As industry-wide momentum shifts toward speedier application implementations, Oracle is unveiling the latest member of its FastForward Manufacturing family.
The company today announced its rapid preconfigured installation model for process manufacturing. The package, available in May, includes tools and services such as modeling, implementation standards, application software, consulting, training, and product support. Support is included for Oracle releases 10.7 and 11.0.
This latest offering is part of the Redwood Shores, California-based company's quick implementation program for small to midsized manufacturers. Oracle FastForward Manufacturing contains Oracle's financial and manufacturing software preconfigured to fit standard industry business practices. The installations provide customers with both a guaranteed implementation schedule and price.
Last week, the business software maker's consulting services arm also announced Oracle Business Models, a set of templates and methods aimed at revving up implementation of various applications in Oracle's ERP offering and detailing return on investment. The package is available now through Oracle Consulting and Oracle partners.
Pricing is set at $655,000 for 25 users and $850,000 for 50 users, Oracle said.
Business software vendors are increasingly eyeing the middle market for new sources of revenue as large corporate users delay big software projects while focusing on Year 2000 preparedness.
To capture that new business, vendors--including Oracle, SAP, Baan, and PeopleSoft--are working to pare down their heavyweight applications and make them easier to use. Last December, PeopleSoft unveiled a program designed to get small and midsize firms in a variety of industries up and running quickly on PeopleSoft's software. The new program was the latest addition to PeopleSoft Select, a program that offers users a one-stop shop for hardware, software, and services to quickly implement PeopleSoft software.
Midtier vendors, including System Software Associates and Lawson Software are also moving to keep up with their bigger brethren--and hold on to their mid- market customers--by recently announcing packages that promise new and easier installation methods, as well as Web-based components.