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WESTON, Fla., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ultimate Software (NASDAQ:ULTI) , a leading provider of Web-based payroll and workforce management solutions, announced today that The Columbia House Company, the nation's largest direct marketer of home entertainment, has completed implementation of Ultimate Software's UltiPro Workforce Management delivered through its hosted service model, Intersourcing. The company went live on UltiPro on January 1, 2005.
With approximately 1,500 employees, the retailer selected UltiPro in July 2004 after learning the solution it had been using was no longer going to be supported. Columbia House needed an integrated system that manages payroll, human resources, and benefits processes with an intuitive user interface and comprehensive reporting. After reviewing numerous vendors, the company found that Ultimate Software's Intersourcing offered the needed functionality with additional technology and ongoing support benefits. With Intersourcing, Ultimate Software provides the hardware, software, and ongoing support infrastructure for the solution.

"Based on my experience with previous vendors, I'd say that our implementation of Intersourcing went very well. I kept thinking something was going to go wrong, but it never did," said Deborah Heid, senior director of total rewards, human resources for Columbia House. "UltiPro is easy to use, and we are enjoying improved efficiencies, such as streamlined reporting."

With UltiPro, the management and administrative teams can quickly run hundreds of standard reports on a variety of issues, such as upcoming performance reviews, headcount, average salary, and government compliance. Users can also generate real-time ad hoc reports to answer specific business questions or measure workforce trends.

"UltiPro has proven to be very valuable to businesses like Columbia House that have geographically dispersed workforces and want to more closely monitor challenges like overtime and turnover," said Greg Swick, senior vice president of sales at Ultimate Software. "We have many retail customers like Elizabeth Arden, The Container Store, and Factory Card & Party Outlet that have experienced that value, and we are pleased to add Columbia House to the list."

About Ultimate Software

Ultimate Software, a leading provider of Web-based payroll and workforce management solutions, markets award-winning UltiPro as licensed software, as a hosted application through Intersourcing, and as a co-branded offering to Business Service Providers (BSPs) under the "Powered by UltiPro" brand. The Company employs approximately 450 professionals who are united in their commitment to developing trendsetting solutions and delivering quality service. Ultimate Software customers represent diverse industries and include such organizations as Benihana Restaurants, The Container Store, Elizabeth Arden, The Florida Marlins Baseball Team, The New York Yankees Baseball Team, Omni Hotels, Ruth's Chris Steak House, SkyWest Airlines, and Trammell Crow Residential. More information on Ultimate Software's products and services can be found at http://www.ultimatesoftware.com/ .

About Columbia House

The Columbia House Company is the world's largest direct marketer of music, videos, and DVD home entertainment product. With almost 7 million offline and online club members in the United States and Canada, the company provides direct-to-consumer marketing of over 8,000 music titles and 7,800 video and DVD titles through its entertainment clubs. The company's Web site, http://www.columbiahouse.com/ , is one of the premier e-commerce brands and consistently ranks among the Web's top 25 shopping destinations. Since its inception in 1955, Columbia House Company has a proven record of excellence in database marketing, market segmentation, credit screening, and niche market merchandising. Headquartered in New York City, The Columbia House Company is a general partnership, indirectly owned by The Blackstone Group, the New York- based private investment bank.

UltiPro and Intersourcing are registered trademarks of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.

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