To address this, organizations need solutions with a flexible infrastructure that will successfully aggregate disparate data.

Meeting a Range of Organizational Needs Organizations need solutions that provide Business Insight tailored to specific roles, whether for the CEO, the VP of Sales, or the Customer Service Representative. Optimizing New Products and Services Retailers often have operational information scattered across databases. This can make it difficult to quickly access all of the information needed to capitalize on new opportunities ultimately resulting in lost sales of potential new products and services.

With Microsoft SQL Server, we have access to real-time sales and associate information and can react in near real time to the activities in each store. Wes Wilson, Application Architect, Talbots
can be integrated with legacy applications and multiple retail applications, such as point-of-service, ordering process, and inventory process systems. The familiar Microsoft user interface speeds end-user adoption, quickly improving employees access to information, whether working on the desktop, on the Web, or on a mobile device. Business Intelligence for Everyone As a single interface for all information, SharePoint Server puts the power of BI into the hands of the

Microsoft Office Excel Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server Microsoft Office Communications Server Microsoft BizTalk Server Windows Server Windows Mobile

Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise

Connected Experiences for Retail

Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise

Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise help retailers gain insight from business data and act on that insight to make positive change in the organization. Microsoft solutions integrate business intelligence with business applications, so that BI capabilities are integrated with the workflow of applications already being used. Connecting Enterprise

Microsoft Global Partner Ecosystem

Microsoft and its global partners are committed to delivering solutions that help retailers build significant competitive advantage. Microsoft partners include: Independent Software Vendors: AcornSystems Akona Conchango K2.Net Manhattan Associates Profitbase RedPrairie SilkOak sysrepublic Teradata System Integrators: Accenture Avanade Capgemini Tata Consultancy Services Wipro

organizations business users. It features Excel Services Web-enabled access, which simplifies the end-user interface by limiting the information users can view and protecting underlying data and models. With the solution, business users can create fully interactive Web-based data bound worksheets, including charts, tables, and PivotTable views without any custom coding. Users can also create rich, interactive dashboards that assemble and display business information from disparate sources. Familiar User Experience Microsoft Office Professional 2007 provides a familiar, easy-to-use interface for accessing comprehensive desktop data mining and extends the benefits of predictive analysis to all users. This technology also enables users to gain insight and share analysis through clear, interactive graphic visualizations within the familiar Excel environment.

For More Information

To learn more about Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise, visit www.microsoft.com/bi or www.microsoft.com/retail; or contact your Microsoft account representative or Partner.

2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, BizTalk, Excel, SharePoint, SQL Server, Communications Server, PerformancePoint, Office Professional, Windows Mobile, Windows Server are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. This document is for informational purposes only. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to this document or the information contained in it.

Featured Products for Connecting Enterprise: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Microsoft Office system Microsoft SQL Server

Part Number: 098-110901

Connected Experiences for Retail

Microsoft solutions offer the unique advantage of connecting the enterprise internally and with external organizations and customers.
Connecting with the Value-Driven Customer
In a difficult economic climate, retailers are increasingly challenged with increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty, while reducing operational costs. Todays value-driven customers are engaging in a digital lifestyle that connects their activities both at home and at work. To succeed, retailers must reach their customers with compelling experiences wherever they are. Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise allow retailers to better compete and succeed in todays global marketplace by cost-effectively meeting the demand for a highly personalized and connected shopping experience. Microsoft solutions focus on delivering and improving business intelligence, collaboration, business activity monitoring, and business process improvement in a range of key retail areas, including: Enterprise Performance Management Internal and external collaboration Store execution Supply-chain optimization Financial management Merchandise assortment and planning Campaign / promotion optimization Customer loyalty and analytics Business Intelligence Enable real-time access to critical business information adapted to the role of the end user. Collaboration Capabilities Connect people, information, systems, and processes, making information continuously available on any device. Business Activity Monitoring Deliver KPIs, alerts, and other notifications of live operational procedures. Process Improvement Advance business processes by using workflows and electronic forms, role-based business practices, and by integrating business applications with BI. PerformancePoint Server, the products are all supported by the integration, reporting, and analysis capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server.

The Mounting Retail Challenge

Retailers today face a demanding business climate that presents a myriad of complex issues. Modern customers expect a high level of involvement in order to create trust and loyalty, and retailers must be prepared to act quickly to meet these demands. This means information must be readily available throughout the organization in near real time, while at the same time, retailers need to keep data safe and meet regulatory demands.

Empowering Retailers through the Connected Enterprise

By better linking information, processes, systems, and people, Microsoft solutions help individuals access information in a format that is adaptable and easy to put into action ultimately helping employees to make more proactive and accurate decisions. Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise deliver a full range of personal, team, and organizational business insight tools. From the power of Microsoft Office Excel, the worlds foremost personal BI productivity tool, to the business collaboration and content management resources of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, to the new performance management capabilities of Microsoft

Driving Better, Faster Decisions for Retail Success

To make successful business decisions in todays fast moving retail environment, businesses need a way to organize, analyze, and act on a high volume of information from a wide range of sources. More than ever, retailers need to provide their employees with a seamless way to access, use, and share information throughout the entire organization. Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise provide retail employees the right information, at the right time, and in the right format to enable faster, more effective decision making and ultimately, better service to customers.

The Microsoft Advantage:

Empowering People with Information; Empowering IT with Flexibility and Control
Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise provide Business Intelligence (BI) solutions that combine an easy yet powerful end-user experience with the control and flexibility needed by the IT department. Microsoft solutions reach beyond the traditional scope of BI providing access to critical information at all levels of the organization. Microsoft solutions offer the unique advantage of connecting the enterprise with internal and external organizations and customers. In this way, Microsoft solutions for Connecting Enterprise can become an integral part of a larger infrastructure that includes Enterprise Management, Supply Chain Planning and Execution, CRM, and Customer Loyalty programs. Connecting Enterprise focuses on delivering and improving four specific areas of emphasis:

Key Challenges for Retailers

Reducing IT Costs and Complexity Business insight solutions offer tremendous value to organizations, but building and maintaining them can create significant costs and complexity for the IT department.

Now with the SQL server business intelligence platform, we can access all kinds of information that was too hard to reach in the past.
Lou Ann Leary, Vice President of Application Development, Barnes & Noble
Connected Experiences for Retail