Ultimate and NetSuite Announce Strategic Alliance

Ultimate Software, a provider of cloud-based Human Capital Management software, and NetSuite, and cloud-based ERP software vendor, recently announced a new partnership. The goal of the alliance is to provide integration between Ultimate’s UltiPro HCM and NetSuite’s cloud ERP platform.

 
The alliance will eventually allow both Ultimate and NetSuite to compete more effectively with fully integrated HCM and ERP cloud solutions such as Workday. Both companies are veterans in cloud delivery, and have large install bases. NetSuite already owns TribeHR, which focuses on small to medium size organizations, so from their perspective Ultipro will probably be targeted on larger organizations.

 
In the short term, not much will change. The companies have just announced the partnership. Linking financials to HR is a worthwhile endeavor, and is often done at least to some extent between point solutions. A few key items remain to be seen:

• How extensive will the integration be? Right now the goal seems to be prepackaged ready to go integration points.
• Who will support this integration?
• What is the long term commitment between NetSuite and Ultimate?
• How much will the integration cost?
• When will it be available?
• Will this be enough to win over customers who want a fully integrated ERP/HCM application?

 
While it remains to be seen how well the integration will be executed and supported, the announcement is good news for organizations looking for cloud based ERP and HCM software, as they now have another option.