Best Software Launches Roles-Based Self-Service Functionality for Best! Imperativ Payroll.

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1999--

Industry's First Fully-Integrated, Web-Native HRMS Solution

Offers Manager/Employee Roles to Give HR and

Payroll Managers a Competitive Edge

Best Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:BEST), a leading provider of corporate resource management solutions, today launched new roles-based self-service capability for Best! Imperativ Payroll(TM), the latest addition to its award-winning, fully-integrated Best! Imperativ HRMS(TM) solution. The new web-native functionality, announced at the American Payroll Association's Annual Conference, reduces HR and payroll administration time and expense and adds value to staff by enabling real-time, on-line selection and processing of information by employees and managers based on their level of access.

According to a recent study by the Society of Human Resource Management, five hours out of a personnel manager's eight-hour day is spent responding to employee inquiries. This administrative burden is largely due to the static design of most self-service systems, which allow employees only to update basic information like their address. Best! Imperativ Payroll, in contrast, is the industry's first web-native solution that offers dynamic functionality via a familiar employee "home page" that empowers individuals to request time off, view earnings history and view or edit their direct deposit or W-4 elections, among other capabilities.

"The employee role accelerates the transformation of HR and payroll departments from their traditional cost center function to strategic contributors to company growth," said Tim Davenport, president and CEO for Best Software. "This is but one of the ground-breaking features that make Best! Imperativ Payroll an ideal solution for companies seeking an intuitive, easy-to-implement payroll management system with bottom-line benefits for individuals throughout the entire organization."

"Best! Imperativ Payroll represents a quantum leap forward in our payroll processing," said Trish Donovan, vice-president of human resources for Medical Manager Corp., the market leader in software applications for doctor office management. "Being able to streamline the payroll process on a national basis and empowering our employees by implementing the employee role are just two of the virtually infinite opportunities the application presents."

Best! Imperativ Payroll, unlike most standalone or service bureau payroll processing solutions, provides full integration capability with HR information, offering customers seamless access to a common database and application functionality between all Best! Imperativ HRMS modules, including HR, Payroll, Recruiting and Organizational Development. As a result of a new marketing and development agreement between Best Software and Kronos Incorporated, companies will also benefit from a seamless interface between Best! Imperativ Payroll and Kronos' Workforce Timekeeper(TM) System. Kronos, based in Waltham, Mass., is a leading provider of software applications and data capture technology for frontline labor management.

Like all Best! Imperativ HRMS products, Best! Imperativ Payroll is a scalable, web-native solution designed for optimum performance with the Microsoft Windows Distributed interNet Applications (DNA) architecture to maximize reliability and reduce ongoing maintenance for today's larger, distributed enterprises. The system incorporates Microsoft Transaction Server COM technology to provide virtually unlimited scalability and ample processing and analysis power for companies as they add employees and users.

"Best Software's decision to build a payroll solution on the Windows DNA model confirms their desire to maximize the benefits of Web-based distributed applications for their customers," said Christy Reichhelm, Microsoft industry marketing manager for ERP and accounting. "This design will enable companies to not only extend the reach of Best! Imperativ Payroll within their organization, but to better manage information flow to and from employees."

Other Best! Imperativ Payroll features include:

-- Analysis: Built-in On-line Analytic Processing (OLAP)
   capability via Microsoft Office 2000 and SQL Server 7.0

-- Reporting: Dynamic HTMLWeb-based reports that allow on-line
   drill-down from summary data to detail

-- Convenience: User-modifiable check design via Crystal Reports
   Designer; on-line payroll calendar

-- Flexibility: Gross-up and on-demand checks; common paymaster
   support

-- Ease-of-Use: Guided set-up of compensation, deduction and
   taxes; automatic tax location set-up

Best Software, Inc., with offices in the US, Canada and Europe, is a leading provider of corporate resource management solutions which help organizations to better manage their people, assets and planning. Its scalable, cost-effective solutions complement core accounting systems and support the full spectrum of Microsoft platforms, including Windows(R) 95, Windows(R) 98, Windows NT(R) and BackOffice(R). For further information, call 800/368-2499, send an email to [e-mail] or access our Web site at www.bestsoftware.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Best Software, Best! Imperativ, Best! Imperativ HRMS and Best! Imperativ Payroll are trademarks, and the Best logo is a registered trademark of Best Software, Inc. Workforce Timekeeper is a trademark of Kronos Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders