Infor selects Microsoft as preferred technology and tools provider for Infor Software Solutions

Infor, provider of business software for mid-market companies, is to closely align its key business applications with a wide range of complementary Microsoft products, forming software solutions that are easier for mid-market companies to deploy and use.

Next-generation Infor software solutions that use Microsoft tools and technologies will be designed to:

Use a unified, intuitive graphical interface running on Microsoft SharePoint 2010 for an improved end-user experience across all applications.

More tightly integrate widely adopted Microsoft server-based products and industry-standard technologies, enabling IT to deploy Infor solutions faster and manage them more easily.

Use Infor ION for application interoperability, data sharing and management for a more seamless and secure flow of information.

The Microsoft products and technologies that will be integrated with Infor applications include:

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 acting as the foundation for portal based, unified interfaces for applicable Infor applications.

Microsoft Silverlight for dynamic graphical interface elements.

Microsoft SQL Server as the preferred Infor database.

Microsoft Reporting Services as a part of the foundation for the Infor Business Intelligence strategy across its portfolio.

Microsoft Single Sign-On service for storage and mapping of credentials across applicable Infor applications.

Microsoft Windows Server as the preferred on-premise operating system.

Infor also plans to deliver pre-built reports, dashboards and analytics that run within Microsoft SharePoint 2010 to help reduce customers cost to build and upgrade their reporting environments.  These will combine rich backbone data from Infor applications via Infor ION, with proven Microsoft Reporting Services and analysis capabilities.

In addition, Infor expects to accelerate the introduction of new products through increasing alignment with Microsoft technologies because it will allow greater code re-use, more standardization of technologies across applicable Infor applications, and decreased overall design complexity.

What Microsoft Says
In Infor we see a leading partner that is using the Microsoft platform to provide simplicity and flexibility for great customer value said Walid Abu-Hadba, corporate vice president, Developer and Platform Evangelism, Microsoft Corporation. Companies want simplified, integrated solutions to help manage their business processes, and by integrating Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, Silverlight and SharePoint 2010 into their solutions, Infor will help companies of all sizesfrom SMBs to Fortune 500 companiesimprove their efficiencies and reduce costs by simplifying how they use business software.

What Altimeter Group Says
The perception of Microsoft according to more than 74.6% of business and IT leaders recently polled is one of neutral and trusted supplier, said R Ray Wang, founding partner and analyst at Altimeter Group. As Microsofts technology offerings are enjoying a renewed interest and reinvestment among customers, partners and critical OEMs, Infors customers should be pleased to see the close integration with the company as it will simplify software deployment and ease of use.

What We Say
The business software industry is at a crossroads, said Jim Schaper, chairman and chief executive officer of Infor. For too long, business software vendors have failed to meet the needs of mid-size companies that are increasingly frustrated with the high cost and complexity of traditional enterprise applications that were designed for multi-billion dollar corporations.  By integrating the rich functionality of Infors applications with Microsofts intuitive technologies, we will be able to provide mid-size businesses with fast and affordable solutions that meet their functionality needs and are easy to use. This combination of power and simplicity is the direction our industry is headed.