MICROSOFT UNVEILS MONEY 99 VERSIONS
By Adnews Staff
U.S.-based Microsoft Corp. will release the 1999 versions of its Money software to the North American market next month. The two Canadian versions are called Money 99 Standard Edition and Money 99 Financial Suite. The Standard Edition features many of the abilities of the Financial Suite, but does not offer long-term financial planning. The program will organize financial plans, profile the user's financial preferences and provide links to relevant product features, as well as a personal action plan tailored specifically to each user. Money 99 Financial Suite allows users to develop financial plans and long-term goals. Other features include tools for making investment decisions, tools that explore an up-to-the-minute database of more than 16,000 stocks and mutual funds and the Investment Watch List, which automatically tracks the performance of potential stock and fund purchases. The Decision Centre provides education content and decision support tools to help consumers make financial decisions about such things as home buying, insurance and automobiles. In Canada, Microsoft will promote the Money 99 programs using print and Internet ads, as well as direct mail and PR. Canadian advertising for Microsoft is handled by The Communiqué Group of Toronto, while PR is done by Hill & Knowlton of Toronto.