SAP's PartnerEdge expansion

SAP has decided to broaden its PartnerEdge initiative to include all partners involved in building, implementing and providing services for its products.

By John Blau, Düsseldorf, Germany | Thursday, 19 October 2006
SAP will broaden its PartnerEdge initiative to include all partners involved in building, selling and implementing services for the company's products. The extended programme will target all companies regardless of size.

When the PartnerEdge programme was launched in 2005, it was aimed at independent software vendors (ISVs) focused on developing services for SAP Business One and mySAP all-in-one applications, and towards value added resellers (VARs) selling and implementing them. Small and midsize businesses were the primary customer group.

In addition to ISVs and VARs, the extended programme will reach system integrators and other technology partners.

Since its launch, PartnerEdge has introduced an e-learning curriculum available in nine languages to more than 2000 partners, an online partner collaboration network involving 3000 users and more than 300 partner systems, in addition to a global sales training program, SAP said.

In conjunction with its extended PartnerEdge programme, SAP has added several enhancements to its Partner Service Benefits Package. These include: the Partner Services Advisor, which serves as a single point of contact for inquiries and guidance on organisation and content-related actives; Technical Services, which puts partners in touch with SAP experts managing product development and implementation; Enablement Support, which provides information on integrating and certifying services; and Knowledge Transfer, which provides 24-hour access to a defined set of online, self-service business and technical education offerings.