Thousands of companies use NetSuite to manage their key business processes, leveraging its Software as a Service (SaaS) design to access invoicing, customer records, inventory, and financial reporting from any Internet-enabled computer. Now, for the first time, iPhone and iPod touch users can access NetSuite functionality using a rich interface designed to run natively on iPhone and iPod touch, adding to the anytime, anywhere features already offered by NetSuite’s cloud computing platform. Additionally, if a company has implemented custom fields, custom records, role-based security or custom dashboard elements in their NetSuite account, they will all be seamlessly reflected in the NetSuite app.

Any NetSuite user on the go can appreciate real-time access to their NetSuite calendar and task lists, including the ability to accept or decline events and mark tasks complete. Sales representatives can benefit from access to leads and opportunities, the ability to view customers and contacts, and to review quotes and orders. Field service users can inquire about customer history, browse associated cases, and see all issues filed by a customer. Executives can browse financial trends, watch dashboards in real-time, and drill into Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), as well as generate report snapshots and Scorecards.

“This is a great release by NetSuite,” said Elliott Rabin, President, Ridout Plastics Co. Inc. (www.eplastics.com), a plastics manufacturer based in San Diego, CA since 1914. “Access is very fast overall, and trend graphs are much faster than through a browser. From a CEO view, I can see my KPIs and can get top 10 information quickly – by sales, customers, sales reps, etc. Like in a browser, the app lets me find a customer quickly through searching – and I’m one who loves ‘recent records’ for quick access to information. The iPhone application adds tremendous value to my NetSuite experience.” Mobile business functionality enabled by NetSuite includes: — NetSuite Dashboards including KPIs, report snapshots, trend graphs, scorecards, reminders, and recent records. The dashboards are interactive, allowing users to drill down and explore trends with the touch of a finger.

– NetSuite Calendar with support for accepting or declining events and marking tasks complete.

– Lead, Prospect & Customer records tailored to mobile sales, field service and executive leadership, including access to associated contacts, marketing campaigns, opportunities, quotes, orders, purchase history, financial history, cases, and issues.

– Productivity tools that leverage native capabilities of the device, such as click-to-call from any NetSuite record containing a phone number, click-to-email from any NetSuite record containing an e-mail address, and click-to-map (via Google Maps) from any NetSuite record containing a physical address.

NetSuite said that the suite, which is available for free, was downloaded more than 1,000 times in the first two weeks it was available.

Thousands of companies use NetSuite’s cloud-based CRM solutions to manage their key business processes, such as invoicing, customer records, inventory and financial reporting. Because these solutions are offered via the software-as-a-service model, they can be accessed from any Internet-enabled computer. Many of the top executives and managers in these companies are also iPhone users.

NetSuite says its customers can now access NetSuite functionality via a rich interface designed to run natively on iPhone and iPod touch. If a company has implemented custom fields, custom records, role-based security or custom dashboard elements in their NetSuite account, they will all be seamlessly reflected in the NetSuite app.

NetSuite users will no doubt appreciate having real-time access to their NetSuite calendar and task lists, including the ability to accept or decline events and mark tasks complete. Sales representatives can benefit from access to leads and opportunities, the ability to view customers and contacts, and to review quotes and orders. Field service users can inquire about customer history, browse associated cases, and see all issues filed by a customer. Executives can browse financial trends, watch dashboards in real-time, and drill into Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), as well as generate report snapshots and scorecards.

In the release, Elliott Rabin, president of Ridout Plastics Co. Inc., a plastics manufacturer based in San Diego, Calif., said “Access is very fast overall, and trend graphs are much faster than through a browser. From a CEO view, I can see my KPIs and can get ‘top 10’ information quickly – by sales, customers, sales reps, etc. Like in a browser, the app lets me find a customer quickly through searching – and I’m one who loves ‘recent records’ for quick access to information. The iPhone application adds tremendous value to my NetSuite experience.”
Last week NetSuite announced a new incentive program, the “NetSuite Crossroads Initiative,” as part of its ongoing effort to lure more SAP customers over to its NetSuite OneWorld cloud-based offering. The new program targets SAP customers facing “end-of-life scenarios” with their SAP R/3 software.

SAP has announced that maintenance for R/3 V4.6 will end as of March 2010; and maintenance for SAP R/3 4.7 will be extended, but at a higher cost. These changes will affect approximately 70 percent of SAP users who now face the difficult decision of whether to pay increased costs for maintenance, or upgrade to SAP ERP 6.0.

As part of the program, NetSuite is offering an enhanced version of its Business ByNetSuite program for SAP customers, initially launched in November 2008. This version of Business ByNetSuite offers SAP R/3 customers a total migration package in year one of their subscription, including all license fees, implementation and support, equal to customers’ annual maintenance cost with SAP. Thereafter, as long as they remain with NetSuite, the program provides customers with a fixed 50 percent off NetSuite’s then-current list price for an annual subscription. The enhanced Business ByNetSuite program is valid worldwide through the fourth quarter of 2009.