REDMOND, Wash. - April 3, 2000 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the retail availability of Microsoft^® Project 2000 and the companion, Web-based Microsoft Project Central, a major upgrade to the world's best-selling, most popular project-management software with over 5 million users. Since mid-November 1999, a record number of more than 500,000 beta CDs of Microsoft Project 2000 have been distributed. According to Todd Warren, general manager of Microsoft Project, "Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project Central represent the culmination of an extensive customer-driven design process that included input from customers of all sizes. These customers told us that we needed to make the product more usable for entire organizations, allowing everyone from individual contributors to the president of the company to get involved in project management - we have delivered on that."

Unprecedented Customer Excitement

Organizations are more excited than ever about the business value that Microsoft Project 2000 provides. For example, Startups.com brings new companies to market using Microsoft Project Central to manage all the facilities, information technology, and administrative infrastructure setup for fast-track start-ups and growing companies. "Our project teams include internal and external providers scattered across a city or region, so we rely heavily on the ability to input project data and access project status through the Web," said Jody O'Connor, director of business process at Startups.com. "That's what makes Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project Central a really good fit with the way we work."

Another company exploiting the power of Microsoft Project 2000 is KPMG, the global professional advisory firm whose aim is to turn knowledge into value for the benefit of its clients. "KPMG Consulting is excited about integrating Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project Central into our knowledge management solutions," said Stephen Cranford, senior vice president of Knowledge Management Solutions at KPMG. "We have enjoyed success with our Microsoft Project 98-based solutions and believe that the new product releases will further our efforts in bringing critical program and project management information to knowledge workers. With the added enterprise enhancements in Microsoft Project 2000 and the Web extensibility of Microsoft Project Central, our Program Management Office deliverables are more robust and better targeted to meet the complex requirements of our valued customers."

60-Day Trial Version Available Now - Free Shipping for a Limited Time

Starting today, customers can order the Microsoft Project 2000 trial version via the Web. The trial version is based on the full shipping product and includes Microsoft Project Central. Also included on the trial CD are deployment templates for Microsoft Windows^® 2000, Microsoft Office 2000 and Microsoft Project 2000. The trial version is available for the cost of shipping and handling: $6.75 (U.S.) for U.S. mail, $9.75 (U.S.) for priority mail, and $9.25 (U.S.) for international shipping. Shipping and handling costs will be waived for the first 5,000 Web site visitors who order the trial CD. Parties interested in taking advantage of this offer should visit http://www.microsoft.com/project/.

The Next Step in Increased Project-Management Productivity

Companies ready to take the next step toward increased productivity can acquire these products now. Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project Central are available together for an estimated retail price of $499 (U.S.) for first time users, and current users of Microsoft Project can upgrade for an estimated retail price of $199 (U.S.). Additional copies of Microsoft Project Central client licenses can be acquired separately. More information can be found on the Microsoft Project Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/project/.