September 8, 1997

Microsoft-Based Solutions Andersen adds group that targets midsize customers for SAP implementations By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee rthur Andersen & Co. has become the latest big services firm to establish a practice dedicated to implementing systems based on Microsoft platforms. The company has formed a 100-person group to focus on providing solutions based on SAP AG's R/3 and Microsoft's Windows NT, SQL Server, and BackOffice. The group will operate out of Dallas. Andersen is targeting customers with revenue between $200 million and $2 billion. "We expect that in the future, the Microsoft platform will be the platform of choice for SAP implementations by these customers," says Mathew Verghese, director of strategic alliances at Andersen. Cur rently, Unix-based systems are the most popular, he says. The unit's formation follows Microsoft-focused efforts by competitors. Earlier this year, Ernst & Young established a practice for providing enterprise solutions on NT. Last month, KPMG Peat Marwick announced a group dedicated to building E-commerce and customer-management solutions based on Microsoft Exchange, NT, and others. Microsoft will provide training to existing and new Andersen consultants who are part of the new practice. The group will add to a larger dedicated SAP practice Andersen launched with 350 consultants in February, says Verghese. Back to News in Review Send Us Your Feedback Top of the Page

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