Microsoft Latest to Launch Business Portal

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Microsoft Corp. is out with its new business portal
that aims to make its software and service the point-of-entry for
corporations.

Microsoft said in a press release it has created the portal for companies
“employees, suppliers and customers with easy access to information and
processes that are critical to maximizing efficiency and profitability, all
from a single, Web-based portal.”

Microsoft says the portal will be fully integrated with its Great Plains and
Solomon business applications to harmonize corporate information and
business processes.

Microsoft Business Solutions said the new portal uses a “role-based model,”
which gives companies a Web-based mechanism for reviewing sales reports,
provide queries for customer data, as well as being able to enter orders or
access corporate reports.

Microsoft emphasizes the portal is a “browser-based delivery” system on a
corporate network, or users can access applications Microsoft has developed
with Great Plains and Solomon through Microsoft Business Portal via Windows
Terminal Server.

Microsoft said the new portal is built upon its .NET architecture giving
businesses what it calls “security-enhanced, role-based access to
information and applications, with integrated workflow management for
increased productivity.” Microsoft also emphasized the portal will have
enhanced security to protect against unauthorized access or possible data or
code tampering.

Microsoft Business Portal is available immediately in the United States,
Canada, Australia and New Zealand through Microsoft Certified Business
Solutions reselling partners. It is planned for release in the United
Kingdom, Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific in the third calendar quarter
of 2003.

Microsoft said “user access licenses are priced at $45 to $65 per user,
based on the number of licenses purchased. Other applications will be
available for an additional fee. For example, the Human Resource Management
Self Service Suite, expected to be available mid-2003, can be purchased as a
suite for $5,000, or as individual modules ranging from $500 to $2,500.”

Microsoft recently released Great Plains 7.5, what it calls an integrated
suite of programs based on the former Microsoft Business Solutions Dynamics
and eEnterprise applications, which offers a collaborative approach to
information management. Great Plains 7.5 includes enhanced supply-chain
management and manufacturing features to handle customer service and
inventory, distribution and order management.

Microsoft is not alone in the business portal market. Sybase , Oracle , IBM , BEA Systems and other business software companies either have, or are developing business portals. These software vendors are beginning to offer more sophisticated portal technologies, including collaboration tools, such as e-mail, instant messaging and content management.