Account4.com Offers Most Robust PSA Solution in Version 4.0.

Business/Technology Editors

NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2000

Opportunity Management, Revenue Forecasting and Contact

Management Features Pay Off Enormously for Professional Services 

Organizations and IT Groups.

Account4.com announced today the details of its next release - updated with innovative solutions that target key challenges facing the growing professional services automation (PSA) market. In addition to tracking work and revenue, optimizing resources, improving customer service, and streamlining billing and operations, Account4(TM) will offer a host of new and improved features. Using the expanded contact management and opportunity management features, organizations can closely track the entire sales cycle and make informed staffing decisions based on Account4's estimating abilities. These enhancements, commonly seen in sales force automation and customer relationship management tools, are designed to benefit IT organizations that work on a billable or non-billable (charge-back) basis.

New features in Account4 Version 4.0 include:

-- Expanded Contact Management - Track all data relevant to past, current and prospective clients. Account4 now categorizes contacts by user-defined types, allows tracking of all client activities and allows creation of Action Items and Ticklers.

-- Opportunity Management - This enhancement allows organizations to better manage incoming opportunities, and track the entire sales cycle. To make the most of information, data can be filtered multiple ways and run into reports to better prepare your organization to handle incoming work.

-- Revenue Opportunity Forecasting - This feature gives users the ability to forecast revenue based on opportunity, prices and likelihood of closing. It also estimates prices and dates through "what-if" scenarios based on labor and non-labor requirements, best practice templates, or a unique model -so that the best business decisions can be made.

-- Additional Billing Types - Account4 offers six billing types based on a combination of time, expense, material, and fixed price. There are also seven ways to schedule billing, such as by date, milestones, % complete, monthly, etc. Offering customers billing options will improve customer service as well as internal organization.

-- Addition of Resource Roles - To enhance resource planning, a user may assign roles instead of skills or specific resources to calculate estimated revenue and cost. When resource names are determined, tasks and rate information are transferred from the role to the individual.

-- Improved Utilization and Capacity Planning - Displays additional data elements such as reported hours, or assignments that have been scheduled, authorized or reserved. These enhancements provide a more accurate view of resource utilization, both historically and into the future. Resource capacity can be planned based on your opportunity pipeline.

-- Creation of Resource Teams - Assign groups of resources to an opportunity or project. Input dates, rates, cost, hours and all individual team members are automatically assigned to that team project.

With close to 50 implementations, Account4.com currently holds the largest market share in the PSA market. The product's increased functionality in version 4.0 will further boost Account4's foothold in a $1.6 billion market that is expected to grow at a rate of 20% annually over the next five years, according to the Aberdeen Group.

One of the main reasons that Account4 has been so successful is the technology behind the product. Ensuring a Web-based, thin-client interface written completely in HTML and XML was an important decision when Account4 was first conceived. That decision has been validated by Account4.com's many recent wins such as Chase Manhattan, Viacom International, and Western Digital - companies that understand the value of Account4's leading technology.

"The release of 4.0 involved a lot of research, thought, and effort. We wanted to make sure we delivered a version that would offer significant benefits to customers - not just a face-lift to the existing product. We talked to customers, analysts, and users to learn what features would offer people the best return on their investment. We then incorporated those ideas into Account4 in the most intuitive, seamless way we could. We are proud of this release and expect to see Account4 raise the bar for other PSA providers," said John Lucas, President and CEO of Account4.com.

About Account4(TM):

Account4 is Web-based, thin-client (browser only) software focused on meeting the business needs of Professional Services Organizations and large IT shops. Account4 is designed to organize, track, and manage opportunities, committed work, resources, assets, time, and expenses for workgroups.

About Account4.com:

Account4.com (www.account4.com) began as a division of Work Management Solutions, Inc. (WMS) dedicated to Web-based business software. The company has provided enterprise-wide software solutions for Professional Services Automation and IT Management for over 13 years. Account4.com is headquartered in Newton, MA with offices in California and Florida.