DETERMINE Software Announces Major Upgrades To Its Contract Performance Management Platform.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 2003 New Platform Improves Customization of Contracts and Processes; Extends Integration with Desktop Applications For Faster Implementation and Lower Costs DETERMINE Software(R), the leading provider of Contract Performance Management (CPM (1) (Critical Path Method) A project management planning and control technique implemented on computers. The critical path is the series of activities and tasks in the project that have no built-in slack time. ) solutions for Global 2000 companies, today announced a significant platform upgrade of its Contract Performance Management solution, making it faster and easier for customers to model any contract, configure any process, and integrate with any application -- from SAP to Excel. The new platform enhances DETERMINE's Composer Toolset, which allows non-technical users to configure custom contract templates and business processes without incurring the time and expense associated with complex development efforts. It also includes the introduction of DETERMINE's CrossLink Desktop Connectors, which enable direct integration of contract processes into end-users' everyday desktop application environment, eliminating the requirement to logon See login. 1. (jargon) logon - login. 2. (networking) logon - In ACF/VTAM, an unformatted session-initiation request for a session between two logical units. to proprietary portals. The DETERMINE platform represents significant innovations to the three fundamental steps in deploying any contract-based business processes -- Step 1: Convert complex documents into actionable information. Step 2: Define contract-specific processes that meet unique corporate procedures. And Step 3: Deploy the information and processes to all users. "Our goal is to help customers pull complex legal documents out of the filing cabinet and transform them into usable data that can drive their strategic supplier and partner relationships," said Jon Corshen, vice president of marketing with DETERMINE Software. "To achieve this goal, we have continued to build a platform that can successfully bridge the gap between the unstructured world of contract documents and the highly structured world of transactional business systems." Three Steps to Deploying Any Contract Process Step 1: Improved Contract Template Design Functionality DETERMINE's new platform enhances the functionality of the DETERMINE DataComposer tools, which allow customers to easily model custom contract templates to match unique contract, industry and company requirements. Using an intuitive Web interface, non-technical users can define the parameters, forms and contract templates that define the "actionable" data in any contract. Forms and templates can be accessed via the DETERMINE library or from a customer-developed library of forms and templates. DataComposer is tightly integrated with DETERMINE's reporting and permissioning engine, ensuring that any time a parameter or form is added, it can be immediately reported on while adhering to established access permissions -- all without requiring database table updates or system recompiles. Step 2: Enhanced Capabilities for Configuring Custom Contract Processes DETERMINE's new platform also includes extensions to DETERMINE's ProcessComposer Tools, making it even easier and faster to configure custom contract processes. Enhancements include the addition of a new rules engine to the micro-kernel process manager that underlies the ProcessComposer. The rules engine uses XML-scripts to define actions and task sequences such as dynamic routing The ability for a router to forward data via a different route based on the current conditions of the communications circuits. For example, it can adjust for overloaded traffic or failing lines and is much more flexible than static routing, which uses a fixed forwarding path. based on contract variables and user actions. Unlike traditional, heavy-weight workflow engines which are rigid, complex to set up and difficult to maintain, DETERMINE's ProcessComposer allows customers to easily configure processes by linking together tasks, triggers and rules that are delivered as part of the DETERMINE component library or the customer's library. Step 3: Extending Integration to the "Edge" The latest version of the DETERMINE platform includes new CrossLink Desktop Connectors that enable direct integration between the DETERMINE application and familiar desktop applications, including Microsoft Word A full-featured word processing program for Windows and the Macintosh from Microsoft. Included in the Microsoft application suite, it is a sophisticated program with rudimentary desktop publishing capabilities that has become the most widely used word processing application on the market. , Microsoft Excel (tool) Microsoft Excel - A spreadsheet program from Microsoft, part of their Microsoft Office suite of productivity tools for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh. Excel is probably the most widely used spreadsheet in the world. Latest version: Excel 97, as of 1997-01-14. , Microsoft Outlook For the e-mail and news client bundled with certain versions of Microsoft Windows, see . Microsoft Outlook or Outlook (full name Microsoft Office Outlook and Adobe Acrobat, as well as handheld devices like PALM and Blackberry -- and even cell phones. These connectors use the same Web services-based SOAP interface that DETERMINE has used for back-end ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) An integrated information system that serves all departments within an enterprise. Evolving out of the manufacturing industry, ERP implies the use of packaged software rather than proprietary software written by or for one customer. integration, making it easier to support and upgrade the system. With this kind of interoperability, companies can weave the applications they use everyday into their overall contract management process. Whereas other solutions tend to integrate to the desktop via basic Common Separated Value (CSV (1) (Comma Separated Value) Same as comma delimited. (2) (Computer System Validation) See software validation. CSV - comma separated values ) files, DETERMINE's CrossLink Desktop Connectors link directly into client applications via a Web services-based SOAP interface. The CrossLink Connectors can also utilize ActiveX integration to communicate directly from DETERMINE objects to desktop COM (1) (Computer Output Microfilm) Creating microfilm or microfiche from the computer. A COM machine receives print-image output from the computer either online or via tape or disk and creates a film image of each page. level objects. Because DETERMINE can exchange information at the object level, all permissions and application rules are observed regardless of the input device or interface. "Because contracts touch so many people in so many different ways, it is impractical to assume that they will all interact with the application through one centralized portal and through a homogenous homogenous - homogeneous application interface," said Dr. Jamie Taylor Jamie Taylor (born December 16 1982 in Crawley, England) is an English footballer, currently playing for Dagenham & Redbridge. Taylor played for Broadbridge Heath, scoring 17 times during the 2000-01 season, before moving to Horsham at the start of the 2001-02 season. , CTO (Chief Technical Officer) The executive responsible for the technical direction of an organization. See CIO and salary survey. of DETERMINE Software. "We fundamentally believe that you must push contract processes to the edge of the network -- the desktop where users live and work everyday. Examples of how the DETERMINE application integrates contract management with desktop application functionality include: -- Direct communication of contract information to and from Microsoft Word to support Word-based collaboration for contract negotiations and redlining Identifying text that has been changed in a word processing document by displaying it in a special color, for example. It allows the original author of the text or other users to see ongoing revisions. The term comes from manual editing where a red pen is used to mark up the pages. -- Use of Microsoft Excel for loading and mass-editing contract information -- Integration to Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes Messaging and groupware software from IBM Lotus that was introduced in 1989 for OS/2 and later expanded to Windows, Mac, Unix, NetWare, AS/400 and S/390. Notes provides e-mail, document sharing, workflow, group discussions and calendaring and scheduling. to facilitate online notification and collaboration -- Integration to any collaboration or work management framework "Contract processes vary greatly with different types of contracts as well as individual corporate procedures," said Taylor. "That's why the foundation of the DETERMINE platform is an innovative dynamic object model which provides the kind of flexibility and configurability that is required to bring true value to the contract management process." About DETERMINE Software DETERMINE Software(R) is the leading provider of Contract Performance Management solutions for Global 2000 companies looking to improve visibility and control across their enterprise-wide contract portfolio. The DETERMINE solution improves contract performance and compliance while at the same time identifying significant cost reduction opportunities and minimizing risk. DETERMINE enables companies to increase supplier and partner performance by allowing them to focus on managing relationships instead of transactions. DETERMINE customers include Ace Hardware, ADP (1) (Automatic Data Processing) Synonymous with data processing (DP), electronic data processing (EDP) and information processing. (2) (Automatic Data Processing, Inc., Roseland, NJ, www.adp. , Alcoa, Chevron-Texaco, Cummins, Burlington Industries Burlington Industries was a diversified U. S. fabric maker based in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company had operations in the United States, Mexico, and India and a global manufacturing and product development network based in Hong Kong. and Triad Hospitals Triad Hospitals is a Fortune 500 company based in Plano, Texas. It operates 54 hospitals in the United States. In February 2007 it received a merger/buyout offer from another company, and then in March 2007 it received a superior merger/buyout offer from Community Health Systems of . For more information: http://www.determine.com. |
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