SPSS Announces Data Entry Web Server and Data Entry Enterprise Server; New Software for Centralized, Web-Based Data Collection

Few people would deny the value of data, but many would welcome an easier way to gather it. SPSS Inc. will soon provide two easier ways to gather data in the form of SPSS Data Entry Web Server and SPSS Data Entry Enterprise Server. The new software products are expected to ship worldwide in late June.

SPSS Data Entry Web Server is designed for organizations involved in forms collection, including survey research, membership enrollment, customer feedback and other applications. From forms design to analysis, the data collection process using SPSS Data Entry Web Server involves these simple steps:

• Users build forms in SPSS Data Entry Builder (included with SPSS Data Entry Web Server) using its drag-and-drop interface.
• The Builder converts the forms to HTML with rules applied both to ensure the cleanliness of the data and to guide respondents to relevant questions based on their previous responses.
• The converted HTML form is posted to the organization's intranet or Web site.
• Once posted, respondents complete forms using their Web browser, and their answers are automatically routed to a central database. There is no need for additional data entry work.
• The forms are ready immediately - complete with variable labels and a defined data dictionary - for analysis using SPSS Base, SPSS' flagship data analysis software.

"Traditional data collection involves a lot of work to get the respondent's information ready for analysis," SPSS Marketing Manager Jim Holcomb said. "Because people enter responses directly through their Web browsers, enterprises can more quickly gather data. SPSS Data Entry Web Server also eases the data collection process by eliminating the need for custom HTML programming, database setup and data handling." Holcomb added, "The process is ultimately more reliable and more cost-effective and, in some cases, enterprises are able to gather data that might previously have been infeasible or cost-prohibitive to collect. Organizations end up with higher quality data that they can use to quickly make better decisions."

Enterprises that need to collect large amounts of data are ideal candidates for SPSS Data Entry Web Server. Examples include insurance companies, financial institutions and health care facilities. These organizations, which typically have high-speed Internet access, often are highly regulated and face many compliance issues. Because of these compliance issues, they must process a high volume of forms. Other candidates for the software include market-driven enterprises, such as consumer product companies, which place a premium on customer loyalty and retention. Associations, market research firms and enterprises that have a high level of business-to-business, inter-agency or inter-collegiate communications can also benefit from SPSS Data Entry Web Server.

Additional benefits of SPSS Data Entry Web Server:

• Handle many projects: the software handles multiple users and forms simultaneously.
• Get results faster at lower cost: Web responses eliminate the cost and turnaround time associated with the mailing, return and data entry of paper-based forms.
• Ensure clean data: users do not have to spend time cleaning response data because the form is automatically set up for cleaning during the design process.
• Ensure logical responses: Java Script rules, embedded in the form, alert respondents to illogical responses. For example, if a question reads, "Rate your satisfaction from 1 to 10...," a response of 11 will be rejected.

Also new is SPSS Data Entry Enterprise Server, which rounds out the SPSS line of data entry products. The SPSS data entry solution includes desktop products for forms design and data entry, a network server product for data collection over a LAN, and SPSS Data Entry Web Server. SPSS Data Entry Enterprise Server combines the functionality of the network server and Web server products for organizations that, in addition to collecting data from the Web, collect data from paper, phone and other electronic forms. Pricing and availability The North America list price for a single server license of SPSS Data Entry Web Server (including one copy of SPSS Data Entry Builder) is $19,999. The price for a single server license of SPSS Data Entry Enterprise Server is $27,999. A variety of pricing programs, including aggressive multiple unit pricing and academic licensing, are available. SPSS expects to release the products worldwide in June 1999.

Minimum System Requirements
Data Entry Builder

• 486/50 processor or higher - 25MB disk space
• Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0 - VGA Monitor
• 16MB RAM; more for large surveys

Data Entry Web Server/Enterprise Server

• 586/P166 processor or higher - 25MB disk space
• Windows NT server 4.0 or higher - 256 color
• 64MB RAM; more for large surveys graphics support

Company information

SPSS Inc. is a leader in business intelligence, especially data mining, as well as three vertical markets: survey/market research, quality improvement and scientific research. SPSS products and services transform organizations by helping users leverage information to improve processes that increase revenues and reduce costs. Today, more than 250,000 organizations use SPSS software to create and distribute information for better decision making.

Founded in 1968, SPSS has been a leader in data analysis for more than three decades. SPSS has won the following awards: named No. 28 in DM Review's Data Warehouse Top 100; placed No. 23 on the 1999 Soft-letter 100, a ranking of the top 100 personal computer software companies in the United States; and No. 87 in the 1998 Software 500, a ranking of the world's largest software vendors by Software Magazine. Headquartered in Chicago, SPSS has offices and distributors around the world. For more information, visit http://www.spss.com.