Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft says its preparing to roll out a new generation of role-based ERP applications and systems management tools that will be bundled into the next released of its Windows Server offering. Core to the release is Microsoft’s newly christened Dynamics application platform which is being developed under the codename Project Green and Centro. Dynamics will eventually replace Microsoft’s existing Business Solutions line.
The Dynamics suite melds the Longhorn version of Windows Server with IT administration tools and includes Microsoft’s Great Plains, Navision, Axapta and Solomon business application offerings. Microsoft plans to bring all these applications, which it has gained through a string of acquisitions over the past several years, into a single code base by 2008. Great Plains will be called Dynamics GP (due this autumn), Axapta will be renamed Dynamics AX (due in the first half of next year), Solomon will become Dynamics SL and Navision will be rebranded as Dynamics NAV, both due in the last quarter of next year.
Tighter integration between these products and Microsoft’s Office tools suite is also planned later this year. Microsoft’s CRM package will also integrate with Dynamics, with an updated version is earmarked to ship in the fourth quarter this year.
The software products are being unveiled at the Microsoft Business Summit 2005 event in Seattle this week.
Additionally Microsoft is also launching a couple of SMB-focused business accounting packages – Small Business Accounting 2006 and Office Small Business Management 2006. The software offers core accounting functions from within the Microsoft Office environment. For instance, users can manage payroll through Excel. ADP is also integrating its Total Payroll processing solution into Small Business Accounting 2006. Pricing for the two products starts at $150 and $570 respectively. Office customers can upgrade for $400.
Microsoft is also partnering with computer manufacturer Dell to pre-lead Office Small Business Accounting 2006 on select Dimension and Inspiron notebooks. Gateway will offer the software with its S-series desktops and notebooks.
Meanwhile Oracle has SMBs in its sights following a strategy to roll out Web sales portals – dubbed Oracle SMB Network – across 17 European countries to let customers purchase its software products – from Oracle and ISV partners. All the major European countries are covered and five languages are supported. Oracle hopes to get a Russian site off the ground later this month.
So far around 1,000 ISV partners have enrolled in Oracle’s portal program. Oracle has a total of over 4,750 partners in the EMEA region.
The portal launch follows a successful three-month pilot project in the UK, France and Germany, during which over 5,000 SMBs signed up at the portals. Oracle however did not disclose how much revenue the portals pulled in, saying only that last year over 50% of its EMEA sales was driven through indirect and partner channels.
Oracle’s asserts it has a 100% indirect strategy for selling into the SMB market, But the new SMB portals do provide links that allow customers to buy products directly from Oracle, something that partners increasingly frown upon. Additionally customers that sign up disclose company details which oracle can use for direct cross- and up-selling.
Oracle recognizes its weaknesses in the SMB market and has invested heavily in an advertising campaign across Europe to raise its brand awareness in the mid-tier, and make it more competitive against the likes of SAP AG and IBM Corp and of course Microsoft, all of whom target this sector aggressively.
