Access announces ASP technology at Microsoft Campus

Access Accounting Ltd announced its ASP (Application Service Provider) strategy at its national dealer conference held this month on Microsoft campus. A prototype of this application rental service was demonstrated to more than two hundred dealers.

Access ASP technology builds on the proven infrastructure of Access Accounts Dimensions -- its flagship client/server software. It delivers the full functionality of this powerful software through an Internet browser. This radically reduces the cost of running financials over a WAN (Wide Area Network) and paves the way for an application rental service to the middle market. Access already provides a complete hosting service to users of its packaged e-commerce solution.

Access Accounts Dimensions provides a client/server solution to the mass market," said Managing Director Alistair OReilly. We are putting the building blocks in place today so that when the cost of business bandwidth becomes more affordable we are ready to deliver a complete ASP service."

Accesss ASP technology offers many advantages that will help users, including those who do not wish to go down the rental route for financial software. These benefits include 3 tier architecture for enhanced performance and 'soft form technology that allows Access Dealers to design any number of formats for the same transaction entry screen using industry standard design software such as Microsoft Front Page, whilst the business rules and logic remain totally secure.

Users could grant their auditors access to specific functions in their software using standard telephone lines. This could range from entering journals to printing specific reports.

Access Accounting was first with a true Windows mid market financial package in 91, first again with Client/Server in 96, first with a complete 32 bit solution in 97 and first with end-to-end e-commerce in 99. Access intends to be the first again with a middle market ASP solution.

Further details, release dates and pricing will follow.

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Pictures and further information can be obtained from Paul Wellings (Head of Media) or Gill Mellor (Marketing Co-ordinator) on 01206 322575 or e-mail pw@access-accounts.com or from www.access-accounts.com

BACKGROUND NOTES:

Access Accounting Ltd was formed in 1991 to bring the benefits of Windows to accounting software. Its software is in use today by over 9,000 companies worldwide. Software is sold in the UK through a national network of Specialist Centres and internationally through 'Access partners.

The company has grown by 40 percent per year. It is an ISO 9001 (TickIT) registered firm. With over 130 staff based in the Colchester head office, everything is designed, developed and produced in the UK.

Access Accounts offers a complete range of Windows 2000 and PowerPC, web enabled financial management and accounting software that scales to suit your size of business and your budget. Principally everything you can do in one level of software can be done in each higher level without re-training staff or re-entering data. Access is a pioneer in financial data management with modules encompassing buying, selling, ordering, costing and inventory control all fully web enabled and with powerful management reporting.

The company also offers virtual showroom e-commerce solutions and marketing web sites with AccessweB. An innovator in e-commerce solutions, Access Accounting Ltd requires its dealers to place all their orders over the Internet using Access Order Wizard (AOW). This was designed by Access to give its own business the advantage of e-commerce.

AccessweB -- A database solution offering the fastest possible route for a company to create its own marketing or e-commerce web site. AccessweB has 10 modules and page options providing everything up to a full e-commerce solution.
Dimensions is the flagship Client/Server software for large companies with up to 200 concurrent users. It has 20 modules plus multi-currency, euro compliancy, dual-base currency and multi-lingual options.
Dimensions SBE is Client/Server software for medium sized companies with up to 20 concurrent users. It has 20 modules to handle every business process.
Horizons is ODBC compliant software for medium sized companies with up to 15 concurrent users It has 20 modules plus multi-currency, euro compliancy and dual base options.
Foundations is ODBC compliant software for small companies or departments of companies with just one concurrent user. It has 15 modules plus multi-currency options.
Access Payroll+ is a complete PAYE and personnel records system, scalable from 5-5,000 staff per datafile. This fully integrates to the entire Access Accounts range.

Access Accounts was voted Best Mid-Range Business Software" for 1997/8 by BASDA, the governing body of accounts software developers. It is accredited under the Accredited Product Scheme run by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Its Payroll package won the PC Pro Excellence Award and it is IMIS accredited.

All Access software is guaranteed millennium compliant. Access released its EMU compliant software in 1998. It offers dual based currency, triangulation and the ability to report in home currency, the Euro and in multiple foreign currencies. It achieved BASDA EMU accreditation for Multi-Currency and Triangulation in 1999 -- one of an elite group in the world to receive this accreditation.

The Old School, Stratford St Mary, Colchester, CO7 6LZ
Telephone 01206 322575 Fax 01206 322956
E-mail pw@access-accounts.com
www.access-accounts.com
www.accessweb.co.uk