ERP targets midmarket - Microsoft, Oracle, Baan to improve front- office, back-office ERP integration.

RISING TO MEET midmarket demand for integrated front-and back-office systems, Microsoft, Oracle, and Baan are separately revving new enterprise software applications designed to reduce integration costs.

Microsoft next week will unveil two new ERP offerings, which it acquired from Navision, that are focused squarely on small and midsize business needs.

Microsoft's new Axapta 3.0 ERP solution features a new Enterprise Portal, designed to provide users data tailored for their role in the organization, said Shawna Van Buskirk, Axapta product marketing manager at Microsoft in Redmond, Wash. In addition, the user interface for Axapta has been altered for more …