Information Builders Releases WebFOCUS For Google Maps

Information Builders has released a mash-up application that enables non-developers to link geographical information to business intelligence data.

WebFOCUS for Google Maps, launched Monday, provides a simple point-and-click process to overlay maps with operational BI and reports, the company said. As a result, businesspeople can identify local and regional trends, such as volume of service calls to a specific call center or stores with low inventory on certain items.

The purpose of the latest tools is to let businesses quickly mash up public Web sources with internal data sources to create a new breed of analytical applications that are useful to a broader set of company employees. Despite the introduction of software to generate reports and dashboards accessible to more workers, most BI tools today require the use of IT staff and are used mostly by business executives and analysts.

Google's application programming interface for its online mapping service is among the most popular mash-up tools on the Web. Through the use of Google Maps, the WebFOCUS BI platform can provide location indicators to visually convey operational trends, and navigate the map from a related report to zoom in and out of areas, Information Builders said. In addition, employees can use Google Maps to drill down to reports containing all the details on one or more locations.

"Since Google Maps is a free and widely available service, by putting the power of WebFOCUS behind it, we can literally bring geographic business intelligence to the masses," Gerald Cohen, founder and chief executive of Information Builders, said in a statement.

WebFOCUS for Google Maps is generally available. Pricing was not disclosed.