EXCARA INTRODUCES ContentCenter FOR ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY

Excara Inc, a leading provider of product content and catalog software solutions for manufacturers, announced at the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) annual meeting a customized version of its ContentCenter product content management and syndication software application for the Industry Data Warehouse (IDW).

This customized version of ContentCenter allows electrical manufacturers to manage and syndicate current and comprehensive product information to the IDW, allowing participating distributors to import accurate, manufacturer-certified content into their business systems.

The company demonstrated its solutions at Booth ##109 at the Technology and Software Expo at the Annual Meeting of the NAED, Washington, D.C.

Accurate and complete product information helps customers make the most informed purchasing decisions, thus improving customer satisfaction, lowering support costs and reducing unwanted returns. Excara's product content management solution has been customized to the IDW's Product Descriptor Database (PDD), including fields for every kind of product-related information being passed between manufacturer and distributor. This includes UPC numbers, product names, common names, descriptions, part numbers and prices. In addition, it also includes fields for seller class codes and sub-class codes, industry class codes, order minimum and order multiple quantities/UOMs, length, width, height and corresponding UOMs, MSDS information, price group codes, price sheet information, price effective dates, price column codes, and price break information.

Key differentiating features of ContentCenter's IDW syndication transform include:

• Scalability -- based on a mission critical database
• IDW-specific attribute dictionary
• Data testing and validation, including identifying gaps in data necessary for the IDW
• Ability to send subsets of product/product family information, incremental updates, and sub-attribute information (i.e. packaging options)
• Integration with a mission critical content management system with ability to track changes at the attribute level to maintain data control and integrity
• Comprehensive logging and auditing capabilities

Other ContentCenter capabilities include:

• Extracting data from existing ERP, Legacy and other electronic systems
• Mapping data and creating a comprehensive set of attributes
• Cleansing data through import and export
• Maintaining multiple product classifications

The IDW is a repository of product information for the electrical industry that provides a centralized management and retrieval of data warehouse information. The IDW serves as the foundation for electronic commerce by creating a standardized method of defining and sharing product content among business partners and their customers. NEMA and NAED formed the Industry Data Exchange Association (IDEA) to build and manage the IDW and IDXchange. Together, the IDW and IDXchange will bring down the cost of doing business, enhance the competitiveness of IDW members and raise the level of customer service.

"It's critically important that distributors be able to import up-to-date, comprehensive product information," said Paul Baier, president and CEO, Excara, Inc. "Any e-commerce initiative is hampered if it doesn't start with quality product content. ContentCenter facilitates the syndication of current, manufacturer-certified product and pricing information to the IDW, helping to enhance the flow and availability of quality information between manufacturers and resellers."

"The success of the IDW hinges on the ability of manufacturers to provide distributors with access to up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive product data," said Mike Rioux, president of IDEA. "Manufacturers can use Excara's ContentCenter to populate the IDW with robust, manufacturer-certified product content."

ContentCenter turns product content into a strategic asset, a resource that drives revenue and reduces cost. ContentCenter accomplishes this by enabling the efficient syndication of Manufacturer Certified Content to channel partners and by providing the capability to easily maintain and manage that content. Channel partners require up-to-date product content, with specific structure and attribute information from their manufacturing suppliers. Editing, assembling and syndicating product content through traditional means is time consuming and costly, inhibiting many manufacturers' e-business initiatives. ContentCenter enables manufacturers to support channel partners such as Graybar and Cameron & Barkley Company, with current, comprehensive, manufacturer-certified product content quickly and easily over the Internet.

ContentCenter completes Excara's innovative end-to-end product content and catalog solution. This comprehensive solution suite includes creation of Manufacturer Certified Content, product content management and syndication, and online catalog. Additionally, Excara's professional services organization provides on-site assessment and implementation services to maximize customer benefits and minimize implementation time and expense.

About Excara

Excara Inc provides content and catalog solutions specifically for manufacturers. Excara's software and service offerings increase sales and reduce operating costs by turning product content into a strategic asset that enables manufacturers to better control their brand, sales channels, and product information. The company also offers the Manufacturer Certified Content program, which helps customers validate the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of branded product content. Based in Burlington, Mass., Excara is backed by leading venture capital firms including Charles River Ventures, Sigma Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners and Rho Management. For more information, visit the company's Website at www.Excara.com or call 866-283-4977.

Contact Jodi Baier, Excara Inc, 781-993-2883, jbaier@excara.com.