A3 SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES COMPETITIVE PLANNING APPLICATION

A3 Modeling™ GA Release Planned in Fourth Quarter

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — August 27, 2002 — A3 Solutions, Inc., a pioneer in spreadsheet-centric software technology, announced today the upcoming release of a Web-based software planning application. Called A3 Modeling, this software product supports the planning, analysis, and reporting functions of planning departments committed to maximizing performance of enterprise resources. A3 Modeling is currently in beta production and will be commercially available early in the fourth quarter of 2002.

More than any competing technology, A3 Modeling allows planning departments to manage the collection and distribution of detailed financial data (both forecasted and actual) throughout the enterprise. With A3 Modeling, for the first time ever, executives and managers can drive performance through the creation of detailed forecasts and reports; analysis of what-if modeling scenarios; and tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs) -all within the same application.

Better Planning Improves the Bottom Line

A3 Modeling is particularly suited to enterprises that see their planning processes as the key to managing performance.

"To compete and win, executives need timely feedback on performance beyond financial measures," said Robert Lautt chief executive officer and president at A3 Solutions. "A3 Modeling is the only technology that allows planning departments to model revenues and expenses at the finest level of detail. With A3 Modeling, planning happens at the employee-level, or at the product-level, or at the capital asset-level, and this makes all the difference for executives demanding visibility to operational and financial performance."

Built with J2EE application server architecture, A3 Modeling combines the classic deployment and maintenance advantages of Web applications with the rich modeling and zero-training end-user environment of Microsoft Excel™. Furthermore, A3 Modeling works with Hyperion EssbaseT, IBM DB2 OLAPT, or Showcase as the data store and makes it easy to simultaneously attach to any number of different databases within a single application. One of the design principles of A3 Modeling was providing the flexibility to adapt to different processes and to existing database configurations.

Days-to-Value

Unique due to its Web and spreadsheet architecture, A3 Modeling can normally be installed and configured within 30 days at a fraction of the cost of other planning products. Moreover, A3 Solutions will guarantee production within an agreed-upon cost and timeframe. This quality enables customers to achieve production and value faster than competing technologies.

"Within the enterprise, planning departments aren't the only ones with P&L responsibility," said Stuart Ratner, chief operations officer at A3 Solutions. "While other products focus on satisfying the needs of finance departments, A3 Modeling can also address the needs of operational, functional and divisional perspectives, which contribute to the planning process as well. A3 Modeling allows planning to occur at more levels throughout an organization."

Availability

A3 Modeling is currently in beta production, with pilot deployments at several customer sites. The product will be commercially available early in the fourth quarter of 2002. To learn more about A3 Modeling, contact A3 at sales@a3si.com or call (800) 666-CUBE.

About A3 Solutions

A3 Solutions is an innovator in the Corporate Performance Management market (CPM, BPM, EPM). Leveraging its advanced analytic application technology, A3 Solutions competes successfully with market leaders by delivering more powerful budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and executive dashboard solutions that deploy more quickly and at lower total cost. Come to our website (www.a3solutions.com) and see how American Airlines, Avon, Cox Communications, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Safeway, Toyota, Williams Sonoma, and Verizon use software from A3 to reduce the time and labor associated with spreadsheets, increase confidence in reporting and analysis, enjoy more timely and detailed visibility into operational performance, and make decisions more quickly and confidently. A3 Solutions' partners include leading enterprise technology providers such as Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT, News), IBM (NYSE: IBM, News), and Hyperion Solutions (Nasdaq: HYSL, News). A3 Solutions is headquartered in San Francisco, California. To learn more about the company or its flagship product, A3 Modeling, visit www.a3solutions.com, send an email to sales@a3solutions.com, or call (800) 666-CUBE (2823) or 415-356-2300.