Infor Adds SharePoint Interface to ERP
ERP vendor Infor today unveiled a new consumer-grade user interface based on Microsoft SharePoint.
The new Infor Workspace was developed with “significant R&D investment,” and combines ERP apps with a common user interface, collaboration and business intelligence, the company said.
Infor, the fourth-largest ERP vendor, would move past Sage and into third place if its proposed merger with Lawson Software (NASDAQ: LWSN) goes through. Lawson reported strong quarterly earnings today, but the company did not provide an update on merger negotiations. Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) and SAP (NYSE: SAP) — the top two ERP vendors — are also seen by analysts as possible bidders for Lawson.
Infor says the new Infor Workspace also offers single sign-on and seamless navigation across business applications deployed either on-premise or in the cloud. The company claims it's the first tool that allows applications to coexist and bring in outside information such as KPIs, dynamic alerts and other tools, such as supply chain tracking.
The tools are context-aware and automatically adapt to user needs based on role and business function, Infor says.
Infor Workspace is currently available for Infor ERP LN, Infor ERP SyteLine, Infor EAM, Infor FMS SunSystems and Infor Expense Management, and is expected to become the standard interface for other browser-based Infor applications.
CDC unveils sales force automation tool
CDC Software (NASDAQ: CDCS) is another company turning to Microsoft to improve its enterprise applications.
The company today announced the availability of Pivotal Sales Force Automation, a new sales module developed on its Pivotal 6.0 CRM platform that automates sales processes.
The new sales force automation application offers account management, lead management and processing, configurable opportunity management, executive level forecasting, group level forecasting, individual level forecasting, pricing and discounts, quote and proposal management, order capture, geocoding and mapping and configurable sales business logic.
CDC Pivotal CRM 6.0, built on the .Net Framework, uses Microsoft technologies and features a suite of modular applications. It provides task-based navigation, embedded Microsoft Office SharePoint Server and Microsoft Office System applications, Outlook synchronization, easy customization, a smart client user interface, high user adoption rates and a low total cost of ownership (TCO), the company says.
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Paul Ferrill has been writing for over 15 years about computers and network technology. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering as well as a MS in Electrical Engineering. He is a regular contributor to the computer trade press. He has a specialization in complex data analysis and storage. He has written hundreds of articles and two books for various outlets over the years. His articles have appeared in Enterprise Apps Today and InfoWorld, Network World, PC Magazine, Forbes, and many other publications.
