Dallas, TX- May 17, 2005 - At Insights 2005, its third annual business partner conference, Sage Software (formerly Best Software) introduced Sage CRM, full suite configurable customer relationship management software for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that is available both as a hosted service at SageCRM.com and for on-premises deployment. In addition, an ACCPAC edition provides bi-directional front office/back office integration with the award-winning ACCPAC Advantage Series accounting and operations management software. Sage CRM is fully Web-based and comes with an industry first rent-to-own investment protection guarantee that provides businesses with a critical safety net for their hosted CRM investment.
“Hosted software is an option, not an end-game. Salesforce.com would have businesses believe hosted software means no software. That’s a clever way of saying they offer no choice,” said Jim Foster, executive vice president of Sage Software’s mid-market division. “Businesses looking for a front office system want choice and long term investment protection, and they have it with Sage CRM because the same software can be accessed as a hosted service or installed on site. We’re making the decision process even easier with our unique rent-to-own program. Businesses who are at the crossroads of deciding to implement a hosted or traditional on-premises CRM strategy now have choice.”

Rent-to-own marks an industry first
Through its unique graduated family of CRM products, Sage Software provides SMBs with options to advance to more feature rich CRM systems as their needs evolve. The hosted option provides fast, online access to a configurable full CRM suite for SMBs with immediate needs. Now Sage Software is the first software vendor to help protect a customer’s hosted CRM investment through the new rent-to-own program that returns up to 50% of a customer’s hosted subscription fees if they move to an on-premises CRM suite product from Sage Software in the first 12 months of service.

Freedom of Choice
Sage CRM offers businesses significantly more freedom of choice than other solutions by eliminating technology ‘lock-in’ through fully Web-based CRM with clear technology options. Sage CRM allows clients to deploy the same solution either on premises or as a hosted service, including the ability to move between either as their business needs dictate. Sage CRM clients also have more supporting technology options, including Outlook and Lotus® Notes integration, plus IBM® DB2®, MS SQL, Oracle® and Sybase® database options. In addition to this unique freedom of choice, Sage CRM offers businesses many other key advantages over competing solutions, including:

· Local service and support through an established
network of CRM Solution Providers, Certified Consultants
and Development Partners that support both hosted and
on-premises CRM;
· Bi-directional integration with back office accounting;
· Support for wireless devices such as PDAs and cell
phones;
· A large portfolio of vertical enhancements and custom
components;
· Affordable, competitive pricing.

Sage CRM and SageCRM.com are affordable for small and mid-sized businesses alike. Sage CRM is available at $595 per user for on-premises licensing and $69 per user per month for hosted CRM at SageCRM.com.

Improved partner opportunities
Sage Software recognizes that SMBs want local support from consultants who know their business well, and is the only CRM vendor with a broad consulting channel for both on-premises and hosted solutions. Sage Software has developed a business partner network of certified CRM specialists whom we support with innovative business training, marketing programs, technical resources, among the highest software margins in the industry, and a full portfolio of software that provides SMBs with best of breed end-to-end business management suites. Sage announced new CRM-focused promotions for its business partner network including higher margins on a business partner’s first Sage CRM sale and simplified certification processes to help business partners support their customers faster and better.

About Sage Software’s CRM solutions
Sage Software is the only software vendor that offers SMBs a range of CRM products that address the needs of single users, small and mid-sized businesses, and small enterprises.

ACT! 2005 is the leader in packaged, off-the-shelf software that provides complete customer and contact management tools for single users as well as small workgroups. Sage CRM and Sagecrm.com provide SMBs with a configurable CRM suite that can be deployed on premises or as a hosted service. Award-winning SalesLogix provides SMBs and small enterprises with a full CRM suite that can be customized to company specific or industry-specific needs.

About Sage Software (formerly Best Software)
Sage Software offers leading business management products and services that support the needs, challenges and dreams of more than 2.4 million small and mid-sized customers in North America. Its parent company, The Sage Group plc (London: SGE.L), supports 4.5 million customers worldwide. For more than 25 years, Sage Software has delivered easy-to-use, scalable and customizable applications through its portfolio of leading brands, including Abra, ACCPAC, ACT!, BusinessWorks, CPASoftware, FAS, MAS 90, MAS 200, MAS 500, MIP, Peachtree, SalesLogix, and Timberline Office, among many others. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.bestsoftware.com/moreinfo or call (866) 308-BEST.