Services and software companies IBM and SAP, longtime technology partners, will bring out <A HREF="http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6227019.html?tag=nl.e550">their first joint software product</A> in the fourth quarter of this year, the two companies said on Monday.

The product, code-named Atlantic, will allow users to access SAP's Business Suite applications for work flows, reporting and analytics through IBM's Lotus Notes desktop software. U.S.-based IBM and Germany's SAP, which was founded by five former IBM employees, have collaborated for 35 years.