SAS Institute Aims To Bring Its Analytics Software To The Masses.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: J. BONASIA

SAS Institute, the world's largest privately held software firm, has a new target: the average Joe.

The company's analytics software -- part of a field called business intelligence -- has long been popular among number crunchers and technical types. They use it to cull vast amounts of corporate data to create reports and projections.

Now SAS aims to bring its applications to common business users. The release of its new SAS9 software includes an easier-to-use interface, letting more workers query data. The new software could also put more pressure on SAS competitors.

"This lets a number of other constituents see the results of queries," said Jim Goodnight, SAS chief executive. "It appeals to more people."

The new suite lets 80% of corporate users harness the predictive power of analytics, Goodnight says. He calls it the most important release in his company's 28-year history.

The improved user interface should make it "more inviting for business and casual users to interact with the applications," said Keith Giles, an analyst at Forrester Research, in a recent report. That, in turn, could lead to greater sales among existing SAS users and new customers.