Software Solutions Joins Microsoft's Value Chain Initiative

Business Wire, July 13, 1998

DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 13, 1998--

Integrated, Best-of-Breed Supply Chain Solutions for the Distribution Industry

Software Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of software and services for the distribution market, has been

selected as a member of Microsoft's Value Chain Initiative (VCI), a consortium of independent software vendors and other companies seeking to enhance supply-chain efficiencies both domestically and globally.

The VCI consortium, led by Microsoft Corp., is dedicated to providing an end-to-end supply chain framework, allowing companies to integrate applications, link with entire value chains of their trading partners regardless of size, and share dynamic information in real time. There are currently more than 150 software, hardware, transportation and logistics companies along with retailers, manufacturers, distribution centers and suppliers involved in the development of the VCI technical framework.

"All supply chain players, from raw materials suppliers to distributors, face a significant hurdle -- before they can work together efficiently, their technology systems must be able to integrate," says Mark Walker, supply chain industry marketing manager at Microsoft Corp. "With the addition of Software Solutions to the VCI consortium, their customers can be confident that they will be able to take advantage of the technical innovation that Microsoft brings to supply chain solutions."

Walker believes that in the future, business success will largely depend on the strength and efficiency of a company's relationship with its key trading partners all along the supply chain. "Team VCI is providing a consistent vision and direction for Microsoft solution providers to enable integrated, best-of-breed supply chain solutions in a true plug-and-play environment," he says.

"As a Microsoft solution provider, we are excited to be a member of Team VCI," says Michael Croxton, vice president of marketing for Software Solutions. "This relationship will help us continue to deliver strong technical solutions to the supply chain market."

Software Solutions offers a family of products designed specifically for the distribution market: TakeStock, a client/server distribution application suite based on Microsoft technology; FACTS, an easy-to-use, easy-to-implement and full-featured suite of asset management, customer service and financial accounting applications; and DMAS, a field-proven, IBM-developed, fully integrated AS/400 solution.

With nearly 20 years experience, Software Solutions is now the leading provider of distribution applications to the wholesale market. Its 6,000 customers -- more than twice the nearest competitor -- deliver 25 million stock-keeping units to retailers worldwide.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Other product and company names herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

   CONTACT:  Software Solutions, Inc.
              Tammy Morrissey, 770/418-2000, ext. 1101
              tmorrissey@sofsol.com
              or
              Wind Rose Communications
              Lorretta Gasper, 404/459-8878
              windrosecomm@earthlink.net