JDA Announces Availability of New Version of Retail IDEAS

JDA Software Group Inc announced the availability of its new release of Retail IDEAS, a industry leading multi-platform, client/server data warehouse system that provides retailers with powerful applications for analyzing their business, monitoring strategic plans, making informed decisions and enabling tactical actions.

With new and enhanced user functionality, advanced security utilities and increased processing capacity, Retail IDEAS 5.0 is the most comprehensive version to date.

As part of JDA Portfolio, Retail IDEAS is pre-packaged with additional integration capabilities, including integration with JDA's client/server Open Database Merchandising System (ODBMS), making it an even more viable solution for the retail industry.

"In such an intensely competitive market, retailers need to monitor and quickly analyze their merchandising, marketing and in-store activities at a more in-depth level than ever before," explained Bob Swanson, JDA's vice president, e-commerce and analytic solutions sales.

"With our latest release of Retail IDEAS, we've built upon our former version to make managing and analyzing information even faster and easier so that retailers can spend their time making the most informed decisions possible to improve their bottom line."

Quality Stores to Benefit from Enhanced Functionality

Quality Stores Inc, the largest U.S. farming goods "brick" and catalog retailer operating 360 retail stores in 31 states, plans to achieve additional benefits from the new features in Retail IDEAS 5.0.

"Since going live with Retail IDEAS in June 1999, we have improved our decision-making process and company productivity," stated Dana Lee, Quality Stores' merchandise planning and analysis director. "The new user functions featured in 5.0 will enable our employees to easily retrieve the information they need much faster than before.

"In addition, the new pre-configured views will enable us to more easily monitor our business, such as reviewing the status of our weekly Open to Buy position. And from a technical perspective, the advanced multi-processing capabilities will significantly reduce our load times."

Added Lee, "As our company grows and as Retail IDEAS' functionality expands, our use of the solution will continue to broaden. In addition to our Merchandising department using Retail IDEAS, other departments within Quality Stores, including Planning, Finance, Logistics and Advertising/Marketing, now rely on the system for numerous analytical purposes."

JDA first announced the general release of Retail IDEAS in September 1996. Since then, JDA has licensed Retail IDEAS to over 72 other retailers, including such leading names as ABC Carpet & Home, Barbeques Galore, Regis Corp, Linens `n Things, Estee Lauder, Early Learning Centre, Laura Ashley, Grupo Elektra, Oshman's Sporting Goods, Carlton Cards Retail Inc, Franks Nursery and Gart Sports.

Ease of Use & Prepackaged Integration Delivered with New Release

In its 5.0 release, JDA has enhanced the already functionally-rich, retail-specific Retail IDEAS data warehouse application with the following:

• Enhanced end-user functionality: Retail IDEAS' new user functions and enhanced system intuitiveness is designed to increase user productivity and shorten the learning curve, by providing retailers with an easier and more flexible means for accessing and analyzing desired information. In addition, new pre-configured views have been added to Retail IDEAS' over 100 existing views, including Open to Buy, Markdown Forecasts, Aged Inventory Analysis and Store Profit/Loss.
• Improved operating performance: With B2C e-commerce increasing and retail businesses expanding internationally, day-end periods are dwindling. Retail IDEAS 5.0 responds to retailers' demands for optimal performance during critical day-end processing by enhancing data storage utilization as well as the simultaneous use of multiple processors for a faster, more efficient process.
• Additional pre-packaged integration capabilities: In addition to its already established integration with JDA's AS/400-based Merchandise Management System (MMS), Retail IDEAS is now pre-packaged with complete integration to JDA's ODBMS and can also be interfaced to other JDA Portfolio applications.
• Advanced security: Retail IDEAS is equipped with enhanced security levels enabling retailers to determine the type of information that internal users as well as external vendors can access within the data warehouse. This enables all users to work from a single database resulting in efficient operations.

About JDA Portfolio

JDA Portfolio is a collection of proven, industry-leading solutions combined with several emerging innovations for retailers and merchandisers who know where they need to be today and want to be tomorrow.

In addition to some of the best brands in retail including Arthur, Intactix, ODBMS and Retail IDEAS, JDA Portfolio is continuously evolving to include products that stay ahead of such New Economy requirements as customer relationship management, e-commerce, multi-channel order processing, advanced forecasting and data mining.

Sharing a common design philosophy and open technology platform, JDA Portfolio's host, store and analytic applications offer integration at the business process level, yet can be licensed as stand-alone products that interface with proprietary and/or third party solutions.

About JDA Software Group Inc

With the world's largest base of multi-channel retailers and merchandisers, JDA Software Group Inc is the global leader in providing integrated software and professional services that address real-world issues to help companies manage their mission critical operations.

By capitalizing on its market position and financial strength, JDA commits significant resources in furthering its next generation of retail intelligent solutions that exploit the power of the Internet to meet emerging business needs.

Founded in 1985, JDA is headquartered in Scottsdale, and employs approximately 1,100 associates operating from 26 offices in major cities throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, visit JDA at www.jda.com.

Contact JDA Software Group Inc, Scottsdale, Kristen L. Magnuson, 480-308- 3000, Maureen N. Tuskai, 480-308-3233, m.tuskai@jda.com.