On-Demand Address Validation Service To Integrate With Microsoft CRM

Business Wire, March 7, 2005

SAN DIEGO -- Avalara's Innovative AutoAddress (TM) Address Validation Service Offers Fast, Clean Customer Data to Small and Medium Businesses

Avalara, Inc., the on-demand sales and use tax provider serving small and medium businesses with integrated ERP solutions, today unveiled its new interface for AutoAddress , its address validation service, for Microsoft CRM(R). Exhibiting as a gold-level sponsor at Microsoft-sponsored Convergence this week, Avalara is marking the occasion with previews of multiple new Microsoft integrations.

"Avalara's AutoAddress will work behind the scenes within Microsoft CRM to instantly validate the contact's address," according to Rory Rawlings, Avalara's President and Founder. "With our real-time address validation, contact management benefits from the assurance of clean address data. Any time an end-user is working with a contact in Microsoft CRM, they can ask AutoAddress to standardize the contact's address, correcting any entry errors in the process. In a split second, the address is conformed to USPS standards - including ZIP 4.

"Human error in data entry happens routinely, especially for those doing entry using remote devices, and those errors become problems down the road," Rawlings explained. "These errors show up when it comes time to invoice, ship product and send marketing materials to the address. With error-proof address data, AutoAddress results in 100% deliverability when invoices and shipments are sent out."

"While AutoAddress is not the only system on the market," explained Ranjit Mulgaonkar, Avalara's VP Product Management and Business Development, "it is the least expensive, and it is the only one that eliminates potential human error in two ways: First, it works real-time, so there are no delays between time of entry and time of processing, and updates or periodic installations are a thing of the past. And secondly, it is communicates directly with the address data in your accounting, e-commerce, or custom application, so the user never has to leave the application to perform this critical function, and to ensure that once correct data is input, that it stays correct."

"From the end-user's perspective, AutoAddress is an excellent companion to the flexible model Microsoft CRM offers small and medium businesses," continued Mulgaonkar. While effectively handling customer and prospect management with Microsoft CRM, the end-user is assured - with AutoAddress - that the address data is clean. Just as important as assured accuracy, AutoAddress is priced for any size business. Monthly subscription fees start at just $49.95 a month, and that is for up to 15,000 transactions."

About AutoAddress

As with Avalara's flagship product, AvaTax ST, Avalara's AutoAddress is a hosted, Internet-based web service. This means that address validation is performed in real-time over a secure SSL internet connection. AutoAddress transparently connects the customer address record within Microsoft CRM to Avalara's real-time database of U.S. Postal Service CASS Certified valid addresses. AutoAddress compares the contact record with USPS formatting, and inserts the correct address back into the customer record - two features essential for effective end-user access to the Postal Service's lowest-cost delivery systems.

AutoAddress currently comes integrated within Best Software's ACCPAC CRM(R), and can be integrated with any accounting, ERP, e-commerce system or custom application. Available through resellers internationally, AutoAddress is priced on a scalable fee structure, to accommodate any size business.

From billing, to sales calls, marketing, or simply avoiding returned shipments, businesses have any number of reasons to require instant address validation during initial entry and prior to any subsequent outreach. Not to be overlooked, one very critical role played by address validation is to determine a correct tax rate during the order entry process: street-level location is needed to perform accurate tax jurisdiction research. For businesses dealing with sales tax in multiple jurisdictions, using AutoAddress is just the beginning of automating their compliance processes: they can easily upgrade to get sales tax calculation and reporting on demand as well, with AvaTax ST.

About AvaTax ST

AvaTax ST is an "on demand" web service that instantly and accurately calculates sales tax for clients in any one of the more than 8,000 taxing jurisdictions in the U.S. AvaTax ST currently integrates with more third party financial packages than any other sales and use tax solution, including AvaTax ST for Microsoft's Great Plains 8.0, 7.5 and 7.0, Microsoft Commerce Server systems, Best Software's ACCPAC Advantage Series(TM), Best Software's MAS 90(R) and MAS 200(R), and Scala, among others. More, significant integrations with commonly-used ERPs will be released in Q2 and Q3. Available through resellers internationally, AvaTax ST is priced on a scalable fee structure, to accommodate any size business.