SAP app integrates social network profiles

SAP and the business social networking site LinkedIn have partnered on an application that will let users integrate their LinkedIn and SAP Community profiles.

Over the past several years, SAP has built out a cluster of communities geared to various types of users, such as developers and "business process experts."

With the new Community Bio application, LinkedIn profiles will show users' SAP credentials as well as indicators of their participation in the SAP community sites. It will also identify people who have earned SAP "mentor" status, which is reserved for "highly active and reliable" SAP community users.

The company believes the application could help SAP customers find qualified professional services and workers through LinkedIn, as well as help SAP users network more effectively.

"It's a strong belief we have to make the individuals in our world successful," said Zia Yusuf, head of SAP's global ecosystem and partner group. "If an individual can further enhance his career, we think it's a good thing for SAP."

The application will be available in mid-October.

The application is the latest instance of collaboration between the companies, following an investment SAP's venture capital arm made in LinkedIn last year.

The analyst firm Altimeter Group recently ranked SAP ninth on a list of 100 companies that are "most engaged" with their customers.

But SAP has more work to do, according to Yusuf. While the company is reaching a "vast majority" of SAP developers, administrators and consultants, "the part where we need to make more inroads is the casual user," he said.