SAP has added support for programming standards guaranteed by Google OpenSocial for social applications to its collaboration software StreamWork, the company announced Wednesday.
Software that uses the API (application programming interface) of OpenSocial users may be served through StreamWork "application catalog tools," according to a statement.
OpenSocial-enabled applications are already available, including mind mapping from CS Odessa and MindMeister; appointment scheduling service Doodle; Google Translate; and software development and collaboration tools by Atlassian, SAP said.
StreamWork, which was launched last year, has been dubbed a "virtual war room," which serves as a place where it is user groups — employees, customers, partners, or a mix--can brainstorm and solve problems.
By aggressively pursuing integration with third-party applications, SAP StreamWork can extend the reach and importance, in view of an observer.
"I think you can look this way. StreamWork is a canvas for a painting, "said analyst Ray Wang, CEO of constellation. "OpenSocial gives many portraits for display on the canvas itself."
SAP is looking for partner applications based on feedback from users, said Holly StreamWork Simmons, senior marketing manager on demand. Sense to SAP StreamWork extend to types of related software products to customers are already using, he added.
Even their integration with StreamWork cuts on what users need to switch between applications, Simmons said.
Additional tools are available from OpenSocial are at no extra charge to customers, as many sellers have already a selling model "freemium," he said. However, paid versions are available, he said.
An Edition based StreamWork is available free of charge. Professional Edition starts at US $ 9 per user per month and adds features like advanced administration. Enterprise Edition pricing starts at $ 195 per user per year in the USA and enhanced security, monitoring and provisioning. For prices in other countries, customers must contact SAP, according to its website.
Like any supplier, SAP had to face a challenge of cracking a crowded market populated by hordes of offers of collaboration-related latest as well as widely adopted platforms such as Microsoft SharePoint.
And I stumbled attempts to high profile generation tools. Citing the lack of adoption, in August Google stopped development on its much-ballyhooed wave application which had integrated StreamWork.
Simmons has refused to reveal how many, in the production of paying customers StreamWork scored so far. But sales are "going really well," he said. Now, most customers are small and medium-sized enterprises, he said.
A typical customer might be a small consulting company that wants to strategize and share documents with clients thousands of miles away, Simmons said.
Large enterprises are voicing "different types of requests" when it comes to pain points, he said. On the one hand, they want to help employees work more effectively with the software that they already have.
The enterprise edition was released only in the month of December, so SAP is "just ramping up in terms of sales," he said.
SAP has also implemented internally, business tool, Simmons said.
While eager to grow the community of partners of SAP StreamWork, has ambitious development plans of its own.
Customers should expect to see continued work to integrate with SAP StreamWork range of business software, Simmons said. "People want to use this in a business context. We do not try to create another suite of productivity. "
Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and General technology breaking news for the IDG News Service. E-mail Chris is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com
