Business Engine Enters Into a Relationship With Microsoft to Champion & Extend Value of Microsoft Project 2002 Platform; First ISV to Commit to Embedding Microsoft Project 2002.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2001

Business Engine(R) announced today that Microsoft has designated it as a Microsoft(R) Project Premier Partner in the Enterprise Services Automation (ESA) space, and currently the first Independent Software Vendor (ISV) to commit to embedding Microsoft Project 2002. Business Engine will integrate and package Microsoft Project 2002 with The Business Engine Network(TM) (The BEN(TM)), Business Engine's market-leading ESA application, which includes project portfolio management, project financials, business-to-business, and customizable portal dashboard applications.

The union Microsoft Project 2002 and The BEN creates the first single enterprise Web application that meets the critical needs of the entire planning and execution lifecycle across the critical dimensions of projects, resources, budgets and users, by aligning 'top-down' executive guidance through 'bottom-up' project planning and execution.

"Microsoft selected Business Engine in recognition of Business Engine's demonstrated category leadership, particularly in solving project portfolio, resource and budget management challenges for large IT, R&D and engineering organizations," said Chris Capossela, general manager for Microsoft's Project Business Unit.

"We expect The BEN to enhance the capabilities of Microsoft Project 2002," added Mike Gelon, director of marketing, Microsoft Project. "We believe our relationship with Business Engine will establish Microsoft as the leading project management platform for enterprise-class ESA solutions."

The ability to execute on management strategy, right down to the detailed project level, is key to the success of today's project-based organizations. The combination of Microsoft Project 2002 and The BEN will offer customers the ability to drive a strategy down through an organization and continuously align its three key assets -- people, time and money -- against that strategy. Additionally, the solution addresses the collaborative, planning and management needs of every stakeholder including executives, project leaders and team members regardless of whether they are employees, contractors, or partners -- or their location.

"The need to integrate budget, resource, project and status information has enterprise project offices seeking an integrated system," said Matt Light, research director at Gartner Inc. "New offerings blending these functions and allowing inter-enterprise collaboration are raising the bar in enterprise project and resource collaboration." The integration of Microsoft Project 2002 into The BEN represents the first application to achieve this stature.

"With over 8 million customers worldwide, Microsoft Project is the de facto platform for detailed project management," said John O'Neil, Business Engine chief executive officer. "Microsoft Project 2002 both complements and extends The BEN's strengths in high-level project portfolio, financial and services relationship management. And standardizing on Microsoft Project 2002 means that we'll accelerate our commitment to deliver measurable value to our customers by offering the best of both worlds."

The combined solution links the most critical processes necessary for project-based organizations to maximize return on investment. These processes comprise the enterprise execution and planning lifecycle and include 'top down' processes such as managing a project and resource portfolio, developing and monitoring a financial plan and establishing and managing third party relationships; 'bottom up' processes including planning, executing and monitoring individual projects; and cross-functional collaborative processes across project information and deliverables.

Microsoft Project 2002 provides flexible tools and a platform that makes information accessible to you, your workgroup and your stakeholders to manage schedules and resources, collaborate on projects, and analyze project information. Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/presspass to read the full Microsoft Project 2002 announcement in full.

The Business Engine Network combined with Microsoft Project 2002 is available from Business Engine and will begin shipping in Q2 2002.

About Business Engine

Since 1987, Business Engine has been delivering project, resource and financial management solutions to project-driven companies throughout North America and Europe. Global 2000 financial services, pharmaceutical, and other IT and R&D organizations are using Business Engine products, including The Business Engine Network(TM) or BEN, to operate more efficiently by improving the effective management of their complex projects and initiatives, and the utilization of their internal and external resources. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Business Engine has offices throughout the United States and, overseas, in Belgium, England and India. Privately held, key investors in Business Engine include Broadview Capital Partners, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Oak Investment Partners, DB Capital Partners and NSE Ventures. For more information on Business Engine and The BEN, please call 800/235-4142 in the United States, 415/616-4000 outside the United States, or visit the company's Web site at http://www.BusinessEngine.com.

Note to Editors: Business Engine and The Business Engine Network (The BEN) are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Business Engine in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft and Outlook are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.