SAP is serious about in-memory analytics, that much is clear. Close on the heels of launching an app store and a new pricing scheme for its cloud-based HANA service, the German business intelligence (BI) giant is rolling out a new version of Business One that utilizes the speedy database to help users “supercharge” their applications.

Version 9.0 of the SMB-oriented resource planning software offers functionality that is only possible with the use of in-memory technology, according to the firm, including the ability to process different types of information – structured as well as structured – in a single platform. That not only reduces license costs, which is in itself a big advantage for the budget-strapped companies SAP is targeting with the offering, but also accelerates time to insight by eliminating the need to shuffle data in and out of different tools. Besides taking up valuable time better spent elsewhere, this largely manual process is also not particularly scalable, which poses a bottleneck to organizations of all sizes as the Big Data explosion continues apace.

Business One 9.0 provides an answer to this challenge at a reachable price point, falling into step with the industry-wide trend to make analytics more accessible. SAP sales veep Rinse Tamsma said that his firm plans to further augment the software with production module enhancements, improved management of fixed assets and other upcoming features that are currently being previewed at CeBIT 2014.

The new release, which is available on-premise or in the cloud, is already used by customers in a broad range of industries and marks the latest milestone in SAP’s ongoing effort to package HANA into vertical solutions that address niche requirements. The company is not going it alone, and today announced an unprecedented alliance with Accenture to create a new business unit that will focus exclusively on developing industry-specific solutions based on the hosted version of the database.

“Clients are looking for ways to better maximize their existing investments in SAP technology and bridge to new technologies such as SAP HANA and SAP’s as-a-service offerings. They want solutions to be simpler and more relevant to their specific business challenges,” stated Rob Enslin, the firm’s head of customer operations. He said that the Accenture and SAP Business Solutions Group will address this shift in demand by bundling HANA with specialized consultancy and implementation services.

The division will be based in San Jose, California and include a joint development team supported by dedicated sales, marketing, finance, legal staff. They will work to identify business needs, develop solutions, execute go-to-market strategies and help implement new solutions for clients, SAP said in a release.

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