Perforce Software Adds Version Control Plug-In for Microsoft Office and New Reporting Capabilities to its Software Configuration Management System

ALAMEDA, Calif., May 28, 2002 - Perforce Software Inc. announces two additions to its Software Configuration Management (SCM) system. The Perforce Plug-In for Microsoft Office lets users store, version and compare documents inside the Perforce SCM system without leaving the Microsoft Office environment. The Perforce Reporting System lets developers and managers query information contained within Perforce the metadata and output it to standard reporting tools including Crystal Reports, and Microsoft Access and Excel applications.

The Perforce Plug-In for Microsoft Office

The Perforce Plug-In for Microsoft Office (P4OFC) lets users in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint execute common version control commands directly from a Perforce menu bar within each application (see Screenshot 1). Tasks include:

• Retrieving the latest release of a file before editing.
• Checking files in and out.
• Checking the status of documents.
• Viewing a document's revision history.
• Protecting files by locking and unlocking.
• Determining what files other users have checked out.

"We use Perforce to track and manage our product documentation in addition to our source code," says Eric Delore, director of documentation at Commerce One. "P4OFC will make it much faster and easier for anyone in the company to store and version documents on a regular basis."

P4OFC automatically identifies the files under Perforce's control and assists users with basic version control tasks such as checking a document in or out of the Perforce repository. Then users can easily compare two versions of a document - either the current and previous versions or any two earlier versions, from the document revision history window in Perforce - using the Microsoft Word Track Changes feature.

"Customers have told us that P4OFC will make it easier for them to manage and store a variety of documents in Perforce - from requirements and design planning files to software documentation to marketing materials," said Nigel Chanter, chief operating officer of Perforce Software. "Not only does P4OFC make it easier for developers to manage all their files in Perforce, but it also brings companies one step closer to using a single tool for all content management."

The Perforce Reporting System

The Perforce Reporting System (P4Report) lets developers and managers design reports based on Perforce metadata as well as query the data directly using Perforce's new SQL Command-Line client. P4Report outputs data through an ODBC data source to standard tools such as Crystal Reports (see Screenshot 2), and Microsoft Access and Excel (see Screenshot 3) packages. Types of reports and queries generated with P4Report include:

• Defect tracking reports.
• Release reports.
• The number of changes made by, user, date or file.
• The files changed by name, location or date.

The Perforce SQL Command-Line Client (P4SQL), also included with P4Report, executes SQL statements either interactively or via scripts.

Availability & Pricing of P4OFC

P4OFC is currently in Beta testing and is expected for general availability by the end of June. Available for the Windows NT, XP, 98, 2000 and ME platforms, P4OFC is easy and straightforward to install. No special license is required.

Availability & Pricing of P4Report

P4Report is currently in Beta testing and is expected for general availability by the end of June. It is available for Windows XP, 2000, NT and 98. No additional license is required.

About the Perforce SCM System

The Perforce SCM system is a comprehensive software configuration management system that streamlines the software development process for organizations working with multiple operating systems and in multiple physical locations. This high-powered SCM system, which runs on more than 50 operating systems, provides software developers an easy-to-use tool for version control and workspace management, with atomic change transactions. Perforce maximizes efficiency by managing work on local disks and providing for online backups.

About Perforce Software

Perforce Software Inc. develops, markets and supports Perforce, The Fast SCM System. Headquartered in Alameda, Calif., Perforce Software sells worldwide and has international operations in Europe, Japan, and Africa. Perforce customers include developers of systems, application, Web, and database software, and firms in the financial, education, and research markets. For additional information, contact Perforce Software via email at info@perforce.com or phone at 510-864-7400, or on the Web at www.perforce.com

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