Business applications

At the heart of enterprise software strategy are the key business applications upon which every organisation relies. From enterprise resource planning (ERP) to customer relationship management (CRM), financial and accounts software to business intelligence (BI), such applications demand high investments and can deliver high returns. We analyse the latest product developments and the news from major suppliers such as Oracle, Microsoft and SAP.

News 01 Dec 2023
Post Office lawyer with his fingerprints all over IT scandal spreads blame

Senior Post Office criminal lawyer was just following orders and claims his only mistake was believing those that told him the Horizon system was robust Continue Reading
News 30 Nov 2023
Slow government response to Post Office scandal compensation forces new legislation

Subpostmasters who exposed widest miscarriage of justice in UK history still waiting for compensation after decades of fighting Continue Reading

News 15 Jan 2020

Government distances itself from Post Office decisions in Horizon IT litigation

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy says it did not make decisions in the Post Office’s recent court battle Continue Reading
News 14 Jan 2020

Turn the end of Windows 7 support into a security advantage

CISOs can take advantage of the end of support for Microsoft Windows 7 by making the case for more investment in cyber security Continue Reading
News 14 Jan 2020

Why subpostmasters are calling on the government to pay Horizon trial costs

The damages that subpostmasters will receive after their court victory against the Post Office fall well short of their calculated losses Continue Reading
News 13 Jan 2020

APAC retailers warm to AI amid roadblocks

Retailers in the Asia-Pacific region believe artificial intelligence is key to their success, but lack the skills and infrastructure needed to harness the technology Continue Reading
News 10 Jan 2020

Subpostmaster group calls for government to pay legal costs for Horizon trial

The group of subpostmasters that defeated the Post Office in court over a faulty IT system are calling for the government to pay the costs of the legal action Continue Reading
Opinion 10 Jan 2020

Learning from the Travelex cyber attack: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

The key lesson to take from the Travelex breach is that an effective response to a breach is a critical business function and no longer the sole province of the IT department Continue Reading
News 10 Jan 2020

Queen’s University Belfast and Rakuten Mobile set up edge computing hub

Aiming to boost its plans to make truly autonomous networks a reality, Japanese operator Rakuten opens a new lab in collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast to develop edge computing hub Continue Reading
News 09 Jan 2020

Travelex hackers threaten to sell credit card data on dark web

Sodinokibi cyber gangsters have threatened to sell Travelex customers’ private data on a Russian underground cyber crime forum if it fails to pay a $6m ransom Continue Reading
Feature 09 Jan 2020

Grilling the answers: How businesses need to show how AI decides

As artificial intelligence becomes more widespread, so the need to render it explainable increases. How can companies navigate the technical and ethical challenges? Continue Reading
E-Zine 09 Jan 2020

CW Middle East: Digital leads the way for Abu Dhabi oil giant

The state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is transforming its business through digital projects that range from deciding where to drill for oil and gas, to helping the company decide where to sell its final products. Also find out in this issue why the UAE is setting up a university dedicated to artificial intelligence, and read an interview with Mohamed Sater, head of IT at Bahrain sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat. Continue Reading
News 08 Jan 2020

Fujitsu must face scrutiny following Post Office Horizon trial judgment

While the Post Office has suffered financial and reputational damage after losing its court battle with subpostmasters, the supplier of the IT system at the centre of the dispute has major PR challenges ahead Continue Reading
E-Zine 07 Jan 2020

Digital fashion for sustainable consumption

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at fashion for online personas, report on a programme to get more young women into cyber security, and examine edge computing as the new data frontier and how cloud-native platforms and AI might transform the datacentre. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Opinion 06 Jan 2020

The Post Office computer problem that destroyed the lives of pillars of the community

The Post Office’s refusal to believe subpostmasters were suffering losses due to computer system errors was incompetent and cruel Continue Reading
News 02 Jan 2020

Call for former Post Office CEO to step down from public roles after IT court battle lost

Conservative peer is calling for former Post Office CEO to step down from high-profile public roles for her part in Horizon IT scandal Continue Reading
News 02 Jan 2020

Inside Qlik’s data management playbook

Qlik CEO Mike Capone talks up the company’s transition into a data management company, its traction in APAC and what it is doing to put data analytics into the hands of more workers Continue Reading
News 31 Dec 2019

Top 10 investigative stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 investigative stories of 2019 Continue Reading
News 31 Dec 2019

Top 10 ASEAN IT stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 ASEAN IT stories of 2019 Continue Reading
Feature 27 Dec 2019

Fly by data: How service models drive data collaboration in aerospace

Rolls-Royce has added collaborative data sharing to its fundamental business model shift to servitisation Continue Reading
News 27 Dec 2019

Top 10 business applications stories of 2019

The steady incursion of artificial intelligence into enterprise software was a major theme behind Computer Weekly’s in-depth stories in this area in 2019 Continue Reading
News 20 Dec 2019

Has Y2K windowing been addressed by banks or is Y2.02K a risk?

Big banks that haven't replaced legacy systems or fixed temporary windowing solutions to Y2K could have problems at the beginning of 2020 Continue Reading
News 20 Dec 2019

National Federation of Subpostmasters cries foul after court ruling on controversial computer system

The National Federation of Subpostmasters said it was misled by the Post Office about the robustness of the IT systems its members use Continue Reading
News 19 Dec 2019

Looming skills crisis, IR35 and Brexit set to ramp up S/4 Hana rates

SAP is only committed to support its ECC system until 2025, so customers have just five years to migrate – but a lack of skills is hampering progress Continue Reading
News 17 Dec 2019

Subpostmasters proved right on IT system failures as calls for full public inquiry mount

Post Office has been “in denial” about the robustness of its core retail system, which a judge said was to blame for problems experienced by subpostmasters in a multimillion-pound group action Continue Reading
E-Zine 17 Dec 2019

How data analytics is improving the world’s greatest tennis players

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the organisation that runs men’s tennis worldwide to find out how data analytics is transforming the sport. Intel processors delays will affect Windows 10 upgrades – we examine the implications. And we ask if AI is living up to the hype in enterprise IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 12 Dec 2019

Why Lendlease is embracing digital twin technology

Australia-based property developer Lendlease is using digital twins and other technologies to break the bulwark of rising costs and declining productivity in the construction sector Continue Reading
Opinion 12 Dec 2019

Industry, academia and government are joining forces to drive AI education

Building a diverse, advanced skills base in the UK will support the thriving technology sector and encourage the adoption of artificial intelligence across the broader economy Continue Reading
E-Zine 12 Dec 2019

CW Europe: Deutsche Bank creates innovation division

German banking giant Deutsche Bank is opening a division focused on innovation which will be led by former SAP executive Bernd Leukert. It will create agile teams with business and infrastructure divisions leading teams of technologists, using agile principles. Also read why China’s Huawei has offered governments an anti-industrial espionage commitment, and how software robots are helping social workers in Sweden. Continue Reading
Feature 11 Dec 2019

A look inside the new Redwood Oracle UI design

The two designers who head Oracle's Redwood user experience and branding effort explain the philosophy behind the new look and share the timeline for the multi-year rollout. Continue Reading
E-Zine 10 Dec 2019

Who should get the technology vote in the UK General Election?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we take an in-depth look at the technology and digital policies in the main political parties’ election manifestos. We examine the rise of alternatives to relational databases that better support a big data environment. And we assess the security issues around container technology. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Feature 10 Dec 2019

Building enterprise-grade AI: Sberbank and AI Telekom

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are growing beyond adolescence to prove business value. Practical applications at Sberbank and AI Telekom suggest getting machine learning data in one place, where data scientists can experiment Continue Reading
News 05 Dec 2019

Cyber Girls First volunteers encourage girls to think high-tech

More than 80 schoolgirls spent a day learning about computer hackers and rocket science – Cyber Girls First hopes they will become the next generation of technologists Continue Reading
E-Zine 03 Dec 2019

The 50 most influential people in UK IT 2019

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal our 10th annual list of the 50 most influential people in UK technology, and profile this year’s UKtech50 winner, Demis Hassabis, CEO and founder of AI pioneer DeepMind. Also, we examine how continuous software development can improve application security. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 02 Dec 2019

UKISUG 2019: Qualtrics unknown to 43% of SAP customers

On the opening day of its annual conference, the UK and Ireland SAP User Group unveils member research showing scant awareness of Qualtrics, and continuing slow adoption of S/4 Hana Continue Reading
News 02 Dec 2019

QD Stores deploys SAP Fiori as pathway to possible S/4 Hana adoption

East Anglia-based discount retailer uses design thinking to develop SAP Fiori Screen Personas to enhance ECC6 instance Continue Reading
Feature 27 Nov 2019

Top 7 manufacturing challenges for 2020

Growing supply chain complexity, emerging next-gen technologies and other compelling forces will continue to challenge the manufacturing sector. Here's a look at what's ahead for 2020. Continue Reading
News 27 Nov 2019

How APAC firms can unleash the power of creative disruption

Regional business leaders at the recent Leap Summit in Malaysia talked up the blueprint for creative disruption, which includes scaling up an idea and overcoming the distribution challenge, among other areas Continue Reading
Feature 26 Nov 2019

Content management systems play role in digital transformation efforts

Companies can stoke their digital growth by the use of content management systems, making digital transformation more than just a boring cliché Continue Reading
News 26 Nov 2019

Peer calls for clear-out of Post Office board after Court of Appeal confirms major court defeat

Conservative peer championing subpostmasters’ long-running battle with Post Office suggests management clear-out after Court of Appeal rejects appeal bid Continue Reading
News 26 Nov 2019

Facebook undermined rivals in bid to dominate global messaging

Facebook used buyouts and bullying tactics towards competitors to grow its business empire, documents leaked to Computer Weekly reveal Continue Reading
News 25 Nov 2019

How ServiceNow is empowering Asia’s mobile workforce

ServiceNow’s newly minted managing director in Asia talks up the company’s sweet spots and traction in the region, and what it’s doing to abstract away workflow complexities for mobile workers Continue Reading
News 25 Nov 2019

General Election 2019: The Lib Dems’ technology policies and digital plans

With the UK gearing up for its third General Election in four years, Computer Weekly outlines the Liberal Democrat Party’s main technology policies and digital plans, as laid out in its manifesto Continue Reading
News 22 Nov 2019

Court of Appeal dismisses Post Office application to appeal damning judgment

The Court of Appeal has rejected a Post Office application to appeal judgments made in the first trial of its multimillion-pound battle with subpostmasters over IT system failures. Continue Reading
News 22 Nov 2019

Obama at Dreamforce 2019: Leaders orchestrate the conversation

Former US president Barack Obama spoke in a fireside chat with Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff at Dreamforce 2019. He cautioned on the dangers of the information age and offered some advice for business leaders Continue Reading
News 21 Nov 2019

British Airways cancels flights due to technical issue

British Airways customers are suffering delays and cancellations as a result as a technical issue Continue Reading
News 21 Nov 2019

HSBC builds API digital platform with MuleSoft to forward open banking

At Dreamforce 2019, HSBC announced the building of a digital platform with Salesforce MuleSoft to forward open banking opportunities Continue Reading
E-Zine 21 Nov 2019

CW Nordics: Automation pays off for Sweden’s social workers

Software robots are freeing up time for social workers in Sweden to help benefits claimants find employment and to receive the money they are entitled to. Also in this issue, read how Sweden’s SEB bank is using a Google-inspired, cloud-native core banking platform, and why India is leading the pack when it comes to IT outsourcing from the Nordic countries. Continue Reading
News 20 Nov 2019

Finland’s ministry of transport floats tech-enabled four-day week

Government department says four-day working week is made possible by technologies such as artificial intelligence Continue Reading
News 20 Nov 2019

Dreamforce 2019: Benioff puts data centre stage as protestors disrupt speech

Salesforce founder and co-CEO outlines data integration and data visualisation product vision underpinned by MuleSoft and garnished with Tableau Continue Reading
News 19 Nov 2019

Dreamforce 19: Salesforce promotes enhanced MuleSoft data integration

SaaS CRM supplier dubs enhancements to its acquired MuleSoft integration software “Customer 360” on the eve of its annual Dreamforce event in San Francisco Continue Reading
News 17 Nov 2019

Australian bourse to overhaul technology infrastructure

The Australian Securities Exchange is embracing digital ledger technology, microservices and DevOps to modernise its core systems Continue Reading
E-Zine 14 Nov 2019

CW APAC: Expert advice on container security

For all the promises of containers, changes in architecture and practices associated with the technology bring new challenges and opportunities. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at the security challenges associated with container technology. Continue Reading
E-Zine 12 Nov 2019

The importance of digital accessibility

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine what retailers need to do to make their digital channels accessible for disabled people. We look at the rise of alternative desktop productivity tools to Microsoft Office. And our new buyer’s guide covers next-generation programming tools such as no-code/low-code development. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 08 Nov 2019

Are you paying too much for application management services?

Man-hours metrics may not give the best value for money. Rimini Street hopes to pivot the conversation towards incident reduction Continue Reading
Feature 07 Nov 2019

Satellite firm SES saves millions with cloud project management tools

Discover how satellite firm SES modernised project management with a cloud-based system from Precursive, based on live data and tailored in its reporting to different managerial roles Continue Reading
E-Zine 07 Nov 2019

CW Benelux: Dutch banks fight money laundering

Dutch banks are sharing expertise and resources to help reduce money laundering through their accounts. Also read in this issue how companies could lose loyal IT staff because salary rises do not match those at rival employers, and why a Dutch province is pioneering a no-code software development platform. Continue Reading
News 06 Nov 2019

Machine learning will have bigger impact than cloud

Workday’s vice-chairman explains how machine learning can help employees become more effective, and hints at the company’s moves beyond finance and HR software Continue Reading
News 06 Nov 2019

Sage brings cloud-based Intacct to UK market

Sage is bringing its cloud-based accountancy software acquired with US-based Intacct to the UK, and publishes research advancing a digital CFO concept Continue Reading
Feature 06 Nov 2019

How companies can do the right thing with online reviews

TripAdvisor and Amazon have had to learn how to manage online reviews in ways that other companies can learn from Continue Reading
News 05 Nov 2019

Ransomware authors seeking new ways to avoid being spotted

Sector analysis from Sophos has revealed some insight into how malware authors are adapting to thwart cyber security controls Continue Reading
Podcast 05 Nov 2019

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – episode 35

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team pick over the finale of Channel 4 reality show The Circle, talk General Election tech and find out why enterprises are not prepared to pay a premium for business applications infused with AI Continue Reading
Feature 30 Oct 2019

Are AI applications failing to live up to hype in enterprise adoption?

Artificial intelligence has been baked into enterprise applications in recent years and often given special names, such as Einstein, Leonardo and Coleman. But has the hype delivered? Continue Reading
News 30 Oct 2019

Cost savings drive business automation

While businesses are using automation to save money, many also see robotic process automation as essential to support new business initiatives Continue Reading
News 30 Oct 2019

Singapore startup plugs AI skills gap with pre-trained microservices

Sentient.io is offering artificial intelligence microservices that developers can use to augment their applications with speech recognition and other AI capabilities Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2019

How Aussie Broadband is improving service levels with automation

Australian telco Aussie Broadband has improved customer service though automation, even with a lean team and a growing subscriber base Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2019

Businesses at risk as mainframe skills die out

Most businesses that are heavily reliant on mainframes fear a shrinking skills pool Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2019

Post Office IT trial judgement within days

The judgment in the second trial in a multimillion-pound legal battle over an allegedly faulty IT system at the Post Office is imminent Continue Reading
News 28 Oct 2019

Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling: enterprise customers won’t pay extra for AI

Mike Ettling, chief executive, Unit4, spoke to Computer Weekly at the Unleash HR conference in Paris about ERP trends, and how he is positioning the firm he started running this year Continue Reading
News 24 Oct 2019

British Gas powers customer experience with third-party Salesforce app

Its parent company, Centrica, uses Salesforce to support Hive – now British Gas is using a third-party Salesforce app to improve customer experience Continue Reading
News 22 Oct 2019

Australia, Singapore emerge tops in data readiness index

Organisations in Australia and Singapore are among the most advanced in the Asia-Pacific region in harnessing data to achieve key business outcomes Continue Reading
E-Zine 22 Oct 2019

Microsoft vs Google – who’s winning the cloud email race?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, there’s a two-horse race for dominance in the cloud email market between Microsoft and Google, but they are not alone – we examine the runners and riders. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at governance, risk and compliance solutions. And we assess the progress of public cloud in the banking sector. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 22 Oct 2019

APAC spending on AI systems to hit $6.2bn in 2019

Led by China and organisations in the banking industry, APAC spending on artificial intelligence is set to grow by almost 64% this year, according to IDC Continue Reading
News 21 Oct 2019

Edge computing, 5G spur mobile mixed reality market

Research identifies 5G networks and edge computing as two key emerging technologies that will accelerate the development of mixed reality from 2020 Continue Reading
News 21 Oct 2019

SAP cloud revenue boosted by Microsoft deal

New contract with Microsoft will see Azure become the preferred hosting platform for ECC to SAP S/4 Hana cloud migrations Continue Reading
News 18 Oct 2019

Talent shortage impedes UK business data analytics efforts

Research from data blending and preparation supplier Alteryx finds UK businesses struggling to make the most of their data due to a shortage of data analytics expertise Continue Reading
News 18 Oct 2019

Due diligence requires a flexible, standardised approach

A study has found that procurement professionals are not confident of the process for vetting new suppliers – but a one-size assessment approach does not fit all Continue Reading
E-Zine 15 Oct 2019

Securing the internet of things

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as security concerns prevent many organisations from adopting the internet of things, we examine mitigation strategies. Many firms are still struggling with GDPR policies – we assess if full compliance is ever possible. And we look at the technologies for delivering on-premise object storage. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 14 Oct 2019

PDPC issues cross-border data transfer guidelines for cloud services

Singapore’s data protection watchdog issues advisory guidelines to help businesses and cloud suppliers stay on the right side of the law under the country’s data protection regime Continue Reading
News 11 Oct 2019

SAP CEO Bill McDermott steps down

McDermott will be replaced by SAP board members Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein Continue Reading
E-Zine 10 Oct 2019

CW Middle East: Saudi banks trial biometrics in ATMs

Biometric and blockchain technologies are being used in tandem to provide ID verification at Saudi Arabian cash machines. Also read about the first government organisation in Bahrain to migrate to Amazon Web Services, and an interview with Yasmeen Al Sharaf, head of fintech and innovation unit, Central Bank of Bahrain. Continue Reading
News 07 Oct 2019

Interview: BHF on using cloud and big data to improve heart patient outcomes

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has set itself the lofty goal of eradicating the fear of developing heart and circulatory disease by 2030, with the help of cloud, big data and personalisation technologies Continue Reading
News 01 Oct 2019

Citrix looks to grow APAC footprint with the intelligent workspace

Citrix is looking to expand its footprint in Asia-Pacific – particularly in Japan, where firms are starting to warm up to flexible work arrangements Continue Reading
News 01 Oct 2019

Future Decoded: How AI plus automation adds up to transformative change

Robotic process automation combined with artificial intelligence is a recipe for digital transformation, and new research suggests businesses that use AI are gaining a competitive advantage Continue Reading
News 01 Oct 2019

Marketplace push aims to get the NHS automating

Thoughtonomy is hosting a new marketplace to encourage NHS trusts to share their intelligent automation bots Continue Reading
News 30 Sep 2019

Australia gets ready for open banking

Traditional banks and fintech firms alike will need to bite the bullet in the crucial startup period if Australia’s open banking regime is to succeed Continue Reading
News 30 Sep 2019

Dubai’s Precision Group takes manufacturing into the cloud

Head of IT at mould and packaging company talks about leading its digital transformation programme Continue Reading
News 30 Sep 2019

The bots turning businesses into digital transformers

As companies increasingly turn to robotic process automation to accelerate digital transformation, Computer Weekly takes a look at how the market is evolving Continue Reading
News 25 Sep 2019

Why quantum needs a classic approach for supremacy

Google claims it has developed an algorithm for a quantum computer that would take a traditional “classical” computer 10,000 years to run. We investigate Continue Reading
News 25 Sep 2019

European enterprises 'waste' £24,000 a day on unused cloud services, says Insight research

The latest Insight Intelligent Technology Index report highlights the economic impacts of wasted cloud resources within European enterprises Continue Reading
News 25 Sep 2019

Executive interview: Speed is cloud apps benefit, says Oracle’s Miranda

In a Q&A with Computer Weekly at Oracle Open World 2019, applications head Steve Miranda discussed the supplier’s approach to cloud applications, digital assistants and machine learning Continue Reading
Podcast 24 Sep 2019

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 31

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly and Clare McDonald are joined by Ryan Priest for an accidentally transport-heavy chat about the week in tech Continue Reading
News 23 Sep 2019

Basic data and skills needed to fix UK social care

Foundations need to be in place to save the social care system from collapse, and NHSX needs to step up to the task, according to a Doteveryone report Continue Reading
E-Zine 19 Sep 2019

CW APAC: Buyer’s guide to human capital management

In this buyer’s guide, focused on human capital management (HCM) in the Asia-Pacific region, we look at the advantages of HCM software in recruitment, the importance of listening to staff and the considerations that should be made when using work algorithms. Continue Reading
News 18 Sep 2019

Singapore Airlines extends use of VMware Workspace One

Singapore’s national carrier is extending the use of Workspace One to more users in a move to enable its workforce to stay productive while on the go Continue Reading
E-Zine 17 Sep 2019

The £1bn IT plan to modernise UK railways

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to Network Rail’s CIO about the £1bn IT plan that underpins the modernisation of UK railways. As 5G roll-outs begin, we look at the likely enterprise applications of the new mobile network technology. And we examine the progress of cloud computing in financial services. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Feature 13 Sep 2019

4 ways to use blockchain in the supply chain

As blockchain technology enters its 11th year, its use in the supply chain is burgeoning. Here are some of the areas that are garnering the most interest. Continue Reading
News 13 Sep 2019

West Midlands gears up for the next phase of 5G

West Midlands 5G (WM5G) marks launch of UK’s first dedicated 5G accelerator programme by holding a series of demos to showcase the wide variety of use cases that exist for the technology Continue Reading
News 12 Sep 2019

How Zendesk plans to crack the enterprise market

Zendesk has been courting enterprises by billing itself as a customer experience software company and is leaning on its design smarts to stand out among bigger rivals Continue Reading
News 11 Sep 2019

How SATS is using digital twin tech to improve operations

Singapore-based SATS has been using a digital twin platform to model food production processes to improve in-flight catering operations Continue Reading
Tutorial 10 Sep 2019

Introduction to supply chain management software of 2020

Discover the functions of supply chain management software and learn how SCM software helps companies manage the complex demands of today's customers. Continue Reading
News 10 Sep 2019

Why it makes sense to use a third party to keep the IT lights on

Keeping operational systems running is a full-time job, but as systems get older, they end up being out of support Continue Reading