Intuit and Microsoft said that they plan to integrate the capabilities of their cloud services platforms Intuit Partner Platform and Windows Azure platform, to enable developers and channel partners to deliver offerings to employees within businesses that use QuickBooks financial software.
In addition, the two companies will also provide small businesses with Microsoft’s cloud-based productivity applications through the Intuit App Center.
Windows Azure will be the ‘preferred platform’ for small business cloud application development on the Intuit Partner Platform. The companies expect this to start development and distribution of new web-based applications to help small businesses.
Walid Abu-Hadba, vice president of the developer and platform evangelism organization at Microsoft Corporate, said: Intuit and Microsoft are trusted technology partners to small business. By combining the pooled technology assets of our developer communities, we stand to produce an outpouring of new applications to help small businesses enhance their competitive edge.
The companies said that the Intuit Partner Platform will give Windows Azure developers the ability to build applications that their customers can use to take advantage of their QuickBooks data. A click from the QuickBooks Pro and Premier 2010 toolbar takes small businesses to the Intuit App Center where they can find, buy and use web-based business applications built on or integrated with the Intuit Partner Platform.
Microsoft also plans to make Microsoft Online Services, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Live Meeting and Office Communications Online, available for purchase in the Intuit App Center later this year.
