Cincinnati, Oh. - May 14, 2002 - Best Software, Inc. will preview MAS 90 and MAS 200 Version 3.7, the most powerful version of the industry-leading accounting software program to date, at the company’s annual Visions reseller conference, May 21-23 in Palm Springs, Calif. Scheduled to ship in June, the release’s new features are designed to provide customers with even more insights to their business, helping them react more quickly, reduce overhead costs, raise customer satisfaction levels and enhance profitability.
“Key enhancements to Version 3.7 boost the ease of use that Best Software customers have always relied upon, while adding functionality that fills real business needs in the ever-competitive software and IT consulting market,” says David Butler, president and chief operating officer, Best Software Mid-Market Division.

Return Merchandise Authorization
Version 3.7 marks the initial release of the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) module, which gives businesses the ability to enter, track and resolve customer returns while automatically updating accounting and inventory management data. As a result of the in-depth research conducted during the design phase, the MAS 90 and MAS 200 RMA module provides deeper functionality than many competitive offerings by, for example, allowing for cross-shipments. Sales order operators can ship a replacement product to their customers immediately, without waiting for the customer to send the unwanted item back. This cross-shipping capability results in faster delivery times and increased customer satisfaction levels.

When processing returns, the RMA module pulls in the customer’s transaction history and automatically populates the account number and shipping address fields and recalls warranty information, eliminating the need to re-enter the data while giving the operator a single-screen view of the customer’s original invoice. The solution can also analyze return trends and generate re-stocking charges, additional capabilities not found in most competing RMA products.

Credit and Collections Enhancements
Version 3.7 also features a set of new Credit and Collections Enhancements. Collections operators can access customer-specific aging information and statements in real time from Customer Maintenance and Inquiry, giving them the ability to settle accounts over the phone without lag-time. And, in Accounts Receivable, credit cards can be accepted in cash receipts with the credit card transactions authorized in batches for swift processing.

Also, businesses can transfer their credit card charges, by category, into vendor accounts within MAS 90 or MAS 200, allowing them to track purchases made to various vendors, pay for the merchandise using a credit card, and cut a single check each month to the credit card company for those purchases. This streamlines processes and makes credit card reconciliation easier.

Warranty Tracking
A new Warranty Tracking feature can be found in the MAS 90 and MAS 200 Inventory Management module. Warranty codes can be applied to inventory items, allowing an expiration date to calculate at the time of shipping or invoice data entry. The expiration date can be printed on several forms for easy communication to the customer. The expiration “pops up” during the RMA returns process. This functionality, along with Credit and Collections enhancements, is now available free to existing Inventory Management users.

Remote Solutions/Timekeeper
Many new enhancements to MAS 90 and MAS 200 remote solutions modules are included in Version 3.7, including significant usability improvements to the Timekeeper module. The most notable new feature is the ability to create modified billing rates during time entry. This is achieved during data entry, where Timekeeper applies multipliers for double-time and overtime, overriding the usual billing rate. Timekeeper remote also boasts shorter Palm-device synchronization times by allowing the operator to select the fastest way to upload information from the device to MAS 90 or MAS 200.

Other enhancements include a new graphical user interface (GUI) for Client Write-Up, which puts a sleeker, more user-friendly face on this time-saving tool for accountants. In addition, many new sample Business Alerts have been created for the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Purchase Order and Job Cost modules, making the Alerts module more powerful and useful than ever.

New Tools/Training for Resellers
MAS 90 and MAS 200 resellers will be pleased with a set of new migration tools available with this release. Designed to make the migration process faster and easier, Data Migrator converts data from Peachtree Complete Accounting, BusinessWorks Gold, and QuickBooks safely and accurately.
Best channel partners will also benefit from the many MAS 90 and MAS 200 Version 3.7 workshops and training sessions offered at Visions 2002, the company’s annual reseller conference, scheduled for May 21-23 in Palm Springs, Calif.

Pricing
The starting price for MAS 90 is $3,500 for the Small Business core bundle with a single user; multi-user packages start at $5,000 plus the cost of any additional modules. Pricing of MAS 200, the client/server version of MAS 90, begins at $8,650 for the System Manager and five users. MAS 200 for SQL Server, including the System Manager and five users, starts at $14,500 plus modules. Average module price is $1,450; RMA module $1,000. Final package price varies based on the platform, number of users registered and number of modules ordered.