SuccessFactors acquires YouCalc, plots live analytics

SuccessFactors on Monday said it had acquired YouCalc, a Danish company, and integrated its analytics technology into its BizX suite, which monitors business performance.

With the YouCalc technology, SuccessFactors launched a feature called Calculator in the Cloud. This tool takes individual employee data and allows you to analyze real-time

data from other repositories. Via technology called Live Forms and Live Analytics data is updated in real-time and shared with the core systems that hold the information.

For instance, the technology from YouCalc would allow you to align an employee’s goals and performance and see what you'll have to pay him in bonuses in real-time.

The general idea is that companies can create data mashups by combining information from financial systems with sales metrics, customer satisfaction ratings and employee performance. The data in Live Forms and Live Analytics is in-memory and can provide a bevy of what-if scenarios for managers.

Brad Mattick, senior director of product marketing, said the YouCalc technology can calculate any data in a Web app in real-time. customers can also configure and customize how a calculation happens. YouCalc represents the third acquisition for SuccessFactors. The previous two deals were CubeTree and Inform. "We're using acquisitions to accelerate our roadmap," said Mattick.

Lars Dalgaard, CEO of SuccessFactors, said the new features represent a push into real-time analytics.

For SuccessFactors, the YouCalc acquisition also gives the company a product development team in Europe. YouCalc CEO Rasmus Madsen will become senior director of product marketing. YouCalc CTO Henrik Kjaer will become senior director of engineering.

SuccessFactors said the Live Forms and Live Analytics tools will be available to a limited number of customers in early 2011. McGraw-Hill is a pilot customer already.