News

News

• September 01, 2021 01 Sep'21

  Catastrophes may shift hiring, remote work policies

  As natural disaster numbers increase, remote work policies may be examined for how they keep workers online. But beyond temporary employee relocations, HR may be curbed by options.

• September 01, 2021 01 Sep'21

  Microsoft announces release date for Windows 11

  Windows 11 will include integration with unified communications platform Teams but won't initially include the option to download Android apps.

• September 01, 2021 01 Sep'21

  New features coming for Salesforce Sales Cloud

  Salesforce adds CRM features to support remote-work models for sales teams born in the pandemic and continuing -- possibly permanently -- through 2022 and beyond.

• August 30, 2021 30 Aug'21

  Microsoft to offer online-only Office, Outlook on Chromebooks

  Starting on Sept. 18, Chromebook users will have to rely on the web-based versions of the popular Microsoft apps. Google welcomed the move as better for Chromebook users.

• August 30, 2021 30 Aug'21

  Facebook, Microsoft bet on collaborative virtual reality

  Microsoft and Facebook think virtual reality collaboration could help companies save on office space and travel. But the tech needs more development to be ready for general use.

• August 27, 2021 27 Aug'21

  Cash is king in hiring and retaining talent

  Sign-on bonuses, tuition help and increases in starting salaries are among the steps employers are taking to hire and retain talent in a competitive market.

• August 27, 2021 27 Aug'21

  ERP cloud migration can be boosted by HCM integration

  In this Q&A, Pritam Dutta of ArcLight Consulting explains why some ERP cloud migrations run into trouble, and how integrating HCM systems can aid migration and improve processes.

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Zoom's latest features help companies control info sharing

  Zoom has recently released features intended to give companies and meeting hosts more control over the information they share and what attendees can see.

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Delta's surcharge a new take on employee vaccination incentives

  Businesses are reluctant to impose vaccine mandates, and vaccine incentives are showing limited results. But Delta Air Lines is trying a $200 surcharge on unvaccinated employees.

• August 25, 2021 25 Aug'21

  Qualtrics adds BrandXM experience management tool

  Qualtrics adds Brand Impact Simulator, which BrandXM users can use to model how changes in a customer experience might entice new customers to make purchases.

• August 23, 2021 23 Aug'21

  New pay equity laws require proof of fair pay

  Pay equity laws that require firms to collect and report data are making inroads in the U.S. One HR tech vendor is preparing to provide companies with tools that will help.

• August 20, 2021 20 Aug'21

  Adobe buys Frame.io cloud video review platform for $1.275B

  Adobe plans to acquire Frame.io review and approval platform for $1.275 billion to streamline digital collaboration among video editors, producers, agencies and clients.

• August 20, 2021 20 Aug'21

  IBM touts hybrid cloud for S/4HANA transformations

  IBM's hybrid cloud presents a strong alternative to the public cloud hyperscalers for S/4HANA deployments, but many don't see the legacy vendor as an innovation leader.

• August 19, 2021 19 Aug'21

  Windows 10 vs. Windows 11 requirements force PC upgrades

  Microsoft's new operating system will bring default security features for enterprises. Installation will be akin to a Windows 10 update for IT shops with the right hardware.

• August 19, 2021 19 Aug'21

  Microsoft aims Teams Rooms features at hybrid work

  Microsoft will release Teams Rooms features to increase the visibility of chat messages, improve presentations and help workers sort through attendees more easily.

• August 18, 2021 18 Aug'21

  HR market sees investment bump from COVID-19

  New funding rounds and acquisitions in HR technology are on pace to top 2020's banner year. The HR market activity is being driven, in part, by pandemic-related needs.

• August 17, 2021 17 Aug'21

  Hidden issues complicate sustainability in IT manufacturing

  Clare Hobby of TCO Development discusses how difficult it is to rate IT products' sustainability. But corporate buyers and consumers have the power to demand something different.

• August 17, 2021 17 Aug'21

  Initial Salesforce-Slack integrations: Sales, service, marketing

  Salesforce unveils the first Slack integrations. But it could be Slack Connect -- which extends Slack's reach outside the Salesforce user's organization -- that is the killer app.

• August 16, 2021 16 Aug'21

  Meet the CIO who keeps the Salesforce platform running

  Salesforce EVP and CIO Jo-ann de Pass Olsovsky embraces the pivot to remote work, low-code appdev and the role of alpha tester of upcoming Salesforce products.

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  Tech issues keep mobile telehealth from reaching underserved

  Mobile devices provide a key way to connect underserved patients to telehealth services, but complexity and connection problems keep patients from reaping the benefits.

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  Bold vision for SAP Business Network not yet a reality

  SAP is trying to create a 'network of networks' with its SAP Business Network, which it unveiled in June, but it still has to knit all the elements together.

• August 12, 2021 12 Aug'21

  Microsoft buys Peer5 to ease Teams' network demands

  Microsoft's purchase of Peer5 adds to Teams an enterprise content delivery network that reduces the strain large video meetings place on corporate networks.

• August 11, 2021 11 Aug'21

  In $5.2B deal, Cornerstone OnDemand goes private

  Cornerstone OnDemand has been acquired by Clearlake Capital Group, a move that will give it the financial support, flexibility and room to grow, experts said.

• August 10, 2021 10 Aug'21

  Adobe, Salesforce expand health clouds

  Adobe releases Experience Manager for Healthcare and plugs its CDP into marketing and clinical data; Salesforce releases healthcare features.

• August 09, 2021 09 Aug'21

  Four-day workweek reactions range from warm to cool

  The rise of flexible hours, along with remote and hybrid work, is reviving a discussion: Should firms implement a four-day workweek? The answer is anything but simple.

• August 06, 2021 06 Aug'21

  Amazon, Microsoft delay office reopening over COVID resurgence

  A resurgence in COVID-19 infections has forced more big-tech firms to defer reopening their offices. Amazon and Microsoft are the latest to join the ranks.

• August 04, 2021 04 Aug'21

  Hybrid office brings scheduling software to forefront

  Scheduling systems for hybrid offices are an emerging post-pandemic tool to manage employees without permanent desks and facilitate in-person collaboration.

• August 04, 2021 04 Aug'21

  Zoom settlement of privacy suit covers some businesses

  Smaller businesses could benefit from Zoom's recent class-action lawsuit settlement. However, the deal does not cover companies with enterprise licenses.

• August 03, 2021 03 Aug'21

  Salesforce automation strategy sharpens with acquisition

  The CX giant plans to fold RPA technology from an acquisition into some of its platforms. The move comes after Microsoft and other big tech firms bought RPA vendors.

• August 02, 2021 02 Aug'21

  ERP goes green, ahead of customer sustainability initiatives

  As sustainability becomes a more key topic for businesses, enterprise applications vendors are touting programs to support efforts like carbon reduction and the circular economy.

• July 29, 2021 29 Jul'21

  U.S. lawmaker seeks national four-day workweek

  The four-day workweek could become law under legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Takano. It would require firms to pay overtime to hourly employees working more than 32 hours.

• July 29, 2021 29 Jul'21

  Badmouthing of federal gov hurts cybersecurity recruiting

  Government and businesses are struggling with cybersecurity recruiting because of a skills shortage. The federal government's problem is made worse by bad branding.

• July 28, 2021 28 Jul'21

  Nice expands contact center AI offering with ContactEngine buy

  Nice acquires ContactEngine conversational AI technology to support customer self-service and live agent conversations across multiple digital channels.

• July 28, 2021 28 Jul'21

  Signavio aims to transform SAP software development model

  In this Q&A, Signavio CEO Gero Decker discusses the process mining software vendor's role in Rise with SAP and its criticality to business transformation.

• July 28, 2021 28 Jul'21

  After self-criticism, Workday improves Black representation

  Last year, Workday officials acknowledged that its Black employee community was underrepresented. Employee survey data suggests it has since made improvements.

• July 27, 2021 27 Jul'21

  OpenText releases customer data platform

  OpenText customers get a natively integrated runtime CDP to drive marketing personalization and other customer interactions; AI content security features debut.

• July 26, 2021 26 Jul'21

  Box Sign gives business users built-in digital signature tool

  Box's $55 million acquisition of SignRequest in February yields a native digital signatures feature for Box Business and Enterprise cloud content management users.

• July 23, 2021 23 Jul'21

  Microsoft Windows 365 confuses tech buyers

  Microsoft hasn't clearly defined when a company should pick Windows 365 over its other desktop as a service, Azure Virtual Desktop. The differences seem more subtle than dramatic.

• July 23, 2021 23 Jul'21

  IT complexity slows S/4HANA migration pace

  Most S/4HANA projects are being held up by the complexity of SAP system environments, and organizations need to fully understand the systems and align IT and business to succeed.

• July 23, 2021 23 Jul'21

  Zoom-Five9 deal to offer all-in-one cloud contact center

  The Zoom-Five9 deal could deliver a product portfolio capable of satisfying businesses' contact center needs while providing communications for a hybrid workforce.

• July 22, 2021 22 Jul'21

  Acumatica Summit focuses on cloud ERP and growth

  Acumatica touted growth and new integrations with Adobe and Microsoft at its annual summit. Analysts like the ERP vendor's innovations and customer-centric approach.

• July 22, 2021 22 Jul'21

  Adobe launches PDF extraction, generation APIs

  Adobe deconstructs the PDF creation and content extraction processes with the release of APIs for developers available on AWS marketplace.

• July 21, 2021 21 Jul'21

  Paycor IPO launches, CEO explains what's next

  Paycor HCM's CEO shares what the IPO means for its customers and plans to use the investment for R&D and sales expansion as it expands in the SMB market.

• July 20, 2021 20 Jul'21

  Redpoint Global moves into data quality as a service

  Redpoint Global users get tools to manage first-party partner, product and customer data quality, identity and governance with In Situ feature bundle.

• July 19, 2021 19 Jul'21

  Zoom to buy cloud contact center provider Five9 for $14.7B

  Zoom's acquisition of Five9 would make the company a competitor to 8x8, RingCentral, Cisco and Vonage in the growing cloud-based contact center market.

• July 19, 2021 19 Jul'21

  Automation, job loss fears speed workforce training in Mass.

  A new report from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers a snapshot of what states are facing post-pandemic: increasing automation and a need for workforce training.

• July 16, 2021 16 Jul'21

  Microsoft widens Teams' reach with Dynamics 365 integration

  Integration between Teams and Dynamics 365 lets sales and service reps edit customer records while talking to clients. Teams also offers integration with third-party apps.

• July 15, 2021 15 Jul'21

  Salesforce to pull plug on Audience Studio DMP

  Salesforce Audience Studio DMP is no longer being sold, Salesforce confirms. It could signal the beginning of the end of programmatic digital ad sales.

• July 15, 2021 15 Jul'21

  Rise with SAP won't move S/4HANA needle for large customers

  Rise with SAP is good for smaller companies, but if Rise is going to be a success, SAP will need to figure out how to attract its largest customers, according to two experts.

• July 14, 2021 14 Jul'21

  Video conferencing vendors rush to fix meeting fatigue

  Video conferencing vendors tackle video fatigue with tools to mitigate the stress caused by the overuse of their products. Experts advise using multiple means of communication.

• July 14, 2021 14 Jul'21

  Microsoft puts its OS in the cloud with Windows 365

  Microsoft said Windows 365 gives companies a simple way to use cloud-based desktops at a predictable price. The company will release two versions of the product in early August.

• July 14, 2021 14 Jul'21

  Salesforce Industries' Media Cloud adds ad management

  Salesforce Media Cloud adds a multimedia ad sales platform for media companies to manage their customers' ad spend. Also: AppExchange partner marketplace adds chat, user reviews.

• July 13, 2021 13 Jul'21

  Worker shortages spur hiring incentives, low layoffs

  Layoffs and involuntary terminations have reached a new low, as firms try to retain employees and hire new ones. They're also turning to some unique cash incentives.

• July 13, 2021 13 Jul'21

  Acquia releases employee experience features for DX platform

  Developers are the focus of Acquia's update to Open DXP. They get an all-cloud app dev environment, AI search and a toolbox to build employee-facing apps and services.

• July 12, 2021 12 Jul'21

  Infor spins off EAM business to Hexagon but retains a stake

  Rather than making the investments, Infor decided that the best way to advance its Infor EAM platform was to sell it, a move one analyst described as 'shortsighted.'

• July 12, 2021 12 Jul'21

  Brands opt for headless e-commerce vs. traditional commerce

  For large enterprises, headless commerce breaks down websites into user-friendly modules marketers can update. SMBs can also use it, paired with WordPress and other simple tools.

• July 09, 2021 09 Jul'21

  Biden noncompete agreement order a warning for businesses

  President Biden has ordered the FTC to consider restricting noncompete agreements, a directive that has bipartisan support in Congress.

• July 09, 2021 09 Jul'21

  Zoom adds voice commands to Zoom Rooms

  Zoom Rooms voice controls could ease the frustrations of using conference room video hardware. Zoom released the feature in public beta, making it available on select systems.

• July 09, 2021 09 Jul'21

  Criminal background check prompts federal lawsuit

  Errors in criminal background checks may be common, which could lead to a denied job opportunity. A Connecticut lawsuit details one such case.

• July 08, 2021 08 Jul'21

  Cisco takes over hybrid event manager Socio Labs

  Cisco will pair Socio Labs' hybrid event product with Webex video and Slido audience polling tools. Cisco believes events with in-person and online participants are the future.

• July 06, 2021 06 Jul'21

  The post-pandemic workplace empowers some, not all

  The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated investments in automation and has sent turnover soaring, a new reality that benefits some employees but is a disadvantage to others.

• July 02, 2021 02 Jul'21

  Quadpack migrates to S/4HANA Cloud to unite data, processes

  Faced with an aging on-premises ERP system, Quadpack is migrating to SAP S/4HANA Cloud while simultaneously upgrading its analytics and data warehousing capabilities.

• July 01, 2021 01 Jul'21

  Google gives third-party cookies a stay of execution

  Experts -- and Google -- tell us why 'The Cookiepocalypse' for which advertisers are braced is delayed until at least 2023, and what it means for internet advertising.

• July 01, 2021 01 Jul'21

  Slack launches Huddles for impromptu online meetings

  Slack Huddles is a form of lightweight communication for informal meetings within the collaboration platforms. Companies using the feature include Dell, Tibco and Cookpad.

• June 30, 2021 30 Jun'21

  Epicor ups its cloud ERP game with Kinetic rebrand

  If you build a cloud-native ERP, customers will come. That's the thinking behind rebranding Epicor ERP 10 as Epicor Kinetic, a multi-tenant SaaS ERP.

• June 29, 2021 29 Jun'21

  E-commerce giant Shopify upgrades Liquid, dev tools

  Buoyed by the pandemic e-commerce boom, Shopify rolls out upgrades for no-code, low-code and pro-code offerings for its web platform -- and rewrites APIs to make stores faster.

• June 23, 2021 23 Jun'21

  Oracle tool gives HR continuous update of employee skills

  Rapid changes in technology have put more demands on businesses to understand the skills they have on hand, Oracle said. The vendor is hoping its new HCM tool can help with that.

• June 23, 2021 23 Jun'21

  Zoom delays hybrid workplace video feature

  Zoom had planned to release Smart Gallery in beta this week. The Zoom Rooms feature gives all meeting participants equal placement within a video meeting.

• June 23, 2021 23 Jun'21

  SAP makes play to be core of corporate sustainability efforts

  SAP debuted sustainability products so that companies can measure and manage carbon emissions and participate in the circular economy. But are customers ready?

• June 23, 2021 23 Jun'21

  Salesforce previews low-code, pro-code developer tools

  Salesforce to release new low-code and pro-code tools for developers, as well as DevOps Center, which catalogs app dev efforts and offers a planning platform.

• June 22, 2021 22 Jun'21

  Retail tech propels stores past the pandemic

  At NRF Converge, speakers discuss technologies to propel recovery from the recession of 2020, and how social media becomes a minefield for companies that don't have a strategy.

• June 17, 2021 17 Jun'21

  Fed concerns point to challenges for HR and recruiting tech

  The Federal Reserve's concerns about the labor market spoke to a major HR problem -- namely, quit rates and retirements. It's unclear how much help recruiting tech can deliver.

• June 17, 2021 17 Jun'21

  Microsoft updates Teams for the hybrid workplace

  Microsoft has redesigned Teams for the hybrid workplace. Other 365 productivity apps receiving updates throughout the year include Outlook, Whiteboard and OneNote.

• June 17, 2021 17 Jun'21

  Salesforce adds more HR, employee tools to Work.com

  Salesforce to release more employee experience tools on Work.com to support the onboarding and well-being of workers who remain remote after the pandemic passes.

• June 16, 2021 16 Jun'21

  Jobs that can be done anywhere may end up overseas

  Corporate embrace of remote work may encourage employers to do more hiring in lower-cost regions, including other countries, according to a U.K. study.

• June 16, 2021 16 Jun'21

  Infor CloudSuite ERP zeros in on industry specificity

  In this Q&A, Infor CEO Kevin Samuelson and CTO Soma Somasundaram discuss the company's approach to cloud ERP, which focuses on multi-tenancy and deep industry specificity.

• June 16, 2021 16 Jun'21

  Google introduces Spaces collaboration in Workspace

  The Spaces feature set will let users reply to messages directly, set custom availability statuses and converse in chatrooms while working on documents.

• June 15, 2021 15 Jun'21

  SAP Spartacus, headless and Commerce Cloud take center stage

  In the wake of the pandemic, SAP users focus on e-commerce, and SAP puts new emphasis on headless configurations as well as its Upscale Commerce package.

• June 14, 2021 14 Jun'21

  Microsoft integrates virtual desktop, Azure Active Directory

  Azure Virtual Desktop will let people use their Azure Active Directory credentials to sign in to any device. Microsoft plans more integration between the two products later.

• June 11, 2021 11 Jun'21

  Companies aim for hybrid office by September

  Many firms are setting September as a return-to-the-office month, and a majority of workers will be in a hybrid office environment. Three days a week may be the hybrid standard.

• June 11, 2021 11 Jun'21

  SAP wants to own intelligent enterprise, but firms have options

  SAP customers Paragon 28 and Merit Energy extoll the value of an S/4HANA-based intelligent enterprise, but an S/4HANA migration might not be needed to achieve the same benefits.

• June 10, 2021 10 Jun'21

  Cisco offers bundle pricing with Webex Suite

  Cisco's Webex Suite packs many capabilities beneficial to companies preparing for a hybrid workplace, with employees spending time in the office and at home.

• June 10, 2021 10 Jun'21

  The right to disconnect vs. America's always-on culture

  European countries are adopting right-to-disconnect laws, protecting workers from employer retaliation. But in the U.S., there appears to be little interest from lawmakers.

• June 09, 2021 09 Jun'21

  Apple adds multitasking, productivity features to iPadOS

  The latest iPad operating system improves the way users work on side-by-side applications and lets them use the iPad to extend a MacBook or iMac display.

• June 09, 2021 09 Jun'21

  Salesforce Industries rolls out banking AI compliance tools

  Salesforce now claims cloud customizations for 12 different vertical industries. Can this help them win new users from competitors who have released their own industry clouds?

• June 08, 2021 08 Jun'21

  Apple lets Windows, Android users join Facetime calls

  Apple's upcoming improvements to FaceTime would open it up to non-Apple users for the first time and allow for collaborative screen sharing. The feature debuts this fall.

• June 04, 2021 04 Jun'21

  Unisys buys Unify Square to improve UC management

  Unisys plans to use the Unify Square acquisition to help customers secure and manage their collaboration platforms for hybrid workers. Unify offers the cloud-based PowerSuite.

• June 04, 2021 04 Jun'21

  SAP Business Network major focus at Sapphire Now 2021

  SAP announced new initiatives such as the SAP Business Network to help companies become intelligent enterprises. Experts described the messaging as impressive but lacking in detail.

• June 04, 2021 04 Jun'21

  Facebook focuses on business-to-consumer messaging

  Facebook announced tools to make it easier for enterprises to reach customers on Instagram and WhatsApp, saying customers prefer messaging businesses.

• June 03, 2021 03 Jun'21

  SAP deepens HR integration to improve workforce analytics

  An integration between SAP SuccessFactors and the SAP Analytics Cloud could put richer workforce analytics into the hands of HR departments.

• June 03, 2021 03 Jun'21

  Jamf makes sharing Apple devices easier

  The endpoint management company's new Single Login feature makes it easier for a company's employees to share iPhones and iPads. The feature requires a Pro license.

• June 02, 2021 02 Jun'21

  Salesforce plugs CDP, WhatsApp into marketing, e-commerce

  Salesforce connects its CDP to its platform's customer loyalty tech; Marketing Cloud integrates WhatsApp, SnapChat ads and Datorama advanced analytics reports.

• June 02, 2021 02 Jun'21

  SAP Upscale Commerce gets reboot

  SAP relaunches its Upscale Commerce, first released three years ago to little fanfare, to a broader midmarket base to compete with Shopify's top-end offerings.

• May 28, 2021 28 May'21

  An HR lesson from the Amy Cooper lawsuit

  Employers face pressure to take action against employees for non-work activities. But, as Amy Cooper's recent lawsuit illustrates, doing so is not without risk.

• May 28, 2021 28 May'21

  Sapphire Now should elicit more details on Rise with SAP

  At Sapphire Now, the SAP community is hoping for clarity on Rise with SAP and an honest look at the challenges facing SAP customers.

• May 28, 2021 28 May'21

  NASA is changing its approach to people analytics

  NASA is implementing a graph database to serve as the foundation of its people analytics. It will give managers and employees insights into skills and training needs.

• May 28, 2021 28 May'21

  Post-pandemic digital customer experience: What will change?

  Overstock.com, FTD and Giant Eagle all revamped their CX tech stacks during the pandemic to meet the demand for online service, and upgrades continue.

• May 26, 2021 26 May'21

  Microsoft announces developer tools for Teams

  Microsoft has introduced tools that let developers manage apps, charge for subscriptions and use audio and video feeds on Teams. Some tools are available today, others in the summer.

• May 25, 2021 25 May'21

  How AI is changing Canada Life's recruiting process

  Canada Life Assurance Company's initial adoption of a recruiting AI tool to rank candidates has proved so successful, it's paving the way for deeper investments in the technology.

• May 25, 2021 25 May'21

  SAP-Honeywell connected buildings app combines OT, IT data

  The new Forge Real Estate Operations application from Honeywell and SAP marries operational data with enterprise data to help companies make better decisions on building usage.