Accounting software developer B-Free has scored a major federal government grant, a third party developer agreement with a leading business solutions corporation and a partnership with IT icon Microsoft.

Gold Coast-based B-Free will share Microsoft’s stand at CeBIT – Australia's premier e-Business event – in Sydney from May 24 to 26. B-Free director Jeff Rogers said the invitation to share Microsoft’s CeBIT stand is a major bonus. “This is another accolade for the B-Free range of business accounting software,” he says.

“B-Free won federal government backing with an AusIndustry Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Grant and a major contract with an industry leader. Industry exposure at CeBIT as a Microsoft partner boosts B-Free’s credibility,” Jeff says.

CeBIT is the Australasian showcase for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. The three-day event at Darling Harbour brings around 30,000 business people to view products from more than 600 exhibitors from Australia, Asia, Europe and America. High-level delegations from India, Russia, Iran, China and Korea will attend this year’s expo.

Microsoft linked with B-Free through an integrated partnering framework. The partnerships show B-Free is respected for expertise and technology with marketplace impact. Mr Rogers says the Microsoft partner program benefits the business. “The program builds relevance and value through tools and resources,” he says.

“B-Free is a Microsoft Certified Partner, our IT solution programs are developed on Microsoft’s latest .NET technology. This allows greater innovation in the creation of programs and a longer shelf life for systems. B-Free programs are designed for longevity in the fast-paced world of IT,” he says.

B-Free developed easy to use accounting software to cut taxation reporting time from an average of two days to approximately one hour. Small business, medium sized companies, corporations and individual taxpayers welcomed the innovation.

Mr Rogers said small business and individual traders have struggled with BAS statements since GST was implemented. “B-Free software calculates and reports in minutes using existing electronic data from bank statements. The system is compatible with other accounting software including MYOB,” he says.

Industry-standard Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) unlocks the full potential of MYOB datafiles and custom-built business solutions. Business operators can define unique needs, extend reporting capability, integrate with other information systems and create unique business solutions using B-Free software.