Internet giant Google is set to extend its partnership with enterprise applications firm Salesforce, it has been revealed.In a move that has been identified as a challenge to Microsoft's Dynamics CRM software, the deal will see Google and Salesforce expand its ten-month collaboration .
Under the agreement, Salesforce will make Google's word processing and office tools available directly from within its online applications.
The integration of Google's suite of office productivity applications with Salesforce's customer relationship management software is intended to make it easier for Salesforce users to share information between programs.
The package will not require a download or installation as it is available over the internet.
Although users of Google's and Salesforce's programs can already use the services side by side, they will now be able to make use of additional functions.
For example, customers will be able to keep a record of emails sent to customers, with such information stored directly on customers' sales records.
Commenting on the development, Dave Girouard, Google's vice president and general manager, stated: "In the history of hosted software to date, applications could be like islands. They don't really work together seamlessly. This is a first of its kind," the New York Times reports.
Salesforce is set to make a free version of Google's online office suite available to subscribers immediately and a premier version is due to be released for a charge later this year.
