PeopleSoft, a leading provider of enterprise application software, announced at its 1997 Users Conference plans for version 7.5 of its enterprise application suite. With PeopleSoft 7.5, the company will deliver global distribution and manufacturing, as well as added industry-specific functionality, an extensive list of new applications, and a new implementation toolset.
PeopleSoft 7.5 will take advantage of the technology features introduced with PeopleSoft 7, including a Web Client, a high-performance three-tier processing option, and on-line analytical processing (OLAP) integration.
"With the powerful technology and multi-national functionality in PeopleSoft 7.0 and 7.5, PeopleSoft solidifies its leadership position in delivering global, enterprise-wide solutions," said Errol van der Merwe, country manager for PeopleSoft South Africa. "PeopleSoft has brought the innovative solutions it pioneered in human resources to the rest of the enterprise and the rest of the world."
Core Applications and Functionality
Adding a broad set of new applications, as well as increased global functionality and expanded capabilities, PeopleSoft 7.5 will significantly extend PeopleSoft`s enterprise application suite. In announcing these plans, PeopleSoft has renewed its commitment to providing innovative solutions that allow customers to not only track information and streamline processes, but also make important strategic decisions, on a global basis if necessary.
PeopleSoft solutions offer organisations a competitive advantage, enabling managers and professionals to spend less time on routine, record-keeping activities, and giving them the tools to make more strategic contributions to their organisations. In addition to extensive enhancements across all product lines, PeopleSoft 7.5 will include the following applications and functionality. All of these elements are currently planned to be available in the first half of 1998, except as noted.
Global Distribution and Manufacturing
PeopleSoft will extend its global enterprise solution with global Distribution and Manufacturing application suites that will support the full range of languages and currencies supported in PeopleSoft`s global Financials and HRMS application suites.
Support for European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
PeopleSoft`s global architecture already includes accounting capabilities, such as multi-currency support, that are critical to successful EMU preparation and transition. PeopleSoft 7.5 will enhance this offering with additional EMU functionality, for example, multi-book capabilities in the Payables and Receivables applications for supporting the automatic conversion of transactions.
Performance Measurement
This new financial application allows organisations to track key performance indicators by providing activity-based costing, economic value added, and multi-dimensional revenue and profit analysis capabilities that are integrated with PeopleSoft General Ledger. PeopleSoft Performance Measurement is being co-developed with KPMG Peat Marwick LLP and is currently planned to be available as a beta version in the second quarter of 1998.
PeopleSoft Quality
This new application will allow quality engineers to identify trends and address problems regarding manufacturing processes by gathering real-time data from the shop floor.
Demand Planning
Designed to seamlessly integrate the forecasting process with supply planning, this new application enables collaboration across multiple departments within the enterprise, as well as among supply chain partners.
AS/400 Support. PeopleSoft will extend platform support for IBM`s AS/400 to the entire PeopleSoft enterprise application suite, including Distribution and Manufacturing.
Treasury
This new application suite will support the rapidly changing information requirements of sophisticated, global, and multi-center treasury units, with the following applications: Cash Management - Helps cash managers monitor and forecast cash needs, maintain bank relationship information, and perform bank reconciliation. Deal Management - Addresses the needs of a treasury organisation that transacts in a broad range of financial markets by streamlining deal initiation, administration, settlement, accounting, and position monitoring. Risk Management - Supports the valuation and analysis of a treasury`s portfolio of transactions and exposures.
Expenses
This new application will allow multinational organizations to exercise tight control over expense management processing while enabling timely and efficient employee reimbursement.
Stock Administration
This new application will enable organisations to efficiently and flexibly administer and maintain employee stock purchase plans (ESPP) and incentive and non-qualified stock option grants (ISO and NQSO).
Total Compensation
This new functionality in the HRMS application suite will allow users to consolidate all compensation factors in a cube, including functions from the PeopleSoft Payroll, PeopleSoft Human Resources, and PeopleSoft Benefits applications, as well as third-party compensation components.
Additional Global Functionality for Financials Application Suite
PeopleSoft will add international functionality to its global Financials application suite, including support for the Latin business model.
Industry-Specific Solutions
PeopleSoft is committed to providing industry-specific solutions and functionality to its customers and has formed nine Industry Business Units (IBUs) to address the specific needs of commercial, education, and government sectors. PeopleSoft 7.5 will include enhanced functionality and tailored solutions for the following industries:
Manufacturing
Powerful new functionality for the electronics and high-tech, consumer products, and automotive industries will include data collection and bar coding enhancements to streamline reporting of production and allow for more efficient inventory management throughout the enterprise.
Retail
PeopleSoft and Intrepid Systems have partnered to develop a joint solution for retailers that integrates Intrepid`s merchandising management software with PeopleSoft`s enterprise applications. As part of PeopleSoft 7.5, PeopleSoft plans to deliver packaged integration with Intrepid`s merchandising management software.
Higher Education
PeopleSoft has developed the Student Administration application suite to complete its enterprise solution for the higher education community, including Financials for Public Sector and HRMS for Public Sector. In addition, two new applications will be included with PeopleSoft 7.5, PeopleSoft Grants to support research proposal development and award management, and PeopleSoft Advancement to support fundraising, donor and alumni relationship management for universities. Student Administration, Public Sector Financials and Public Sector HRMS are currently planned to be available with PeopleSoft 7.5 in the fourth quarter of 1998.
Federal Government
PeopleSoft`s HRMS for Federal Government and Financials for Federal Government application suites are currently planned to be available with PeopleSoft 7.5 in the fourth quarter of 1998.
Public Sector
PeopleSoft`s HRMS for Public Sector and Financials for Public Sector application suites are currently planned to be available with PeopleSoft 7.5 in the fourth quarter of 1998.
Healthcare
Enhancements in PeopleSoft 7.5 to PeopleSoft`s Materials Management solution (Purchasing and Inventory) will provide the healthcare industry with improved cost management capabilities, including functionality for stockless par inventories, procurement cards, electronic catalogs, and bar code entry.
Communications, Transportation, and Utilities
With PeopleSoft 7.5, PeopleSoft Projects will provide seamless integration with Primavera P3 and Microsoft Project. These applications allow for optimized resource planning and scheduling. PeopleSoft Projects will also contain improved integration with PeopleSoft Asset Management for capitalising asset intensive projects. PeopleSoft`s Asset Management application will continue to deliver enhanced financial and tax accounting for fixed assets, as well as expanded support for operating leases.
Financial Services
In addition to current industry-specific functionality, PeopleSoft will develop new applications for the financial services industry with PeopleSoft 7.5. Details will be announced in the fourth quarter of 1997.
Service Industries
PeopleSoft 7.5 will include enhancements to PeopleSoft Projects that meet the specific needs of service organisations, including complex project-based billing and revenue recognition, as well as enhanced optimized resource planning and deployment through seamless integration with Primavera P3 and Microsoft Project desktop applications. In addition, new global enhancements to the HRMS application suite will help address the specific challenges of service organizations in recruiting, deploying, and compensating a multinational workforce.
New Implementation Tools
To make low-cost, rapid software implementations widely available, PeopleSoft will make DirectPath, its implementation methodology and toolset, available to all customers. DirectPath is a significantly enhanced version of PeopleSoft`s current implementation approach, consisting of a structured implementation method, including a sequence of predefined deliverables and templates, as well as a software toolset. With DirectPath, PeopleSoft customers will be able to reduce the time it takes to put their applications into production, resulting in cost savings and more rapid return on investment.
The DirectPath methodology and toolset is currently planned to be delivered in beta release with PeopleSoft 7.5 in the first half of 1998, and to be generally available in the second half of 1998.
Share
Editorial contacts