DEXTER + CHANEY PARTNERS WITH CONEST SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
TO PROVIDE INTEGRATED ACCOUNTING AND ESTIMATING SOFTWARE

SEATTLE, January, 2001: Dexter + Chaney has partnered with ConEst Software Systems to provide their customers with integrated estimating, job costing, and accounting software. Dexter + Chaney provides Forefront Construction Management Software for contractors; ConEst Software Systems develops bidding, billing, and project management tools for the electrical and voice/data/video industries.

Forefront's link to ConEst2000 estimating software allows contractors to easily set up job budgets in Forefront without re-entering their bidding information. Using Forefront's Esti-Link module, users can automatically set up phase codes, descriptions, units of measure, quantities, labor hours, and budget amounts for a job using their ConEst data. The Esti-Link import from ConEst will also assign standard worker's compensation codes to labor codes and standard descriptions.

Esti-Link allows users to quickly transfer budgeting information to Forefront's Job Cost module. If a job's estimate changes due to phase adjustments or buyout information, users can easily re-create their budget in ConEst2000 and import the revised estimate into Forefront.

Once a job is complete, Forefront can transfer historical cost information, such as labor and materials costs, back to ConEst2000. This information can then be used when estimating similar jobs.

"We cultivate partnerships with companies such as ConEst Software Systems in order to make our customers' jobs more efficient," said John Chaney, Dexter + Chaney president. "It can be very laborious setting up an entire job budget manually. Forefront's integration with ConEst2000 can save our customers many hours in job set up time and can dramatically reduce the errors that commonly occur during manual data entry."

"We're committed to providing our customers with software solutions that help them better manage their business," said George Hague, ConEst Software Systems president. "It is because of our commitment to our customers and to the electrical industry that we are pleased and excited about our new partnership with Dexter + Chaney and our ability to interface ConEst2000 with Forefront to encompass total cash and asset management."

About ConEst Software Systems
The founders of ConEst Software Systems have roots that are deeply entrenched in the electrical and voice/data/video industries. It is their knowledge and experience that drives the design of software products that are powerful yet affordable and easy to use. ConEst is committed to developing software solutions that provide contractors with innovative and forward thinking technology for complete bidding, billing, and project management tools that will help their business take-off. For more information about ConEst Software Systems, contact Jan Thayer, Sales and Marketing Director, ConEst Software Systems, PO Box 947, Londonderry, NH 03053-0947; phone: 800-662-7687; e-mail: jthayer@conest.com; www.conest.com.

About Dexter + Chaney
Dexter + Chaney helps owners and managers of construction companies improve how they manage information. Customers report they have improved profitability and grown their companies up to 100 percent without adding accounting staff. Dexter + Chaney's Forefront Construction Management Software includes 26 modules that handle accounting, jobs, project management, equipment, materials, document imaging, and data sharing tasks. Forefront is optimized for Windows NT Server; therefore, users enjoy high performance, lower network costs and fast remote access. Forefront runs on Windows 95 and 98, Windows NT and Windows 2000 Professional and Server. Dexter + Chaney is a registered Microsoft Solutions Provider. Contractors who purchase Forefront receive support and training directly from Dexter + Chaney's staff, either in-person or via a toll-free hotline. Many of the company's training and support staff are CPAs. For more information about Dexter + Chaney or Forefront, contact Brad Mathews, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Dexter + Chaney, 9700 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-2347; phone: 800-875-1400 or 206-364-1400; fax: 206-367-9613; e-mail: brad@dexterchaney.com; www.dexterchaney.com.