Avalara Scores! Sixty-Four New Partners Sign at Insights 2005.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. -- Best Software Show Signals Avalara's "Arrival" as a Must-Have Accounting Software Tax-Calculating Add-On

"At the just-completed Insights 2005 show -- the annual Best Software business partner meeting -- Avalara scored a remarkable coup by signing 64 new business partners to represent Avalara's AvaTax ST(TM) as a third-party add-on to Best's premier SMB-market software packages," according to Avalara CEO Jared Vogt.

"Just a year ago, at the 2004 Insights show, our interfaces to the Best products were not commercially available -- and we had not yet forged any Best-related business partnerships." Vogt explained. "This year, we were the show's hot product -- a Web-based, on-demand service with no peer in our core SMB market. Alone among SMB-market accounting package add-ons, AvaTax ST seamlessly integrates with Best's MAS 90(R), MAS 200(R) and ACCPAC Advantage Series(TM) to perform sales tax research, calculation, reporting and returns. Because of the constantly-changing and complex nature of sales tax rates and regulations, along with an increasing awareness of legislative developments at a state and national level, there has been an increasingly fast-growing demand for the kinds of services that we offer to small and medium businesses, a fact recognized by Best's business partners."

Since the debut of AvaTax ST in June of 2004, Avalara has attracted more than 325 business partners and end-user clients. This growth curve has been spiking dramatically higher since the end of Q1 2005, when Avalara announced it had 150 business partners and clients.

"When new business partners approached us at Insights, they each reported multiple end-user clients who were already searching for the kind of tax-calculating solution Avalara's AvaTax ST offers," Avalara's Vice President, Marshal Kushniruk -- who oversees Avalara's dynamic partner program -- pointed out. "Their interest wasn't theoretical -- they have clients who are clamoring for effective, real-time on-demand sales tax calculation services. These are service needs that, in the SMB market, only Avalara is prepared to meet."

Kushniruk also noted that Avalara's distinctive "Infinity Partner" compensation program proved to be a significant factor in attracting so many business partners. "Because we offer an on-demand, subscription-based service -- rather than a software package -- we decided to compensate our business partners for their sales on an ongoing basis.

"Over the next few months, we anticipate signing more than 150 new end-user clients, just through those new partners we signed at Best's Insights show," Kushniruk said. "In addition, we are continuing to add to our roster of Best business partners -- firms that met us at Insights, and which, after further evaluation, have decided to become part of Avalara's network of business partners.

"With any successful new business," Kushniruk said, "at some point you reach a critical mass -- a point where awareness and market demand begin to take off, spurring dramatic and sustained growth. Based on our performance at Best's Insights 2005 show, Avalara may well be at that take-off point -- a place where trade coverage, industry buzz and end-user demand take on a life of their own. It's still a bit too early to say if that is, in fact, the end-result of Best's show, but so far the indicators are strongly positive. The signing of 64 new business partners at Best Software's Insights represents the company's best one-week performance in its history.

"Building on the momentum in the Best Software channel for AvaTax ST is something we will continue to drive and support," Kushniruk concluded. "We will do that with continued product innovations, more integrated solutions to Best products, and just continuing to get the word out -- with our next show appearance at the Atlantic Design and Manufacturing Show in Manhattan, June 13-15, where Avalara will be exhibiting in the Best Software booth."

About AvaTax ST(TM)

AvaTax ST is an SMB market-leading, Web-service-based sales tax automation solution that instantly and accurately calculates sales tax for clients in any of the more than 8,000 taxing jurisdictions in North America; provides detailed, real-time reporting; and automatically generates pre-populated returns. AvaTax ST comes integrated with more financial applications serving more businesses than any other solution. Integrated editions include AvaTax ST for Best Software's MAS 90(R) and MAS 200(R), ACCPAC Advantage Series(TM), Microsoft's (MSFT) Great Plains, Navision(R), MS Small Business Financials and Scala, among others. Additionally, with AvaTax On-Demand, a developer can integrate Avalara's sales tax Web service with any e-commerce, third-party or custom-built solution with use of a comprehensive Software Developer's Kit (SDK).

AutoAddress+(TM) is also offered, providing on-demand address validation within ACCPAC CRM(TM), or any other system through custom integration.

About Avalara

Headquartered on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington, Avalara is changing the sales and use tax landscape by delivering innovative and affordable solutions to small and medium businesses. Led by a team of industry experts in sales and use tax, and security and information technology, Avalara is focused on providing the easiest, most accurate and affordable way for businesses to address all their statutory sales and use tax requirements. Additional news and information is available at www.avalara.com.