Global Partner Program Promotes Opportunities for Partners With Increased Product Access, Enhanced Partner Rewards, Best-in-Class Training Programs

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 25, 2010 — Autodesk (Nasdaq: ADSK) today introduced several enhancements to the Autodesk Partner Program to address the growing global need for cross-industry solutions. Channel partners worldwide will now be able to sell complete industry solutions as the result of broader product authorizations.

The new global Autodesk Partner Program represents a natural evolution of the company’s effort to provide better customer and partner experiences. The program delivers greater access to products, a simplified tier system, enhanced partner rewards and expanded professional development through more online learning.

“For 27 years, our channel has been instrumental in delivering world-class design solutions, products and services to customers around the world,” said Ken Bado, executive vice president of sales and services, Autodesk. “We are committed to continue seeking new ways to help our partners provide sustained value to our end customers. We are therefore providing our channel partners more product access, better tools, resources and the support necessary for them to grow and maintain a healthy business.”

The Autodesk Partner Program

Partner feedback played an important role in shaping the new Autodesk Partner Program. Enhancements enable Autodesk partners to differentiate themselves, while becoming more customer focused in their selling strategies.

• More Product Access through Expanded Authorizations – Partners worldwide are now authorized to sell complete industry solutions to users of Autodesk software, further broadening the scope of offerings available to customers.
• Better Professional Development Opportunities – Autodesk partners can gain the product and sales skills needed to provide customers with complete industry solutions. In 2010 Autodesk is delivering four online certification programs for manufacturing, architecture, engineering, construction, media, entertainment and general design. The company is delivering more professional development and online training than ever before.
• Simplified Tiers with Greater Differentiation – Autodesk will now authorize its partners using new Gold, Silver and Bronze tiers, providing clearer differentiation of partner’s offerings.

Autodesk Learning Central

Autodesk Learning Central (ALC), a new role-based learning management system, will become the partners’ global command center for professional development. ALC supports our partners’ learning needs, enabling them to enhance skills and knowledge more efficiently. More time can then be committed to sales and technical activities with customers. Available in nine languages, the online courses are defined for specific roles within a partner organization and tailored to specific regions, industries and partner needs minimizing individual training time and strain on partners’ resources. More than 6,000 partners have already participated in ALC training.

Autodesk Channel Service Program

The Autodesk Channel Service Program helps partners grow their business through turn-key packaged consulting services for their customers. Autodesk has delivered ten packaged offerings providing standard, repeatable consulting implementations to help customers maximize the value of their Autodesk solutions.

The Revit Health Check solution, for example, is a post implementation assessment aimed at checking how efficiently the customer is using Autodesk Revit-based software. Following a detailed analysis of project files, consultants can provide a comprehensive report determining the strengths and weaknesses of the implementation and make recommendations for improvement.

Enhanced Deal Registration

The Autodesk Customer Engagement (ACE) deal registration program rewards resellers for actively developing, nurturing, and closing Autodesk solution sales. Customers benefit from a more engaged, richer sales experience, and partners benefit through access to resources that enhance customer relationships.

“The success of our business depends on the success of our partners,” said Bado. “We’re confident that our new Partner Program Framework will make it even simpler for partners to work with us and will provide great value to their businesses.”

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software to help customers experience their ideas digitally before they are built. Fortune 100 companies -- as well as the last 14 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software tools to design, visualize and simulate their ideas to save time and money, enhance quality, and foster innovation for competitive advantage. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com .