Mapics To Release Management Tool

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor Mapics Inc. plans to expand its software suite with a work-management tool designed to give customers a way to manage and control business applications.

Mapics WorkFlow is scheduled to ship next month as part of a new release of Mapics XA v5.5, its flagship ERP suite. The product will contain development tools and runtime software that follows a user's workflow to and from desktops.

"This product will offer a better, more productive way to do work," said Chris Pope, product manager at Atlanta-based Mapics.

The software is an object-oriented tool that allows users to internally control resources, data and document management. It integrates with the overall XA architecture and lets users test and deploy everyday business-process functions such as change orders and expense approvals.

Users select a task from a desktop "in-basket" of work that needs to be completed. Runtime software prompts users with activities that must be performed. It also determines the task status and activates the next task to be finished.

In addition, The software has Web-deployment capabilities for client/ server applications.

"Any Windows-based applications that a company might have can be moved to the Web for customer access," said Pope. "They gain productivity enhancements because they can reduce paperwork and reduce response time," he said.

Mapics will sell the product through its more than 80 channel partners, said Pope.

"It will add to their service options," he said. "They can create templates for customers because they always need more business-process streamlining."

The new WorkFlow product fills a gap and makes the ERP suite more robust, said Murat Sehidoglu, senior partner of consulting services at Los Angeles-based DKM, a Mapics reseller.

"Typically, customization produces pain to the client during the implementation, but the consequences are less with this type of software," he said.

Pricing for Mapics XA WorkFlow has not yet been finalized.