Salesforce.com Chief Executive Marc Benioff unveiled a potential solution at an Apr. 10 press conference in San Francisco, where he will announce the acquisition of startup software maker Koral Technologies and plans for a pair of products that can help companies manage the slew of documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and drawings that underpin their business -- all from within Salesforce.com's existing software.
Later this year, Salesforce.com plans to deliver software based on Koral's technology that can help users find computer files that don't reside in a database, based in part on how much weight other employees assign them, and a programming tool to let companies weave those functions into their daily work flow. Kendall Collins, senior vice-president of product marketing at Salesforce.com, says the company plans to knock on software buyers' doors in departments outside its traditional domains of sales and marketing. The new targets include human resources, finance, and legal divisions. "This is an answer to where Salesforce.com goes next," he says.
Salesforce.com declined to disclose how much it paid for Koral, a nine-person company based in San Mateo, Calif., but said the amount wasn't material. The acquisition closed in late March, Collins says.
Salesforce.com's customer-relationship-management (CRM) software helps sales reps schedule meetings, book orders, and...