SAP Customer Value Network (SAP CVN) to Participate in BPC User Summit

Tempe, AZ, January 16, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Users of SAP Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC) software – or those who are interested in it – have a unique opportunity to learn from experts and other customers at an upcoming conference designed just for them. Column 5 Consulting, a market leader in implementing SAP BPC performance management software, has announced the first BPC Customer Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 21-23, 2009.

Held at the world famous Mirage Hotel, Column 5’s BPC Customer Summit will bring together BPC customers with consulting experts to help organizations learn to use SAP BPC most effectively in order to meet their objectives and improve performance.

The agenda will provide tracks for three different audiences: finance leaders, BPC administrators or power users, and BPC technical staff. The conference will feature customer success stories, expert roundtable discussions, best practices sessions, and ample networking opportunities. Administrators will learn tips and tricks for successful implementations, see what worked and didn’t work for other customers, and will come away with valuable knowledge, including sample code, that will help their organizations manage performance in troubled economic times. IT staff will learn how to optimize system performance and handle key tasks like upgrades and disaster recovery. Sessions for CFOs and other finance professionals will address emerging practices in planning, budgeting, forecasting and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) and the impact these practices have on how organizations leverage BPC and other SAP products.

“Column 5’s team of Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) professionals is very proud to host this event on behalf of the rapidly growing BPC community,” said David Den Boer, Managing Principal of Column 5 Consulting. “These difficult economic times underscore the urgency for every company to adopt an effective EPM capability. We want to do our part to help companies survive and recover in the current market, so we felt this venue was the most efficient and cost effective way to bring this crucial information to the widest audience.”

The SAP Customer Value Network (SAP CVN) will be participating in the conference and will unveil their new online BPC Community. Also discussed will be a new Management Process Special Interest Group (SIG) created for members of the Americas SAP User Group (ASUG) community. This SIG, in which Column 5 plays a leadership role, will bring together users from Finance, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, and Information Technology to explore the next generation technologies that will drive business performance.

Also presenting will be Steelwedge software, a leading provider of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) solutions. “As an S&OP leader, Steelwedge is very excited about speaking at the SAP BPC Customer Summit,” said Glen Margolis, CEO of Steelwedge. “Linking financial plans and applications to the S&OP process is a key requirement for helping companies realign their business to succeed in a changing economy.”

Cost of attendance is $1000. More information, including a detailed agenda and registration form, can be found at http://www.column5.com/summit.htm. The website also provides free recorded presentations that give a preview of the Finance Leadership track.

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