Chesapeake Bay Foundation Improves Organizational Performance with Business Objects

Business Wire, Oct 25, 2004

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Conservation Organization's Business Intelligence Project Managers to Present Real-Time Reporting Success at Business Objects International User Conference

With its mission to "Save the Bay," the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is a regional leader in environmental education, resource protection and restoration, and public outreach. As with any non-profit organization, managing budgets and financial performance are essential in order to accomplish that mission. To achieve better financial performance, CBF turned to Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ) (Euronext Paris ISIN code FR0004026250 - BOB), the world's leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions, to provide real-time financial information to users across a geographically dispersed organization, and give staff members a high level of control over their budgets and the financial management of their projects.

CBF's project manager, Ally Gontang, and database administrator, Monica Wrye, will present the Foundation's successful business intelligence implementation at the Business Objects 2004 International User Conference in Grapevine, Texas, November 7-10.

With Crystal Reports(R) from Business Objects, CBF has created a web-based reporting environment that provides department managers and project managers with immediate access to the real-time financial information they need to improve performance at all levels and locations within the organization

The Chesapeake Bay watershed encompasses 64,000 square miles, with CBF staff in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Some staff members are also in remote locations without high-speed Internet access, so CBF required a solution that was fast and easy to use, even over a standard dial-up Internet connection.

With the Crystal product line from Business Objects, CBF designed a reporting solution that gives users of varying skill levels access to budget and other financial performance information, while providing security through report access controls. With Business Objects, CBF was able to create standard financial reports for use across the organization, increasing end-user productivity and control, while reducing dependencies on the IT department.

"Business Objects has really changed the way we manage organizational performance by resolving data quality issues while transforming a cumbersome reporting process into a real-time environment that has made our organization much more productive," said Ally Gontang, Project Manager at CBF. "Our goal is to serve as a catalyst for bold and creative solutions to the problems facing the Chesapeake Bay, and Business Objects is playing a role in helping us do just that. We look forward to sharing what we have learned with other attendees at the Business Objects user conference."

For more information about the Business Objects 2004 International User Conference, including registration information, please visit: http://www.businessobjects.com/userconference/.> About Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Founded in 1967, CBF is the largest privately funded, non-profit organization dedicated solely to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Visit www.cbf.org for more information.

About Business Objects

Business Objects is the world's leading business intelligence (BI) software company. Business intelligence enables organizations to track, understand, and manage enterprise performance. The company's solutions leverage the information that is stored in an array of corporate databases, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Popular uses of BI include enterprise reporting, management dashboards and scorecards, customer intelligence applications, financial reporting, and both customer and partner extranets. These solutions enable companies to gain visibility into their business, acquire and retain profitable customers, reduce costs, optimize the supply chain, increase productivity, and improve financial performance.

In December 2003, Business Objects completed the acquisition of Crystal Decisions, the leader in enterprise reporting. The combined product line includes software for reporting, query and analysis, performance management, analytic applications, and data integration. In addition, Business Objects offers consulting and education services to help customers effectively deploy their business intelligence projects.

Business Objects has more than 26,000 customers in over 80 countries. The company's stock is traded under the ticker symbols NASDAQ: BOBJ and Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0004026250 - BOB). It is included in the SBF 120 and IT CAC 50 French stock market indexes. Business Objects can be reached at 408-953-6000 and http://www.businessobjects.com.

Business Objects, the Business Objects logo, and Crystal Reports are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects S.A. or its affiliated companies in the United States and/or other countries.