Bentley Enhances SELECT
Innovative Annual License Exchange OpportunityLeads List of Nine Key Subscription Offerings
Charlotte, N.C. - BE Conference 2006 - At this gathering of more than 2,000 attendees, Bentley Systems, Incorporated previewed its enhanced SELECT subscription program. The program, which will be available September 1, 2006, provides three new offerings-nine in total-exclusively to SELECT subscribers. It offers organizations comprehensive investment protection for Bentley software, team productivity, and engineering information.
The new SELECT offerings are: an annual license exchange that enables users to rebalance their technology portfolio for optimum productivity in the year ahead, OnDemand eLearning resources to improve user performance and productivity, and a ProjectWise user subscription to help extend the reach of content across a distributed enterprise.
Each of SELECT's nine offerings provides sufficient reason to subscribe:
1. Annual license exchange
2. Pooled and trust licensing
3. Continuous product development and updates
4. OnDemand eLearning
5. BE Conference registration
6. Help desk
7. ProjectWise user subscription
8. Additional software to extend the enterprise
9. SELECT membership in the Bentley Developer Network
Annual license exchange
Annual license exchange, a new benefit of SELECT and an industry first, protects an organization's investment in Bentley software. It does this by providing subscribers with the opportunity to rebalance their technology portfolio for optimum productivity in the year ahead. Software licenses can be exchanged to:
o Accommodate changing business requirements
o Replace underutilized licenses
o Trade up and adopt technology new to the market
This opportunity occurs each year on the anniversary of an organization's SELECT subscription. As an added benefit, the assigned value of any software exchanged is at the current list price, rather than the cost at time of acquisition.
Pooled and trust licensing
SELECT provides subscribers with the ability to maximize license utilization and minimize the burden of administration through pooled and trust licensing.
With pooling, licenses are made available to any user when needed; the licenses are stored on a server rather than being permanently assigned to individual computers. Therefore, all licenses are available for use by the entire team more of the time, leading to much higher utilization rates and a greater return on investment (ROI). Subscribing organizations report that in a pooled license scenario, each license is typically used by more than 1.5 employees, further increasing the ROI.
Trust licensing, introduced with the release of SELECT Server XM, records product sessions on the desktop, and compiles license utilization reports on the server. This enables CIOs and IT directors to balance the technology portfolio to provide optimum coverage to the organization.
With trust licensing, disconnected users need only connect to SELECT Server XM once every 30 days to be granted a right to run. The benefits are:
o Users can always access project tools and content to get the work done
o SELECT Server reports provide valuable and necessary insight for managers
o Licensing is made simple for users and administrators
Continuous product development and updates
Technology trends move quickly, often driven by the user's own business requirements. Bentley works continuously to refine and improve all software products to meet the most demanding business needs. In 2005, for example, Bentley issued more than 750 updates for MicroStation, ProjectWise, and other products in its comprehensive portfolio. Bentley SELECT subscribers can take advantage of these improvements the moment they are made available via the SELECT Services Web site.
Clear and immediate benefits to maintaining current versions of software include:
o Increased performance and productivity for the entire team
o Enhanced compatibility with other software versions
o Technology that is always aligned with current business requirements
Bentley is also committed to improving the process of installing updates. Starting with the V8 XM editions, new incremental updates will use a service pack approach to ensure enhancements and the path to rapid adoption are all gain and no pain.
All software updates are available on demand from the SELECT Services Web site. They can be acquired either through a download or by configuring online a customized MySELECT CD.
OnDemand eLearning
Also new to the SELECT program is self-paced OnDemand eLearning for MicroStation. With this approach to professional training, users can learn new skills or fine-tune existing ones without leaving their desks. The two most popular Bentley Institute courses on MicroStation are included:
o "Moving to MicroStation"
o "MicroStation V8 XM User Update (J to V8 XM and 2004 to V8 XM)"
The OnDemand eLearning courses allow users to familiarize themselves with MicroStation and begin working productively, even if it is their first day on the job. They also serve as a helpful point of reference for more experienced users. And, because the material is self-paced and always available, organizations can train new members of the team faster, to better ensure the quality and consistency of the work produced.
BE Conference registration
Staying current with industry trends is critical for professionals who work to improve the world's infrastructure.
The BE Conference, which consistently scores a 99 percent attendee satisfaction rating, is a once-a-year learning opportunity for Bentley users and their managers offering professional training, technology updates, keynotes, and best practice sharing. At these sessions, attendees better themselves and better their organizations.
For more information on BE Conference 2006, taking place this week in Charlotte, N.C., go to www.be.org.
Help desk - 24/7 technical support
SELECT subscribers are always just a click or call away from world-class technical support directly from Bentley. The help desk is the user's always-available resource center, with analysts providing solutions for users via e-mail, Web chat, and online FAQs. Importantly, Bentley also provides 24/7 technical support via telephone in 15 languages.
ProjectWise user subscription
For new and renewed SELECT agreements, a ProjectWise Named User license subscription is included with each MicroStation license covered by SELECT.
ProjectWise is a system of collaboration servers that enables distributed enterprises and related organizations to successfully deliver infrastructure projects. Its core capabilities allow users to manage, find, and share CAD and geospatial content.
ProjectWise StartPoint provides an entry-level collaboration tool, while ProjectWise Integration Server provides federated content management. ProjectWise also includes servers for caching data in multiple locations, for managing and automating plotting and publishing, and for connecting with enterprise systems.
For more information, go to www.bentley.com/Products/ProjectWise.
Additional software to extend the enterprise
SELECT provides software extensions for MicroStation to extend the relevance of data created. It also provides additional software to extend the downstream reach of data created with Bentley applications. Software available at no additional cost to SELECT subscribers includes:
o Bentley Redline, a comprehensive CAD file viewer for DGN and DWG files that empowers users to print to scale and to comment on and mark up project data as part of the review and sign-off process. SELECT subscribers and their sponsored members are eligible to download Bentley Redline.
o SELECT Server XM enables teams to manage licenses via a central pool for each site.
o MicroStation Extensions provide users with additional functionality and productivity-enhancing toolsets specific to their verticals. There are extensions for building, plant, civil, and geospatial professionals.
In addition, Bentley offers Bentley View to anyone via a no-charge download from www.bentley.com/bentleyview. This application allows anyone in a user's extended team to view and print both MicroStation DGN and DWG drawings and models.
SELECT membership in the Bentley Developer Network
SELECT membership in the Bentley Developer Network (BDN) provides subscribers with programming resources to aid the development and testing of software products that complement Bentley technologies and increase productivity.
Pricing and availability
Beginning September 1, 2006, organizations currently on SELECT may elect to take advantage of the enhanced SELECT early. Otherwise, renewal will occur as normal on the agreement's next anniversary.
Annual SELECT subscription fees are charged as a percentage of the list price of the products that are covered, and start at 15 percent.
About Bentley
Bentley Systems, Incorporated provides software for the lifecycle of the world's infrastructure. The company's comprehensive portfolio for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial verticals spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and operations. With 2005 revenues of $336 million and more than 2,000 colleagues around the world, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms and major owner-operators.
Christine Byrne
Media Relations manager
Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Tel: 203-805-0432
E-mail: christine.byrne@bentley.com
