Strategic Partner in South Africa Deploys Optio Solution for Ford Motor Company.

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 1, 2002

Ford Motor Company Benefits From Dynamic Output Management Solution

Optio Software, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: OPTO), a leading provider of software that captures, transforms and delivers information and data to allow automated processes, today announced that its strategic partner in South Africa has finalized a contract with the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.

Software Performance Improvement (Pty) Limited (SPI) will provide Ford with a document customization and intelligent distribution solution, enabling them to produce content-rich business documents.

As the sole South African distributor of the Optio Software products suite, SPI offers dynamic document formatting and delivery to ensure effective management of an enterprise's printing output.

Ford (previously Samcor) needed a product with a friendly interface to its Unix platform that could be installed without complex integration work and did not require extensive training before utilization. Previously, Ford's text spool file information from its Baan enterprise application was printed on expensive pre-printed stationery.

Since OptioDCS(TM) (Document Customization Server) is based on open technology standards, it is able to accept information from Ford's enterprise application and dynamically format such information based on specific business rules, without requiring custom programming of the organization's Baan applications. Allowing the user to view queued print jobs and route and reprint documents, the solution has enabled Ford to print several document copies to various printers simultaneously.

"With OptioDCS, SPI has enabled the company to electronically create business and production documents on demand and distribute these to multiple printing devices on the network," explains Mollie Mollison, technical specialist at Ford. "The SPI solution has streamlined Ford's business processes by providing effective control over the appearance of its printing output. Rerunning print jobs to produce multiple outputs is therefore eliminated; and because business data is transferred faster, costs have been reduced, while both enterprise efficiency and interaction with vendors, suppliers and clients have increased."

Mollison says Ford was very pleased with SPI's prompt service and excellent support. "The team really possesses in-depth knowledge of printing and output management, and is able to support our solution effectively."

Fanus Kuhn, channel manager at SPI, says the company implemented a document customization solution for Ford, and also designed its document templates, such as requests for quotations, purchase orders and credit memos, and made these documents available on a central server.

"Optio's powerful functionality was specifically demonstrated when Samcor underwent organizational changes and consolidated into the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa," explains Kuhn. "Using Optio, SPI reformatted forms and templates so that within minutes of the last print run containing information under the name Samcor, the Ford company logo and business information was in place for the next print run."

Kuhn says Optio is probably one of the few product suites that deliver such total control over information output. "Its functionality makes Optio a powerful tool not only for the current paper-intensive printing scenario, but also in the e-commerce environment where business documents could be faxed, e-mailed or published on the web in a specific format," he concludes.

"Partners like SPI are integral to our success in helping users maximize the value of their technology," says Warren Neuburger, chief executive officer at Optio Software. "With SPI's knowledge and skills, they provide high level support for end users and clients."

About SPI

Software Performance Improvement (Pty) Limited is a South African-based company that provides feature-rich middleware software, enabling enterprises to effortlessly customise, print and electronically distribute business documents in an open systems environment.

In alliance with world-class companies such as Optio Software and Xi Software, SPI implements, manages and supports solutions that facilitate ease of use and dramatically enhance the quality of an organization's information exchange with employees, clients, partners and suppliers.

With a team of 12 dedicated professionals, SPI serves over 200 customers in divergent markets. Its customer base includes many blue-chip companies and other leading organisations including Iscor, the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, Unisa, Metro Cash & Carry, University of Cape Town and Rentmeesters.

With access to the advanced technologies of leading software companies such as SAP, BAAN and hardware vendors that include IBM and HP, SPI offers highly available, integrated solutions tailored to the individual printing and publishing requirements of its customers.

About the Optio Software Partner Program

The Optio Software Partner Program offers an enhanced set of opportunities, allowing Optio and its partners to expand business partner support and development programs for their customers. Optio partners are able to offer revenue-generating solutions that provide the capability to customize, transform and distribute information, thereby reducing costs and improving overall operations. The program offers a range of cooperative partner support elements from Optio including marketing, sales, customer service, consulting services and product development support, providing partners with the benefits necessary to increase revenue opportunities. The program is designed for resellers, system integrators, consultants, service providers, original equipment manufacturers and independent software vendors. Additional information is available at http://www.optiosoftware.com.

About Optio Software, Inc.

Optio Software, Inc. provides infrastructure software that enables organizations to communicate and connect with their e-commerce constituents. Optio's software improves the quality of an organization's communications with customers, suppliers, partners and employees by customizing, delivering and exchanging information over a global network of digital destinations. Optio has more than 4,000 customers serving the manufacturing, healthcare, retail, distribution and financial industries. For more information, please visit our website http://www.optiosoftware.com or contact Optio Software: [e-mail].