Microsoft, SAP to expand use of each other's cloud services

SAP encourages its customers to run its products not only on Microsoft Azure but also on rival cloud platforms from Amazon , Google, IBM and SAP's own in-house cloud services

Business software giants Microsoft and SAP have agreed to expand the use of each other’s cloud-based products and services delivered via the internet, they said on Tuesday, as they laid out a common product road map for joint customers.

In a joint statement, Microsoft said it would use SAP’s S/4 HANA database to help run its core internal financial planning functions — replacing older SAP software, while SAP said it would run more than a dozen of its critical internal financial systems on Microsoft’s Azure cloud service. The long-time partners said the latest integration of their products was designed to encourage