ScanSoft and Microsoft Enable Document Conversion and Network Scanning with Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PEABODY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 2003

ScanSoft OmniPage Pro 14 Office Provides Organizations with

Distributed Network Scanning and Capture, Extending the use of

SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Maximizing MFP Investments

ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT), the leading supplier of speech and imaging solutions, today announced integrated support for Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 with the newly released OmniPage(R) Pro 14 Office. With this new release, information workers can now combine the power of network scanning and distribution with the collaboration and document management features of SharePoint Portal Server 2003.

As more organizations look to improve collaboration and productivity, more and more users are turning to SharePoint Portal Server 2003 to seamlessly connect users, teams and knowledge. OmniPage Pro 14 Office is designed to work intuitively with SharePoint Portal Server 2003, enabling users to capture information and process it directly within SharePoint Portal Server 2003 repositories, and saving information workers significant time and money by making collaboration easier and simpler than ever before. To further enhance collaboration, OmniPage Pro 14 has set up one-step workflows to capture complex processes into simple commands, allowing organizations to leverage their multifunction printers and digital copier investments by enabling individual users to utilize them in conjunction with SharePoint from their individual desktops.

"Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 is designed for information workers to increase productivity across the entire organization, providing them with a complete enterprise framework for collaboration and streamlining workflow," said Mike Gelon, group product manager, Information Worker Product Management Group at Microsoft. "The combination of SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and ScanSoft OmniPage Pro 14 Office provides organizations with an effective scanning and document conversion tool that adds tremendous value to SharePoint Portal Server 2003. Moreover, it enables information workers to collaborate in more ways than ever before, with features such as XML-based workflows and the ability to output to multiple formats."

OmniPage Pro 14 Office is a powerful productivity application that delivers highly accurate document and PDF conversion, replacing the need to manually re-create paper and image-based documents with an automated, electronic process. The software helps businesses save time and money by instantly turning paper and PDF files--such as letters, contracts, spreadsheets, magazine articles, research reports, manuals and more--into editable documents. Building on its legacy of superior OCR accuracy, OmniPage Pro 14 Office provides enhanced workgroup and output capabilities that virtually eliminate the need for time-consuming paper-based processes, saving significant time and money.

The new release of OmniPage Pro 14 Office provides enhanced collaboration tools for SharePoint Portal Server 2003, and support for scanning, deposit and output directly into the system, enabling users to effectively leverage their MFP and scanning devices to work within the SharePoint server. OmniPage Pro 14 Office also enables users to create PDF files from within nearly any Microsoft application, enabling users to leverage PDF within enterprises and extending the value of the combination even further.

"OmniPage Pro 14 Office is the result of extensive customer feedback, as well as collaboration with Microsoft and our network scanning partners," said Robert Weideman, general manager, ScanSoft Productivity Applications. "Its integration with SharePoint Portal Server demonstrates our belief that document capture and processing is now a mainstream application. We believe that more people and organizations will find that OmniPage is an indispensable tool for eliminating paper and automating the way they capture, share and store their documents within the SharePoint portal."

About ScanSoft, Inc.

ScanSoft, Inc. is the leading supplier of speech and imaging solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes--saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For additional information on the company, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.

Trademark reference: ScanSoft and OmniPage are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other company names or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with market trends, competitive factors, and other risks identified in ScanSoft's SEC filings. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.