The OLAP Survey 4 Recognizes Applix TM1 User Satisfaction; Overall Satisfaction Rates on the Rise as Users Demonstrate Real Business Results From OLAP Implementations

Business Wire, Dec 7, 2004

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. -- Applix, Inc. (Nasdaq: APLX), a global provider of Business Intelligence (BI) and Business Performance Management (BPM) software solutions, today announced that according to The OLAP Survey 4 (http://www.survey.com/olap) by independent analyst and OLAP (online analytical processing) authority Nigel Pendse, Applix TM1(R) users are the most satisfied customers in a number of categories.. This year's survey also points to an overall increase in user satisfaction derived from OLAP solutions as implementations are meeting (and exceeding) business goals, providing real business value.

"Business users prefer the experience of working with a single BPM solution," said David Menninger, vice president, worldwide marketing, Applix, Inc. "Applix's unified TM1 platform is faster, easier-to-use and less expensive to implement. This is in direct contrast to the products from market consolidators who are purchasing companies and trying to mesh solutions with very different architectures and interfaces.

"Meanwhile, our high customer satisfaction leads to an impressive level of customer loyalty, measured in the report by combining the inclination to buy new seats, the lack of deterrents to wider deployments, the low rate of product abandonment, and standardization tendencies."

The 2004 survey also shows that Applix continues to gain ground in the BPM market. TM1 ranked at the top in:

--Data load/precalculation

--Speed of deployment

--Better decisions

--Business goals achieved

--Faster more accurate reporting

--Saved headcount in business departments

--Least number of product technical problems, and

--Prevalence (proportion of respondents in multi-product sites who chose the product for answering questions).

"The survey indicated that TM1 is much more likely to be used for key BPM applications," Menninger continued. "TM1 ranks among the top three products for planning/forecasting, budgeting, scorecards, and financial consolidation/statutory reporting."

In addition, TM1 ranked in the top three in the following categories:

--Query time

--Support Quality

--Overall business benefits achieved

--Reduced external IT costs

--Saved headcount in IS

--Win rate when on the short list

--Customer loyalty

The OLAP Survey 4, the largest and most detailed survey of OLAP products to date, is a quantifiable survey of the $4 billion OLAP market. The Survey, conducted by Nigel Pendse and Survey.com, analyzed data from 971 OLAP sites in 51 countries. No vendors were involved in developing the questions, or in sponsoring the survey, making it the most reliable and unbiased research on the OLAP market. This year's survey asked more than 50 usage and adoption questions concerning 42 different OLAP products.

"The report is a comprehensive look at OLAP tools, usage, technical issues and overall success rate in customer sites," said Nigel Pendse. "This year, Applix's ranking, with highly satisfied and loyal customers, is a result of the strength of the product in many different areas. As with last year, Applix's TM1 showed particularly strong in supporting the achievement of business goals in addition to its frequently recognized ease-of-use and performance features."

About Applix

Applix (NASDAQ: APLX) is a global provider of Business Intelligence and Business Performance Management solutions. These solutions, based on Applix's TM1 analytics platform, enable the continuous planning, management and monitoring of performance across the financial and operational functions within the enterprise. Applix is a founder of the BPM Standards Group (www.bpmstandardsgroup.org), and has been recognized by numerous industry analyst groups for its technical leadership and vision in the marketplace.

More than 1,900 customers worldwide use TM1 for its tight integration with Excel, real-time response, adaptability, and low total cost of ownership. Delivered by Applix and by a global network of partners, TM1-based solutions help customers manage their business performance and respond to the marketplace in real time. Headquartered in Westborough, MA, Applix maintains offices in four countries in Europe, North America and the Pacific Rim. For more information about Applix, please visit www.applix.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this document are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements concerning future plans or results are only estimates and actual results could differ materially from expectations. Certain factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include without limitation, competitive pressures, changes in customer demands, adverse economic conditions, loss of key personnel, litigation, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, lengthy sales cycles, market acceptance of new or enhanced products and services, factors affecting spending by customers and other risks, uncertainties and factors including those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 under the heading "Risk Factors" and its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the heading "Factors That May Affect Future Results." The forward-looking statements provided by the Company in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this release. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, and these forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this release.