SRC Software Launches Next-Generation Budgeting Software With Process Control Functionality.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 6, 2002

New Version of SRC Advisor Series Adds Process Control, Dynamic Main

Menu and Scheduling Features

SRC Software, the leader in providing flexible solutions for enterprise budgeting and financial planning, today launched a significant new version of its Advisor Series(TM) financial planning software.

The new release, known as Advisor Series Version 9, provides three major new features -- process control, dynamic "Advisor Home" menu, and scheduling -- which represent significant enhancements to the software's capabilities as well as its ease of use and administration.

"This announcement is indicative of our aggressive plans to establish SRC's Advisor Series as the budgeting and financial planning solution of choice for mid-to-large-size enterprises," said Andrew G. Ferguson, CEO and President, SRC Software. "The product offers significant new capabilities designed to meet the needs of enterprise clients. Process Control, for one, provides state of the art capabilities and features going well beyond other budgeting solutions. The new features in Version 9 give the Advisor Series some of the best functionality found in any mid-to-large-scale enterprise budgeting and financial planning system."

SRC's Advisor Series is an enterprise financial planning and reporting solution that provides extremely robust and flexible capabilities for planning, reporting and budgeting, features an intuitive and powerful Excel-based interface and is quick and efficient to deploy.

"We've been relying on SRC's Advisor Series for more than 10 years, and I've reviewed many software products during that time; SRC has the sophistication to do everything you need to do with your budgeting and financial planning, limited only by your imagination," said Ed Strand, Chief Financial Officer, Lake Region Healthcare Corp., which has been early release testing Version 9 since early January. "The new Process Control feature is a great help in managing our budget process. Our budget progresses in several distinct stages and now we can easily and automatically manage access to the budget based on the appropriate stage -- resulting in much more timely and accurate data."

"Business planning solutions incorporating robust work flow capabilities can provide the organization with the necessary tools for collaborative planning both internal and external to the enterprise," said John Van Decker, Program Director, Application Delivery Strategies, META Group. "Organizations can leverage financial business performance management solutions (incorporating business planning components) to significantly improve both closing processes and corporate financial performance management by enabling improved engagement with the lines of business and business partners."

Process Control allows the client to establish and track each step of the planning process. Planning stages or milestones are defined (such as Initial, Manager Review, Final), as is ownership for each budget at each stage. At any time in the process, the budget manager can see which budgets are assigned to whom, what stage they are in and whether they are on time. Automated e-mails and color-coded alerts let users know that a budget is ready for them to work on or notify them that they missed a deadline. This comprehensive feature is integrated with all areas of the Advisor Series to ensure budget and process integrity.

Advisor Home is the name of the enhanced main menu that greets the user upon entering the system. This customizable display area allows users to view items such as system-wide bulletins, dynamically updated graphs with current budget or financial information, hyperlinks and tips and a list of current budgets assigned to the user. Additionally, an updated tree-view menu structure streamlines the user navigation through the software and allows each user to designate commonly used items for easy, one-click launching. Together they provide for an enhanced end-user experience and greater ease-of-use.

Scheduler allows for automated, server-side processing of many Advisor Series tasks and processes such as data imports, system utilities and report processing and distribution.

The standard Advisor Series utilizes either a Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle database. SRC also offers an "Advisor Lite" version utilizing Microsoft Jet. On the client side, the Advisor Series operates with Excel 97/2000/XP and on any Windows operating system that properly runs those Excel versions or with Internet Explorer and Netscape.

Advisor Series Version 9 has completed early release testing and is now in general release. The cost, including training and installation, ranges from $50K to $200K and above, depending on modules selected and number of named users.

SRC Software (www.srcsoftware.com) is the leader in providing flexible solutions for enterprise financial planning and corporate performance management. With over 1,200 installations of its multi-platform Advisor Series(TM) in mid- to high-end enterprises, SRC's highly personalized budgeting, payroll planning and multi-source consolidation/reporting solutions are used by companies such as Washington Mutual Finance, Harrah's Las Vegas casino hotel, Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc., and C-SPAN. SRC offers a full complement of financial planning and analysis tools through its unique integration of spreadsheets and industry-leading databases complete with full-scale web deployment. The company is privately held and based in Portland, Ore.; has regional offices in Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas; and distribution channels in more than 16 countries. For more information, contact SRC Software at 1-800-544-3477 or by e-mail at [e-mail].

Advisor Series is a trademark of SRC Software.