SYSPRO Implementation Methodology Takes Top Industry Award for Second Consecutive Year.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2003

SYSPRO has announced that the SYSPRO implementation methodology, STARS, has been awarded the K2 Quality Award for "Installation Channel/Methodology" for the second consecutive year.

K2 Enterprises, a highly respected organization that provides technology consulting and hundreds of lectures on technology topics to the CPA community nationwide, selected the SYSPRO STARS Implementation Methodology for the award based on a polling of the entire K2 instructor team. Votes were influenced by many factors, including the annual Accounting Software Reseller Survey, end user feedback and experience from consulting and extensive teaching.

"SYSPRO continues to provide innovative products through an excellent channel with unique implementation methodologies," said K2 Executive Vice-President, Randy Johnston. Integral to its services to the CPA industry, K2 regularly reviews both hardware and software products from software publishers and hardware manufacturers. "Great value, vision and consistency are recognized by our CPA attendees. When companies innovate, we can see the quality of their products and/or services improving before the market recognizes the changes," he said. "SYSPRO exemplifies this year's quality winners, which are true visionaries with their business strategies."

Joey Benadretti, SYSPRO vice president, Marketing, said of the recognition: "This second consecutive win is an affirmation that the SYSPRO STARS Implementation Methodology is rapidly becoming the industry standard. The SYSPRO STARS Methodology speeds software implementation for a faster ROI, and, at the same time, helps a company to streamline its business processes for greater operational efficiency."

The STARS (Structured Technique to Achieve A Rapid Solution) Implementation Methodology is a highly structured, business-centric methodology that guides implementers in all aspects of the implementation process and provides a framework by which business practices can be examined and re-energized to maximize overall operational efficiency.

STARS focuses on mapping SYSPRO enterprise software to business flows. STARS offers consulting guides for such major functional areas as inventory and warehouse management as well as processes related to planning, purchasing, manufacturing, sales, distribution, financials, administration, APS, CRM, and .NET-based e-commerce.

STARS makes SYSPRO software the concentric framework by which a business can enhance flexibility and responsiveness, break down barriers between functional departments and eliminate the duplication of efforts. STARS also helps the customer to maximize the continuing utilization of SYSPRO software by providing, as it were, an "audit trail" upon which additional functionality and procedures can be built.

According to Benadretti: "Many businesses simply fail to examine their existing business processes at the time new software is being implemented. They attempt to 'lay' the new software on top of existing procedures and, therefore, expectations may not be fully realized. Any implementation process has to have a starting point -- a foundation. The more solid the foundation, the better the chance to maximize utilization of the new software. Typically, this foundation is established via an internal audit, where the totality of existing business processes is noted and detailed, including the roles and responsibilities of individuals. With this audit as a starting point, business process re-engineering can be quickly maximized. STARS provides the guidelines for such an audit. In fact, the STARS methodology can be used during Joint Application Design (JAD) sessions for the defining of business processes when the detailed requirements for each business area are being documented. During such sessions, any areas of the system that require re-engineering are highlighted as well as the suggestions for improving the processes."

SYSPRO, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and Microsoft ISV, is a world leader in providing manufacturing, distribution and financial accounting software solutions with thousands of installations in more than 50 countries.

SYSPRO software, a fully integrated, modular enterprise-wide system, optimizes the abilities of single and multi-site manufacturers (repetitive, custom, quick-turn and mixed mode) and distributors. It offers outstanding price/performance and balance of functionality. More than 45 application modules cover financial controls, sales, purchasing, inventory control, MRP/production control, forecasting, distribution, Advanced Planning & Scheduling, Business Analytics and CRM, enabling firms to tailor solutions specific to their requirements.

SYSPRO is one of the world's most honored software companies. Recent milestones include: Voted Number One in Middle Market Category in the 2003 K2 Enterprises Annual Reseller/Consultants Accounting Software Survey; The K2 Quality Award for "Installation Channel/Methodology" for the SYSPRO STARS Implementation Methodology in 2002 and 2003; Recipient of START Magazine's First Annual Vision Award (2001) and "Hottest Company" designation for four years (1999-2003); Finalist for Developer of the Year (2002) by Software Council of Southern California; Ranked Among World's Top Software Companies in 2003 by iSource Magazine; MSI Magazine (1995-2003) and Software Magazine; and Highest Ratings in Accounting and Manufacturing Software Reviews by CPA Software News for the past 10 consecutive years.

SYSPRO software is marketed worldwide through offices in the United States, Canada, Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom. SYSPRO headquarters for the Americas are located in Costa Mesa, from which the company markets SYSPRO supply chain software to established and emerging companies in the United States, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Visit http://www.syspro.com or email [e-mail].

Visit K2 at: http://www.k2e.com/team

For additional information, contact Stan Goodrich at 714/437-1000, ext. 248, or email: [e-mail].

Note tro Editors: All products mentioned in this release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.