Best Software Celebrates 20-Year Milestone.

Business Editors

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 11, 2002

Reston Va.-based Specialty Products Division

Continues Tradition of Growth and Success

Best Software today announced it is celebrating its 20th year of business in Northern Virginia.

Developer of the FAS(TM) fixed asset management and the Abra(R) human resources, payroll, and benefits management software solutions, Best's Specialty Products Division today serves more than 50,000 customers across the U.S. and Canada. The Carpe Diem(R) and TimeSheet Professional(R) time and attendance management software solutions were added to the Specialty Products Division in January 2002.

In literal start-up fashion, Best Software opened for business in 1982 as "Best Programs" in the Arlington garage of local entrepreneur Jim Petersen. Petersen's vision was to develop and market PC-based tax software for small to mid-sized companies. Upon launching Best's first product -- Personal Finance Manager -- in 1983, Petersen outgrew his garage. He moved to a nearby townhouse, and then to a true office off Interstate 395 in Shirlington, Va.

Since Petersen left the business in 2000, Best's Specialty Products Division has grown to more than 400 employees, with nearly 200 employees based at its Reston office alone. The balance of its employees is spread across campuses in St. Petersburg, Fla.; Stow, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Essex, Mass. and Burlington, Ontario.

At last count, more than 30,000 financial managers have chosen Best's FAS solutions to handle their growing and complex fixed asset management needs. In fact, FAS today boasts nearly two-thirds of the fixed asset market for mid-sized companies, and markets the product via a strong value-added reseller (VAR) channel that includes four out the "big five" accounting firms.

In addition, Best's Abra family of Web-based HR, payroll and benefits administration solutions is used by more than 15,000 customers nationwide, while many others use its financial planning and analysis, and time tracking, products.

Over the past 20 years, Best has changed tremendously as it has kept pace with changes within the information technology industry. However, one constant has remained - its roots remain in Northern Virginia. Noteworthy company milestones over the past two decades have included:

-- 1991 - Best enters the HR/payroll market with the acquisition of St.
Petersburg, Fla.-based Abra Cadabra Software (now Abra).

-- November 1997 - Best files IPO and debuts on Nasdaq exchange at $13 per
share.

-- 1998 - Best goes international with acquisition of Dusseldorf-based HR
management software GmbH.

-- 1999 - Best acquires Hudson, Ohio-based OmniVista Software, an emerging
developer of financial planning and analysis solutions.

-- January 2000 - Best is acquired for nearly $500 million by the UK-based Sage
Group plc. In its last earnings report as a public company, Best generates
record revenue for 1999 of $91.4 million, an increase of 32 percent over 1998.
Operating income grows 45 percent and net income rises 37 percent, while
earnings per share increase 33 percent.

-- May 2001 - Best receives Greater Washington Corporate Citizenship Award from
KPMG LLP and Washington Techway magazine, part of the Post-Newsweek Tech Media
Group.

-- January 2002 - Sage rebrands its five U.S. business divisions under the Best
Software name.

"The remarkable loyalty of our customers and employees has been instrumental to our long-term success," said Himanshu Palsule, Best's executive vice president of marketing. "It speaks to both the quality of our people and the effectiveness of our customer-driven strategy. Best's reputation for innovation helps ensure we will be celebrating our 40-year milestone in another 20 years."

"We congratulate Best Software on its 20th year as a successful Northern Virginia company," said Jonathan Levi, vice president of information technology and telecommunications for The Mills Corporation, an Arlington, Va.-based owner and operator of super-regional, value, and entertainment-oriented malls. "Our portfolio is twice the size it was in 1995 [when we implemented the FAS solution]. People don't realize the level of capital investment we continue to make. FAS has allowed us to grow without increasing our staff and audit fees proportionally."

About Best Software

Best Software provides integrated, market-proven software and services that give over one million small- and mid-sized customers in North America the insight to make better decisions for success throughout the life of their business. Its parent company (LSE: SGE) supports nearly three million customers worldwide and has revenue of nearly $700 million. For more than 25 years, Best has delivered easy-to-use, scalable and customizable applications through its portfolio of leading brands, including Abra, MAS 90, FAS, MIP Nonprofit Series, SalesLogix, Peachtree and ACT!, among many others. For further information, please call 1-800-811-0961 or visit our website at www.bestsoftware.com/moreinfo.

Editor's Note: Best Software, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective holders.