Lawson/Infor Buys Approva for Auditing Automation
September 13, 2011 Alex Woodie
Infor affiliate Lawson Software last week acquired Approva, a developer of continuous controls monitoring (CCM) software that helps customers “get clean and stay clean” when it comes to regulatory compliance. Approva’s Windows-based CCM software is designed to help users find the areas of their enterprise applications where they not in compliance with specific components of regulations, such as the segregation of duty requirement in Sarbanes-Oxley, and then keep them in compliance. The software does this by analyzing actual ERP transactions downloaded from the production system into Approva’s SQL Server-based database, and then running a range of queries and algorithms against it to root out problems. The system has been installed on top of many of the largest ERP systems, including IBM i-based systems like JD Edwards, which the company started supporting four years ago. As part of Lawson (which was merged into Infor’s Softbrands unit), Approva’s first job will be helping to boost the compliance efforts of customers running the Lawson Financials applications–a system that Approva has been integrated with many times. Once Approva’s software has been integrated with Infor’s ION middleware–a process that is already underway–it will become available to tens of thousands of customers running dozens of Infor’s enterprise applications. Approva CEO John Becker says the deal that weds his Herndon, Virginia-based company with Lawson and Infor is a perfect match. “As part of a larger organization, we will have greater resources to further develop our award-winning products, reach a much broader customer base, and support the requirements of our global customers,” he states in a press release. “The governance and reporting requirements on our customers and prospects are only going to get more complex.” Terms of the deal, which closed September 1, were not disclosed. RELATED STORY Approva Automates Compliance Efforts with BizRights
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