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Microsoft boosts reporting tools

Microsoft issues free tools to create business reports its Exchange and customer relationship management applications.

Headshot of Martin LaMonica
Headshot of Martin LaMonica
Martin LaMonica Former Staff writer, CNET News
Martin LaMonica is a senior writer covering green tech and cutting-edge technologies. He joined CNET in 2002 to cover enterprise IT and Web development and was previously executive editor of IT publication InfoWorld.
Martin LaMonica
Microsoft on Wednesday released free tools to generate business reports from Microsoft's Exchange and customer relationship management applications. It also said that SQL Server 2005, the next version of its database--due early next year--will include a tool that will let business analysts create and modify reports. The tool will be based on technology gained from the earlier this year.

Microsoft made the announcements at the Professional Association for SQL Server customer conference in Orlando, Fla. Microsoft released its reporting services for its SQL Server 2000 database in January. It plans to use the reporting services to generate reports from other products, including the next version of its Microsoft Operations Manager management tools and customer relationship management applications.