SAP

SAP and Microsoft Improve Information Delivery with Duet and Unified Communications

SAP provides enterprise resource planning software that helps customers manage finances, human resources, and operations. To give information workers access to SAP processes and data through Microsoft® Office applications, SAP and Microsoft created Duet™ software. Now customers want fast access not only to data but also to people. In response, SAP and Microsoft integrated Duet with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. As a result, business users can take advantage of presence information and “click-to-communicate” features while working with processes and content in Duet. They can make faster decisions with quick access to the right people and improve return on investment by building on existing technology. Finally, enterprises who implement SAP Duet with Office Communications Server 2007 can collaborate more effectively and enhance participation in business processes.

Situation

By using Duet with Office Communications Server 2007 capabilities, business managers can make better decisions faster with relevant information and real-time access to the right people. Nir Kol Vice President and Duet Program Lead SAP

Based in Walldorf, Germany, SAP is a leading provider of business software to more than 41,000 customers worldwide. The company delivers enterprise software applications and business solutions to industries that include aerospace, consumer products, high tech, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing.

Businesses wanted to improve efficiency. The company’s core product line is the SAP Business Suite, a family of integrated applications that support the complete business process including finance, sales, operations, human resources, and services. Many employees lack the access from their desktop productivity applications to take advantage of the SAP Business Suite resources. As a result, some information may not be easily available to decision makers.

To meet this need, SAP and Microsoft designed Duet™ software, a solution that can be used by employees to easily and quickly interact with SAP business processes and data through their familiar Microsoft Office environment. By using Duet, information workers take advantage of SAP technology through standard productivity applications such as Microsoft Office Outlook® messaging and collaboration client and Microsoft Office Excel® spreadsheet software. SAP and Microsoft make it even easier to use business information by extending Duet capabilities with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.

Solution

The collaboration between SAP and Microsoft changed the way people worked by simplifying access to SAP applications and data. The next step is to simplify access to people. “The decision to include Office Communication Server 2007 is a natural one,” says Nir Kol, Vice President and Duet Program Lead at SAP. “We’ve already integrated structured data from SAP applications with Office Outlook and other Office programs. Now we want to take advantage of real-time communication and collaboration capabilities to help information workers make better, more informed decisions with access to the right data and the right people.”

Information workers use Duet to interact with SAP data in the context of business processes. The solution brings Duet and multiple communications tools together in a single intuitive interface. As a result, critical business information is easily accessible when needed, and Office Communications Server 2007 extends the solution with new communication and collaboration capabilities.

Duet software with Office Communications Server 2007 capabilities will add immediate value to customers using both SAP technology and Microsoft Office applications. Chris Keyser Group Program Manager for Duet Microsoft

For example, a financial manager can open Office Excel spreadsheets to work with budget data populated by SAP software, or open Office Outlook to receive a purchase request routed by Duet. The names of people involved in the business process are embedded in Office applications with presence icons indicating availability to collaborate. To discuss the request, the manager can “click-to-communicate” initiating an instant message, phone call, or video conference.

SAP and Microsoft plan to release Duet with integrated Office Communications Server 2007 capabilities by the middle of 2008. The solution appeals to customers in a multiple industries, in part because it makes SAP technology available to a wider range of users. For instance, some companies might use Duet to support time reporting and leave management, and others might use it for sales management.

Benefits

Duet software helps business users make better decisions by delivering access to SAP processes and data through Microsoft Office applications. Integration with Office Communications Server 2007 extends the reach and effectiveness of business information through new real-time collaboration capabilities. Businesses also achieve improved return on investment by taking advantage of existing skills and technology. By improving access to information and people, companies can strengthen productivity and help employees participate more effectively in business processes.

Improved Quality of Business Decisions

Duet software with Office Communications Server 2007 can be used at all enterprise levels to improve the efficiency and quality of business decisions and processes. For instance, human resources administrators can select candidates more quickly by using Duet to collaboratively schedule interviews and capture immediate feedback from process managers. Financial managers can make more effective budget decisions with direct access to SAP business information supported by real-time communication with colleagues.
 
“By using Duet with Office Communications Server 2007 capabilities, business managers can make better decisions faster with relevant information and real-time access to the right people,” says Kol.

Better Return on Investment

We are very enthusiastic to be a strategic partner with SAP in delivering a product that integrates Office Communications Server 2007 with the world’s leading enterprise business systems software. Chris Keyser Group Program Manager for Duet Microsoft

Duet software helps businesses build on current skills and technology for better return on investment. Many SAP customers are already using Microsoft Office applications and products such as Microsoft Exchange Server, and they can easily deploy Duet with minimal user training. Chris Keyser, Group Program Manager for Duet at Microsoft, says “Duet software with Office Communications Server 2007 capabilities will add immediate value to customers using both SAP technology and Microsoft Office applications.”

Expanded Opportunities

The SAP and Microsoft collaboration has created new opportunities for enterprise customers. By integrating powerful line-of-business applications like the SAP Business Suite with Office productivity applications and Office Communications Server 2007 communications and collaboration features, Duet will help people improve their productivity in business processes. As a result, enterprises can expand work force potential by taking better advantage of more employees’ business skills and experience.

SAP and Microsoft have more plans for their joint product, including adding more Duet scenarios supporting a broad range of business processes, and integrating Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007 and future Microsoft Office software. “We are very enthusiastic to be a strategic partner with SAP in delivering a product that integrates Office Communications Server 2007 with the world’s leading enterprise business systems software,” says Keyser. “We are looking forward to even more opportunities to extend communications and collaboration capabilities for business users.”

For More Information

For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to:
www.microsoft.com

For more information about SAP products and services, call (800) 872-1727 or visit the Web site at:
www.sap.com

Unified Communications

Unified communications bridge the gap between telephony and computing to deliver real-time messaging, voice, and conferencing to the desktop environment. For more information, go to:
www.microsoft.com/uc

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published October 2007