Microsoft is hoping to steal a march on its arch rival Google by convincing business to use its corporate search tools. 

The company's Live Search software is designed to offer a simple, single point of entry for searches across corporate networks, desktops and the internet.

The new product essentially binds together previously separate searches, including Windows Desktop Search, intranet search from Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and an internet search, among others.

"Information workers tell us they need more than an internet search box," said Kevin Johnson, co-president of the platforms and services division at Microsoft.

"They want simple tools that help them effectively manage information stored in multiple locations and that give them quick access to relevant data and people through actionable results, not just lists of links."

According to estimates from analyst firm IDC, the cost of not finding the right information is about $5.3m per year for a company with 1,000 knowledge workers. 

"While several major vendors have invested heavily in search across the internet, computer desktops and company intranets, the search is ultimately over once the content is found," said Microsoft in a statement.

"In contrast, Microsoft doesn't view search as a standalone activity or the end goal, but rather a means to a greater purpose of finding the information a person needs to accomplish a specific task."

However, Google could hit straight back as the company is planning an announcement on enterprise search at the AIIM Expo in Philadelphia this week. 

A message on the official Google blog states: "Google vice president and general manager Dave Girouard will deliver a keynote on how consumer expectations drive innovation in technology, and Google partners will demonstrate how search is changing the face of enterprise applications."