Irvine, Calif. - January 10, 2005 - Highlighted by twenty three new integrated product enhancements, Best Software today announced the general availability of MAS 90 and MAS 200 version 4.05. The products’ enhancements in three key areas- Job Costing, Payroll and Accounts Payable- help streamline customers’ operations as well as improve reporting and overall business management. Current MAS 90 and MAS 200 customers with a client care plan will receive this updated version free as part of their client care agreement.
"Many of our MAS 90 and MAS 200 customers operate businesses that require careful tracking by engagement or job, and these customers especially will find great value in v4.05,” said Himanshu Palsule, general manager, mid-market accounting solutions, Best Software. “The enhancements in this release, particularly those to the Job Cost module, provide new functionality with productivity benefits that will help our customers to stay competitive in a tough economy."

Customers using Job Cost will benefit from an array of reporting and usability enhancements introduced throughout the application. Businesses using MAS 90 and MAS 200 will now be able to retrieve and review historical information from the new perpetual job history file to better monitor their profitability and overall performance. In addition, Job Cost users will have the ability to re-open projects that previously had been closed, ensuring that all late arriving costs have been documented.

“MAS 90 v4.05 really makes a difference to our business,” said Sherri Morfin, of Pearson Electronics. “The improved reporting in Job Cost allows us to respond to customer inquiries much more rapidly, increasing our customers’ satisfaction while reducing the time our people spend on the phone.”

MAS 90 and MAS 200 customers not using Job Cost also will benefit from enhancements to other modules. New features in payroll include enhanced validation and default options, voluntary deduction postings and unlimited earnings codes by department. New in Accounts Payable is the ability to filter payments based on a variety of new parameters to help streamline the cash management process.

In a recent survey* of small and medium sized businesses conducted by Best Software, 32% of respondents cited the ability to get more useful reports out of their software as the most pressing technology issue for their business. Version 4.05 addresses this need with new data entry processing and report options throughout the applications, improving reporting capabilities on key business functions.

Recommended by more CPAs than any other product in its class, MAS 90 and MAS 200 include core accounting, e-commerce, business intelligence tools, payroll, customer relationship management, sales force automation and financial reporting software. In addition to basic business management the products offer industry-specific functionality for manufacturers and distributors, such as inventory management, bill of materials and job costing. MAS 90 is also ideal for small businesses who have outgrown an off-the-shelf application such as Peachtree Accounting, and provides the next step in a clear migration path for customers who are ready to make that transition. The Best Software Migration Center assists customers in determining which Best Software products are most appropriate for their needs. For sales or additional product information, please call (800) 854-3415, or visit www.bestsoftware.com.