News...
BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 1999--
Progress Software's ASPEN Program to Assist CheckFree
Health and Fitness in Launching its Electronic
Money Management Software Via the Internet
Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:PRGS.O), a leading supplier
of application development, deployment and management products and
services, today announced that CheckFree Health and Fitness--a
division of CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR.O), the leading provider
of electronic commerce processing and electronic billing and payment
systems--has joined Progress Software's ASPEN(TM) Program. The ASPEN
Program enables Progress Software's Independent Software Vendors
(ISVs) such as CheckFree, to move more quickly to the Application
Service Provider (ASP) model, thus expanding their revenue and
distribution opportunities.
As part of the ASPEN Program, Progress Software will work with
CheckFree to leverage the rapid launch and deployment of the CheckFree
Electronic Money application. Designed for businesses with
re-occurring payment charges, Electronic Money is an electronic cash
flow and payment solution being readied for ASP deployment. CheckFree
plans to offer its CheckFree Electronic Money solution to a new market
of small and mid-sized companies via the Internet.
"Working with Progress Software for almost a decade, we have
built a strong relationship on both the technology and business sides.
Progress Software is a strong provider and partner for deploying
applications in the ASP model," said Dick Mitchell, vice president,
CheckFree Health and Fitness division. "Through Progress Software's
leading market position and our participation in the ASPEN Program,
CheckFree is able to make its applications accessible to a wider
audience."
A channel pioneer, Progress Software has long been recognized for
its ability to give ISVs the technology and services to meet the
rigorous requirements of middle market, resource-constrained
environments and to deliver industry-specific solutions more quickly,
more tightly integrated and at a low total cost of ownership. These
same qualities firmly position Progress Software to lead the emerging
ASP market, by bringing its 2,000+ ISV partners and their more than
5,000 Progress(R)-based applications to this new distribution channel,
as well as to bring new ISV's profitability into the ASP market.
"As a longtime partner of Progress Software, CheckFree Health and
Fitness is a valuable addition to our ASPEN program," said Michael
Mitsock, vice president of Progress Software's ASP Business Unit.
"Since 1981, CheckFree has been providing best-of-breed software
solutions to companies. Through the ASPEN program, CheckFree opens its
Electronic Money software up to a new market of small and medium-sized
companies that were previously unable to afford the software, systems
and IT infrastructure to run this leading application."
Progress Software's Application Service Provider ENablement
Program
Progress Software's ASPEN Program offers technology, services and
industry alliances to help ISVs quickly and easily transform
Progress-based applications into ASP-enabled applications. These new
applications, available for rent and accessed over the Internet rather
than purchased, allow small and mid-tier organizations to more quickly
and economically gain access to application functionality previously
unavailable to them. ASP-enabled applications reduce traditional IT
infrastructure costs because they are developed and maintained by
service providers rather than an internal IT staff.
New vendors are emerging to bridge the gap between small and
mid-tier organizations and high-performance applications. Already
growing fast, the ASP market is expected to curve exponentially.
Industry analysts estimate the "application rental market" will
generate between $2 and $6 billion in revenue by 2003. The first ASPs
who enter this market will have an important grip onits future
growth. For more information on the ASP market and Progress Software's
ASPEN Program, please visit www.ASPconnections.com.
About CheckFree Corporation
CheckFree Corporation (www.checkfree.com) (NASDAQ:CKFR.O), is the
leading provider of financial electronic commerce services and
products. Founded as an electronic payments processor in 1981,
CheckFree launched the first fully integrated electronic billing and
payment solution, CheckFree E-Bill, in March of 1997. Today, CheckFree
services enable three million consumers to receive and pay bills over
the Internet or electronically. The Company has multi-year contracts
with 77 of the nation's top billers to provide online billing and
payment through its network of partnerships with consumer service
providers (CSPs), including banks, brokerage firms, Internet portals
and content sites, and personal financial management (PFM) software.
CheckFree's Investment Services division provides a range of
investment management services to help more than 255 institutions
provide portfolio management and reporting services to their clients.
CheckFree clients manage over 760,000 portfolios totaling more than
$400 billion in assets. Software and services provided by CheckFree's
Compliance and Financial Service division are used to process more
than two-thirds of the nation's six billion Automated Clearing House
(ACH) payments. In addition, nearly 400 banks and businesses use
reconciliation products and services the division provides.
About Progress Software
Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:PRGS.O) is a global supplier
of software products and services for developing, deploying and
managing business solutions across all computing and network
environments. Our products, which are installed in over 60% of Fortune
100 companies, include application servers, databases, development
tools and application management products for Internet/Web, extranet
and intranet applications.
Our customers operate in 100 countries, are supported by more
than 1,200 employees worldwide, and deploy annually over $1.5 billion
in Progress-based applications built by more than 2,000 independent
software vendors (ISVs). For more information, visit www.progress.com
or +1-781-280-4000.
Progress is a registered trademark and ASPEN is a trademark of
Progress Software Corporation. All other trademarks contained herein
are the property of their respective owners.
--30--bs/bos*
CONTACT: Progress Software Corporation
Glen Zimmerman
(781) 280-4609
gzimmerm@progress.com
or
Schwartz Communications, Inc.
Ed Harrison or Robin Lane
(781) 684-0770
eharrison@schwartz-pr.com
or
CheckFree Corporation
Dick Mitchell
(678) 375-3000
dmitchell@checkfree.com
KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS INTERNET SOFTWARE
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