CARDIFF SOFTWARE HAS UNVEILED LIQUIDOFFICE 2.0.

Cardiff Software Inc., a supplier of XML-based eBusiness and eGovernment automation solutions, has unveiled its LiquidOffice eForm Management System version 2.0. LiquidOffice is an XML-based "paperless" system that allows organizations to publish, route, track, approve and process online forms using standard Web browsers or mobile devices.

LiquidOffice v2.0 adds significant new capabilities to the eForm system. Highlights include eForm connectivity with mobile devices and remote applications through XML Virtual Submit; support for workflow-enabled HTML eForms from a XML Publishing Agent; implementation of "good enough" signing with Digital Approval; and seamless enterprise user management through integration with lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) systems.

"The revolutionary XML Web architecture of LiquidOffice extends the reach of paperless forms applications by completely eliminating costly eForm workflow plug-ins," said Dennis Clerke, president and CEO of Cardiff Software. "Instead, the LiquidOffice system delivers workflow-enabled forms using XML, HTML and Adobe PDF standards. This no-filler approach makes LiquidOffice a compelling XML Web framework for paperless forms solutions within the firewall, on the public Internet and to a wide range of mobile and wireless devices."

Developed through an 'eForm Alliance' with Adobe Systems, LiquidOffice uses XML, HTML and Adobe portable document format (PDF) standards to put a wide range of manual business processes online. Using LiquidOffice, an organization can save between $30 and $150 per day for every form used by employees. LiquidOffice also adds automated data collection, attachments and workflow capabilities to public- and citizen-facing Web forms.

Historical client-server eForm systems have adapted to the Web by relying on ActiveX or Java applet plug-ins (called "fillers") to deliver workflow-enabled eForms to Web browsers. This adaptation approach results in per-seat licensing costs, incompatibilities between plug-in types, and requires user integration if the goal is both automated data collection and eForm workflow.

In contrast, LiquidOffice eliminates the filler completely by automating standard HTML and Adobe PDF forms, and uses a XML Web architecture to deliver a single integrated system for automated data collection and eForm workflow. As a result, the LiquidOffice system is easier and more affordable to deploy, and is compatible with other XML Web applications, including standard Web application servers and the emerging Microsoft.NET and the Sun Open Network Environment frameworks.

XML Virtual Submit

XML Virtual Submit is a new capability delivered with LiquidOffice v2.0 that defines a XML schema, which enables organizations to use mobile devices and existing applications to initiate automatic eForm processes within LiquidOffice. The XML Virtual Submit schema supports using XML to send eForm identification, prefilled field data, digital attachments, and form routing instructions to the LiquidOffice Form Server.

XML Virtual Submit allows nearly any mobile hardware device to be used for data collection and to initiate eForm workflows. Data collected on cell phones, Palm personal digital assistants (PDA) and Pocket PCs, can be converted into a XML Virtual Submit that results in a same-as-paper eForm submission within the LiquidOffice system. XML Virtual Submit enables a wide range of mobile applications, including a Pocket PC, for the automated data collection from field surveys or meter reading, or using a cell phone to initiate an workflow-based order approval process.

External programs can also use XML Virtual Submit to automatically initiate one or more LiquidOffice eForm processes. Web and application servers, workflow, content management, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM) systems can use XML Virtual Submit to initiate eForm submissions and workflows within LiquidOffice. Applications include allowing sales team members to initiate collateral shipment requests from within CRM products, enabling an organization to use an ERP system to send all employees prefilled W4 forms to validate and return, and to attach a scanned copy of a signed contract with an order form submission.

XML Publishing Agent for HTML

The LiquidOffice Form Designer provides point-and-click tools to empower form owners and office workers with the ability to design and add intelligence and processing rules to online forms. The system stores these forms using industry-standard XML, and uses publishing agents to convert that XML into various presentation formats, including Adobe PDFs. New for LiquidOffice v2.0 is a Publishing Agent for HTML, which allows organizations to workflow-enable internal and public-facing standard HTML Web forms. The system also supports adding digital attachments to HTML form submissions.

Digital Approval is "Good Enough"

LiquidOffice supports a wide range of electronic and digital signature products, including private key infrastructure (PKI) and biometric products from vendors Entrust, VeriSign, CIC, and Interlink Technologies.

With LiquidOffice v2.0, Cardiff is responding to customers who requested "good enough" signing capabilities for low-risk transactions, including vacation requests, performance reviews and engineering change orders. The Digital Approval feature in LiquidOffice v2.0 provides a signature field and signing interface that merges XML-based user authentication into a record of the signing transaction. The user simply reiterates the LiquidOffice or LDAP user ID and password to authenticate the signing step.

With Digital Approval, LiquidOffice v2.0 allows organizations to scale signing technology investments based upon those that need "good enough" signing and those that need the software and hardware investment required for high-value transactions.

Enterprise Support via LDAP

LiquidOffice v2.0 also includes integration with LDAP products, easing user administration for IT staffs. Users now can access their LiquidOffice accounts through authentication and system role information stored in the enterprise LDAP system. User attributes within LiquidOffice, including Approver, Designer and Operator, can also be set and stored within the LDAP system. The LDAP integration eases user interaction with the system by using existing log in and password information, and eases IT administration of the LiquidOffice system.

Pricing and Availability

LiquidOffice eForm Management System v2.0 is shipping in three configurations: LiquidOffice Workgroup (PC/Sun Solaris), which supports 100 maximum log-in accounts and priced at $15,000; LiquidOffice Enterprise (PC/Sun Solar is), a scalable system with pricing starting at $45,000; and LiquidOffice eGovernment (PC/Sun Solaris), a scalable system that also supports the automation of Internet and citizen-facing forms, with pricing starting at $55,000.

A free download of the LiquidOffice Form Designer Trial Edition (TE) is available now at http://www.cardiff.com/LiquidOffice. For additional product information and customer profiles visit http://www.cardiff.com/ .

About Cardiff Software Inc.

Cardiff's integrated eTransaction solutions are used by more than 20,000 organizations, including Global 2000 companies, to automate a wide range of business transactions and processes. Cardiff's Information Capture, eForm Management and eDocument Automation products work together to replace manual processing with automated online systems -- putting information to work more quickly and affordably than ever before.

Cardiff is a privately held company based in San Diego, Calif. Cardiff investment partners include DICOM Group Plc. (London: DCM.L), a supplier of software and consulting services for implementing automated document capture applications; Adobe Ventures, L.P., the venture capital limited partnership affiliate of Adobe Systems ; and HarbourVest Partners, a private investment organization.

Cardiff eTransaction solutions can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.cardiff.com/ .

For more information, call 760/936-4704.