Oracle To Buy Document Capture Software Vendor

Oracle is acquiring Captovation, a developer of document capture applications, in a bid to expand its enterprise content management (ECM) software portfolio. Oracle did not disclose the financial details of the deal, which the company announced late Wednesday and expects to close by February.

The acquisition is the latest move in Oracle's ambitious push into the ECM software arena. Oracle's content management product line, part of the company's Fusion Middleware, includes applications for Web content and document management, document archiving and imaging, and records retention and management. In December 2006 Oracle acquired content management application vendor Stellent for $440 million.

Captovation develops tools for capturing content from within business applications, including transactional content, for regulatory compliance and other applications. Oracle says Captovation's software is expected to become a core component of its ECM lineup.

The acquisition comes on the heels of Oracle's $8.5 billion deal to acquire middleware vendor BEA Systems. Altogether Oracle has acquired more than 40 companies over the last four years as part of its aggressive growth strategy.