FileNet Announces An Integrated Document Management Suite; Saros Discovery Suite Revolutionizes Enterprise-Wide Access, Management and Use of Corporate Information Assets.

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 1997--FileNet Corp. (NASDAQ: FILE) today announced Saros Discovery Suite, the key to intelligent information management across the enterprise. Saros Discovery Suite improves how businesses access, manage and use their document-based information assets. Saros Discovery Suite is the next generation client/server solution that integrates Saros Document Manager, FileNet Ensemble and Watermark Client to provide powerful, tightly-integrated electronic document management, workflow, and document-imaging capabilities.

The Saros Discovery Suite is a key component of FileNet's Foundation for Enterprise Document Management that enables enterprises to create more productive work environments for their knowledge workers, and as a result, put their document-based information to work increasing effective collaboration, reducing operating costs, and improving customer service. The suite includes Saros Document Manager, which provides an easy, intuitive way to organize word processing, spreadsheet, and graphic documents, whether they're across the hall or across the globe. It easily accesses and shares information using complete version control, document security, detailed search and retrieval, and instant access to the vast knowledge base in the Saros Mezzanine library system. Watermark Client captures paper-based information in electronic form allowing users to initiate workflows and share document images and facsimiles intelligently, securely, and powerfully with an easy to use, intuitive set of scanning, viewing, folder management, and annotation tools. FileNet Ensemble makes it possible to create workflows that can be launched, distributed and monitored using popular e-mail applications such as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Mail and Novell GroupWise.

According to Thomas Koulopoulos, president of Boston-based Delphi Consulting Group, "The future of the enterprise desktop is clearly demonstrated by the unified approach to document management, workflow, and imaging delivered in the Saros Discovery Suite. By providing a broad community of users with the combination of these technologies, FileNet has taken a significant step forward in not only integrating its own products, but more importantly, in setting the bar for the unification that must take place if enterprise solutions are to evolve."

"The challenge businesses face today is capturing and managing an overwhelming volume of information, responding to that information in a timely manner, and streamlining the business processes that act on that information," said Lewis Carpenter, president of FileNet's Saros Business Unit. "Saros Discovery Suite solves these problems by enabling businesses to transform the way they access, manage, and use their valuable information assets. This integration of premium software tools automates the information relationships and life cycles that dynamically drive business by combining the enterprise document management capabilities of Saros Document Manager, the graphical, e-mail-based workflow of FileNet Ensemble, and the innovative document-imaging capabilities of Watermark Client."

Integration increases access and enhances productivity

Saros Discovery Suite increases personal and team productivity by integrating three powerful products. Now users can manage critical information, capture and manipulate images, and direct the flow of information and work to others within their workgroup, department, or throughout their enterprise.

"The strength of this integration is clearly the intelligent document management, document imaging, and workflow that are hallmarks of the individual components," said Ynette Gibbs, product manager for FileNet's Saros Discovery Suite. "This intelligence anticipates what users will want to do next and automatically launches the appropriate next step. The Suite allows all levels of users to dynamically access documents and participate in workflows easily and quickly, thereby reducing training time and ongoing support."

"Organizations are recognizing the need to do more than just manage electronic documents or images in separate systems. They are increasingly demanding integrated systems which not only manage any kind of file, but also manage the processes associated with those files," said Linda Myers-Tierney, principal of Myers-Tierney & Associates, a Massachusetts consultancy focused on document management and collaborative computing. "By integrating the management of electronic documents, images, and workflow processes, Saros Discovery Suite has the potential to enable organizations to dispense with costly and limiting stove-piped systems and exponentially expand their benefits."

Reduced cost of ownership

Saros Discovery Suite lowers the total cost of ownership for users by providing three tightly integrated products at a price significantly less than buying them individually. Besides the initial savings, customers realize substantial ongoing economies in support, deployment, and upgrades, since one company supplies and supports the suite.

"The Saros Discovery Suite provides compelling value by answering a number of our customers' strategic needs in a single out-of-the-box solution," said Martha Williams, product manager for document management solutions at Coleman Research Corporation, a FileNet ValueNet partner based in Springfield, VA. "This suite of products is exactly what our customers need to get beyond mere document access and distribution. And, from an administrative point of view, they won't have to worry about incompatible upgrade paths between products. This is really a situation where `1+1+1=4' or more."

Single-source solution

With Saros Discovery Suite, enterprise customers can turn to a single source of integration for sales, service and support, and upgrade and synchronization of releases.

"The Saros Discovery Suite provides us with the critical infrastructure for every facet of our work," said Michael Atwood, vice president of information services, International Benefit Services Corporation. "Access to a common repository of all documents -- including electronic documents and scanned images -- combined with the ability to easily route and monitor their use, is fundamental to ensure our business success."

The suite provides flexibility with central or local management for installation, which can be done from a single CD from the server or from the desktop. Saros Discovery Suite includes the ability to:

-- Find, access and save any kind of document -- text, spreadsheets, graphics, electronic forms, CAD drawings, even videos -- plus workflows and document images.

-- Securely store documents, workflows, and document images in the Saros Mezzanine library system, whether located centrally or distributed.

-- Monitor the progress of time-critical action items and work activities through the e-mail system.

-- Create time-saving workflows without writing code or conducting complex business analysis.

-- Track documents through their life cycles using version control.

Saros Discovery Suite is integrated with popular Windows-based desktop applications using industry standards that bridge to other leading applications such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, or any product accessible through OLE or manipulated using ActiveX Controls.

As a leader in the industry, FileNet continues to be committed to the generation and support of industry standards. To support this goal, FileNet actively participates in and promotes industry-supported standards committees including Open Document Management API (ODMA), Document Management Alliance (DMA), and Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC).

Pricing and availability

The Saros Discovery Suite is priced at U.S.$495 per seat in the 100-user pack. Packs are available in units of ten, twenty-five, fifty, one hundred and higher quantities. Saros Discovery Suite, for both 16-bit and 32-bit environments, can satisfy any enterprise from a large corporation to a small business. This desktop suite utilizes Document Server for BackOffice or Saros Mezzanine for HP/UX, Sun Solaris, or Windows NT Server running Oracle, Sybase or Microsoft SQL Server databases. The Watermark Client can take advantage of the Watermark server for intensive imaging applications.

The beta versions of Saros Discovery Suite will be available Q1 `97, with general availability Q2 `97.

About FileNet

Costa Mesa, Calif.-based FileNet Corp. (http://www.filenet.com ) delivers to corporate and government organizations a Foundation for Enterprise Document Management through a family of workflow, document-imaging, electronic document management, and COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disk) client/server and internet software solutions. The company's FileNet, Greenbar, Saros, and Watermark products provide its customers the benefits of streamlined business processes and enhanced management of information assets across the enterprise. FileNet, the 34th largest independent software vendor worldwide according to Software Magazine, markets its products in more than 60 countries through the FileNet sales and support organization, and the ValueNet Partner Program of resellers, system integrators, and application developers. For more information, call (800) FILENET (345-3638) or [phone]. -0-

Note to Editors: For FileNet corporate and product information, and press releases, access the FileNet Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.filenet.com . Please use (800) FILENET (345-3638) for reader inquiries.

FileNet, Saros, Watermark and Mezzanine are registered trademarks of FileNet Corp. Foundation for Enterprise Document Management, FileNet Ensemble, Saros Discovery Suite, and Saros Document Server for BackOffice are trademarks of FileNet Corp. All other named products mentioned in this release may have been identified by trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

CONTACT: FileNet Corp.

Ron Bray, 714/966-3212

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Copithorne and Bellows

Albie Jarvis, 617/450-4350

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Pembroke Resources

Delona Lang, 503/873-2404

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