FARGO, N.D. May 27, 2003 Microsoft Business Solutions today announced the availability of Microsoft® Business Solutions Solomon 5.5. Solomon 5.5 includes several new features and enhancements in the products Foundation Series, Financial Series, Project Series and Service Series. It also features integration with Microsoft Project 2002 and Microsoft Business Solutions Retail Management System (RMS).
Microsoft Business Solutions developed Solomon 5.5 to meet the unique needs of small to midsize project-driven organizations, specifically in the industries of business services, management and engineering services, social services, special trades contracting, general contractors, and wholesale trade (durable goods).
Solomon 5.5 includes Microsoft Business Solutions Professional Services Automation (PSA) and combines the power of Microsoft Business Solutions Project Accounting Solomon and the new enterprise version of Microsoft Project 2002 to provide externally focused, project-driven organizations with an integrated financial, project and resource management solution. Additional enhancements to the project accounting capabilities include new indirect rate calculation and new audit trail tracking abilities for contractors of the U.S. federal government, particularly those subject to Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audits.
Solomon 5.5 also is now integrated with Microsoft Business Solutions Retail Management System, a comprehensive retail management and point-of-sale solution designed specifically for the independent merchant. The integration allows for the easy sharing of information between Microsoft RMS and the proven financial capabilities of Solomon.
With Solomon 5.5, users of Microsoft Office XP will find the capabilities of Outlook® , Word and Excel expanded through smart tag capabilities. The Smart Tag Manager lets Office users drill down on customer, vendor, inventory, account, salesperson or employee detail information stored in the Solomon 5.5 database.
“Solomon 5.5 empowers our customers to take full advantage of Microsoft technologys capabilities to integrate critical business systems and applications,”
said Eric de Jager, group product manager for Professional Services Automation and Solomon at Microsoft Business Solutions.
“When systems are integrated and applications communicate with one another, managers have better access to important information within the tools they use most often. They can focus on what they do best, which is to manage the business strategically and evolve it according to the companys long-term vision.”
Solomon 5.5 includes several new features designed to equip customers with the tools to achieve maximum control over their business environment while allowing for the degree of flexibility needed to innovate and grow strategically. New features include the following:
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Financial Series. Enhanced time entry screens and the tools needed to print multiple checks per employee per pay period or payroll run are now included. This is particularly useful for construction companies.
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Project Series. New features include additional modules in Solomon Standard, revenue allocation rules based on a maximum, Solomon Desktop Web time entry modifications, the ability to enter and adjust labor costs over the Web, automatic synchronization of new project IDs by using Solomons next available project ID, and ease-of-use enhancements for data entry.
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Service Series. Additional modules are now available, including Equipment Maintenance and Service Contracts.
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Foundation Series. Enhanced report management capabilities within the Solomon Desktop are included, as well as online user manuals.
Availability and Pricing
Solomon 5.5 is available immediately in Canada and the United States. It is delivered through the Microsoft Certified Business Solutions reselling partner channel and is backed by the award-winning support and training of Microsoft Business Solutions. A typical three-user financial solution starts around $12,700 (U.S.).
Microsoft Business SolutionsSolomon Standard, a lower-priced offering of the Solomon edition that addresses the needs of lower midmarket companies, also is available in Canada and the United States. Solomon Standard is designed to meet the needs of companies with smaller information technology (IT) budgets and less-complex business structures (e.g., fewer companies or fewer divisions) that have 25 to 99 employees, annual revenues of $25 million (U.S.) or less and up to 10 licensed users. A typical single-user solution costs about $4,900 (U.S.).
About Microsoft Business Solutions
Microsoft Business Solutions, a business group of Microsoft, offers a wide range of integrated, end-to-end business applications and services designed to help small, midmarket and corporate businesses become more connected with customers, employees, partners and suppliers. Microsoft Business Solutions applications optimize strategic business processes across financial management, analytics, human resources management, project management, customer relationship management, field service management, supply chain management, e-commerce, manufacturing and retail management. The applications are designed to provide insight to help customers achieve business success. 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.
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