PeopleSoft Prepares E-Commerce Push

PeopleSoft Inc. plans to bring its first major electronic commerce product to government customers by the middle of next year, according to Dave Duffield, PeopleSoft's chief executive officer.The Web-based software product, called PeopleSoft Business Network, is a cornerstone of the Pleasanton, Calif., company's strategy to penetrate the white-hot e-commerce market. PeopleSoft already is a powerhouse in the government market for enterprise resource planning software.The new product will provide customers with customized information and fast access to internal and external Web sites. For example, PeopleSoft Business Network could be used to automatically notify employees about changes in a company's health benefits plan and allow adjustments to be made from the desktop. "The intent of this new product is to be so intuitive that no training is required," Duffield said.