Epylon Corporation Releases Commerce Integration Platform for Public Sector; edgXML to Offer Data Exchange Between eProcurement Solution and Financial Systems.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 15, 2000

Epylon Corporation, the leading provider of hosted eBusiness solutions for education and government institutions, today announced the immediate availability of its financial system integration platform called edgXML(TM) (EDucation and Government XML). edgXML is a standards-based integration platform that enables any financial system to seamlessly integrate with Epylon for eCommerce.

Epylon's edgXML provides school districts and government entities with an Internet-based front-end for online purchasing that is integrated with their back-end financial system. edgXML enables the seamless, real-time exchange of data including vendor information, budget and user data, fund encumbrance information, requisition and purchase order numbers and purchase validations. This allows public sector purchasing departments to leverage the investment in their existing financial system while enhancing its capabilities with Epylon's offering.

edgXML is based on standard data exchange protocols, which enable it to interact and share data with diverse software applications. The first financial system vendor to execute an edgXML integration for their users was Quintessential Schools Systems (QSS) with their QSS/OASIS software, followed by Pennsylvania's Central Susquehanna Intermediary Unit with their CSIU Software Accounting Package.

For financial system suppliers, initial development based on the standard edgXML specification can take as little as four weeks. Once a vendor deploys edgXML for data exchange with Epylon, it can take as little as three to four days to activate the integration for any of their customers.

"We've already been making purchases using Epylon," said Michelle Plumbtree, chief financial officer at Novato Unified School District. "With Epylon integrating into our financial system, QSS/OASIS, we expect the number of purchases to increase as the amount of paperwork and time involved with these transactions decreases."

Epylon enables users to rapidly deploy eCommerce and electronically streamline all purchasing activities, from requesting quotes and searching Epylon's aggregated database of public sector contracts and catalogs, to requisitioning, purchasing and reporting. With integration, school districts and government entities can now leverage the efficiencies of the Internet while seamlessly maintaining accounting records in their back-end financial system. Epylon allows purchasing departments to adopt eCommerce and meet their current accounting needs and processes, maintain tighter budget controls and comply with local, state and federal regulations without having to purchase or install any new software.

"This integration platform was defined and developed specifically for the public sector by our dedicated in-house engineering team, and it enables any financial management system our buyers may be using to seamlessly integrate with Epylon," said Stephen J. George, founder and CEO of Epylon. "Our agreements with QSS and CSIU's Technology Group are the first of many alliances with financial system software providers. The edgXML initiative assists us in our commitment to provide value added technology solutions to our customers."

As an active member of the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) initiative, Epylon fully endorses this new data communication standard. edgXML currently incorporates SIF standards such as XML and secure HTTP messaging protocols, and will seek to actively participate in defining and incorporating additional SIF specifications for eCommerce data exchange.

About Epylon Corporation

Epylon Corporation is the leading provider of hosted eBusiness solutions for education, government and other public sector institutions. Leveraging its alliances with Andersen Consulting, Deloitte Consulting, and Ariba, Epylon provides a tailored eProcurement solution that includes expertise in public sector business processes, technology designed around the public sector's unique operating and workflow environment, the leading business-to-business eCommerce platform, change management consulting and integration expertise. Both Andersen Consulting and Deloitte Consulting have purchased an equity stake in Epylon. The company currently has over 1,200 registered school districts and government agencies, representing over $7 billion in annual spending, and more than 1,500 registered supply partners including Compaq, Office Depot, Grainger, Staples, Xerox, Wesco and Barnes & Noble.com. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., Epylon is privately held and can be found on the Web at www.epylon.com.