Microsoft Corporation Announces New Tools for Building Custom Solutions 

The Open EIS Pak Helps Customers Build EIS Systems Using Mainstream
Applications

NEW YORK--Oct. 28, 1992--Microsoft Corporation today announced the
Microsoft Open EIS Pak, a set of tools designed to speed the development
of enterprise information systems (EIS) by using the power and flexibility
of Microsoft Excel and other mainstream applications. The Open EIS Pak
promotes a new approach to building custom EIS systems. This new approach
takes advantage of the recent advances in power, programmability and
connectivity brought by mainstream graphical applications (like Microsoft
Excel, Word and Microsoft Project), and uses these applications as the
building blocks for custom solutions. The Open EIS Pak provides corporate
MIS managers and developers with the Microsoft Excel EIS Builder, a new
add-in software development tool that enables developers to rapidly create
Microsoft Excel-based EIS applications without writing any macro code.

"Customers have been asking for better and faster ways to develop EIS
systems. The Open EIS Pak makes it easier for corporate developers and
consultants to create solutions for their business and their end-users,"
said Pete Higgins, vice president of desktop applications at Microsoft.
"The new approach adopted by the Open EIS Pak takes the process of EIS
development to a new level in terms of ease of use and power."

The Open EIS Pak approach offers several key advantages over other methods
to building enterprise information systems. In the past, EIS systems were
used primarily as information viewing mechanisms by a select group of
executives. These systems were expensive and inflexible. Once the program
was set up, it was difficult to change or adjust when users wanted to
accommodate new forms of information. Today, a new generation of
technology, including advances in client-server computing, graphical user
interfaces and suites of modular open desktop applications, makes creating
powerful EIS systems easier. In addition, because EIS systems can now be
built on mainstream applications, they can be made widely available
throughout the organization.

The Open EIS Pak uses this new approach to provide benefits for both
developers and users of EIS systems. Developers benefit from the Open EIS
Pak because they can take advantage of the functionality already built
into Microsoft Windows operating system-based applications rather than
replicating these same features in a dedicated or specialized system. For
example, Microsoft Excel provides powerful analysis capabilities.
Therefore, a developer using the EIS Builder and Microsoft Excel can focus
on the front end design of an EIS that is best suited to the customer's
needs rather than writing code that tries to recreate the state of the art
analytic tools already provided in Microsoft Excel. Moreover, because the
Open EIS Pak takes an open approach using dynamic data exchange (DDE) and
object linking and embedding (OLE) to tie applications together,
developers can incorporate any Windows-based application in an EIS to
address specialized functional needs.

Organizations and end users are also beneficiaries of this new system. For
the organization, not only do mainstream Windows-based applications cost
less than dedicated EIS software, but it is much easier to update and
modify the system as the organization's needs change. For end users,
access to an EIS built using the Open EIS Pak is easier because they are
using the familiar graphical interface and features of their desktop
Windows-based applications. Moreover, with an EIS built with Microsoft
Excel, users benefit because they not only can take advantage of the
custom capabilities of the EIS, but they also can utilize the powerful
functionality of the spreadsheet itself to do ad hoc analysis and
reporting. 

Customers Praise the Open EIS Pak

G. Warfield Evans Associates, a major consulting firm hired by SNET Systems
Inc. (a subsidiary of Southern New England Telecommunications
Corporation), used the Open EIS Pak and Microsoft Excel to build an EIS
for financial reporting. Gus Evans, president of G. Warfield Evans
Associates, praises the Open EIS Pak as both a time and cost saving tool.
"The Microsoft Open EIS Pak is an extremely flexible and powerful
development tool. In fact, it allowed me to dramatically expand the
functionality and customize an existing application," said Evans.
"Developing with the Open EIS Pak simplified the operation and allowed me
to produce fully optimized solutions to my clients in a greatly reduced
timeframe. "

SNET Systems Inc.'s experience with the Open EIS Pak demonstrates the
benefits and promise of this approach to building EIS. "SNET Systems Inc.
needed an EIS system that was sophisticated enough to handle large amounts
of data, yet intuitive enough so that employees would really use it," said
Kevin Wetmore, vice president of finance/administration at SNET Systems
Inc. "Gus Evans worked with our group to customize the existing
application, using Microsoft Excel and the Open EIS Pak. The resulting
system is a cost-effective and powerful solution that has allowed us to
organize our data and streamline our process of information collection and
production."

Elements of the Open EIS Pak

The Open EIS Pak includes the following components:

** The Microsoft Excel EIS Builder. The add-in software for Microsoft Excel
enables EIS developers to create custom applications without writing
macros. The EIS Builder includes a rich array of facilities that tie
applications together with navigation controls, custom menus, user-prompt
dialogs and links to other applications.

** Video and sample applications. A video shows how two large,
multinational companies use Microsoft products to create powerful EIS
applications. The sample applications are a collection of sales analyses,
project management, financial analysis and general reporting systems.

** EIS Development Guide. Detailed information on how to create an open EIS
using the Microsoft family of application products is provided in the EIS
Development Guide. The guide includes what products to use, how to build
an EIS taking advantage of different products, and how to transfer data
and control between different products.

** Information on products and support. A range of additional resources is
provided to help users create EIS and find answers to their questions.

Pricing and Availability

The suggested retail price for the Open EIS Pak is $99. The Windows version
is scheduled to be available in November direct from Microsoft and through
Microsoft's normal distribution channels. Customers can call
1-800-227-4679 to order.

A version of the Open EIS Pak for the Apple Macintosh is scheduled to be
available in early 1993. At that time, an international version is also
scheduled to be available, and will allow users to generate custom
applications that will run in local languages.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with
the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take
advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399
206-882-8080

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