Renee Boucher Ferguson

Some of the biggest names in the software business—SAP AG, PeopleSoft Inc. and Microsoft Corp.—are chasing SMB customers with offerings that provide capabilities configured for specific vertical industries. But to win over a substantial number of those potential small- and midsize-business customers, each will have to work out its relationship with channel partners, which are […]

Beefing up the core horizontal functionality of its Great Plains ERP software, Microsoft Business Solutions announced Wednesday the acquisition of accounting software code from Encore Business Solutions Inc. The acquisition brings not-for-profit accounting capabilities that will enable Microsoft to compete on deals within schools and not-for-profit organizations, according to news reports. The terms of the […]

Miami—At its ProcessWorld 2004 business process management conference here this week, IDS Scheer North America is working to dispel the myths around business process management for its attendees— many of whom have more questions than answers when it comes to process management optimization. Berwyn, Pa.-based IDS Scheer on Monday outlined new functionality in version 3.1 […]

In his keynote address at Lawson Softwares user conference in Atlanta this week, CEO Jay Coughlan told audience members that Lawson understands the pain of ERP (enterprise resource planning) implementations and is ready to offer help. According to a study sponsored by Lawson, 75 percent of ERP customers of the three largest ERP providers—SAP AG, […]

IBM has capped the first phase of its effort to offer integration solutions for targeted vertical industries with 15 new Middleware Solution applicable to three industries. Each solution packages IBM middleware components to address a problem or process specific to the energy and utilities, government, and consumer products vertical markets. The IBM Middleware Solution for […]

PeopleSoft Inc.s license revenues for the first quarter of 2004 climbed 61 percent over last years first-quarter revenues, while the companys net income dipped substantially. After the close of the market Thursday, PeopleSoft announced total license revenues of $131 million for the first quarter, besting last years first-quarter license revenues of $81 million. But costs […]

TIBCO Software Inc., best known for its namesake bus model integration software, is broadening its horizons. The company on Thursday announced the acquisition of U.K.-based Staffware plc for the equivalent of $217 million. Staffware makes BPM [business process management] and workflow software. The acquisition will build on TIBCOs capabilities for integrating business processes—and broaden the […]

E-business communication and integration software giant Sterling Commerce announced today it completed the acquisition of TR2, which makes data cleansing and synchronization software. The acquisition brings Sterling, a subsidiary of telecommunications giant SBC Communications Inc., software that helps with customer product information management—a key area as companies look to better transact with partners and suppliers […]

SAP AG, the worlds largest e-business software provider, said today its first quarter earnings for 2004 jumped significantly due to stellar sales in the United States. SAP, of Walldorf, Germany, said its net income for the quarter increased 23 percent to $271 million, compared to $220 million during the first quarter of 2003. Software sales […]

SAP AG is gambling that its NetWeaver integration platform will do for the company this decade what its R/3 application suite did for it in the 1990s: make it the premier business solutions provider for the enterprise. NetWeaver, introduced in January 2003, provides a Web services architecture on which to build and run IT systems […]