CKFR Checkfree Corp (MM)

-- CheckFree Opens Access to Services for Financial Institutions to Better Integrate and Control a Seamless and Enhanced Online Banking Experience -- ATLANTA, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR) today introduced a new set of standard technology services designed to give financial institutions open access to CheckFree's electronic billing and payment infrastructure. This open access gives financial institutions ultimate control over how they present the electronic billing and payment experience to consumers. CheckFree Builder(TM) is the first Web services solution that allows CheckFree's financial services partners to fully customize their individual electronic billing and payment user interfaces to target respective customer bases, differentiate services, manage online branding, and "build" their online offerings. Financial institutions that deploy CheckFree's hosted electronic billing and payment service can use CheckFree Builder to better customize their applications and create tighter integration with online banking. At the same time, CheckFree Builder offers non-hosted customers the ability to customize and evolve their online banking and electronic billing and payment service into single integrated solutions. CheckFree Builder supports seamless, open communication between external applications from different sources through an interface controlled by each financial institution. The solution gives financial institutions the option of greater control over their electronic billing and payment interfaces, and allows organizations to leverage their existing product and technology investments. Financial services organizations traditionally provide consolidated log-in for single-password access to both online banking and electronic billing and payment services, but to date the two applications have been separate. Financial institutions can use CheckFree Builder to integrate electronic billing and payment functions with their online banking sites, which makes website navigation easier for consumers. With electronic billing and payment functionality featured more prominently in online banking, consumers can manage the viewing and paying of bills as part of a complete online financial management process. "CheckFree is responding to the voice of the customer with a significant shift in electronic billing and payment that gives our financial services partners the option to decide how much control they want over user interface design and integration," said Matt Lewis, executive vice president and general manager of CheckFree's Electronic Commerce division. "CheckFree Builder addresses multiple client needs by offering the opportunity for greater integration among retail banking functions, electronic billing and payment and online banking in a way that is seamless and logical for the end consumer. In addition, financial institutions can apply existing IT and Web services investments to electronic billing and payment integration and customization, with greater control over development timelines and product differentiation." With CheckFree Builder, financial institutions can leverage their own Internet banking best practices for the design of an electronic billing and payment user interface, while CheckFree can provide best-practice data, professional services and consulting. Each organization will have the choice of how it integrates different retail banking services with electronic billing and payment and online banking using the new service. Examples of potential key benefits for financial institutions could include: - Bill Payment Integration: Consumers can view complete histories for all transaction types, including bill payments, ATM deposits and withdrawals, and credit and debit card transactions. End users can quickly check the status of upcoming bill payments and scheduled transactions, quickly and easily set up and manage payees/billers and schedule one-time, recurring or multiple bill payments from within the online banking application. - CheckFree e-Bill(SM) Integration: Within online banking, consumers will be able to see unopened and pending CheckFree e-Bills, view bill detail and take action if needed. Subscribers can easily set up or administer e-Bills from within the online banking interface. - Reminders and Point-in-Time Balance: Subscribers can elect to receive notifications that e-Bills have arrived and set payment reminders tied to the due dates of the bill. The online banking site provides point-in-time and available balance information that takes into account all transactions including bill payments. Customers no longer need to cross-reference separate sections to determine how much money is available as they schedule bill payments. - Seamless Integration with CheckFree Products: CheckFree Builder allows financial institutions to integrate other new services that CheckFree delivers, such as the new CheckFree Financial View suite of online financial management tools. About CheckFree (http://www.checkfreecorp.com/) Founded in 1981, CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR) provides financial electronic commerce services and products to organizations around the world. CheckFree Electronic Commerce solutions enable thousands of financial services providers and billers to offer their customers the convenience of receiving and paying their household bills online or in person through retail outlets. CheckFree Investment Services provides a broad range of investment management solutions and outsourced services to thousands of financial services organizations, which manage more than $1.2 trillion in assets. CheckFree Software develops, markets and supports software applications that are used by financial institutions to process more than two thirds of the 12 billion Automated Clearing House transactions in the United States. The division also provides operational risk management, financial messaging, corporate actions, and regulatory compliance software to more than 1,500 organizations across the globe. Certain of CheckFree's statements in this press release are not purely historical, and as such are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include statements regarding management's intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or projections of the future. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the various risks inherent in CheckFree's business, and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in CheckFree's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CheckFree's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2005 (filed September 2, 2005), and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 (filed November 8, 2005). One or more of these factors have affected, and could in the future affect CheckFree's business and financial results in future periods, and could cause actual results to differ materially from plans and projections. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made in this press release will prove to be accurate, and issuance of such forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by CheckFree, or any other person, that the objectives and plans of CheckFree will be achieved. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on information presently available to management, and CheckFree assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. DATASOURCE: CheckFree Corporation CONTACT: Media relations, Judy DeRango Wicks, +1-678-375-1595, or , or Investor relations, Tina Moore, +1-678-375-1278, or , both of CheckFree Corporation Web site: http://www.checkfreecorp.com/

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