SAP News

SAP, Microsoft Detail Plans for Duet: "SAP has had some success with Duet: About 400,000 licenses have been sold in less than a year. Microsoft, however, could be stepping on its own toes by enabling SAP users—particularly those in the midmarket—to be able to work on SAP applications in the Office environment. Microsoft sells its own brand of ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications with its Dynamics line of software (a clear leg up Microsoft has is its inroads with users already familiar with Office and Outlook; the company claims it has 500 million PCs loaded with Office). Microsoft has already developed a Duet-like set of integrations between Office and Dynamics—Snaps launched in 2006—that lets Office users access data in some Dynamics applications.
Raikes said during a press conference April 24 that 'the Dynamics group is also looking at how the Officer user experience can enhance access to Dynamics. [But] the most important point today is the leadership both companies are taking together to open up the value to SAP customers.'
Apotheker had a more telling response to the potential clash between SAP applications—which have a 65 percent penetration in the midmarket, according to SAP—and Dynamics applications.
'We will meet them in the market and ace a fair, honest competition,' said Apotheker. 'It will not have any impact on Duet.' "