Service Now Available for Mobile Operators to Offer Enterprise Customers

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), today announced the launch of Autodesk(R) Mobile Resource Manager, a new location-enhanced service which enables businesses from a wide range of industries to easily locate, manage and communicate with their mobile workforces. Autodesk Mobile Resource Manager lets employers create reports of the job status and route histories for individual workers, manage information flow to larger groups, and communicate with an individual worker or group of workers quickly and easily by sharing information via SMS. The end result is Autodesk Mobile Resource Manager will help enterprises improve their operational efficiency by enabling them to deploy and redirect their resources in real time, as well as reduce customer response times.

"The Autodesk Mobile Resource Manager service is a breakthrough because it allows smaller companies to gain the same business process advantages as larger players, without a huge price tag," said Joe Astroth, executive vice president, Autodesk. "Operators are expected to see uptake from the obvious businesses such as freight and trucking companies, as well as a much wider range of operations such as taxi cab, service and repair, and construction companies."

Rather than utilizing the proprietary GPS technology and costly specialized equipment found in earlier generation fleet management and specialized tracking solutions, Autodesk Mobile Resource Manager leverages a company's existing resources. The simple requirements include a PC, an Internet connection, and mobile phones supplied by a carrier offering the service.

Once a company has signed up for the service, its managers can view the locations of the company's staff, determine who is closest to a customer site or job request, and track their travel progress. This is all done by using a simple, browser-based management system and obtaining the mobile worker's location information from the carrier's network. Managers can choose to receive alerts when a worker arrives at a given location, or enters or leaves a geographic zone. In addition, they can create reports of job status and route histories for individual workers or manage information flow to larger groups. If a manager would like to communicate with an individual worker or group of workers, the MRM service enables them to quickly and easily share that information by sending out a group SMS.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. (http://www.autodesk.com ) 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. Autodesk Location Services (http://www.autodesk.com/locationservices ), a division of Autodesk, Inc., provides a complete solution that enables wireless network operators to quickly and reliably offer location-based services to their subscribers.

NOTE: Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT:
Cassie Stevenson
+1-415-507-5638
cassie.stevenson@autodesk.com

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.
09/28/2004
CONTACT: Cassie Stevenson of Autodesk, Inc., +1-415-507-5638, or cassie.stevenson@autodesk.com
Web site: http://www.autodesk.com/locationservices
Web site: http://www.autodesk.com