News and Analysis

News and Analysis (15673)

OSAS KEEPS ON TICKING WITH 7.6

Open Systems has come out with the latest version of its venerable financial application, OSAS 7.6. The company says there are more than 130 enhancements (One of these days I’m demanding numbered lists on these claims.) The press release cites the following: “Among the enhancements in OSAS 7.6 are more powerful document handling, improved email delivery, an enhanced user interface, added security, database enhancements, Return Merchandise Authorizations and Purchase Order deposits.” Read more...

PARTNER POWER CHARTS U.S. GROWTH

Partner Power International, a Dynamics reselling conglomerate, has signed Western Computer of Oxnard, Calif., as a member. Western, with a staff of 80, became the latest in the select membership in the United. I say select because the only other American members are Atlanta-based Ibis, which joined in the last three months, regional CPA firms Sikich and PKF Texas, and New York-based Business Management International. Read more...

AVALARA GETS PEACHTREE CONNECTOR

Avalara has filled in a missing link in its list of connectors to accounting packages with the addition of Sage’s Peachtree line. Actually, it’s in beta test but the company anticipates the connector would be available in 30 to 45 days. Sales VP Marshal Kushniruk said it took this long to get a Peachtree entry because it was a matter of finding the right development partner to write it. I would also say that since Peachtree appears to be on an uptick, it’s good timing to be reaching to provide the sales-and-use tax capabilities of the company’s AvaTax product to that installed base Read more...

INFOR RAMPS UP CHANNEL TEAM

Taylor Macdonald’s stay at Infor Global Solutions was brief. But the ERP vendor is starting to show signs it might actually become channel friendly. And it wouldn’t take much to yield a great improvement. There have been no announcements. But a search of Linkedin shows that in the last few months some serious talent has joined the organized. Read more...

VAR ENLISTMENT DERBY CONTINUES

Online vendors are continuing to add to their channel with Acumatica and Intact revealing more names, and NetSuite, which talked about its aggressive channel plans earlier last year, not having said much since then. Acumatica is still working the Solomon mines and has added Denver-based Ironware Technologies. Intacct is also staying with its profile, signing CPA firm Armanino McKenna, which will offer the online program through both its consulting and outsourced accounting arms. Read more...

DOUG MEYER LEAVING SAGE

Doig MeyerDoug Meyer, who has held a variety of executive positions with Sage/Best Software since 1999, is leaving the company next month. Most recently chief customer officer, Meyer joined Sage in 1999 when that company purchased Peachtree. Meyer held some important positions with Sage, including president of Sage Software from September 2000 to May 2007. He was president of the industry and specialized industry solutions from May 2007 through May 2009. He took over his current position after that. It's the latest departure at Sage as Pascal Houillon, who had been CEO of Sage France, gets ready to take over the held as CEO of Sage North America. In alumni news, Alex Attal, who left as GM of the group that sells X3, has taken the job of VP service at Fujitsu America. Attal led the X3 effort, once known as Adonix, back into the 1990s. Meanwhile, someone point out that another GP veteran, Roger Demer, has shown up at Sage. For those of you who think Microsoft is more stable, just how many heads of multiple billion divisions has Steve Ballmer lopped off in the last two years. Microsoft just has more room for error. Demers is now channel manager at Sage, having followed Tom Miller into the program. Demers spent 22 years with Great Plains/Microsoft, where he was involved in inside sales management and the channel.

 

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BBD TELCO RESELLING LIKELY THIS YEAR

Kevin GilroySAP will probably having test programs for telephone companies to resell its cloud-based Business By Design software operating this year, according to Kevin Gilroy, VP of channels and ecosystems.  "I think telcos have a great reach into the market place. They have a great experience with monthly billing. They have large sales forces particularly in the SME space," Gilroy said. The VP did not provide any names but said SAP has discussions going on with telcos, which he continued would not be a threat to VARs but which would work with "the local VAR in the implementation and consulting component. I think it is a big plus." Read more...

BUILD UP STARTS FOR AX RELEASE

Microsoft has started the push for the next release of Dynamics AX, scheduled for third quarter.  In software terms, this is a bit like starting the Christmas season before Halloween. Can’t start too early on the marketing. Code named Dynamics AX “6” (The reasons for the quote marks are not clear), the new version features a cure for cancer and global warming. Well, maybe not that much. One of the more interesting statements was on approach with Hal Howard, corporate vice president, for Dynamics ERP Research and Development quoted as saying “As we introduce these powerful new innovations, we maintain our focus on simplicity by streamlining application deployment, maintenance and upgradability.” Read more...

HOUILLON MEETING VARS

Pascal Houllion, listed as regional CEO designate on the Sage North America website, is preparing to make the rounds with members of the Sage channel.  Meetings are being set up in the Chicago and New York areas, with one reportedly being set for February 10 in New York with Houillon and Tom Miller, VP of channels. Houllion is the executive who has served as CEO of Sage France and is taking over from Sue Swenson once she retires from the company sometime before early July. In a brief note, Miller said more meetings are to be scheduled, but did not provide the names of other cities.

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NETSUITE LINKS WITH CYBERSOURCE

SaaS vendor NetSuite has completed product integration with Visa’s CyberSource subsidiary that the company said gives end users access to the CyberSource Decision Manager fraud management system. NetSuite users can send transaction details to Decision Manager by enabling a checkbox. A CyberSource report issued in January said fraudulent transactions represent about 1.2 percent of the dollar volume of online sales. I’m happy that NetSuite issued the CyberSource release because that way I don’t have to give prominence to another press release issued in the last few days for its downloadable Hairball Elimination Kit. Read more...

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