Pacific Edge Takes Enterprise Business Planning One Step Further with the Release of Project Office Version 1.5 Software.

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 1998--Pacific Edge Software, Inc. has taken enterprise business planning one step further with its latest release of Project Office(tm), Version 1.5.

Based largely on customer feedback, Project Office 1.5, offers organizations expanded features to make managing organization-wide projects and resources easier than ever.

Since its inception, Pacific Edge has developed products based on the design philosophy that "simple is good." In this latest release, that philosophy really shines through. Project Office1.5 offers new features that make projects easier to manage without compromising capabilities.

"I think our customers will be very pleased with the new version," says Lisa Hjorten, co-founder and Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "We've improved some of the most popular features to make them more intuitive, useful, and the tool is easier than ever to customize to an organization's individual needs."

Some of these new features include a more streamlined installation process, the ability to create project templates, a toolbar that can be configured to display different views, and five new custom numeric and cost fields.

While Project Office was initially designed to offer the most efficient tools for managing project and resource information across an organization, the latest release takes that concept one step further. For example, when creating new projects, Project Office1.5 now gives the user the ability to base them on existing plans or pre-defined templates, thereby making that initial setup task much more efficient. Templates may now include budget formats, pre-filled summary forms, Microsoft(R) Project 98 Task Outline structures and resource assignments.

Perhaps one of the most exciting new additions to Project Office 1.5 is support for Project Office Express(tm). The inclusive, Web-based interface now enables users to see Desktop, Budget, Resource, Task and Project Log Views as well as resource timesheets and reports -- an absolute necessity for organizations with project teams working remotely.

Another useful addition is the software's improved printing capabilities. Users may now export the current desktop view in Project Office 1.5 to Microsoft Project 98 to make printing a snap. Users may also choose to export specific tasks along with the desktop for milestone or key task visibility.

The new release offers marked improvements to several "views" within the software. The size of the Summary View, for example, can now be resized to accommodate even more of an organization's unique information requirements. To select resources more quickly, particularly from larger lists, users now have the ability to filter the Resource View based on given criteria. Also within Resource View, a button has been added that displays the Microsoft Project 98 Resource Usage View for all tasks to which selected resources have been assigned. This feature offers the added benefit of viewing, in detail, all work assigned to resources across the entire organization. A special toolbar has also been added that enables an organization's Project Office administrator to specify the display order of different views on the view bar, as well as which views are visible. Finally, Project Office 1.5 can now be configured to change the names and display images of any of these views -- even to specify a different executable file to launch when the user selects a view -- making the software more flexible with existing systems.

Additionally, five custom numeric and cost fields have been added at the project level. These fields have the ability to capture critical project-level information and roll that information up the folder structure, thereby giving the user a more accurate detail of project commitments across the organization.

Just like the initial release, Project Office1.5 is much easier to install and to use when compared to other project management software. Its innovative "top-down" planning structure makes it possible to outline a project's "big picture" first and then fill in smaller details later. The software's intuitive interface enables anyone -- even inexperienced users -- to be up and running in no time, thereby saving both time and money in training costs. And, while Project Office 1.5 offers the ability to place project information on everyone's desktop, its advanced security features allow for control over who has access and when.

The Starter Pack version of Project Office(tm), Version 1.5, is $6,500, runs on Microsoft Access, and includes five registered users. The Enterprise version starts at $12,500, runs on SQL Server, and includes 10 registered users. Additional users are from $650 to $260, depending on volume. Project Office Express, the Web-based time reporting component, is $200 per user with volume discounts available.

To request information about Project Office 1.5, or to view a demo, call Pacific Edge Software in the U.S. at 425/990-6210 or access the Web site at www.projectoffice.com.

Pacific Edge Software is a Bellevue, Wash.-based company developing innovative enterprise business planning software for organizations that need an easy-to-use, accurate and effective tool for managing their complete project portfolio. Detailed scheduling functions are provided through a direct link to Microsoft Project 98. The company's major clients include Sequent Computer Systems, Bank of America, USWeb, and Premera Blue Cross. Pacific Edge is a Microsoft Solutions Provider.