News
        
        MS and SAP To Preview “Mendocino” 
        
        
        
			- By Stuart J. Johnston
- December 21, 2005
        Microsoft said it and partner SAP will provide a technology preview of their 
  jointly developed “Mendocino” product to 40 customers and 10 partners 
  on Friday, right on schedule.
Announced in April, Mendocino is the code name for a product that is meant 
  to more closely integrate SAP with Microsoft Office. 
“Our goal is to enable Microsoft Office to bridge the gulf between enterprise 
  data sources and the information workers who need to view and analyze business 
  information, plan and make decisions, and collaborate with others,” Chris 
  Caren, general manager of Microsoft's Office business applications group, said 
  in a statement.
Product development is focused on fulfilling four scenarios. First is budget 
  monitoring, aimed at providing managers with access to financial data they need 
  to do annual budget planning and monitoring, cost analysis, and correction of 
  postings. Second is a time management scenario that aims to enable employees 
  who need to record and review hours worked to do so within the Outlook calendar. 
Third is a leave management scenario so that employees can request and receive 
  leave approvals in Outlook mail. And finally, an organization management scenario 
  brings human resources-related administrative and planning tasks into Outlook.
“We’re making good progress towards a broader beta release in the 
  spring and final availability in the late-summer 2006 timeframe,” said 
  Caren’s statement.
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
            
        
        
                
                    About the Author
                    
                
                    
                    Stuart J. Johnston has covered technology, especially Microsoft, since February 1988 for InfoWorld, Computerworld, Information Week, and PC World, as well as for Enterprise Developer, XML & Web Services, and .NET magazines.