SAP and Microsoft have released an early version of
their Mendocino data integration package to selected businesses for
testing.
The software integrates Microsoft's e-mail and calendar software
with SAP's back-office business applications, providing end-users
with a more familiar interface when dealing with business data.
It is designed to let end-users more easily access and
manipulate budgeting, human resources and billing information
stored in corporate SAP databases.
Using Mendocino, data in a SAP business format can be
automatically sent to a user's Outlook e-mail in-box, for instance.
Modifications to the reports can be made in Outlook and then sent
back to the main SAP data repository.
This can all be done without the user having to leave a familiar
data processing platform, and there is also a reduction in the
amount of time it takes to make modifications to important business
data.
SAP and Microsoft released Mendocino 1.0 to 50 users and
partners at the end of 2005. More users are expected to be added to
the testing phase in the spring, before a planned general release
in July.
The first Mendocino release will require Microsoft Office 2003.
Later versions of Mendocino will be integrated to the forthcoming
Office 12 suite, which will be available towards the end of
2006.