support and multi-currency handling as well as SAP BI query structures. Direct querying against BI Queries, Cubes and all InfoObject types Authorization variable handling: Both mandatory and optional SAP BI variables are fully supported, including time dependent variables, and hierarchy node variables and intervals. arcplan is the first thing the CFO and COO look at in the morning. All it takes is a mouse click to bring up an executive dashboard and they can drill down into multiple dimensions. Moreover, the ability to access this information enables our sales force to market more strategically. Jeff Rishel, Director of IT Graham Packaging Company, LLC Hierarchy handling: The SAP BW OLAP engine interprets the various types of hierarchies (unique/non-unique, time dependent/independent etc.) and uses type-specific evaluation algorithms. supports all SAP BI hierarchies and optimizes support for large hierarchies. Master data attributes: Keys, Attributes and Aliases can be displayed simultaneously and time-dependent masterdata is supported. Targeted utilization of BI Cube Aggregates to ensure the best possible SAP BI query performance
with SAP Planning & ERP (R/3) for SAP Planning By utilizing our native interface to SAP BPS (Business Planning and Simulation), developed exclusively by SAP and arcplan, companies can consolidate, forecast, plan and simulate using linear and dynamic business models, and write back not only to BPS, but even to BI PlanningCubes. All data is queried directly from the BI/BW system, ensuring rapid implementation, low maintenance and the following functional benefits: Drastically enhance BPS usability through using arcplan Enterprise as the front-end to BI/BW Create reports and analytical screens based on SAP BPS layouts and data Combine bottom-up budgeting with top-down strategic planning Utilize SAP BPS Planning Functions and Sequences Write-back to the corresponding BI PlanningCube Execute custom planning sequences, functions and algorithms Easily integrate non-sap data arcplan Excel analytics also supports offline planning for SAP ERP (R/3) Drilldown Reporting Through our native interface to SAP ERP R/3 Drilldown Reporting, developed exclusively by SAP and arcplan, you can tap directly into the business content and logic of the following SAP ERP (R/3) application classes: Executive Information System (EIS) Profitability Analysis (CO-PA) Treasury Management (TR-TM) Market Risk Analysis (IS-B-RM) Profit Center Accounting (PCA) Counterparty Limit (TRLM) Legal consolidation Management Consolidation (ECMC) Features of this interface include: No need for data extraction, but rather native and direct integration with the SAP ERP (R/3) Drilldown Reporting Level, ensuring data consistency, security, rapid implementation and low maintenance. There s no need for data extraction. Analysis based on multiple hierarchies, characteristics and key figures. Support of SAP ERP (R/3) authorization variables Exception reporting, pivoting, sorting, ranking (top and bottom-n Analysis) Simultaneous access to several SAP ERP (R/3) Drilldown Reports Trigger and utilize standard as well as custom SAP Function Modules Support for Native SAP Functions and Programs Virtually any function supported in SAP can be supported in arcplan. Through the function module SAPEXEC, can call up any RFC enabled function components available in SAP NetWeaver BI and SAP R/3, pass parameters to the function components and retrieve corresponding data and information. This functionality allows a user to pass parameters to an ABAP query or program and to retrieve corresponding information, providing immense possibilities in your arcplan application. The arcplan performance management application now available to us in Controlling just can t be compared to the rigid system we had before. We can now produce project reports that would have been impossible previously, which allows us to control projects more effectively and intervene at an earlier stage. guides the user step by step through every input stage, resulting in increased functionality and flexibility, and a system that is easy to operate. Karsten Weiß IT Coordinator, Controlling, and Senior Controller Gruner + Jahr AG
with SAP Portal and Query Integration with SAP Portal Business performance management applications are most successful when they are embedded into existing environments such as portals. arcplan makes it easy to integrate with standard functionality of SAP Portals. arcplan seamlessly and fully integrates its flexible reporting, its analytic outputs and all the arcplan interfaces into the SAP Portal via standard iviews. arcplan also supports standard SAP authentication functionalities such as SSO2, Kerberos, etc. Benefits: Central user administration Flexible reporting within your SAP Portal Connection from your SAP Portal to any data source in the background Link from the SAP Portal to a separate arcplan application without further authentication for SAP Query (ABAP Query & Infoset Query) allows users to access and query any information in SAP R/3 including custom structures or standard business structures and content. s SAP Query process functions as follows: 1. Data is extracted from SAP via SAP Queries without the need for ABAP knowledge or programming skills. 2. The query result from the SAP Queries is sent to arcplan Enterprise. then automatically creates or updates a table in a specified relational database of your choice and populates the table with the result set from the SAP Query. 3. The data then can be queried very comfortably and in numerous ways through s WYSIWYG interface.
Imagine What s Possible By combining the power of SAP s robust enterprise management technology with s real-time, uniquely flexible, fully integrated front-end architecture, our clients can create an almost unlimited variety of personalized business intelligence solutions throughout the enterprise. arcplan s interactive analysis delivers insight to business users without relying on analysts Key Performance Indicators may be easily created from data that comes from SAP and other systems Detailed financial reports using current data are available to all users instantly
About arcplan arcplan defines the performance-driving BI software market by innovating the most information-rich, visually engaging and collaborative analytics solutions platform available. arcplan-powered solutions correlate and present operational and financial data in ways that other software cannot (including Web and Excel interfaces), giving business users a trustworthy and actionable set of information that reflects the nuances of the business. arcplan was rated #1 for customer project success in the 2008 BI Survey (BI Survey 7). Düsseldorf Office arcplan Information Services GmbH Elisabeth-Selbert-Str. 5 40764 Langenfeld, Germany Phone +49 2173 1676-0 Fax +49 2173 1676-100 info@arcplan.com www.arcplan.com Philadelphia Office arcplan, Inc. 1055 Westlakes Drive Suite 175 Berwyn, PA 19312, USA Phone +1 610 902 0688 Fax +1 610 902 0689 contact@arcplan.com www.arcplan.com 2009 arcplan, Inc. All rights reserved. arcplan,, arcplan Excel Analytics and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of arcplan, Inc and/or arcplan Information Services GmbH. All other company names, products and services used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The information published herein is subject to change without notice. This publication is for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any kind, and arcplan shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to this publication. [ www.arcplan.com