Renee Boucher Ferguson

Former business-to-business superstar turned spend management guru Ariba Inc. on Tuesday announced a new module to help companies realize their spending objectives through supplier management. The Ariba Supplier Performance Management module is designed to help companies manage corporate spending through performance measurement, collaboration and better supplier relationships. The software essentially provides a business process whereby […]

Integration software provider Sterling Commerce Inc. announced last week new software capabilities that enable community banks to meet federal rules of privacy and security when moving financial data between banks and other financial institutions. With a regulatory climate that leaves little room for mistakes regarding the security of consumer information, ConnectDirect for Community Banks, which […]

At its annual financial analysts meeting at its headquarters in Redwood Shores, Calif., Wednesday, Oracle Corp. said its in a position of strength and plans to use that to acquire other companies in its quest to give software giants SAP AG and Microsoft Corp. a run for their money. For starters, Oracle last month lobbed […]

Enterprise resource planning software maker Epicor Software Corp., of Irvine, Calif., announced today that it has completed its acquisition of ROI Systems Inc. for $20.7 million in an all-cash transaction. Privately held ROI, of Minneapolis, makes manufacturing software for the mid-market, which is also Epicors customer base. The acquisition extends Epicors current manufacturing customer base […]

Popkin Software and business simulation software maker Lanner Group announced Monday a partnership that will pair Popkins System Architect software with Lanners Witness solution. Popkin, of New York City, makes enterprise architecture tools that include modeling software, while Witness is simulation software. The idea behind the partnership is to help federal agencies be agile so […]

Oracle Corp. is feeling intensifying pressure in its quest for PeopleSoft Inc. Late last week, sources confirmed that 15 states have formed a working group to look at the antitrust issues involved in the proposed takeover. While the implications of such a move vary widely, the move indicates a growing skepticism by outsiders of the […]

Automating the supply chain has been an ongoing effort in areas such as manufacturing. But with the help of a new, dedicated transaction network, supply chain management is reaching a new market: drug prescription. Executives from a dozen national pharmacy chains late last month announced the formation of the Chain Pharmacy Advisory Council to provide […]

PeopleSoft inc. and Optiant Inc. are each offering software upgrades that take a performance-driven approach to supply chain planning and management. PeopleSoft, of Pleasanton, Calif., last month announced the general availability of its namesake SCP (Supply Chain Planning) 8.8, which uses a centralized data warehouse that combines planning, performance management and operational systems. At the […]

Financial relationship management software maker Avolent Inc. will announce July 21 the availability of its BizCast 5.3 FRM software. At the core of BizCast 5.3 is the ability for insurance, retail and health care companies to provide Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment—better known as EIPP. New in Version 5.3 is the ability for health care […]

The saga continues. Oracle Corp. announced this morning that it has extended its to midnight Friday, July 18. Oracles initial purchase offer, logged June 9, expired today. As of the close of business on July 3, about 35 million PeopleSoft shares had been tendered and not withdrawn from the offer, according to Oracle officials. Oracles […]

Citing weakness in its North American commercial business, integration software maker webMethods Inc. announced disappointing preliminary first-quarter earnings this morning. The Fairfax, Va., company expects to report greater-than-expected losses for the quarter ended June 30. WebMethods is expected to report total revenue in the range of $42 million to $43 million, somewhat shy of the […]

PeopleSoft Inc. this morning announced better than expected preliminary financial results for the second quarter, adding resonance to the enterprise software makers stance that Oracle Corp.s hostile takeover bid undervalues the company. Oracle, of Redwood Shores, Calif., has made an all-cash bid for rival PeopleSoft valued at $19.50 per share, or about $6.3 billion. Based […]