NEW YORK — Saying the recession is a good time to invest in information technology, SAP AG today introduced a new version of its flagship software product that officials claim is “a milestone” in the history of the enterprise application software market leader.
The new version, designated Business Suite 7, has more than 150 functional improvements, but, perhaps more important, it provides what SAP says is an easier and more cost-effective way for manufacturers and other organizations to upgrade their systems in a consistent way. Costly and lengthy upgrades, which often also involve multiple software release levels, have been a serious business issue for organizations for many years.
SAP said it is attacking this problem in Business Suite 7 by extending to all modules within the flagship product a concept called enhancement packages, which provide a way for an organization to selectively deploy desired application functionality without having to undertake a complete system upgrade. Previously, enhancement packages were available only with Business Suite’s core ERP module.
Now, the enhancement package capability is being offered for the four other key components of Business Suite — customer relationship management, supplier relationship management, supply chain management, and product lifecycle management.