PeopleSoft

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PeopleSoft
Fate merger
Successor Oracle Corporation
Founded 1987
Defunct 2005
Headquarters Pleasanton, California, USA
Key people David Duffield, Ken Morris

PeopleSoft, Inc. was a company that provided human resource management systems (HRMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) software, as well as software solutions for manufacturing, financials, enterprise performance management, and student administration to large corporations, governments, and organizations. It existed as an independent corporation until its acquisition by Oracle Corporation in 2005.The PeopleSoft name and product line are now marketed by Oracle.

Contents

[edit] History

Founded in 1987 by David Duffield and Ken Morris, PeopleSoft was originally headquartered in Walnut Creek, California before moving to Pleasanton, California. Duffield envisioned a client-server version of Integral Systems' popular mainframe HRMS package.[1] PeopleSoft version 1, released in the late 1980s, was the first fully-integrated, robust client-server HRMS application suite.[1] PeopleSoft expanded its product range to include a financials module in 1992, distribution in 1994, and manufacturing in 1996 after the acquisition of Red Pepper.[1]

[edit] Product design

[edit] Applications

PeopleSoft's product suite was initially based on a client-server approach with a dedicated client .[1] With the release of version 8, the entire suite moved to a web-centric design called Pure Internet Architecture (PIA).[1] The new format allowed all of a company's business functions to be accessed and run on a web browser. Originally, a small number of security and system setup functions still needed to be performed on a fat client machine; however, this is no longer the case.

[edit] Development platform

The architecture is built around PeopleSoft’s proprietary PeopleTools technology. PeopleTools includes many different components used to create web-based applications: a scripting language known as PeopleCode, design tools to define various types of metadata, standard security structure, batch processing tools, and the ability to interface with an SQL database. The metadata describes data for user interfaces, tables, messages, security, navigation, portals, etc. This set of tools allows the PeopleSoft suite to be platform independent.[1]

[edit] J.D. Edwards

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In 2003, PeopleSoft performed a friendly merger with smaller rival J.D. Edwards. The latter's similar product line, World and OneWorld, targeted mid-sized companies too small to benefit from PeopleSoft's applications. J.D. Edwards' software used the Configurable Network Architecture, which shielded applications from both the operating system and the database back-end.

[edit] Oracle Corporation

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Beginning in 2003, Oracle began to maneuver for control of the PeopleSoft company. In June 2003, Oracle made a $7 billion bid in a hostile corporate takeover attempt. In February 2004, Oracle increased their bid to approximately $9.4 billion, a 33% increase; this offer was also rejected forthwith by PeopleSoft's board of directors. Later that month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit to block Oracle, on the grounds that the acquisition would break anti-trust laws. In September 2004, the suit was rejected by a U.S. Federal judge, who found that the Justice Department had not proven its anti-trust case. In October, the same decision was handed down by the European Commission. Though Oracle had reduced its offer to $7.7 billion in May, it again raised its bid in November to $9.4 billion, marking a 14% increase.

In December 2004, Oracle announced that it had signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire PeopleSoft for approximately $10.3 billion. The following January, Oracle announced plans to cut approximately 9% of the 55,000 staff of the combined companies, maintaining at least 90% of PeopleSoft's product development and support staff.[2]

Oracle moved to capitalize on the perceived strong brand loyalty within the JD Edwards user community by rebranding former JD Edwards products. Thus PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne became JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and PeopleSoft World became JD Edwards World. Oracle has announced that a new product, Fusion, is to be released in the near future. Oracle says Fusion will take the best aspects of the PeopleSoft, JD Edwards and Oracle Applications and merge them into a new product suite.


[edit] PeopleSoft timeline

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  • 1987: PeopleSoft, Inc. founded by David Duffield and Ken Morris in Walnut Creek, CA, USA.
  • 1988: PeopleSoft HRMS released.
  • 1991: Begins opening international offices.
  • 1994: Public distribution of Distribution and Financials modules.
  • 1995: Launch of Student Administration System.
  • 1996: Releases Manufacturing and PeopleSoft 6, their first ERP package.
  • 1997: PeopleSoft 7 is released within upgraded ERP modules.
  • 1998: PeopleSoft 7.5 is released with improved client/server technology. Acquired Intrepid Systems.
  • 1999: Craig Conway named new CEO; release products to enable Internet transactions.
  • 2000: Acquired Vantive Corporation.
  • 2000: Deliver PeopleSoft 8 with an in-house application service provider.
  • 2003: Acquired J.D. Edwards
  • 2005: Acquired by Oracle Corporation.
  • 2006: PeopleSoft FMS 9.0 is released.
  • 2006: PeopleSoft HCM 9.0 is released.(December 2006)
  • 2009: PeopleSoft HCM 9.1 is released.(October 2009)
  • 2009: PeopleSoft FMS 9.1 is released.(November 2009)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Anderson, Lynn (2001). Understanding PeopleSoft8. Sybex. pp. 22. ISBN 0-7821-2930-7. 
  2. ^ "Jobs go at Oracle after takeover". BBC News. 15 January, 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4176571.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-25. 

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