SAP has announced enhancement packages for SAP Business One, a new series of downloadable packages as part of SAP standard support designed to provide mid-market SAP Business One customers with faster and more frequent access to new functionality, best practice tools and maintenance updates. The packages are planned for availability multiple times a year between major application updates in a model that SAP says dramatically shortens the industry's typical multiyear cycle for introducing new functionality down to a matter of months.
Announced at the CeBIT trade fair, in Hanover , Germany , last week, the initiative is intended to be an extension to SAP's catalogue of 350 solutions developed by independent software vendors (ISVs). SAP Business One is aimed at businesses with 10 to 100 users. SAP says the enhancement packages activate in a "plug-and-play" manner, eliminating the costs and disruptions associated with typical software upgrades.
"Together with SAP, we can identify key customer concerns that require the turnaround of quick, effective solution extensions in an easy way," said Alexander Kirbis CEO of value added reseller KIRBIS. "As partners, we further benefit from the best practice components, allowing us to help customers streamline operations and realise additional value from SAP Business One."
The exact content of each forthcoming enhancement package will vary according to the actual needs and priorities of SAP Business One customers, as monitored by SAP and its channel partners. The first enhancement package is scheduled to be available for customers to download in the second quarter of 2007. Among the enhancements planned are several new capabilities in financials, including control accounts, general ledger reporting and document printing.
"Enhancement packages for SAP Business One allow small businesses to quickly obtain mission-critical business capabilities and increase overall solution value," said Gadi Shamia, senior vice president, Solution Management, Small Business Solutions, SAP. "This new approach to enhancement delivery denotes SAP Business One as the platform for future business innovation, while allowing us to respond faster to our customers and partners requests."
