Microsoft Business Solutions Enhances Flagship Products

FARGO, N.D., July 15, 2002 — Microsoft® Business Solutions today announced that it has significantly enhanced its Microsoft Great Plains® business management solutions, Dynamics®
and eEnterprise (TM) , to provide small to medium-sized businesses and medium enterprises with valuable enterprise computing capabilities for enterprise resource management (ERM). Focusing on efficiency and productivity, the enhancements allow businesses to integrate information among applications and systems both inside and outside the company, automate previously tedious tasks, and access information on employees, customers, suppliers, invoices and other critical business data any time, any place.

“With Dynamics Release 7.0 and eEnterprise Release 7.0, we are providing powerful solutions that are cost-effective for the midmarket and that can easily scale and grow as the business grows,”
said Jeff Edwards, director of global solutions at Microsoft Business Solutions.
“Dynamics and eEnterprise allow customers to automate advanced business processes, within their company and with suppliers and customers, so they can work more efficiently and handle ever-growing volumes as their businesses expand.”

Both releases enhance integration with solutions such as Microsoft Office XP as well as new, flexible reporting and budgeting options from FRx Software Corp. A company’s employees will be able to access data and information from Dynamics and eEnterprise with Office XP Smart Tag Manager. Smart tags allow for a unified view of information that spans business functions such as sales, accounting and payroll. Enhancements in the business analytics suite of products provide for easier administration and distribution of Web-based reports, and tighter integration between reporting and budgeting tools.

In addition, small and medium-sized businesses will benefit from a number of new financial control enhancements that enable companies to defer revenues and expenses over time, or schedule payments for customers or to vendors. Midsize enterprise customers will also benefit from extended distribution capabilities that provide for tracking landed costs and inventory across multiple locations, and from the creation of consolidated, cross-company reports that are automatically distributed via e-mail or the Web to decision-makers throughout the organization.

“IDC research among thousands of users over the past five years consistently points out that companies with fewer than 500 employees are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to implementing ERP technology that can integrate their business functions and link their information with suppliers and customers,”
said Dennis Byron, vice president of ERP and Industry Applications Research at IDC.
“Solutions such as Dynamics and eEnterprise can help small to midsize enterprises achieve the type of sophisticated business processes automation that many larger enterprises have already achieved.”

Another key advantage to eEnterprise Release 7.0 and Dynamics Release 7.0 is the solutions’ ability to integrate with the upcoming Microsoft Customer Relationship Management (CRM) product. This interoperability will give customers a more complete picture of their own customers, including sales opportunities, credit limits, and service and payment histories. The integration of CRM and ERM increases businesses’ ability to make agile decisions and compete effectively.

In addition to product enhancements, the new versions include tools that make it more convenient for customers to view online training and use automated support, as well as tools that enable customers to consolidate and modify data quickly and accurately.

Dynamics Release 7.0 and eEnterprise Release 7.0 are available immediately in North America. Availability outside North America will be in phases and is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2002. Release 7.0 will be sold and implemented through Microsoft Business Solutions’ reselling partner channel, and support and training will be provided by partners and Microsoft Business Solutions’ award-winning support and training teams.

About Dynamics

Microsoft Great Plains Dynamics is a cost-effective, easy-to-use accounting and business management software solution designed specifically for small to medium-sized businesses. The Dynamics integrated solution provides financials, reporting and analytics, distribution, project accounting, human resources and payroll, e-commerce and CRM functionality that works the way people do and can be customized to fit specific business needs.

About eEnterprise

Microsoft Great Plains eEnterprise provides a collaborative environment for the management and sharing of information by delivering an integrated set of e-business applications that support critical business processes. Because it is designed to enhance business processes for medium-sized companies, a growing number of customers have chosen eEnterprise as their integrated solution for financials, distribution, human resources and payroll, project accounting, manufacturing, supply chain, analytics and customer relationship management.

About Microsoft Business Solutions

Microsoft Business Solutions, which includes the businesses of Great Plains, Microsoft bCentral (TM) and Navision a/s, offers a wide range of business applications designed to help small and midmarket businesses become more connected with customers, employees, partners and suppliers. Microsoft Business Solutions’ applications automate end-to-end business processes across financials, distribution, project accounting, electronic commerce, human resources and payroll, manufacturing, supply chain management, business intelligence, sales and marketing management, and customer service and support. More information about Microsoft Business Solutions can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/businesssolutions/.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft, Great Plains, Dynamics, eEnterprise, and bCentral are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. or Great Plains in the United States and/or other countries.

Great Plains Software Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. FRx is a registered trademark of FRx Software Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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