QSS and MERANT Partner to Deliver an Integration to MERANT PVCS Version Manager as the Latest Addition to the DOORSConnect Program.

Business Editors

MT. ARLINGTON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2000

Solution Improves Traceability and Reduces Risk Throughout Project

Lifecycle

Quality Systems & Software (QSS), Inc., the world's leading provider of enterprise-wide requirements management solutions, today announced a partnership with MERANT (NNM: MRNT; LSE: MRN) to deliver an integration to MERANT PVCS Version Manager(TM) as the latest addition to the DOORSconnect Program.

This solution is targeted at mid-to-large sized corporations. The partnership will lead to a common interface between the vendors' flagship products, QSS' market-leading DOORS(R) requirements management solution and MERANT PVCS Version Manager, the world's most widely used software configuration management solution.

QSS' DOORS requirements management solution helps identify and track project requirements and changes to those requirements, while automating project organization and improving group workflow. PVCS Version Manager automatically organizes, manages and protects all development project components and provides version control for traditional and Web applications. Integrating the two systems seamlessly will offer a competitive advantage to customers by reducing risk and managing change within the product development lifecycle, and thereby accelerating the quality of the development process and the end result.

"Our joint efforts will deliver the benefits of software configuration management to requirements management customers around the world," said Buff Jones, MERANT senior vice president and general manager, application development management. "The combination offers reduced risk by managing all project assets within the development lifecycle, including requirements and their dependencies."

Currently available, The DOORSconnect integration for MERANT PVCS Version Manager delivers a single interface that will organize and track requirements and configuration management objects, establishing traceability throughout the project lifecycle by integrating critical requirements information. With the unified interface linking both market-leading products, users collaborate on projects and experience easy workflow capabilities, including the ability to import information quickly, direct correspondence and traceability between specific files, folders and revisions, and the ability to generate linked reports.

"The alliance between QSS and MERANT combines best-in-class tools to provide customers with the industry's most tightly-integrated requirements management and configuration management solution," said Bill Shaw, Director of Product Management for QSS. "This integrated approach delivers a competitive advantage to our customers by accelerating the development of quality software. QSS is committed to providing the most integrated and effective solutions for requirements management."

MERANT is the most recent high-profile partner to join the QSS DOORSconnect Program. The program builds partnerships with best-of-breed tool vendors and software tool manufacturers. The QSS DOORSconnect partner program was established to provide a robust requirements management solution that extends into all stages of the product lifecycle and the ability to offer traceability for any project.

At present, the DOORSconnect program offers tightly-integrated solution links in the areas of object-oriented analysis and design, simulation, software testing, configuration management, documentation and process and project management. These integrated solutions ensure the successful management of valuable project information by allowing an easy migration path from complementary software development tools to DOORS.

About Quality Systems & Software, Inc. (www.qssinc.com)

Quality Systems & Software (QSS) is the world's leading provider of enterprise-wide requirements management solutions for the development of products and services. QSS develops, distributes and supports DOORS(R), the market-leading requirements management solution. Other products include DOORSnet(TM), that brings the functionality of DOORS to distributed work teams via the Internet, and an entry-level tool, DOORSrequireIT(TM), that brings the benefits of requirements management to non-engineering users and those users who prefer to work in MS(R)Word(TM). These and other products are complemented by an experienced and highly-trained team that focuses on requirements management process, application consulting, training and worldwide customer support.

Over 50,000 users at more than 1,000 companies and agencies rely on DOORS to help them manage project requirements for corporate/commercial software development, engineering, manufacturing and government. QSS' solutions can help companies and other organizations successfully manage business-critical initiatives such as e-business, e-commerce, enterprise resource planning, customer resource management and supply chain management. Telecommunications, utilities, medical devices, financial services, aerospace and automotive are just some of the industries that currently use QSS' requirements management solutions to manage costs, improve processes and speed products and services to market.

Founded in 1992, QSS has corporate headquarters in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey and international headquarters in Oxford, England. The company currently employs more than 200 people. In 1998, The Standish Group rated QSS the worldwide leader in the requirements management tools market.

MERANT and PVCS are registered trademarks, and PVCS Version Manager is a trademark of MERANT. DOORS, DOORSnet and DOORSrequireIT are trademarks of Quality Systems & Software, Inc. All other products or brand names listed are trademarks of their respective holders.