Open Text Introduces E-Signatures, with New Workflow and Security Features, for User Collaboration

Livelink eSign Provides the First Uniform Electronic Process for E-Signatures, Aimed at Firms in Regulated Industries with Strict Rules for Electronic Records

Chicago, IL - 2002-06-24 - Open Text Corporation (Nasdaq: OTEX, TSE: OTC), provider of Livelink®, the leading collaboration and knowledge management software for the global enterprise, today launched Livelink eSign, which integrates new electronic signature, workflow, auditing and security features with Livelink's collaborative capabilities. Livelink eSign is the first solution to give companies a uniform electronic process for managing legally binding e-signatures to key documents and records across a large enterprise.

Open Text will offer Livelink eSign to companies in regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, financial services, aerospace, and other sectors, where there are strict rules on electronic documents. With Livelink eSign, users collaborating in Livelink can easily follow processes for document certification and management that meet the requirements of their industries.

"In a regulated industry, such as pharmaceuticals, you can't have people collaborating on a new product, while depending on a hap-hazard system of signed approval faxes and e-mails," said Martin Sumner-Smith, Open Text's vice president for pharmaceutical solutions. "Companies need a secure, electronic process for document certification that passes regulatory muster and which can be deployed across the enterprise. Livelink eSign meets those needs, while leveraging the collaborative and knowledge management capabilities of Livelink."

Since Livelink eSign comes fully integrated with Livelink, companies can keep a lasting record of all documents and signatures in a company knowledge repository in Livelink. Users can also leverage Livelink's advanced search and report capabilities to find, for example, all documents signed by a particular user or all documents signed on a particular date.

Livelink eSign meets the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) 21 CFR Part 11 rules, which sets regulations for e-signatures and electronic documents for pharmaceutical and other companies it regulates. The FDA was one of the first government organizations to adopt such rules and its rules are becoming the standard for other government agencies.

"Financial services firms, aerospace companies, government contractors, and companies regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) face similar requirements (40 CFR Part 3), so the need for an enterprise-wide solution for e-signatures is becoming critical across a range of industries," said Sumner-Smith.

Livelink eSign includes detailed signing workflows, which can be initiated directly from a document requiring a signature. When setting up a workflow, users are able to choose authorized signers from a pre-established list. Once a document is signed, the signature is recorded in audit trail logs, which include the signer's name, title, the date and time of signing, and the meaning of the signing, as well as a link to the signing workflow. Livelink eSign also offers security features to ensure electronic signatures are authentic, including name and password authentication for each signer, each time a document is approved. A special "signing password" can also be required of all document signers for added security.

About Livelink

Livelink is the leader in collaboration and knowledge management for the global enterprise. Its richly-featured enterprise services include virtual team collaboration, business process automation, enterprise group scheduling and information retrieval services, all tightly integrated into a solution that is easily customized and extended. Livelink is essential to the effective management and development of communities of interest that span organizations and industries. For everything from the creation of complex e-community relationships to the automation of simple e-business processes, Livelink delivers true dynamic collaboration between individuals, organizations and large trading communities. Livelink servers are fully Web-based and open-architected to ensure rapid deployment and easy access to its full functionality through a standard Web browser. For more information, visit www.opentext.com/livelink/.

About Open Text

Since 1991, Open Text Corporation has delivered innovative software that brings people together to share knowledge, achieve excellence, deliver innovation, and enhance processes. Its legacy of innovation began with the successful deployment of the world s first search engine technology for the Internet. Today, as the leading global supplier of collaboration and knowledge management software for the enterprise, Open Text supports five million users across 4,500 corporations in 31 countries and 12 languages throughout the world. As a publicly traded company, Open Text manages and maximizes its resources and relationships to ensure the success of great minds working together. For more information, visit www.opentext.com.

Trademark

Copyright © 2002 by Open Text Corporation. LIVELINK, LIVELINK MEETINGZONE and OPEN TEXT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Open Text Corporation in the United States of America, Canada, the European Union and/or other countries. This list of trademarks is not exhaustive. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, product names, company names, brands and service names mentioned herein are property of Open Text Corporation or other respective owners.

Release Disclaimer

This news release may contain forward-looking statements relating to the deployment of Livelink by customers, and future performance of Open Text Corporation. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks involved in the completion and integration of acquisitions, the possibility of technical, logistical or planning issues in connection with deployments, the continuous commitment of the Company's customers and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the final prospectus for the Company's initial public offering of common stock in January 1996, Form 10-K for the years ended June 30, 1998, June 30, 1999, June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, and Form 10-Q for the quarters ended September 30, 2001, December 31, 2001 and March 31, 2002. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made, and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's beliefs or opinions change.

For more information, please contact

Margaret E. Dobbin
Director, Industry Analyst Relations
Open Text Corporation
+1-519-888-7111 ext.2410
mdobbin@opentext.com

Richard Maganini
Open Text Corporation
1-847-961-0662
rmaganin@opentext.com