For Immediate Release:
 

Third Generation Extranet Commerce Software Unveiled By SpaceWorks, Inc.

OrderManager® Ver. 3.0 Offers Advanced Capabilities and Foundation for

Rockville, MD -- January 19, 1998 -- SpaceWorks, Inc., an emerging leader in Extranet Commerce software, today announced Version 3.0 of its OrderManager® application, an award- winning electronic commerce solution which automates the supply chain transactions of FORTUNE 1000 companies and their trading partners over the Web. This third generation of the OrderManager application - which represents an investment of five years and several million dollars in Research & Development, and which has been proven effective in major corporate installations - adds expanded capabilities to strengthen real-time, Internet/Extranet-based "self-service" order processing channels created between a company's back-end enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and its trading partners.

The latest version of OrderManager offers some key enhancements:

Order Approval Functionality - Version 3.0 adds purchase authorization procedures to the prior version, enabling purchasing representatives to research desired products and build an order form containing selections which can then be electronically routed to a supervisor for review and approval. The management executive can then quickly view the pending order, and by simply clicking "yes" will immediately submit the order electronically or by clicking "no (with comment)" - create an audit trail that prevents unauthorized purchases.

Instant Links To UPS & FedEx Web-Based Tracking Systems - From within the OrderManager application, trading partners requiring the shipping status of electronically-submitted orders can now click a hypertext link to immediately view information on the transit progress of their purchases from either the UPS or FedEx Web sites. This feature enhances the Version 2.0 "Order Status" functionality which allows trading partners to look up previously-placed orders by any number of options (e.g., P.O. number, confirmation number, date, etc.), and automatically view comprehensive information about each order.

Enhanced Search Engine - In addition to sporting a re-design of the prior version's search engine user interface, Version 3.0 for the first time supports multi-parametric searching, enabling a trading partner to simultaneously search for several classes or types of products at once, according to the individual characteristics of each class. Then, the matching results are displayed in one merged result set - speeding up the entire research phase of the ordering process compared to Version 2.0.

Guest Feature - OrderManager 3.0 now allows clients to provide temporary E- Commerce access to prospective trading partners - allowing them to sample the features and functionality of the software without placing orders. With billion-dollar companies experiencing order management cost-savings of up to 70% and trading partners experiencing greater productivity and increased satisfaction with this application, encouraging examination of an OrderManager-based E-Commerce system clearly demonstrates the benefits of "self-service" Web transactions.

Cross-Sell Functionality - Version 3.0 now enables a seller to easily link related or complementary products to each other, making it easy to generate add-on revenues. When a buyer views a desired product spec sheet, a list of associated products will display, delivering an automatic way to view other potential items of interest and to conveniently add them to the order form.

"OrderManager 3.0 provides a fundamental building block in the creation of a multi-tier 'virtual warehouse' which can be deployed throughout the supply chain," said Dave MacSwain, President and CEO of SpaceWorks. According to MacSwain, a 'virtual warehouse' emerges when a distributor deploys OrderManager for use by its resellers, who then make their own OrderManager version available for use by their corporate customers - delivering a seamless, transparent way for these end-users to access inventory throughout the chain. "The 'virtual warehouse' benefits buyers by enabling them to purchase products online, at any time, from anywhere," adds MacSwain.

"SpaceWorks has consistently shown an ability to deliver effective, enterprise-class applications for business-to-business Internet commerce," said David Alschuler, an analyst at the Aberdeen Group of Boston, MA. "We expect this market segment to substantially pick up the pace of its on-line efforts in 1998, particularly where it can streamline business processes among its existing partners."

"We continue to be impressed by the strides made by SpaceWorks and recognize its positive reputation in the marketplace," said Gina Cassinelli, Worldwide Marketing Manager for Hewlett- Packard Company's Internet Applications and Systems Division. "SpaceWorks' five years of experience in this evolving marketplace establishes it as a stable and knowledgeable applications developer demonstrating a clear understanding of the needs of business- to-business Internet Commerce."

OrderManager was initially developed on the HP-UX platform, yet also operates on Sun Solaris and Microsoft NT platforms. Version 3.0 will be available by the end of Q1 '98.

About SpaceWorks
SpaceWorks, Inc.® drives billions in B2B revenue today for Global 2000 manufacturers, distributors and supplier-driven marketplaces. SpaceWorks industrial-strength application, the Web BusinessManager Suite, automates all the mission-critical activities involved in B2B selling, including ordering, marketing, billing and more. The solution integrates with back-end systems, e-Marketplaces and customer procurement networks to enable real-time, revenue-generating transactions. SpaceWorks clients include Avaya, BF Goodrich, GE Aircraft Engines, and Maytag Corporation, among others. Alliance partners include PricewaterhouseCoopers, webMethods, Commerce One and more. Additional information is available at www.spaceworks.com.

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