Leading CAD Software Enables Customers to Create, Manage and Share Design Data More Easily with Features That Greatly Improve Productivity and Collaboration

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today shipped AutoCAD(R) 2005 and AutoCAD LT(R) 2005 software, its latest CAD products optimized to help save time and money throughout the entire project lifecycle by adding features that improve efficiencies for drafting and design professionals. Over 1,200 beta customers around the world have tested and endorsed the newest AutoCAD software for its ability to help them better create, manage and share complex data and design information more easily. Added features to manage and publish sheet sets and communicate project information for markup and review also enable customers worldwide to improve their on-time, on-budget project delivery.

"We have already improved the speed and efficiency in organizing our project drawings by using the Sheet Set Manager feature in the newest version of AutoCAD," said Robert Pappas, project manager at Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, in Norfolk, VA. "By keeping all our drawings in one location and automating the title block, the Sheet Set Manager provides us with a consistent set of drawings that can be shared among our consultants through DWF."

AutoCAD 2005

AutoCAD is the world's leading customizable and extendable CAD software for 2D drafting, design, and basic 3D visualization. The new version enables customers to further increase the efficiency of otherwise tedious tasks. Core new features include:

    Create and Manage Design Information

    -- Coordinated Set of Drawings -- The Sheet Set Manager allows users to
       efficiently create, manage, and share entire sets of related drawings
       from a single location.
    -- Drawing and Creating Tables -- Data Tables can be instantly created
       with a single command and easily modified as needed.
    -- Annotated Drawings -- An updated field command simplifies the task of
       creating, placing, and editing text throughout the sheet sets. Updates
       are now automatic to contribute to data accuracy.

    Manage and Share Design Data Among Team Members

    -- Publishing Sheet Sets -- Users can easily plot and print a complete set
       of drawings or publish them to a DWF(TM) file with ease and without any
       interruption to design work in the AutoCAD program.
    -- Integrated Design Review -- Customers can review and mark up the
       drawings electronically with Autodesk(R) DWF(TM) Composer, an advanced
       collaboration tool sold separately, which integrates the comments back
       into AutoCAD 2005 to complete the design review process. Customers can
       also use Autodesk(R) DWF(TM) Viewer, a free, lightweight application
       that allows anyone on the project team to easily view and print DWF
       drawings.

    AutoCAD LT 2005

Developed for design professionals in all industries who require a 2D drafting and detailing tool with full DWG file format capability but do not have the need for customization, AutoCAD LT 2005 software is also available today. Features added to the new version enable users to increase their daily productivity by reducing repetitive tasks associated with creating, managing, and sharing data. For more details on the many new features included in AutoCAD LT 2005, please refer to www.autodesk.com/autocadlt.

Product Availability and Purchasing Options

AutoCAD 2005 and AutoCAD LT 2005 are available today worldwide in International English. The software can be purchased through Autodesk Authorized Resellers (www.autodesk.com/reseller.) The easiest way for customers to keep Autodesk design tools up-to-date is through the Autodesk(R) Subscription Program.

AutoCAD 2005 Add-On Applications for Specialized Industries

In addition to Autodesk's new products, over 150 applications from over 50 members of the Autodesk Developer Network -- including industry leading applications from COADE, Inc., ARCHIBUS, Inc., CYCO Software, SOFiSTiK AG, Geomap Systems, and C-Plan AG -- will be available to customers.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company, offering customers progressive business solutions through powerful technology products and services. Autodesk helps customers in the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields increase the value of their digital design data and improve efficiencies across their entire project lifecycle management processes. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

NOTE: Autodesk, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, Design Web Format and DWF are either registered trademarks of trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

During the course of this communication, we may make forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of the Company. These forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which are discussed in documents we file from time to time with the SEC and specifically in our Annual Report and 10-K filed for the year ended January 31, 2003. These documents contain and identify important factors that may cause the actual results to differ from those contained in our forward-looking statements.

Additionally, we may make statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our existing or new products and services. These statements are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future delivery of products, services or features but merely reflect our current plans, which may change. Purchasing decisions should not be made based upon reliance on these statements

The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist or change after the date on which they were made.

Contact: Gabrielle Friedly, 415-356-0741

Email: gabrielle.friedly@autodesk.com

SOURCE  Autodesk, Inc.
    -0-                             03/23/2004
    /CONTACT:  Gabrielle Friedly of Autodesk, Inc., +1-415-356-0741, or
gabrielle.friedly@autodesk.com/
    /Web site:  http://www.autodesk.com /
    (ADSK)

CO:  Autodesk, Inc.
ST:  California
IN:  CPR STW MLM
SU:  PDT

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