At the time Oracle bought PeopleSoft nearly a year ago, PeopleSoft was helping to fund about 170 loosely affiliated user groups. Most of those groups were managed by PeopleSoft's International Customer Advisory Board (ICAB).

The PeopleSoft CRM User Group last month became the latest organization to join the OAUG. Others that have linked up with the OAUG in recent months include the PeopleSoft Healthcare Industry User Group and the PeopleSoft Accounts Payable user group.

Meanwhile, the OAUG in September formed the Oracle Retail Users Group for the customers Oracle inherited when it bought Retek Inc., a maker of software for retailers.

Input into fusion

The OAUG said the moves will give the groups input into the development of Project Fusion, Oracle's effort to create a set of best-of-breed applications based on products from the companies it has acquired.