Ariba Selects webMethods as Preferred Partner for Ecommerce Transaction Integration Into Ariba Network.

Business/Technology Editors

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 19, 2000

Companies to Launch Joint Seminar Series to Promote B2B Marketplace

Integration Strategies and Highlight Customer Case Studies

webMethods, Inc., a leading provider of business-to-business integration (B2Bi) solutions, today announced that Ariba, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARBA) has selected webMethods as a "preferred partner" for integrating suppliers into Ariba Network(TM) commerce services. As Ariba's preferred partner for eCommerce transaction integration, webMethods will be recommended by Ariba for integrating new suppliers into Ariba Network using cXML (Commerce Extensible Markup Language), an open XML-based standard that facilitates the exchange of catalog content and transaction information between companies.

webMethods' support for cXML provides suppliers with a secure, reliable, and guaranteed connection to, and seamless transaction integration with, Ariba Network. Based on the successful integration efforts at barnesandnoble.com, Corporate Express, Dell, Grainger and others, Ariba and webMethods have organized a professional services offering to meet the growing demand for cXML B2B integration services. These services are specifically tailored to rapidly enable suppliers to receive cXML orders via Ariba Network.

"The Ariba Network provides a highly scalable, integrated means of connecting buyers, suppliers and service providers over the Internet," said Dave Rome, vice president of alliances at Ariba. "webMethods provides an optimal transaction connectivity solution for suppliers that maximizes the inherent efficiencies of Ariba Network by connecting it to existing order management systems at the supplier side establishing a complete end to end transaction flow."

"We are pleased to have been selected as the preferred partner by the Ariba Network," said Craig Chapman, vice president of business development for webMethods, Inc. "There is a growing a number of companies looking for ways to connect to Ariba Network. In the new economy time is money, so it is critical to provide companies with a quick, effective, robust method of connecting to Ariba Network and other B2B marketplaces, so they can begin to see a rapid return on their investment."

To launch this relationship the companies will embark on a multi-city seminar tour focused on B2B marketplace integration. The tour is currently scheduled to make stops in Chicago, Atlanta, Edison, N.J. and Santa Clara, Calif. during February 2000. The title and topic of the seminar tour is "Fast Track to B2B Marketplace Integration: Connecting to Ariba Network."

Seminar Details

The seminars will cover a broad range of topics for companies looking to integrate with Ariba's aggregated network of buyers and sellers. Highlights will include presentations about derived ROI value, catalog integration, punchout enablement and cXML (commerce XML) transactions. Implementations by respected industry leaders, such as Corporate Express, Dell, Grainger and barnesandnoble.com, will be discussed to illustrate the bottom-line benefits and business opportunities created by connecting to B2B marketplaces.

The seminars, each beginning at 8:30 a.m. local time, are scheduled as follows:

-- Wednesday, February 16--Chicago, Ill.

-- Thursday, February 17--Atlanta, Ga.

-- Friday, February 18--Edison, N.J.

-- Wednesday, February 23--Santa Clara, Calif.

How to Register and Attend

For more information on registration and the locations of each B2B Marketplace Integration Seminar, please visit http://www.webMethods.com/fasttrack5 or call Sue Tamburelli of webMethods at 415.247.9965.

About Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, Inc. is the leading provider of business-to-business eCommerce services and solutions to leading companies around the world, including 15 of the Fortune 100. The company delivers an open, end-to-end, best-of-breed platform of interoperable solutions to manage corporate purchasing on the Internet, build net markets, and provide suppliers with buyer access and integration. Together, Ariba's software and services leverage the Internet-based Ariba Network to integrate the internal and external commerce processes of buyers, suppliers, net markets and commerce service providers. The result is a global eCommerce infrastructure that provides cost saving and revenue opportunities for businesses of all sizes. Ariba can be contacted in the U.S. at +1.650.930.6200 or at www.ariba.com.

About webMethods, Inc.

webMethods, Inc. is a leading provider of open solutions for business-to-business e-commerce and integration. As one of the first products to deliver XML-based e-commerce solutions, the webMethods B2B(TM) software leverages a variety of open Internet standards to automatically link business processes with those of key partners--without the time or expense of altering existing legacy, proprietary or ERP applications.

Founded in 1996, webMethods is based in Fairfax, Va., with offices nationwide. Investors include Goldman Sachs, the Mayfield Fund, FBR Technology Venture Partners, Dell Corporation, FDX Corporation and KPMG LLP. More than 100 top companies worldwide--ranging from Dell to DHL to Cisco to Dun & Bradstreet--use webMethods B2B. The company's partners include Microsoft, SAP AG, Sterling Commerce, Ariba, KPMG LLP, Intelisys Electronic Commerce, Clarus, PSDI and MRO.com.

webMethods and webMethods B2B are trademarks of webMethods, Inc. All other company and product names are property of their respective owners.