The software unification strategy will bring together the entire Solomon IV product family (formerly known as Solomon IV for Windows and Solomon IV for BackOffice) into a single product called simply Solomon IV, running on just one platform and one database - Windows NT/2000 and Microsoft's SQL Server 7.0.

Version 4.0 of Solomon IV now includes a Financial Series module (for accounting), Distribution Series (for inventory control and management), Project Series (for project management). Service Series (to monitor and manage service calls), Manufacturing Series and E-Business Series.

There will however be two versions of Solomon IV, called the Select Edition and the Premier Edition. The Select Edition will contain slightly pared down versions of all the modules while the Premier Edition will of course contain the full suite.

The Select Edition is targeted at companies with 20-100 employees with a need for a less extensive suite. Of course, companies that buy the Select Edition have the option to upgrade to the Premier Edition.

Solomon Software South-East Asia's general manager Laurent Dedenis says that Solomon IV has an edge over competing products because it is easy to set up and implement, and yet it is relatively cheap.

Dedenis adds that since the product is targeted at the middle market, the software is more accessible to smaller companies that are not willing to pay premium prices for high-end financial and business management systems.

The product is available right now and retails for between RM13,000 and RM750,000, depending on the number of users and the number of modules purchased.