ATLANTA October 9, 2003 - Inovis, a provider of business commerce automation solutions, today announced that it has entered into an evaluation agreement to provide the Microsoft Business Network (MBN) with connectivity and managed Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) translation services leveraging the Inovis:Access value added network (VAN).

Microsoft Business Network is a combination of on-premise software integrated with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Business Solutions applications and/or Microsoft BizTalk® Server, and hosted Web services. Microsoft Business Solutions designed Microsoft Business Network to help businesses more easily and effectively work with their trading partners. Microsoft Business Network enables businesses to connect their entire network of suppliers and customers through a fully automated Microsoft .NET-connected solution, increasing efficiency with a deep degree of integration throughout their business applications and lowering the total cost of business-to-business collaboration. Inovis will extend Microsoft Business Network to enable its users to send and receive EDI documents with trading partners that do not currently subscribe to the Microsoft Business Network.

“Enabling MBN customers to trade EDI documents with their entire network of trading partners is a critical part of the overall solution,” noted Ilaria Derr, president and chief operating officer of Inovis. “For many companies, using EDI to communicate with trading partners is a mandatory part of their business. Driving costs down and eliminating errors from the supply chain is a critical business initiative. Companies that don’t support EDI-based transactions will tend to lose business. This is especially true for small and midmarket organizations.”

EDI VAN Interconnection Services

Microsoft Business Network offers its users several options to collaborate with trading partners. These include web services, AS2, the upcoming Web-based Document Transfer Center, as well as via EDI value added networks (EDI VAN). Inovis will provide MBN customers the ability to send and receive EDI documents to virtually any trading partner in the world. The Inovis network will accept standard XML documents from Microsoft Business Network, providing managed EDI transformation services and secure delivery to trading partners on Inovis:Access or other traditional value added networks. Inovis will also accept standard EDI documents from MBN customers trading partners and convert them into standard MBN XML documents.

“Inovis is a great fit with Microsoft Business Network because they have proven solutions and experience in XML/EDI translation and are positioned well to serve the EDI connectivity needs of MBN users,” said Marcus Schmidt, lead product manager of Microsoft Business Network. “True collaboration involves the seamless exchange of documents with trading partners regardless of on which networks the trading partner participates. Not only does Inovis have thousands of small to medium enterprises on their own network, but Inovis also connects with more than 75 public and private EDI networks. Through this relationship, MBN customers will be able to trade EDI documents with virtually anyone.”

"Messaging is a critical but often overlooked component of any value chain strategy," said Tim Minahan, vice president of supply chain research with Aberdeen Group. "Success requires companies to efficiently and cost-effectively exchange a diverse range of business documents -- from POs to invoices to advanced ship notices -- with trading partners, regardless of their size or technological maturity. Inovis' extension of MBN addresses these issues by accelerating adoption of MBN and allowing customers to continue to trade EDI documents via a single EDI connectivity point -- regardless of the standards or networks the trading partners use."

Microsoft and Inovis are currently executing proof of concept projects with a number of early adopters of the Microsoft Business Network. Microsoft expects to make its EDI network interconnection services generally available as part of Microsoft Business Network in early 2004.

About Inovis

Inovis™, Inc. helps companies to rapidly and cost-effectively implement business commerce automation solutions that facilitate efficient trading with customers and suppliers. With almost 20 years of experience and more than 20,000 customers, the company provides a complete line of software, managed services and professional services that enable companies to gain compliance with leading industry trading communities and standards. Inovis acquired IPNet Solutions in July 2003, adding to its product and service portfolio a comprehensive line of flexible and secure EDI/INT solutions. These solutions are certified eBusinessReady in AS1, AS2, CPFR and ebXML by the Uniform Code Council Inc. (UCC) and the Drummond Group Inc. (DGI).