PeopleSoft Inc has moved delivery of version 7 of its resource planning application suite up the calendar to September from the end of the year (CI No 3,113). PeopleSoft, which already incorporates BEA Systems Inc’s Tuxedo OLTP monitor with release 6 products, will bundle additional BEA middleware in version 7, including support for distributed N-tier architecture, which means clients, application logic, and the database can all be resident on different machines connected by BEA Tuxedo messaging middleware. Other BEA host and IBM connectivity services and management APIs also become available to PeopleSoft 7 users. A new Java client will make PeopleSoft applications available over the web and to network computers. Java clients connect to the PeopleSoft application server via BEA’s Java extensions to Tuxedo called BEA Jolt. Further out, PeopleSoft 8 is expected offer support for other BEA technologies, presumably its Corba ObjectBroker object request broker, Microsoft object integration work and additional messaging services. Meantime, PeopleSoft’s also readying a series of what it’s calling Universal Applications for human resources, payroll, benefits, accounting and distribution functions, which can be delivered to any Java- enabled browser from PeopleSoft 7 environments. They’re designed for employees, managers, customers and suppliers who require occasional access to core PeopleSoft application services. PeopleSoft is also bringing itself into line with current demand for data warehouse on-line analytical processing services, saying version 7 will support Cognos Software PowerPlay OLAP tools and come bundled with a PowerPlay starter kit. For data mart users, it’s integrating PeopleSoft 7 with Arbor Software’s Essbase OLAP Server. An Open Query API will additionally enable users to access production data queries defined in PeopleSoft Query from ODBC tools. For manufacturing and distribution industries, PeopleSoft will offer PeopleSoft Product configurator and Engineering applications. Product is designed configure-to-order manufacturing and Engineering for managing designs, bills of materials, costs, prototypes, design-to-production transfer and change orders. PeopleSoft 7 Financials, Manufacturing, Distribution, HRMS and the Red Pepper supply chain software will be available in September with vertical industry and international versions to follow by year-end. Late 1997 or early 1998 PeopleSoft is expected to enter the retail industry through a partnership with retail merchandise management company Intrepid, which will have re-written its merchandise management system in PeopleTools by year-end. Intrepid’s Merchandise Management will be integrated with PeopleSoft Financials. PeopleSoft will be able to resell the resulting product and has made undisclosed investment in Intrepid to seal the deal.
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