Worldwide spending for business application software is booming. And while vendors such as Microsoft, Oracle and SAP dominate the enterprise application software space, cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service, mobile computing and other industry trends are giving rise to a whole new generation of app vendors. SaaS application sales alone will grow 20.7 percent to $12.1 billion this year, according to Gartner.

Check out the emerging vendors in the business application software space that the channel needs to know.

Bizroof developed a collaborative CRM and events scheduling system, which it touts as the best way to store, organize and share info collected from customer interactions. The apps also provide sales and cash flow analysis for tracking opportunities, deals and quotes.

CompleteXRM develops what its calls “Enterprise 2.0 CRM” apps for SMBs. Built on a Java-based, service-oriented architecture model, the Enterprise 2.0 CRM apps can be easily customized and extended for the specific needs of any industry.

Custora offers on-demand e-marketing and predictive analysis apps that businesses use to identify customers and keep them engaged. The apps analyze transaction patterns to figure out how customers behave and predict their buying behavior as much as two years out.

Deskera develops an integrated SaaS suite of financial management and accounting, CRM, project management, HR management, training, and leave and attendance applications. The company touts the data-sharing capabilities of its products, which are targeted at SMBs.

Marketo’s on-demand marketing automation apps, which the company calls “revenue performance management” software, help businesses improve their lead generation and qualification efforts and better communicate those leads to their sales organizations.

OpenERP develops an open-source suite of accounting, manufacturing, warehouse management, purchasing, invoicing, POS, CRM, HR and project management applications. The company relies on more than 400 partners to deploy its products and service customers.

Pardot develops the Prospect Insight B2B marketing automation software for creating, deploying and managing online marketing campaigns. Targeted at SMBs, Pardot’s on-demand software is integrated with apps from Salesforce.com, NetSuite, SugarCRM.

Taking a page from the CRM playbook, RelayWare sells cloud-based partner relationship management (PRM) apps. Businesses use RelayWare’s apps to recruit business partners, manage their partner networks and optimize indirect sales.

SalesFusion develops a line of B2B marketing automation, CRM and e-mail marketing apps. Earlier this year the company unveiled version 6.0 of its SalesFusion 360 marketing demand generation platform with new event management and social media marketing capabilities.

Taleo offers on-demand talent management apps for employee recruitment, performance and compensation management, and employee learning. In July Dublin, Calif.-based Taleo acquired Jobpartners, a European developer of talent management software.