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Crystal Xcelsius is a point-and-click application that quickly transforms virtually any type of data into dynamic charts, graphs and interactive dashboards. Designed for anyone who presents or analyzes data, it helps create audience-friendly presentations of complex information, illustrate trends and projections and display inter-relationships among multiple variables. Data presentations and business dashboards created with Crystal Xcelsius can be exported to Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents, PDF documents or to the Web with one click.

Business Objects is hosting 'The CX Challenge', a contest for people who want to demonstrate their skills at creating business dashboards and data presentations. Contestants may use any Crystal Xcelsius(tm) product, including CX Now!, the new, free version just announced by Business Objects (www.cx-now.com), to create their entries.

The CX Challenge will award cash prizes to three entrants judged to have created the best original data presentations or business dashboards. First prize will win $10,000, second prize will win $5,000 and third prize will win $2,500. Submissions must be created with any Crystal Xcelsius product or trial version (available at www.xcelsius.com), and the contest is limited to North American residents.