SAP originally envisioned financials exclusively as the core and usual starting point for those using ByDesign. The thinking has evolved toward greater flexibility. "If you have the Financials module working with Employee Central, the core module of SuccessFactors, all of a sudden you have something that looks really good compared to Workday," said Horak, noting that SuccessFactors couldn't previously offer a financials component. Workday offers cloud-based human resources and financials software. Ugly babies and gangly teenagers often grow into their faces and bodies. McDermott said the efforts to improve ByDesign's performance and its user interface and to simplify the platform are now paying off. "It's very nice now, it's running well, and it's winning," he added, sounding ever more like a proud papa.