Microsoft Business Solutions today made a series of announcements focused on enhancing and supporting its current line of enterprise resource planning (ERP) business solutions and service offerings. To help its small, midmarket segment and corporate customers maximize the effectiveness of current ERP solutions, Microsoft Business Solutions announced the general availability of Microsoft� Business Network, the upcoming delivery of two demand planning modules and a strategic extension of its relationship with Autodesk Inc., an independent software vendor (ISV) and a leading design software and digital content company. The announcements were made during the annual conference of the American Production and Inventory Control Society, APICS 2003.

"Microsoft Business Solutions is making significant investments in our current ERP solutions, which are critical to the ongoing success of our customers and business partners in general and manufacturing industries specifically," said Mike Frichol, general manager of manufacturing industry solutions with Microsoft Business Solutions.