Microsoft buys software to bolster its core ERP product

From InfoWorld: Microsoft is buying technology from four of its partners in order to bolster its Dynamics AX ERP (enterprise resource planning) product with commonly needed functions across various industries, according to a senior company executive.

Microsoft sells ERP products across five industries, and three of those categories, manufacturing, retail and professional services, will benefit from the purchase, said Crispin Read, general manager for Dynamics ERP.

"We hadn't provided sufficient industry capability," Read said.

Microsoft is buying additional functionality for manufacturing from Fullscope, a company that specializes in customizing Microsoft's Dynamics AX product, which is aimed at the upper midmarket, Read said. The technology will add a capability for manufacturing processes that don't deal with discrete components, such as formulas for food and chemical products, he said.

The technology for retail comes from two companies, LSRetail and To-Increase Denmark. It will add new features for retailers, but not functions tailored for a certain type of retailer, such as restaurant or fashion house, Read said. Some of those features cover store management, point-of-sale and merchandising.

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