If Google (GOOG) is going to get big companies to pay for its Google Apps service, plugging into other enterprise software is going to be helpful. So it's good news for Google that Oracle (ORCL) is willing to play along.
This morning the two companies announced a new collaboration between Google Apps and Oracle's Siebel customer care/CRM software. With the new "Oracle Gadget Wizard for Google Apps," it's now easier to port data between Oracle and Google Apps spreadsheets.
That gives Google a new selling point as it deploys salespeople to the enterprise in its bid to convert Microsoft Office users into paying Google Apps customers.
Not as big a deal for Oracle. Oracle's CRM business is relatively mature, and we doubt the new "gadget wizard" will convince many businesses to choose Oracle over other options (like Salesforce.com) on the market. But by helping Google, Oracle jabs its longtime foe Microsoft in the eye. Oracle and Microsoft compete fiercely in multiple areas, including CRM.
