Microsoft has shipped the first version of its customer-relationship management suite to manufacturing. The software, which was due to ship before the end of last year, could be in the hands of customers within a week, a spokesman says.

Microsoft CRM, which is aimed at small and midsize businesses, is designed to integrate tightly with popular applications such as Microsoft Office and Outlook.

The software will be available in two versions: Standard, priced at $395 per user, plus $995 for services and sales servers; and the Professional Suite Edition, priced at $1,295 per user, plus $1,990 for service and sales servers. The Professional edition enables more complex features, including workflow rules, customization, and back-office integration with ERP systems. Both versions require Microsoft Windows 2000 Server.