"Next Generation" Payroll System for Windows Nears Completion

St. Petersburg, FL, Sept. 12, 1994 - Abra Software sets new milestones by
developing the first PC-based Windows payroll software that:

* Uses expert-based technology to simplify payroll processing
* Incorporates groupware components
* Includes decision-making support
* Handles large payrolls with multiple PC processors

Due to be released late fall, 1994, Envoy Pay, Abra's new Windows program,
includes trend-setting features in addition to all the payroll basics.

"Envoy Pay was designed by our customers. With over 12,000 customers, we
have a large pool of experience and creativity to tap into," said Jim
Foster, President of Abra. "Our customers want more than a payroll system.
They want a system that enables them to eliminate all the subsystems
associated with processing payroll and a system that saves them real
time."

Traditionally, when users need to accomplish specific tasks in software,
they must learn which screens need to be completed and in what order.
Learning by trial and error or through printed on-line documentation is
typically a time-consuming process. Envoy Pay has simplified this process
by introducing Actions. Actions open all the screens users need
automatically one-by-one, virtually eliminating searches through the
program for the screens to go to next.

For example, if an employee misplaces a paycheck, the payroll clerk can
simply select the Void Check action in Envoy Pay to automatically reverse
the paycheck figures and choose Reissue Check to generate a new check for
the employee.

To further reduce the learning curve, Envoy Pay menus consist of everyday
terms suggested by customers rather than database terminology. Payroll
practitioners quickly recognize names for common Envoy Pay actions: Create
Manual Check, Record Retroactive Pay, Void Payment, etc.

The first in PC human resource and payroll software, Envoy Pay's groupware
components address the problems customers say they have with peripheral
tasks such as making "To Do" lists, scheduling events, assigning tasks for
others to accomplish, communicating to them the details of each task, and
making reminder notes for current and recurring tasks. Groupware
components in Envoy Pay consolidate these "subsystems."

The central groupware feature in Envoy is the Organizer. From the
Organizer, the Envoy Pay user can select Actions as well as other Envoy
functions, view and edit "To Do" lists, and communicate with other Envoy
users. When Envoy users choose to schedule tasks or steps in a task for
themselves or others, these tasks, such as printing checks or 941s, appear
on users' "lo Do" lists. Since each user's Organizer displays all tasks
scheduled to him or her instantly, there is no need for phone calls,
emails or post-it notes. The exact nature of the task is immediately
apparent because clicking on the task name listed in the Organizer opens
the window needed for completing the task. The user can also click to see
notes associated with each task.

Most payroll departments spend an enormous amount of time compiling and
sorting through stacks of reports to find the data needed for analysis and
decision-making. To alleviate this time-consuming process, Envoy Pay has
an on-line analysis feature. Analysis displays up-to-the-minute summary
figures and, with the click of a mouse, access to the details underlying
each number. After running a payroll, it is standard operating procedure
to review reams of reports to verify that changes required for payroll
processing were entered correctly. Envoy Pay's analysis feature eliminates
the reams of paper and lets the computer do the work. By simply clicking
on columns of standard-looking "reports," users can explode and "drill
down" to details to find any mistakes prior to finalizing payroll. This
significantly reduces the amount of time to process payroll by eliminating
the wait for hard copy reports. Analyses are available on such topics as
gross-to-net wage and tax figures and federal tax liability.

In the past, large companies have steered away from PC-based payroll
software because processing large payrolls on PCs has historically been
very cumbersome, if not impossible. Envoy Pay solves this limitation by
allowing users to handle payroll calculations on multiple PC processors
simultaneously. This reduces large payroll processing time dramatically
and permits Envoy HR and other Envoy Pay users to continue using the
databases during the payroll processing timeframe.

Another distinctive quality of Abra's software is the local expert support
it offers to its customers. Many software companies offer only telephone
support. In addition to experienced telephone technical support, Abra has
a network of local business consulting partners across the country who
help customers implement and maintain their software.

As a stand-alone program, Envoy Pay is an industrial-strength product, yet
it is also an integral part of the Envoy series, which includes Envoy HR
for human resource management and Envoy Applicant for applicant tracking.
Envoy's integration means no duplicate entering of employee demographics,
education, skills, pay or job details. Applicants become employees when
they are hired. When a user records a new hire for human resources
purposes, the employee information is immediately available for payroll
purposes as well--no posting to another module, no copying of files to
another program, no exporting or importing of data.

Features unique to the Envoy series are all accessible from one desktop:

* Actions That Open All the Screens Needed Automatically
* Scheduling of Tasks
* Organizer with Dynamic "To Do" Lists and Calendar
* Analysis
* R&R Report Writer
* Enterprise Code Tables and Reports
* Extensive Multi-Level Security System

"In Envoy Pay, we have completely re-engineered our software design to work
the way our customers work," said Jim Foster. "At the same time, we have
incorporated all the best features from our two highly acclaimed DOS
payroll products, AbraPay, an in-house payroll system, and BASS Payroll, a
professional service bureau system. The synergy created by our payroll,
engineering and customer experts working together has resulted in a
Windows program unlike any other on the market today."

Abra Cadabra Software
888 Executive Center Drive West, Suite 300
St. Petersburg, Florida 33702-2402
(813) 579-1111,  Fax (813) 578-2178

 ============================================================
 From the  'New Product Information'  Electronic News Service
 on AOL (Keyword = New Products) & Delphi (GO BUSINESS PROD)
 ============================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the 
 company or author mentioned. For additional details, please 
 contact them directly at the address/phone number indicated.
 OmniPage Pro is now used for converting all printed input! 
 ============================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  U.S.A.
 Email: RBakerPC (AOL/Delphi), rbakerpc@delphi.com (Internet)
 ============================================================
