Great Plains Software Explained

Great Plains Software, Inc.
Industry:Information technology
Type:Public
Traded As:NASDAQ:[1]
Fate:Acquired by Microsoft
Founder:Joseph Larson
Location Country:Fargo, North Dakota
Area Served:United States
Num Employees:2,200

Great Plains Software, Inc. was an accounting software company located in Fargo, North Dakota, whose products focused on small to medium-sized businesses.[2] It was founded in 1981,[3] went public in 1997,[4] and was sold to Microsoft in 2001.[3] [5] [6] Prior to its acquisition, it had 2,200 employees.[2]

History

The company was founded in 1981 by Joseph Larson, who also served as the company's first president.[7] Doug Burgum, a future governor of North Dakota and U.S. presidential candidate, joined the company in March 1983 as a shareholder.[7] He provided seed capital for the company and bought out the other investors in early 1984 and became its new president.[8] Larson continued to serve as a director for the company until its acquisition.[7]

The company grew to about 170 employees by 1987,[9] and to around 290 employees by 1989.[10] It earned about $300 million in annual sales and a 1997 IPO, after using the Internet to help it expand beyond North Dakota.[11] In 1999 the company acquired Match Data Systems, a development team in the Philippines.[12] In 2000, after the company experienced several layoffs, it was acquired by Microsoft for $1.1 billion.[13] The full purchase was completed in 2001.[3] Its products continue to be offered as Microsoft Dynamics 365.[6] [14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SEC docs.
  2. News: Eccher . Marino . Part 1 of 7: Rising to the Challenge: History of Great Plains Software before merger . 30 June 2022 . Fargo Forum . Forum Communications Company . June 1, 2011.
  3. News: TECHNOLOGY; Great Plains Software Purchased by Microsoft . 30 June 2022 . New York Times . Dec 22, 2000 . Section C, Page 4 of the National edition.
  4. News: Eccher . Marino . Profile: Doug Burgum: Entrepreneur and philanthropist . 30 June 2022 . Fargo Forum . Forum Communications Company . June 1, 2011.
  5. News: Eccher . Marino . Part 2 of 7: Two worlds collide: The merger of Great Plains and Microsoft . 30 June 2022 . Fargo Forum . Forum Communications Company . June 2, 2011.
  6. News: Why Microsoft bought Great Plains Software . 30 June 2022 . techrepublic.com . January 11, 2001.
  7. Web site: N.D. software firm sold to investors. Star Tribune . March 23, 1984 . August 25, 2023.
  8. Web site: Gretchen Heim Olson . Spring 2006: Doug Burgum's Prairie Fire 20 Years and Blazing . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160215232447/http://www.ndhorizons.com/featured/index.asp?ID=16 . February 15, 2016 . North Dakota Horizons . mdy-all.
  9. Web site: Great Plains Software takes great pains to protect ideals . Meyer . Jeff . September 4, 1987. Star Tribune . Associated Press.
  10. Web site: Local resident joins software firm . August 21, 1989 . Journal Gazette.
  11. Web site: Microsoft Is Plain Crazy. Rich Karlgaard. September 16, 2002. Forbes.
  12. Web site: Software firm has new service. The Bismarck Tribune. April 16, 1999. Associated Press.
  13. News: Microsoft buys Great Plains Software . August 25, 2023 . Associated Press . Florida Today . December 22, 2000.
  14. Web site: Great Plains Historical Timeline. msdn.com. 29 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20110623114053/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/developingfordynamicsgp/archive/2009/03/13/great-plains-historical-timeline.aspx. Jun 23, 2011.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Great Plains Software".

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