Business Objects Wants To Tackle RFID DataBusiness Objects Wants To Tackle RFID Data

Business Objects joined forces with Velosel, a maker of software for managing product information, to introduce an application that the vendors claim will help companies analyze the massive data flows anticipated from radio frequency identification (RFID) deployments.

The firms integrated elements of Business Objects' business intelligence platform with Velosel5 collaborative product information management (CPIM) software. The combined tool will let retail and consumer packaged goods companies manage product information internally and synchronize product data with partners. It also will let companies analyze product information and business process performance, the vendors said.

Business Objects and Velosel touted their tool as an answer to the analytical challenges presented by RFID, which is expected to swamp retailers and their suppliers with new supply chain data. RFID tags track individual items, product cases or palettes being shipped from place to place. A number of large retailers, including Wal-Mart, are pushing adoption of RFID.

Velosel's technology is designed to keep a complete set of product information synchronized in a central repository that feeds other data-consuming systems -- ERP, logistics and manufacturing systems, for example -- that typically use only a subset of an company's total product information. Business Objects tools can tap the Velosel repository to analyze product assortment, stock visibility, returns management or marketing effectiveness.

The new product is available on Crystal Reports, the BI enterprise reporting technology that Business Objects acquired from Crystal Decisions last year. A Business Objects spokeswoman said the vendor's BI capabilities will also be incorporated into the next release of Velosel's CPIM application, which is expected some time next year.

Pricing information for the Business Objects-Velosel release was not immediately available.