Actuate's Enterprise Reporting Application Platform Consistently Exceeds Customer Expectations; Ventana Research Study Concludes that Actuate Improves Corporate Performance for All.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Actuate Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTU), the world leader in Enterprise Reporting Applications, today announced the findings of a collection of customer case studies which were independently conducted by Ventana Research titled 'Actuate Customer Profiles; Enterprise Reporting Drives Top and Bottom Line Value.' The goal of the Ventana Research investigation was to document how customers used Actuate's software and the ways in which they achieved demonstrable business value from their investment. The final report comprises case studies and analysis on seven organizations, in a variety of industries ranging from a Global 100 financial services company to a non-profit agency, all of whom have used Actuate to streamline their business processes. The Actuate customers featured include Lifeline; Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc.; Henry M. Jackson Foundation; Core Data; Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS); Gyrus ENT; and Mercy Ships.

As the Ventana Research case studies demonstrate, every business, regardless of size or industry, is constantly seeking to optimize business processes in order to increase corporate performance. The factors that contribute to efficient business processes include optimal utilization of resources, transparency into key performance indicators, a comprehensive understanding of market factors and an accurate assessment of customer satisfaction. Enterprise Reporting Applications provide a holistic picture of these critical success factors so users can be effective in improving corporate performance.

Ventana Research found that organizations have deployed Actuate for a wide variety of internal and external Enterprise Reporting Applications. Implementing these applications resulted in improved internal and external business processes for all companies profiled. The internal business processes improved include:

--Optimizing information from disparate data sources to manage business processes such as call center efficiency and sales force optimization

--Increasing the effectiveness of a decentralized national sales team

--Unlocking the "gold" in the database to increase sales

--Improving complex, multi-faceted operational processes such as customer relationship management and sales force effectiveness

The external business processes improved include:

--Gaining competitive advantage by presenting information as a value-add service

--Allowing partners and customers easy access to critical information to manage their business and thereby improving their performance

--Improving access to information as part of creating a world-class call center operation

In particular, many customers surveyed explicitly stated that a top priority for their new reporting solution was to gain a competitive advantage by delivering better customer service.

Ventana Research observes that all of the organizations profiled in the study are planning their future with Actuate in mind. The specific future plans for the organizations to leverage Actuate are detailed within the report. Ventana Research notes that Actuate has had a "land and expand" effect on the organizations surveyed. The customers were able to successfully deploy their initial application and then extend usage to other areas of the organization, adding to the total value gained with each deployment.

"A recurring theme throughout the profiles is the ease of report distribution and user access that Actuate provides," said Mark Smith, CEO and SVP of Research for Ventana Research. "In every profile, the organizations had high praise for the flexibility Actuate provides in report creation and presentation quality. They also pointed out the ease with which the information consumers, both inside and outside the organization, could access and, if appropriate, manipulate the information. This ensured high adoption and utilization of information delivered to the users."

"We are excited about the findings of the Ventana Research study which clearly reinforces Actuate's position that Enterprise Reporting Applications are the most effective solution for improving business processes," said Nobby Akiha, VP of Marketing for Actuate Corporation. "These independent customer interviews and studies affirm a high level of customer satisfaction and are a clear demonstration of how Actuate's drive toward 100% adoption of Enterprise Reporting Applications by all users has a positive effect on core business processes by optimizing the flow of information throughout the business and beyond."

To Learn More

The full report 'Actuate Customer Profiles; Enterprise Reporting Drives Top and Bottom Line Value,' which includes detailed customer profiles and interview material, is available by emailing [e-mail].

About Actuate Corporation

Actuate Corporation is the world leader in Enterprise Reporting Applications that ensure 100% adoption by users. Actuate's Enterprise Reporting Application Platform is the foundation on which Global 9000 organizations (companies with annual revenues greater than $1 billion) and packaged application software vendors develop intuitive, Web portal-like reporting and analytic applications that empower 100% of users with decision-making information. These applications are deployed inside and outside the firewall to improve corporate performance across a range of business functions including financial management, sales, human resource management and customer self-service. When tested against other business intelligence products, Actuate's Enterprise Reporting Application Platform has been proven to offer industry-leading scalability and the lowest Total Cost of Ownership. Actuate has 2,900 customers globally in a range of industries including financial services, pharmaceuticals, insurance, and distribution services, as well as the government sector.

Founded in 1993, Actuate has headquarters in South San Francisco, Calif., and has offices worldwide. Actuate is listed on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol ACTU. For more information on Actuate, visit the company's Web site at www.actuate.com.

Copyright(C) 2004 Actuate Corporation. All rights reserved. Actuate and the Actuate logo are registered trademarks of Actuate Corporation and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other brands, names or trademarks mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners.