DataFlux and SAS Sponsor Study on Data Quality by The Data Warehousing Institute.

Business Editors

CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 18, 2002

TDWI study shows that poor data quality costs U.S. businesses

an estimated $600 billion a year

DataFlux Corporation, a SAS Company and leader in the development of data management solutions that increase the accuracy and usability of enterprise- wide database assets, along with SAS Institute, the leader in business intelligence and data warehousing, today announced that it has sponsored a data quality study by The Data Warehousing Institute(TM) (TDWI). TDWI is the leading provider of in-depth education and research in the data warehousing and business intelligence industry and has released the first report in its 2002 Report Series titled Data Quality and the Bottom Line: Achieving Business Success through a Commitment to High Quality Data.

The report shows that there is a significant gap between perception and reality regarding the quality of data in many organizations, and that current data quality problems cost U.S. businesses more than $600 billion per year. The report's findings were based on interviews with industry experts, leading-edge customers, and survey data from 647 respondents.

"In recent years, the failure and delay of many high profile IT projects as a result of unanticipated data quality problems is causing executives to wake up to the real cost of poor quality data," said Wayne Eckerson, director of education and research at TDWI. However, almost 50 percent of survey respondents express no current plans to implement an initiative to improve data quality, while 78 percent said their organizations need additional education about the importance of data quality and methods to maintain and improve it.

"The good news is that achieving high quality data is not beyond the means of any company," continued Eckerson. "Companies that have invested in managing and improving data quality can clearly cite the tangible and intangible benefits of doing so." According to the report, benefits include improved customer satisfaction, a "single version of the truth," and "greater confidence in analytical systems."

Tony Fisher, president of DataFlux said, "This study reinforces the importance of data quality and DataFlux are pleased to be a sponsor. The report clearly outlines the numerous issues organizations are facing with poor data quality and DataFlux can provide the tools and solutions necessary to improve and manage their underlying data."

About THE DATA WAREHOUSING INSTITUTE

The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI), a division of 101communications, is the premier provider of in-depth, high quality education and training in the data warehousing and business intelligence industry. TDWI is dedicated to educating business and information technology professionals about the strategies, techniques, and tools required to successfully design, build, and maintain data warehouses. It also fosters the advancement of data warehousing research and contributes to knowledge transfer and professional development of its Members. TDWI sponsors and promotes a worldwide membership program, annual educational conferences, regional educational seminars, onsite courses, solution provider partnerships, awards programs for the best practices and leadership in data warehousing and innovative technologies, resourceful publications, an in-depth research program, and a comprehensive Web site. For more information or to obtain a complete copy of the report, please visit www.dw-institute.com.

About SAS

SAS provides software and services that enable customers to transform data from all areas of their business into intelligence. SAS solutions help organizations make better, more informed decisions and maximize customer, supplier, and organizational relationships. Solutions from SAS, the world's largest privately held software company, are used at more than 38,000 business, government and university sites around the world. Ninety-nine of the top 100 companies on the Fortune 500 - and 90 percent of the Fortune 500 overall - rely on SAS. For 25 years, SAS has been giving our customers The Power to Know(TM). For more information, visit http://www.sas.com.

About DataFlux Corporation

DataFlux is a North Carolina-based software company that provides leading edge, award-winning technology for data cleansing, data augmentation, data consolidation and conversion and data scrubbing. The versatile DataFlux products are designed to significantly improve the accuracy, consistency and usability of an organization's critical data, enhancing the effectiveness of data-driven applications and initiatives such as data warehousing, e-commerce systems, data mining, customer information systems, sales force automation, marketing databases, customer/prospect profiling and list management. Some of the companies currently using DataFlux solutions include Bank of America, US Patent and Trademark Office, and Wells Fargo. DataFlux is a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS Institute, the leader in decision support and data warehousing, providing integrated enterprise information-delivery solutions and e-business solutions. For more on DataFlux, visit: http://www.dataflux.com.

DataFlux and all other DataFlux Corporation product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of, or licensed to, DataFlux Corporation in the USA and other countries. (R) indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.