Marc L. Songini

Last February, Werner Co. stopped shipping its ladders to The Home Depot Inc. The home improvement retailer was Werner

Despite the potential benefits supply chain management software can provide, experienced users caution that installing the technology is fraught with challenges, especially when it comes to revamping business processes within companies.

Oracle Corp. users took stock of the company's new 10g database in Toronto last week, saying that the software's automated management and self-tuning features...

Despite the potential benefits supply chain management software can provide, experienced users last week said that installing the technology is fraught with challenges, especially when it comes to revamping business processes within companies.

In February, Werner Co. stopped shipping its ladders to The Home Depot Inc., the home improvement retailer that had been its biggest customer. But the company was able to cushion the blow thanks to its production planning and reporting system.

A panel of IT managers who are running Microsoft Corp.'s CRM applications said last week that the first release was a good start. But some added that they have hit performance and connectivity bumps.

In a move aimed at keeping its new installed base happy, PeopleSoft Inc. is rolling out a refresh of the green-screen-based World applications it inherited last summer with its purchase of J.D. Edwards & Co.

Despite challenges, users are finding that investing in customer relationship management applications can deliver a payoff.