ADVENT SOFTWARE INC /DE/
DEF 14A, 1998-03-30
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING SERVICES
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                           SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
 
                  PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) 
                    OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                               (AMENDMENT NO.  )
 
Filed by the Registrant [X]
 
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [_]
 
Check the appropriate box:
 
                                          
[_] Preliminary Proxy Statement           
                                          
[_] Confidential, For Use Of The      
    Commission Only (As Permitted By 
    Rule 14A-6(e)(2))                

[X] Definitive Proxy Statement
 
[_] Definitive Additional Materials
 
[_] Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S)240.14a-11(c) or (S)240.14a-12
 
 
                             ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.
             -----------------------------------------------------
               (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
 

             -----------------------------------------------------
   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
 
[X] No fee required.
 
[_] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
 
    (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
 
    (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
 
    (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
        pursuant to Exchange ActRule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the
        filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
 
    (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
 
    (5) Total fee paid:
 
[_] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
 
[_] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
    Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
    paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
    number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
 
    (1) Amount Previously Paid:
 
    (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
 
    (3) Filing Party:
 
    (4) Date Filed:
 
Notes:                                  

<PAGE>



                              ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.



                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                          To Be Held On April 30, 1998


TO THE STOCKHOLDERS:

         NOTICE IS HEREBY  GIVEN that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  of
Advent Software,  Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  will be held on
Thursday,  April 30, 1998 at 9:00 a.m., local time, at the Sheraton Palace Hotel
located at Two New Montgomery Street,  San Francisco,  California 94105, for the
following purposes:

1. To elect  directors to serve for the ensuing year and until their  successors
are duly elected and qualified.

2.       To approve an  amendment to the  Company's  1992 Stock Plan to increase
         the number of shares of Common Stock  reserved for issuance  thereunder
         by 500,000 shares.

3.       To approve an amendment to the Company's  1995 Employee  Stock Purchase
         Plan to  increase  the number of shares of Common  Stock  reserved  for
         issuance thereunder by 200,000 shares.

4.       To ratify the  appointment of Coopers & Lybrand  L.L.P.  as independent
         accountants  for the Company for the fiscal  year ending  December  31,
         1998.

5. To transact  such other  business as may properly  come before the meeting or
any adjournment thereof.

         The foregoing  items of business are more fully  described in the Proxy
Statement accompanying this Notice.

     Only  stockholders of record at the close of business on March 26, 1998 are
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

         All stockholders are cordially  invited to attend the Annual Meeting in
person.  However, to assure your  representation at the Annual Meeting,  you are
urged to sign and return the  enclosed  proxy as  promptly  as  possible  in the
postage-prepaid  envelope enclosed for that purpose.  Any stockholder  attending
the Annual Meeting may vote in person even if he or she has returned a proxy.

         Irv H. Lichtenwald
         Secretary

San Francisco, California
March 30, 1998

WHETHER  OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE  MEETING,  YOU ARE  REQUESTED TO COMPLETE
         AND PROMPTLY RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.


<PAGE>



                              ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.

                                 PROXY STATEMENT
                       FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS


                               PROCEDURAL MATTERS

General

         The enclosed Proxy is solicited on behalf of Advent Software, Inc. (the
"Company") for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Thursday,
April 30, 1998 at 9:00 a.m., local time, and at any adjournment thereof, for the
purposes set forth herein and in the  accompanying  Notice of Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders.

         The Annual Meeting will be held at the Sheraton Palace Hotel located at
Two New  Montgomery  Street,  San  Francisco,  California  94105.  The Company's
telephone number is (415) 543-7696.

         These proxy  solicitation  materials  were mailed on or about March 30,
1998,  together with the Company's  1997 Annual Report to  Stockholders,  to all
stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting.

Record Date

         Stockholders  of record at the close of business on March 26, 1998 (the
"Record Date") are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual  Meeting.  As
of the Record  Date,  approximately  7,900,000  shares of the  Company's  common
stock,  $.01 par value (the "Common Stock"),  were issued and  outstanding.  For
information  regarding  security  ownership by management  and by the beneficial
owners of more than 5% of the Company's Common Stock,  see "Beneficial  Security
Ownership of Management and Certain Beneficial Owners."

Revocability of Proxies

         Any proxy  given  pursuant to this  solicitation  may be revoked by the
person  giving it at any time before its use by  delivering  to the Secretary of
the Company a written  notice of revocation  or a duly executed  proxy bearing a
later date or by attending the meeting and voting in person.

Voting and Solicitation

         Each stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock
on all matters  presented at the Annual  Meeting.  Stockholders  do not have the
right to cumulate their votes in the election of directors.

         The  cost of  soliciting  proxies  will be  borne  by the  Company.  In
addition,   the  Company  may  reimburse   brokerage  firms  and  other  persons
representing  beneficial  owners of  shares  for their  expenses  in  forwarding
solicitation  materials to such beneficial owners. Proxies may also be solicited
by certain of the Company's directors,  officers and regular employees,  without
additional  compensation,  personally  or  by  telephone,  telegram,  letter  or
facsimile.


Quorum; Abstentions; Broker Non-Votes

         The  required  quorum for the  transaction  of  business  at the Annual
Meeting is a majority of the shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  on the Record
Date.  A  plurality  of the votes  duly cast is  required  for the  election  of
directors. The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes duly cast is required
to  ratify  the  appointment  of  auditors.   The  Company  intends  to  include
abstentions  and broker  non-votes  as present or  represented  for  purposes of
establishing  a quorum for the  transaction  of business,  but to exclude broker
non-votes  from the tabulation of voting results on the election of directors or
on issues requiring approval of a majority of the votes cast.

<PAGE>

Deadline for Receipt of Stockholder Proposals

         Proposals  of  stockholders  of the  Company  which are  intended to be
presented  by  such  stockholders  at  the  Company's  1999  Annual  Meeting  of
Stockholders  must be received by the Company no later than December 11, 1998 in
order to be considered  for  inclusion in the proxy  statement and form of proxy
relating to that meeting.



                                 PROPOSAL NO. 1

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Nominees

         The Company's  Bylaws  authorize a Board of five directors.  A board of
five  directors  is to be  elected  at  the  Annual  Meeting.  Unless  otherwise
instructed,  the proxy  holders  will vote the proxies  received by them for the
Company's five nominees named below, all of whom are presently  directors of the
Company.  In the event that any  nominee of the Company is unable or declines to
serve as a director at the time of the Annual Meeting, the proxies will be voted
for any nominee who shall be  designated  by the present  Board of  Directors to
fill the  vacancy.  It is not  expected  that any nominee will be unable or will
decline to serve as a director.  The term of office of each person  elected as a
director will continue until the next Annual Meeting of  Stockholders or until a
successor has been elected and qualified.

         The name of and  certain  information  regarding  each  nominee are set
forth below.

               Name            Age(1)         Principal Occupation
               ----            ------         --------------------
Stephanie G. DiMarco......      40      Chairman of the Board and Chief 
                                          Executive Officer

Frank H. Robinson.........      54      Management Consultant

Wendell G. Van Auken......      53      General Partner, Mayfield Fund

William F. Zuendt.........      51      President and Chief  Operating  Officer
                                        (Retired),  Wells Fargo and Company
                                        

Monte Zweben..............      34      Entrepreneur  in  Residence,   
                                          Institutional  Venture  Partners  and
                                          Matrix Partners
_____________________
(1)   As of the Record Date, March 26, 1998

     Ms. DiMarco founded Advent in June 1983 and, since such date, has served as
its Chief Executive  Officer.  She also served as Advent's President until April
of 1997. She became Chairman of the Board in September 1995. Ms. DiMarco holds a
B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley.

     Mr. Robinson has been a director of Advent since February 1985. Since 1982,
Mr. Robinson has been a management consultant specializing in the development of
technology-based  products and services. Mr. Robinson holds an M.B.A. and a B.A.
in Physics from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

     Mr. Van Auken has been a director of Advent since  September  1995. Mr. Van
Auken has been a general partner of Mayfield Fund, a venture capital firm, since
1986. Mr. Van Auken holds an M.B.A.  from Stanford  University and a B.E.E. from
Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute.  Mr. Van Auken is a director  of  Montgomery
Street Income Securities, Inc., an investment company.

     Mr.  Zuendt  became a  director  in August  1997.  Mr.  Zuendt  retired  as
president and chief operating officer of Wells Fargo & Company and its principal
subsidiary,  Wells Fargo Bank,  in 1997.  Mr.  Zuendt joined Wells Fargo in 1973
with  responsibility  for its computer  systems and  operations.  Throughout the
1980's he  directed  Wells  Fargo's  retail  banking  business  and was  elected
president in 1994. Mr. Zuendt earned a BS degree in mathematics  from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute and an MBA degree from Stanford University.  Mr. Zuendt is
a director of 3Com  Corporation,  a global data  networking  company;  TriStrata
Security Inc., an information

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

security management company;  and PanOceanic Bulk
Carriers Limited,  an international dry bulk cargo shipping company.  Mr. Zweben
became a director in November 1997.  

     Mr.  Zweben  founded  Red  Pepper  Software  in 1992  and  served  as Chief
Executive  Officer,  President and Chairman  until its $250 million  merger with
PeopleSoft  in  December  of 1996.  Prior to starting  Red  Pepper,  Mr.  Zweben
co-managed  the principal  artificial  intelligence  lab at NASA's Ames Research
Center.  Mr. Zweben received an M.S.  degree in Computer  Science and Industrial
Management at Carnegie-Mellon University. He is a director at Pangea Systems, an
Oakland  based   bio-informatics   company  and  Entrepreneur  in  Residence  at
Institutional Venture Partners and Matrix Partners.

Board Meetings and Committees

         The  Board  of  Directors  held  a  total  of six  meetings  (including
regularly  scheduled  and special  meetings)  during  fiscal 1997.  No incumbent
director during the last fiscal year,  while a member of the Board of Directors,
attended  fewer than 75% of the aggregate of (i) the total number of meetings of
the  Board of  Directors  and (ii) the  total  number  of  meetings  held by all
committees on which such director served.

     The Board of Directors of the Company has two standing committees: an Audit
Committee and a Compensation  Committee. It does not have a nominating committee
or a committee performing the functions of a nominating committee.

         The Audit Committee,  which currently  consists of, Messrs.  Zuendt and
Van Auken,  is  responsible  for (i)  recommending  engagement  of the Company's
independent  auditors,  (ii) approving the services  performed by such auditors,
(iii) consulting with such auditors and reviewing with them the results of their
examination, (iv) reviewing and approving any material accounting policy changes
affecting the Company's  operating results,  (v) reviewing the Company's control
procedures  and  personnel,  and (vi)  reviewing  and  evaluating  the Company's
accounting principles and its system of internal accounting controls.  The Audit
Committee held one meeting during fiscal 1997.

         The  Compensation  Committee,   which  currently  consists  of  Messrs.
Robinson  and  Zweben,  is  responsible  for (i)  reviewing  and  approving  the
compensation and benefits for the Company's  officers and other employees,  (ii)
administering  the Company's  stock  purchase and stock option plans,  and (iii)
making  recommendations  to the Board of Directors  regarding such matters.  The
Compensation Committee held one meeting during fiscal 1997.

Compensation of Directors

         Directors  who are  employees of the Company do not receive  additional
compensation   for  their  services  as  directors  of  the  Company.   However,
nonemployee members of the Board of Directors receive an annual cash retainer of
$5,000 and $1,250 for  attendance  at each  meeting of the Board of Directors or
any committee thereof.

         In addition,  nonemployee  directors  participate in the Company's 1995
Director  Option Plan (the "Director  Plan").  The Director Plan was approved by
the Board in October 1995 and was ratified by  stockholders in November 1995, at
which time a total of 75,000  shares of Common Stock were  reserved for issuance
thereunder.  As of March 26, 1998, there were 48,000 options  outstanding  under
the  Director  Plan.  The  Director  Plan  became  effective  on the date of the
Company's  initial  public  offering  on November  15,  1995,  and is  currently
administered  by  the  Board  of  Directors.   Under  the  Director  Plan,  each
nonemployee director is automatically granted a non-qualified option to purchase
10,000  shares on the date upon which such person first  becomes a director (the
"Initial  Option") with an exercise  price equal to the fair market value of the
Company's  Common Stock as of the date of grant.  Thereafter,  each  nonemployee
director is  automatically  granted an option to purchase 2,000 shares of Common
Stock on  December  1 of each  year,  except in the year the  Director  Plan was
adopted ("Subsequent  Option"),  provided he or she has served as a director for
at least six months as of such date.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>


         Options granted under the Director Plan have a term of ten years unless
terminated  sooner upon  termination of the  optionee's  status as a director or
otherwise  pursuant to the Director Plan.  Such options are  transferable by the
optionee only in certain  limited  circumstances  and each option is exercisable
during  the  lifetime  of the  director  only by such  director  or a  permitted
transferee.  Initial  Options  granted under the Director Plan vest as to 20% of
the  shares  on the  first  anniversary  date of grant  and as to the  remaining
shares, ratably each month over the ensuing four years. Subsequent Options begin
to vest on the fourth  anniversary  of the date of grant and vest  ratably  each
month over the next 12 month  period.  The  Director  Plan is  designed  to work
automatically, without administration;  however, to the extent administration is
necessary,  the Director  Plan has been  structured  so that options  granted to
nonemployee  directors who administer the Company's other employee benefit plans
shall qualify as  transactions  exempt from Section 16(b) of the  Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  "Exchange  Act"),  pursuant to Rule 16b-3
promulgated thereunder.

Required Vote

         The five nominees  receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of
the shares  present or  represented  and  entitled to be voted for them shall be
elected  as  directors,  whether  or not such  affirmative  votes  constitute  a
majority of the shares voted.  Votes  withheld from any director are counted for
purposes of determining  the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction
of business, but they have no legal effect under Delaware law.

         MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE.


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 2

                     APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S
                                 1992 STOCK PLAN

General

         The 1992 Stock Plan as amended (the  "Option  Plan") was adopted by the
Board of Directors and approved by the  stockholders in August 1992. In February
1998,  the Board of  Directors  approved  an  amendment  to the  Option  Plan to
increase the number of shares reserved for issuance  thereunder by an additional
500,000  shares for a  cumulative  aggregate of  2,288,000  shares  reserved for
issuance thereunder.  The Option Plan provides for the grant to employees of the
Company of  incentive  stock  options  within the  meaning of Section 422 of the
Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as  amended  (the  "Code"),  for the  grant of
nonstatutory   stock  options  and  stock  purchase   rights  to  employees  and
consultants of the Company.  The Option Plan may be administered by the Board or
a  committee   approved  by  the  Board.  As  of  March  26,  1998,  there  were
approximately  100,000  shares of Common Stock  available for issuance under the
Option Plan.

Proposal

         At the Annual Meeting the  stockholders  are being requested to approve
the amendment  approved by the Board of Directors in February 1998 to the Option
Plan to  increase  the number of shares  reserved  for  issuance  thereunder  by
500,000  shares for a  cumulative  aggregate of  2,788,000  shares  reserved for
issuance thereunder,  of which options to purchase  appromixately 600,000 shares
would be available  for future  grants under the Option Plan.  The  amendment to
increase  the number of shares  reserved  under the Option  Plan is  proposed in
order to give the Board of Directors greater  flexibility to grant stock options
and stock  purchase  rights.  The Company  believes that granting  stock options
motivates  high  levels  of  performance  and  provides  an  effective  means of
recognizing  employee  contributions to the success of the Company.  The Company
believes that this policy is of great value in recruiting  and retaining  highly
qualified  technical  and other key personnel who are in great demand as well as
rewarding and incenting current employees.  The Board of Directors believes that
the ability to grant options and stock purchase  rights will be important to the
future success of the Company by allowing it to accomplish these objectives.

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

Summary of the Option Plan

         Certain features of the Option Plan are outlined below.

         Administration.  The Option Plan may be  administered by the Board or a
committee of the Board (the "Administrator"),  which committee is required to be
constituted  to comply with Section  16(b) of the  Exchange  Act and  applicable
laws.  Subject to the other provisions of the Option Plan, the Administrator has
the power to  determine  the terms of any  options  and  stock  purchase  rights
granted,  including  the  exercise  price,  the number of shares  subject to the
option or stock purchase right and the exercisability  thereof.  The Option Plan
is  currently  administered  by  the  Compensation  Committee  of the  Board  of
Directors.

         Eligibility  and  Terms of  Options.  The  Option  Plan  provides  that
nonstatutory  stock  options and stock  purchase  rights may be granted  only to
employees  and  consultants.  Incentive  stock  options  may be granted  only to
employees.  An  optionee  who has been  granted an option  may,  if he or she is
otherwise eligible, be granted additional options or stock purchase rights. With
respect to any  optionee who owns stock  possessing  more than 10% of the voting
power of all classes of stock of the Company (a "10% Stockholder"), the exercise
price of any incentive stock option granted must equal at least 110% of the fair
market  value on the grant  date and the  maximum  term of the  option  must not
exceed five years.  The term of all other  options under the Option Plan may not
exceed ten years.  The  Administrator  selects the optionees and  determines the
number of shares to be subject to each  option.  In making  such  determination,
there is taken into account the duties and  responsibilities  of the employee or
consultant,  the value of his or her services,  his or her present and potential
contribution to the success of the Company,  the anticipated  number of years of
future service and other relevant factors.

         Terms and  Conditions of Options.  Each option granted under the Option
Plan is evidenced by a written stock option  agreement  between the optionee and
the Company and is subject to the following terms and conditions:

                  (a) Exercise Price. The Administrator  determines the exercise
         price of options  to  purchase  shares of Common  Stock at the time the
         options are granted.  However, the exercise price of an incentive stock
         option must not be less than 100% (110% if issued to a 10% Stockholder)
         of the fair market  value of the Common Stock on the date the option is
         granted.  For so long as the  Company's  Common  Stock is traded on the
         Nasdaq  National  Market,  the fair  market  value of a share of Common
         Stock  shall be the  closing  sale price for such stock (or the closing
         bid if no sales were reported) as quoted on the Nasdaq  National Market
         on the date the option is granted.

                  (b) Exercise of the Option.  Each stock option  agreement will
         specify  the term of the  option  and the date  when the  option  is to
         become  exercisable.  The terms of such vesting are  determined  by the
         Administrator.  Options  granted  under the Option Plan have a ten-year
         term and to date generally become exercisable over five years at a rate
         of  one-fifth  of the shares  subject to the  options at the end of one
         year from the date of grant and 1/60th each month thereafter. An option
         is  exercised  by giving  written  notice of exercise  to the  Company,
         specifying  the number of full shares of Common  Stock to be  purchased
         and by tendering full payment of the purchase price to the Company.

                  (c) Form of  Consideration.  The  consideration to be paid for
         the shares of Common Stock  issued upon  exercise of an option shall be
         determined  by  the  Administrator  and  is set  forth  in  the  option
         agreement. Such form of consideration may vary for each option, and may
         consist entirely of cash,  check,  promissory note, other shares of the
         Company's  Common  Stock  meeting  certain  criteria,  any  combination
         thereof,  or any other legally permissible form of consideration as may
         be provided in the Option Plan or the option agreement.

                  (d)  Termination  of  Employment.  In the event an  optionee's
         continuous  status as an  employee  or  consultant  terminates  for any
         reason  (other  than  upon the  optionee's  death or  disability),  the
         optionee may exercise his or her option to the extent that the optionee
         was entitled to exercise it at the date of such  termination,  but only
         within  such period of time set forth in the option  agreement  (not to
         exceed three months in the case of an incentive  stock option) from the
         date of such  termination (and in no event later 

                                      -5-
<PAGE>


          than the  expiration  of the term of such  option  as set forth in the
          option  agreement).  If no period of time is  specified  in the option
          agreement,  the  optionee  may  exercise  his or her  option for three
          months  following  the date of such  termination,  subject to the same
          limitations set forth above.  Options granted under the Option Plan to
          date have generally provided that optionees may exercise their options
          within ninety days from the date of termination  of employment  (other
          than for death or disability).

                  (e) Disability.  In the event an optionee's  continuous status
         as an employee or  consultant  terminates  as a result of permanent and
         total  disability  (as defined in Section  22(e)(3)  of the Code),  the
         optionee may exercise his or her option to the extent that the optionee
         was  entitled to exercise  it at the date of such  termination,  within
         twelve months from the date of such  termination (but in no event later
         than the  expiration  of the term of such  option  as set  forth in the
         option agreement).

                  (f) Death. In the event of an optionee's death, the optionee's
         estate or a person who  acquired  the right to  exercise  the  deceased
         optionee's  option by bequest or inheritance may exercise the option to
         the extent that the optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of
         death,  within  twelve  months  following  the date of death (but in no
         event later than the expiration of the term of such option as set forth
         in the option agreement).

                  (g) Termination of Options.  Excluding incentive stock options
         issued to 10%  Stockholders,  options  granted  under the  Option  Plan
         expire on the date set forth in the option agreement (not to exceed ten
         years from the date of grant).  Incentive  stock options granted to 10%
         Stockholders  expire five years from the date of grant (or such shorter
         period set forth in the option  agreement).  No option may be exercised
         by any person after the expiration of its term.

                  (h)    Nontransferability    of   Options.    An   option   is
         nontransferable  by the  optionee,  other  than by will or the  laws of
         descent and  distribution,  and is  exercisable  during the  optionee's
         lifetime only by the optionee.  In the event of the  optionee's  death,
         options may be exercised by a person who acquires the right to exercise
         the option by bequest or inheritance.

                  (i) Value  Limitation.  If the aggregate  fair market value of
         all shares of Common Stock  subject to an  optionee's  incentive  stock
         option  which are  exercisable  for the first time during any  calendar
         year  exceeds  $100,000,   the  excess  options  shall  be  treated  as
         nonstatutory options.

                  (j) Other  Provisions.  The stock option agreement may contain
         such other terms,  provisions and conditions not inconsistent  with the
         Option Plan as may be determined by the Administrator.

         Terms And  Conditions Of Stock  Purchase  Rights.  Each stock  purchase
right  granted under the Option Plan shall be evidenced by a written offer which
sets  forth  the  terms,  conditions  and  restrictions  related  to the  offer,
including the number of shares  subject to the offer,  the price per share,  and
the time in which the offeree must accept the offer (which may not exceed ninety
days from the date the  Administrator  granted the stock  purchase  right).  The
offer must be accepted by  executing  a purchase  agreement  with such terms and
conditions as determined by the Administrator. The stock purchased pursuant to a
stock  purchase  right  shall be  subject to a  repurchase  option  (unless  the
Administrator  determines  otherwise)  upon any  termination of the  purchaser's
employment  with the  Company  (including  termination  as a result  of death or
disability).  Pursuant to such repurchase  option,  the Company shall be able to
repurchase any shares of stock as to which the repurchase  option has not lapsed
at the price per share originally paid by the purchaser. The Administrator shall
determine the rate at which the repurchase  option lapses.  A purchaser of stock
pursuant to a stock purchase right shall have the rights  equivalent to those of
a stockholder.
         
     Adjustment Upon Changes In Capitalization;  Corporate Transactions.  In the
event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock of the Company by reason of any
stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends, mergers,  recapitalizations
or  other  change  in the  capital  structure  of the  Company,  an  appropriate
adjustment shall be made by the  Administrator in the following:  (i) the number
of shares of Common Stock subject to the Option Plan,  (ii) the number and class
of shares of stock  subject to any option or stock  purchase  right  outstanding
under the Option  Plan,  (iii) and the  exercise  price of any such  outstanding
option or stock purchase right.  The  

                                      -6-
<PAGE>

determination of the  Administrator as to which  adjustments shall be made shall
be  conclusive.  In the event of a proposed  dissolution  or  liquidation of the
Company,  all  outstanding  options  will  terminate  immediately  prior  to the
consummation  of such  proposed  action.  The  Board  of  Directors  in its sole
discretion  may in such  circumstances  declare that any  outstanding  option or
stock  purchase  right  shall  terminate  as of a date  fixed  by the  Board  of
Directors  and give each  optionee  the right to  exercise  his or her option or
stock  purchase  right,  including  as to shares  for which the  option or stock
purchase right would not otherwise be exercisable.

         Merger or Asset Sale.  In the event of a merger of the Company  with or
into another corporation,  or the sale of substantially all of the assets of the
Company,  each outstanding  option or stock purchase right will be assumed or an
equivalent option or right substituted by the successor  corporation or a parent
or  subsidiary  of the  successor  corporation.  In the event that the successor
corporation  refuses to assume or  substitute  for the option or stock  purchase
right,  the  optionee  shall  have the  right to  exercise  the  option or stock
purchase right as to all of the optioned stock,  including shares as to which it
would not otherwise be  exercisable,  for a period of not more than fifteen days
after the Administrator grants the optionee notice of such right.

         Amendment and Termination of the Option Plan. The Board may at any time
amend,  alter,  suspend or terminate  the Option Plan.  The Company shall obtain
stockholder approval of any amendment to the Option Plan in such a manner and to
such a degree as is necessary  and desirable to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the
Exchange  Act or  Section  422 of the  Code  (or  any  other  applicable  law or
regulation,  including the  requirements of any exchange or quotation  system on
which the Common Stock is traded).  Any amendment or  termination  of the Option
Plan shall not affect options  already  granted and such options shall remain in
full force and effect as if the Option Plan had not been amended or  terminated,
unless mutually  agreed  otherwise  between the optionee and the Company,  which
agreement must be in writing and signed by the optionee and the Company.  In any
event,  the Option Plan shall terminate in August 2002. Any options  outstanding
under the Option Plan at the time of its  termination  shall remain  outstanding
until they expire by their terms.

Federal Tax Information

         Options  granted under the Option Plan may be either  "incentive  stock
options," as defined in Section 422 of the Code, or nonstatutory options.

         An optionee who is granted an incentive stock option will not recognize
taxable  income  either at the time the option is granted or upon its  exercise,
although the exercise may subject the optionee to the  alternative  minimum tax.
Upon sale or  exchange  of the  shares  more than two years  after  grant of the
option and one year after exercise of the option, any gain or loss is treated as
long-term  capital gain or loss. Net capital gains on shares held between 12 and
18 months are  currently  taxed at a maximum  federal  rate of 28%.  Net capital
gains on shares held for more than 18 months are capped at 20%.  Capital  losses
are allowed in full against capital gains and up to $3,000 against other income.
If these holding  periods are not satisfied,  the optionee  recognizes  ordinary
income at the time of disposition  equal to the difference  between the exercise
price and the lower of (i) the fair  market  value of the  shares at the date of
the  option  exercise  or (ii) the sale  price of the  shares.  Any gain or loss
recognized on such a premature disposition of the shares in excess of the amount
treated as ordinary income is treated as long-term or short-term capital gain or
loss,  depending on the holding period. A different rule for measuring  ordinary
income upon such a premature  disposition  may apply if the  optionee is also an
officer, director, or 10% stockholder of the Company. The Company is entitled to
a  deduction  in the  same  amount  as the  ordinary  income  recognized  by the
optionee.

         All of the options which do not qualify as incentive  stock options are
referred to as nonstatutory  options. An optionee does not recognize any taxable
income  at the time he or she is  granted  a  nonstatutory  stock  option.  Upon
exercise,  the optionee  recognizes  taxable  income  generally  measured by the
excess of the then fair market value of the shares over the exercise price.  Any
taxable income  recognized in connection  with an option exercise by an employee
of the  Company is subject to tax  withholding  by the  Company.  The Company is
entitled to a deduction in the same amount as the ordinary income  recognized by
the optionee.  Upon a disposition of such 

                                      -7-

<PAGE>

shares by the optionee, any difference between the sale price and the optionee's
exercise  price,  to the extent not  recognized  as taxable  income as  provided
above, is treated as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss,  depending on
the holding  period.  Net capital  gains on shares held between 12 and 18 months
are  currently  taxed at a maximum  federal  rate of 28%.  Net capital  gains on
shares  held for more  than 18 months  are  capped at 20%.  Capital  losses  are
allowed in full against capital gains and up to $3,000 against other income.

         The granting of a stock purchase right is not a taxable event. However,
at the time the right is exercised,  the  purchaser of the resulting  restricted
stock recognizes  ordinary income as the repurchase option of the Company lapses
equal to the difference  between the fair market value of the shares of the time
of such lapse and the price paid for such shares,  if any (the "Spread").  Under
current  federal  tax law,  the  purchaser  may elect to  include  the Spread as
ordinary  income  for the  year of the  award.  If the  election  is  made,  the
purchaser will not incur  additional tax liability until the sale or disposition
of the shares.  If the shares are  forfeited  following  such an  election,  the
purchaser's basis in such forfeited shares is the price paid for the shares. The
Company is entitled to federal tax  deduction in the same amount and at the same
time as the employee realizes ordinary income.

         The Company  will be entitled to a tax  deduction in the same amount as
the ordinary  income  recognized by the optionee with respect to shares acquired
upon exercise of a nonstatutory option.

         The  foregoing  is only a  summary  of the  effect  of  federal  income
taxation  upon the  optionee  and the  Company  with  respect  to the  grant and
exercise of options  under the Option Plan;  it does not purport to be complete,
and it does not  discuss the tax  consequences  of the  optionee's  death or the
income  tax laws of any  municipality,  state  or  foreign  country  in which an
optionee may reside.

Participation in the Option Plan

         The  following  table sets forth  information  with  respect to options
granted under the Option Plan during the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1997 to
(i) each of the  officers  named in the  Summary  Compensation  Table on page 14
hereof,  (ii) all executive  officers as a group,  and (iii) all other employees
(excluding executive officers) as a group:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                                                 
                                                                                         Weighted
                                                                     Shares Subject       Average
                                                                       to Options     Exercise Price
                              Name and Position                         Granted         Per Share
                              -----------------                         -------         ---------

<S>                                                                       <C>           <C>    

Stephanie G. DiMarco, Chairman of the Board and Chief                                 
   Executive Officer.................................................     150,000       $  28.38

Peter M. Caswell, President and Chief Operating Officer..............     120,000          26.88

Lily S. Chang, Executive Vice President and Chief                          
    Technology  Officer..............................................      15,000          25.00

Irv H. Lichtenwald, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial                 
   Officer and Secretary.............................................      15,000          25.00

All executive officers as a group (4 persons)........................     300,000          27.44

All other employees (excluding executive officers) as a group........     536,000          26.70

</TABLE>


Required Vote

         The  affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the Common Stock
present or  represented  at the Annual Meeting is required to approve and ratify
the amendment to the Option Plan.

        THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE
         OPTION PLAN. THE EFFECT OF AN ABSTENTION IS THE SAME AS A VOTE
                    AGAINST THE AMENDMENT OF THE OPTION PLAN.

                                      -8-
<PAGE>


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 3

                     APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S
                        1995 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

General

         The Company's 1995 Employee  Stock Purchase Plan (the "Purchase  Plan")
was adopted by the Board of Directors in October 1995, and subsequently ratified
by the stockholders as of the effective date of the public  offering.  Under the
Purchase Plan, the Company  maintains  offering periods of a six-month  duration
commencing on the first trading day following  termination of the prior offering
period.  The Purchase Plan is  administered by the Company's Board of Directors,
and is open to all  individuals  employed by the Company or its  subsidiaries on
the  commencement  day of an offering if such  individuals  are  employed by the
Company  for at least 20 hours  per week  and at least  five  months  per  year.
Individuals who hold 5% or more of the Company's  Common Stock (directly or upon
exercise of  option(s))  are not  eligible to  participate.  The  Purchase  Plan
permits eligible employees to purchase Common Stock through payroll  deductions,
which may not exceed 10% of an employee's  compensation,  excluding  bonuses (or
$25,000  in any  calendar  year),  at a price  equal to 85% of the  lower of the
closing sale price to the Common Stock reported on the NASDAQ national market at
the beginning and the end of each six month operating  period,  except that with
respect  to the first  offering  period,  the  beginning  price was equal to the
initial public offering and price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus.

Proposal

         At the Annual Meeting the  stockholders  are being requested to approve
an amendment to the Purchase Plan to increase the number of shares  reserved for
issuance thereunder by 200,000 shares, for an aggregate of 300,000 shares having
been reserved for issuance thereunder.  As of December 31, 1997, an aggregate of
9,000 shares were available for issuance under the Purchase Plan (without giving
effect to the  proposed  amendment).  The  amendment  to increase  the number of
shares  reserved  under  the  Purchase  Plan  is  proposed  in  order  to  allow
individuals  employed by the  Company to  continue to purchase  shares of Common
Stock of the Company  through  payroll  deductions  at a 15%  discount to market
price.  The Company  believes  that  allowing  employees to continue to purchase
shares of the  Company's  Common  Stock  through  the  Purchase  Plan  motivates
high-levels  of  performance  and  provides an  effective  means of  encouraging
employee  commitment  to the success of the Company.  The Company  believes that
this policy is of great value in  recruiting  and  retaining  new  employees and
allowing  existing  employees to participate in the success of the Company.  The
Board of  Directors  believes  that the  ability to grant  participation  in the
Purchase Plan will be important to the future success of the Company by allowing
it to accomplish these objectives.

Summary of the Purchase Plan

     General.  The Purchase Plan is intended to qualify  under  Sections 421 and
423 of the Code as an "Employee Stock Purchase Plan."

     Administration. The Purchase Plan is administered by the Board of Directors
or a Committee of the Board.

         Eligibility. Only employees employed by the Company or its subsidiaries
on the first day of an offering period may participate in the Purchase Plan. For
this purpose,  an "employee" is any person who is regularly employed at least 20
hours per week and at least five months per calendar  year by the Company or any
of its  subsidiaries.  No employee shall be granted an option under the Purchase
Plan if (i)  immediately  after the grant of the option,  the  employee  (or any
person  whose  stock would be  attributed  to the  employee  pursuant to Section
424(d) of the Code),  would own 5% or more of the total combined voting power or
value of the  stock of the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  or (ii)  which
permits such  participant's  right to purchase  stock under all  Employee  Stock
Purchase  Plans of the  Company and its  subsidiaries  to accrue at a rate which
exceeds  $25,000 worth of stock  (determined  with  reference to the fair market
value of the Common Stock on the first day

                                      -9-
<PAGE>

of the  offering  period)  in a  calendar  year.  Subject  to these  eligibility
criteria,  the Purchase Plan permits eligible employees to purchase Common Stock
through payroll deductions subject to certain limitations described below.

         Offering.  The Purchase Plan has consecutive  and overlapping  24-month
offering  periods that begin every six months,  commencing  on the first Trading
Day (as defined in the  Purchase  Plan) on or after  March 1 and  September 1 of
each year.  Each  24-month  offering  period  includes four  six-month  purchase
periods  during which  payroll  deductions  are  accumulated  and, at the end of
which,  shares of Common Stock are purchased  with a  participant's  accumulated
payroll  deductions.  The Board has the power to change the  duration  of future
offering  periods,  if such  change  is made at  least  five  days  prior to the
scheduled  beginning of the first offering period to be affected.  The first day
of an offering period is referred to as the "Enrollment  Date," and the last day
of the purchase period is referred to as the "Exercise Date."

         Purchase Price.  The purchase price per share which shares will be sold
in an  offering  under  the  Purchase  Plan is the  lower of (i) 85% of the fair
market value of a share of Common Stock on the  Enrollment  Date, or (ii) 85% of
the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the relevant  Exercise Date.
The  fair  market  value  of the  Common  Stock  on a given  date  is  generally
determined with reference to the closing sale price of the Common Stock for such
date.

         Payment of Purchase Price;  Payroll  Deductions.  The purchase price of
the shares is accumulated by payroll  deductions over the offering  period.  The
Purchase Plan provides that the aggregate of such payroll  deductions during the
offering  period shall not exceed 10% of the  participant's  total  compensation
during said offering period,  nor $21,250 in any given calendar year. During the
offering period,  a participant may discontinue his or her  participation in the
Purchase Plan, and may decrease or increase the rate of payroll deductions in an
offering period within limits set by the Board of Directors.

         Withdrawal. A participant may terminate his or her participation in the
Purchase Plan at any time by giving the Company a written  notice of withdrawal.
In such event the payroll deductions  credited to participant's  account will be
returned,  without interest,  to such participant.  Payroll  deductions will not
resume unless a new  Subscription  Agreement is delivered in  connection  with a
subsequent offering period.

         Termination of Employment.  Termination of a  participant's  employment
for  any  reason,  including  death,  cancels  his or her  participation  in the
Purchase Plan immediately. In such event, the payroll deductions credited to the
participant's account will be returned without interest to such participant, his
or her designated beneficiaries or the executors or administrators of his or her
estate.

         Adjustments upon Changes in Capitalization. In the event of any changes
in the  capitalization of the Company effective without receipt of consideration
by  the  Company,  such  as  a  stock  split,  stock  dividend,  combination  or
reclassification of the Common Stock resulting in an increase or decrease in the
number of shares of Common Stock,  proportionate adjustments will be made by the
Board and the shares  subject to  purchase  and in the price per share under the
Purchase Plan. In the event of  liquidation  or dissolution of the Company,  the
offering  periods  then in  progress  will  terminate  immediately  prior to the
consummation of such event unless otherwise  provided by the Board. In the event
of a sale of all or  substantially  all of the  assets  of the  Company,  or the
merger of the Company  with or into another  corporation,  each option under the
Purchase Plan shall be assumed or an equivalent  option shall be  substituted by
each  successor  corporation  or  a  parent  or  subsidiary  of  such  successor
corporation,  unless the Board determines to shorten the offering period then in
progress by setting a new  Exercise  Date.  If the Board  shortens  the offering
period in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of
assets,  the Board  shall  provide  notice to each  participant  of at least ten
business  days prior to the new Exercise  Date that the  Exercise  Date has been
changed  to  the  new  Exercise  Date  and  that  his  or  her  option  will  be
automatically  exercised on the new Exercise  Date unless prior to such date the
participant has withdrawn from the offering period.

         Amendment and Termination. The Board may at any time and for any reason
amend or terminate  the Purchase  Plan,  except that no such  termination  shall
affect options  previously  granted and no amendment shall make any change in an
option grant prior thereto that adversely  affects the right of any participant.
Stockholder  

                                      -10-
<PAGE>

approval for  amendments to the Purchase Plan shall be obtained in such a manner
and to such a degree as required to comply with Section 16(b)(3) of the Exchange
Act or with Section 423 of the Code (or any  successor  rule or provision or any
other applicable law or regulation).

Federal Tax Information

         No income will be taxable to a participant  until the shares  purchased
under the Purchase  Plan are sold or  otherwise  disposed of. Upon sale or other
disposition of the shares,  the participant  will generally be subject to tax in
an amount  that  depends  upon the  holding  period.  If the  shares are sold or
otherwise  disposed of more than two years from the Enrollment Date and one year
from the  applicable  Exercise  Date, the  participant  will recognize  ordinary
income  measured as the lesser of (a) the excess of the fair market value of the
shares at the time of such sale or disposition over the purchase price or (b) an
amount equal to 15% of the fair market value of the shares as of the  Enrollment
Date.  Any  additional  gain will be treated as long-term  capital  gain. If the
shares are sold or otherwise  disposed of before the expiration of these holding
periods,  the participant will recognize  ordinary income generally  measured as
the  excess of the fair  market  value of the  shares on the date the shares are
purchased over the purchase  price.  Any additional gain or loss on such sale or
disposition will be long-term or short-term  capital gain or loss,  depending on
the holding  period.  The Company  generally is not entitled to a deduction  for
amounts taxed as ordinary income or capital gain to a participant  except to the
extent of ordinary income  recognized by participants upon a sale or disposition
of shares prior to the expiration of the holding periods described above.

Required Vote

         The  affirmative  vote of the holders in  majority of the Common  Stock
presented or represented at the Annual Meeting is required to approve and ratify
the amendment to the Purchase Plan.


THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE PURCHASE PLAN.
 THE EFFECT OF AN ABSTENTION IS THE SAME AS A VOTE AGAINST THE AMENDMENT OF THE
                                  OPTION PLAN.





                                 PROPOSAL NO. 4

             RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

         The  Board  of  Directors  has  selected   Coopers  &  Lybrand  L.L.P.,
independent  accountants,  to audit the financial  statements of the Company for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 1998.  Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.  has audited
the Company's  financial  statements since 1989. A  representative  of Coopers &
Lybrand  L.L.P.  is  expected  to be  present  at the  meeting,  will  have  the
opportunity  to make a statement,  and is expected to be available to respond to
appropriate questions.

Required Vote

         The Board of Directors has conditioned its appointment of the Company's
independent  accountants  upon the receipt of the affirmative vote of a majority
of the  shares  represented,  in person or by proxy,  and  voting at the  Annual
Meeting,  which shares voting  affirmatively also constitute at least a majority
of the required  quorum.  In the event that the  stockholders do not approve the
selection  of  Coopers & Lybrand  L.L.P.,  the  appointment  of the  independent
accountants will be reconsidered by the Board of Directors.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT
OF COOPERS & LYBRAND, L.L.P., AS INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING
DECEMBER 31, 1998. THE EFFECT OF AN ABSTENTION IS THE SAME AS A VOTE AGAINST THE
        RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS.


                                      -11-
<PAGE>



                   BENEFICIAL SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
                          AND CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS


         The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of Common Stock
of the Company as of March 26, 1998 for the following: (i) each person or entity
who is known by the Company to own beneficially  more than 5% of the outstanding
shares of the  Company's  Common Stock;  (ii) each of the  Company's  directors;
(iii) the Company's  Chief  Executive  Officer and each of the officers  ("Named
Officers") named in the Summary  Compensation  Table on page 14 hereof; and (iv)
all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group.

                                                      Shares        Percentage
                                                   Beneficially    Beneficially
5% Stockholders, Directors and Officers               Owned(1)       Owned (1)
- - ---------------------------------------               --------       ---------
5% STOCKHOLDERS(2)
DiMarco/Harleen Revocable Trust(3)..............        955,154        12.1%
   c/o Advent Software, Inc.
   301 Brannan Street
   San Francisco, CA 94107
Amerindo Investment Advisors, Inc...............        758,500         9.6
   One Embarcadero Center, Suite 2300
   San Francisco, CA 94111
Maurice J. Duca.................................        598,126         7.6
   1485 East Valley Rd.
   Santa Barbara, CA  93108
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.................        579,600         7.3
   345 Park Avenue
   New York, NY 10154
Fleming  Robert, Inc............................        413,230         5.2
   320 Park Avenue, 11th Floor
   New York, New York  10022
John W. Glynn, Jr.(4)(5)(6).....................        483,900         6.1
     3000 Sand Hill Road
     Building 4, Suite 235
     Menlo Park, CA  94025
Daryl Messinger(4)(6)...........................        452,900         5.7
     3000 Sand Hill Road
     Building 4, Suite 235
     Menlo Park, CA  94025
Steve Rosston(4)(6).............................        452,900         5.7
     3000 Sand Hill Road
     Building 4, Suite 235
     Menlo Park, CA  94025

DIRECTORS AND NAMED OFFICERS
Frank H. Robinson(7)............................         31,832         *
Wendell G. Van Auken(8).........................         35,302         *
Monte Zweben....................................             --         *
William F. Zuendt...............................          3,000         *
Stephanie G. DiMarco(3).........................      1,150,154        14.6
Peter M. Caswell(9).............................        145,876         1.8
Lily S. Chang(10)...............................        128,731         1.6
Irv H. Lichtenwald(11)..........................         31,000         *

ALL DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS A GROUP
   (8 persons)(12)..............................      1,525,895        19.3

- - -------------------------
*     Less than 1%

                                      -12-
<PAGE>


(1)  The number and percentage of shares  beneficially owned is determined under
     rules  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission   ("SEC"),   and  the
     information is not necessarily  indicative of beneficial  ownership for any
     other purpose.  Under such rules,  beneficial ownership includes any shares
     as to which the  individual  has sole or shared  voting power or investment
     power and also any  shares  which the  individual  has the right to acquire
     within  sixty days of March 26,  1998  through  the  exercise  of any stock
     option or other right.  Unless otherwise  indicated in the footnotes,  each
     person has sole voting and  investment  power (or shares such  powers) with
     respect to the shares shown as beneficially owned.

(2)  This  information  was obtained  from filings made with the SEC pursuant to
     Sections 13(d) or 13(g) of the Exchange Act.

(3)  Ms.  DiMarco is also Chairman of the Board and Chief  Executive  Officer of
     the Company.  Includes 955,154 shares held by the DiMarco/Harleen Revocable
     Trust and 155,000 shares held by the DiMarco/Harleen  Charitable  Remainder
     Trust as to which Ms.  DiMarco  shares  voting and  dispositive  power.  In
     addition,  includes  options  to  purchase  40,000  shares of Common  Stock
     exercisable within 60 days of March 26, 1997.

(4)  Includes shared voting power for the following:  Crown Associates III, L.P.
     owns 70,950  shares of common  stock,  Crown-Glynn  Associates,  L.P.  owns
     35,030  shares of common  stock,  The Crown  Trust owns  143,120  shares of
     common stock, Glynn Emerging  Opportunity Fund owns 42,800 shares of common
     stock,  Glynn Investment owns 14,200 shares of common stock,  Glynn Buckley
     owns 15,600 shares of common stock,  McMorgan Fund II owns 30,500 shares of
     common stock,  Glynn Capital  Management owns 95,900 shares of common stock
     and Glynn Peterson owns 4,800 shares of common stock.

(5)   Mr.  Glynn  is  a  Managing  Director  of  Crown  Capital  Management  and
      Crown-Glynn Advisors. Mr. Glynn is sole owner of Glynn Capital Management.

(6)   Mr. Glynn,  Mr.  Messinger and Mr.  Rosston are General  Partners of Crown
      Partners  III,  L.P.,  a  Delaware  limited  partnership  and  Crown-Glynn
      Partners, L.P., a Delaware partnership.

(7)  Includes  options to purchase  14,832  shares of Common  Stock  exercisable
     within sixty days of March 26, 1998.

(8)  Includes  options to  purchase  5,166  shares of Common  Stock  exercisable
     within sixty days of March 26, 1998.

(9)  Includes  options to purchase  143,455  shares of Common Stock  exercisable
     within sixty days of March 26, 1998.

(10) Includes  options to purchase  35,581  shares of Common  Stock  exercisable
     within sixty days of March 26, 1998.

(11) Includes  options to purchase  13,749  shares of Common  Stock  exercisable
     within sixty days of March 26, 1998.

(12) Includes options held by executive officers and directors of the Company to
     purchase  252,783 shares of Common Stock  exercisable  within sixty days of
     March 26, 1998.

                COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT

         Section  16(a) of the  Exchange  Act  ("Section  16(a)")  requires  the
Company's officers and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a
registered  class  of the  Company's  equity  securities,  to  file  reports  of
ownership  on Form 3 and  changes  in  ownership  on  Form 4 or Form 5 with  the
Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "SEC") and the National  Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Such officers,  directors and ten-percent  stockholders
are also  required by SEC rules to furnish  the Company  with copies of all such
forms that they file.

         Based solely on its review of the copies of such forms  received by the
Company,  or written  representations  from certain  reporting  persons that all
Forms 5 required for such persons were filed,  the Company  believes that during
fiscal 1997 all Section  16(a) filing  requirements  applicable to its officers,
directors and ten-percent stockholders were complied with.

                                      -13-
<PAGE>


           COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

         The Company's  Compensation Committee was formed in October 1995 and is
currently composed of Messrs. Van Auken and Zuendt. No interlocking relationship
exists  between any member of the Company's  Board of Directors or  Compensation
Committee and any member of the board of directors or compensation  committee of
any other Company,  nor has any such  interlocking  relationship  existed in the
past. No member of the  Compensation  Committee is or was formerly an officer or
an employee of the Company or its subsidiaries.

         During 1995,  1996 and 1997, Mr. Frank H.  Robinson,  a director of the
Company, served as a consultant to the Company and was paid $34,000, $38,000 and
$32,000, respectively, in consulting fees for his services.

         The Company has entered into  indemnification  agreements  with each of
its  directors and officers.  Such  agreements  require the Company to indemnify
such individuals to the fullest extent permitted by law.


<PAGE>


                         EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION

<TABLE>

Summary Compensation Table

         The following table shows,  as to the Chief Executive  Officer and each
of the four other most highly  compensated  executive officers whose salary plus
bonus  exceeded  $100,000  during the last fiscal year,  information  concerning
compensation  paid for services to the Company in all capacities during the last
three fiscal years.

<CAPTION>

                                                                                    Long-Term
                                                                                   Compensation
                                                                                  ---------------
                                                                                      Awards
                                                                                  ---------------
                                                         Annual Compensation        Securities       All Other
                                                         ---------------------      Underlying      Compensation
      Name and Principal Position               Year   Salary($)  Bonus($)(1)       Options (#)       ($)(2)   
      ---------------------------               ----   ---------  -----------      -----------       --------   
<S>                                             <S>    <C>        <C>                <C>           <C>    

Stephanie G. DiMarco.......................     1997   $313,110   $  --              150,000       $ 5,124(3)
  Chairman of the Board and                     1996    275,581      --                --            7,425(3)
  Chief Executive Officer                       1995    253,584    65,350              --            2,989(3)(4)
- - --------------------------------------------   ------   -------   -------            -------        ------
Peter M. Caswell...........................     1997    281,828      --              120,000         5,516(3)
   President and Chief Operating Officer        1996    233,641      --               10,000         8,024(3)
                                                1995    203,765      --               10,000         3,768(3)
- - --------------------------------------------   ------   -------   -------             -------       ------
Lily S. Chang..............................     1997    268,935      --               15,000         2,294
   Executive Vice President and                 1996    232,151      --               10,000         5,447
   Chief Technology Officer                     1995    211,285       350             10,000         3,054
- - --------------------------------------------  -------  --------   -------             -------       ------
Irv H. Lichtenwald(5)......................     1997    230,516      --               15,000         5,715(3)
   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial       1996    194,671      --                 --           7,240(3)
   Officer and Secretary                        1995    141,622    37,500            140,000         1,190(3)
- - -------------------------

</TABLE>

(1)  Includes bonuses earned or accrued with respect to services rendered in the
     fiscal year  indicated,  whether or not such bonus was actually paid during
     such fiscal year.
(2)  Unless  otherwise  indicated,  consists of profit sharing  matching amounts
     earned pursuant to the 401(k) Plan.
(3)  Includes amounts paid for health care benefits.
(4)  Includes  amounts  paid by the Company for  premiums  for a life  insurance
     policy payable to beneficiaries designated by Ms. DiMarco.
(5) Mr. Lichtenwald began working for the Company on March 20, 1995.

                                      -14-
<PAGE>

                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

         In April 1997 the Board of Directors of the Company approved and issued
a $200,000 loan to Peter Caswell,  President and Chief Operating  Officer of the
Company,  secured by Mr. Caswell's stock and options in the Company. The largest
amount  outstanding  in 1997 was  $200,000.  In February  1998 the Board forgave
$50,000 of the debt based upon Mr. Caswell's meeting certain  performance goals,
and the total amount  currently  outstanding is $150,000.  The loan is due April
2001,  or upon  termination  of Mr.  Caswell's  employment  with the  Company if
earlier, and accrues interest at a rate of 8%.

Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year

<TABLE>


         The  following  table shows,  as to each of the  officers  named in the
Summary Compensation Table,  information concerning stock options granted during
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.



<CAPTION>



                                                  OPTION GRANTS IN FISCAL 1997

                                               Individual Grants
                            --------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           Potential Realizable Value
                              Number of      Percent of                                     at Assumed Annual Rates of
                             Securities    Total Options                                   Stock Price Appreciation for
                             Underlying      Granted to                                           Option Term(4)
                               Options      Employees in      Exercise       Expiration       ---------------------
           Name              Granted(1)    Fiscal Year(2)      Price          Date(3)            5%             10%
           ----              ----------    --------------      -----          -------            --             ---
<S>                             <C>               <C>            <C>          <C>             <C>              <C>

Stephanie G. DiMarco......      150,000           17.9%          28.38         2/04/07        2,677,180        6,784,465
Peter M. Caswell..........       60,000            7.2           28.75         5/13/07        1,085,025        2,749,650
Peter M. Caswell..........       60,000            7.2           25.00        11/11/07          943,500        2,391,000
Lily S. Chang.............       15,000            1.8           25.00        11/11/07          235,875          597,750
Irv H. Lichtenwald........       15,000            1.8           25.00        11/11/07          235,875          597,750
- - -------------------------
</TABLE>


(1)  All options in this table are  incentive  stock  options  and were  granted
     under the 1992 Stock Option Plan and have exercise prices equal to the fair
     market value on the date of grant. All such options have ten-year terms and
     vest over a  five-year  period at the rate of  one-fifth  at the end of one
     year from the date of grant and 1/60th each month thereafter.

(2)  The Company granted  options to purchase  836,000 shares of Common Stock to
     employees in fiscal 1997.

(3)  Options may  terminate  before their  expiration  upon the  termination  of
     optionee's status as an employee or consultant,  the optionee's death or an
     acquisition of the Company.

(4)  Potential  realizable value assumes that the stock price increases from the
     exercise  price from the date of grant until the end of the option term (10
     years)  at the  annual  rate  specified  (5% and 10%).  Annual  compounding
     results in total  appreciation of approximately  62.9% (at 5% per year) and
     159.4% (at 10% per year).  The assumed  annual  rates of  appreciation  are
     specified  in SEC rules and do not  represent  the  Company's  estimate  or
     projection of future stock price growth.  The Company does not  necessarily
     agree that this method can properly determine the value of an option.

                                      -15-

<PAGE>


Option Exercises and Holdings

<TABLE>
         
     The  following  table sets forth,  for each of the  officers in the Summary
Compensation  Table,  certain  information  concerning  stock options  exercised
during fiscal 1997, and the number of shares subject to both  exercisable  stock
options as of December 31,  1997.  Also  reported are values for  "in-the-money"
options that  represent  the positive  spread  between the  respective  exercise
prices of  outstanding  stock options and the fair market value of the Company's
Common Stock as of December 31, 1997.

<CAPTION>
 
                   AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN FISCAL 1997 AND FISCAL 1997 YEAR-END OPTION VALUES

                                                                Number of Securities           Value of Unexercised
                                                                Underlying Unexercised         In-the-Money Options at
                               Shares                        Options at Fiscal Year End        Fiscal Year End($)(1)
                             Acquired on       Value        ---------------------------     -------------------------
           Name              Exercise(#)    Realized($)     Exercisable    Unexercisable    Exercisable    Unexercisable
           ----              -----------    -----------     -----------    -------------    -----------    -------------
<S>                             <C>         <C>                <C>             <C>           <C>             <C>

Stephanie G. DiMarco......         --       $      --              --          150,000       $      --       $   37,500
Peter M. Caswell..........       2,921          64,560         112,244         154,835        2,635,150         889,380
Lily S. Chang.............      30,000         587,000          22,081          37,919          524,015         447,735
Irv H. Lichtenwald........      32,000         748,750           6,249          77,751          142,653       1,541,847
- - -------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)   Market  value  of  underlying  securities  based on the  closing  price of
      Company's  Common  Stock on  December  31,  1997 (the last  trading day of
      fiscal 1997) on the Nasdaq  National  Market of $28.625 minus the exercise
      price.

                                      -16-

<PAGE>


         REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

         The Compensation  Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee")
consists of directors Monte F. Zweben and Frank H. Robinson,  neither of whom is
an employee or officer of the Company. The Committee sets policy and administers
the Company's cash and equity  incentive  programs for the purpose of attracting
and retaining highly skilled  executives who will promote the Company's business
goals and build long-term  stockholder  value. The Committee is also responsible
for reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding all
forms of compensation to be provided to the executive  officers and directors of
the Company,  including stock  compensation  and loans,  and all bonus and stock
compensation to all employees.

         To the extent  appropriate,  the Company  intends to take the necessary
steps to  conform  its  compensation  practices  to comply  with the $1  million
compensation  deduction cap under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended.

Compensation Philosophy and Policies

         The  policy of the  Committee  is to attract  and retain key  personnel
through the payment of  competitive  base  salaries and to encourage  and reward
performance through bonuses and stock ownership.  The Committee's objectives are
to:

     -    ensure that the executive team has clear goals and accountability with
          respect to corporate performance;

     -    establish pay  opportunities  that are competitive based on prevailing
          practices for the industry, the stage of growth, and the labor markets
          in which the Company operates;

     -    independently  assess operating results on a regular basis in light of
          expected Company performance; and

     -    align pay  incentives  with the  long-term  interests of the Company's
          stockholders.

Elements of Compensation

         Compensation  for officers  and key  employees  includes  both cash and
equity elements.

         Cash compensation  consists of base salary,  which is determined on the
basis of the level of responsibility,  expertise and experience of the employee,
and  competitive  conditions  in the industry.  The Committee  believes that the
salaries of its officers  fall within the software  industry  norm. In addition,
cash bonuses may be awarded to officers  and other key  employees;  however,  no
executive officer received a cash bonus in 1997. Compensation of sales personnel
also includes sales commissions tied to quarterly targets.

         Ownership of the  Company's  Common Stock is a key element of executive
compensation.  Officers  and other  employees  of the  Company  are  eligible to
participate  in the 1992 Stock Plan (the  "Option  Plan") and the 1995  Employee
Stock  Purchase  Plan (the  "Purchase  Plan"),  which were adopted  prior to the
Company's  initial public offering in November 1995. The Option Plan permits the
Board of Directors or the  Committee to grant stock options to employees on such
terms as the Board or the  Committee may  determine.  The Committee has the sole
authority  to grant stock  options to  executive  officers of the Company and is
currently administering stock option grants to all employees. In determining the
size of a stock  option  grant to a new  officer  or  other  key  employee,  the
Committee takes into account equity participation by comparable employees within
the Company,  external  competitive  circumstances  and other relevant  factors.
Additional  options may be granted to current  employees  to reward  exceptional
performance or to provide additional  unvested equity  incentives.  The Purchase
Plan permits  employees to acquire Common Stock of the Company  through  payroll
deductions and promotes broad-based equity participation throughout the Company.
The  Committee  believes  that  such  stock  plans  align the  interests  of the
employees with the long-term interests of the stockholders.

                                      -17-
<PAGE>


         The Company also maintains a 401(k) Plan to provide retirement benefits
through  tax  deferred  salary  deductions  for all its  employees.  The Company
matches  up to  50%  of an  employee's  contribution,  not to  exceed  $500  per
employee.

1997 Executive Compensation

         Executive   compensation  for  1997  included  base  salary,  cash  and
equity-based incentive compensation and, in the case of sales executives,  sales
commissions.  Cash incentive  compensation is designed to motivate executives to
attain corporate, business unit and individual goals. The Company's policy is to
have a significant portion of an executive's total compensation at risk based on
the Company's  overall  performance.  Since 1996,  the Company has  maintained a
profit  sharing  plan  for  its  employees,   and  certain  executive   officers
participated in this program in 1997. Executive officers,  like other employees,
were eligible for option grants under the Option Plan.

Chief Executive Officer Compensation

         Compensation for the Chief Executive Officer is determined by a process
similar to that  discussed  above for executive  officers.  The Chief  Executive
Officer's  target  base pay level has been  analyzed  using data for  comparable
software  companies.  Ms.  DiMarco  receives no other material  compensation  or
benefits not provided to all executive officers.

         The Committee has considered the potential  impact of Section 162(m) of
the  Internal   Revenue  Code  of  1986,  as  amended,   which  limits  the  tax
deductibility of cash compensation paid to individual  executive  officers to $1
million per officer. The cash compensation to be paid to the Company's executive
officers  in fiscal  1996 is not  expected  to exceed the $1  million  limit per
individual officer.


                           COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
                           OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS


                           Monte F. Zweben
                           Frank H. Robinson

                                      -18-
<PAGE>


Comparison of Total Cumulative Stockholder Return

         The  following  graph  sets  forth  the  Company's   total   cumulative
stockholder return as compared to the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Nasdaq
Computer & Data  Processing  Index for the period November 16, 1995 (the date of
the  Company's  initial  public  offering)  through  December  31,  1996.  Total
stockholder  return  assumes $100 invested at the beginning of the period in the
Common Stock of the Company,  the stock represented in the Standard & Poor's 500
Index and the stocks represented in the Nasdaq Computer & Data Processing Index,
respectively.

                 COMPARISON OF 25 MONTH CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*
                 Among Advent Software, Inc., the S&P 500 Index
                 and the Nasdaq Computer & Data Processing Index





                        [PERFORMANCE GRAPH APPEARS HERE]





- - -----------
$100 invested on 11/16/95 in Stock or Index including reinvestment of dividends.
Fiscal year ending December 31.
                                            Cumulative Total Return
                                            -----------------------
                                      11/16/95    12/95    12/96    12/97
                                      --------    -----    -----    -----
Advent Software, Inc.                   100          99      169     159
S&P 500                                 100         103      127     169
Nasdaq Computer & Data Processing       100         100      124     152


                                      -19-

<PAGE>


                                  OTHER MATTERS

         The Company  knows of no other  matters to be submitted to the meeting.
If any other matters  properly  come before the meeting,  it is the intention of
the persons named in the enclosed  proxy card to vote the shares they  represent
as the Company may recommend.

         It is  important  that  your  shares  be  represented  at the  meeting,
regardless of the number of shares which you hold. You are, therefore,  urged to
execute and return, at your earliest convenience, the accompanying proxy card in
the envelope which has been enclosed.

                                                          THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

San Francisco, California
March 30, 1998

<PAGE>

                             
                              ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.

                                 1992 STOCK PLAN

                        (amended effective May 13, 1997)


     1.  Purposes  of the Plan.  The  purposes  of this 1992  Stock  Plan are to
attract and retain the best  available  personnel for  positions of  substantial
responsibility,  to provide additional incentive to Employees and Consultants of
the Company  and its  Subsidiaries  and to promote the success of the  Company's
business.  Options  granted  under the Plan may be incentive  stock  options (as
defined  under  Section  422 of the Code) or  non-statutory  stock  options,  as
determined by the Administrator at the time of grant of an option and subject to
the  applicable  provisions  of Section  422 of the Code,  as  amended,  and the
regulations  promulgated  thereunder.  Stock purchase rights may also be granted
under the Plan.

     2.   Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:

          (a) "Administrator" means the Board or any of its Committees appointed
     pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.

          (b) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

          (c) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          (d) "Committee" means a Committee  appointed by the Board of Directors
     in accordance with paragraph (a) of Section 4 of the Plan.

          (e) "Common Stock" means the Common Stock of the Company.

          (f) "Company" means Advent Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

          (g)  "Consultant"  means any person,  who is engaged by the Company or
     any Parent or Subsidiary to render  consulting or advisory  services and is
     compensated  for such  services.  The term  Consultant  shall  not  include
     directors who are not compensated for their services or who are paid only a
     director's fee by the Company.

          (h)  "Continuous  Status as an Employee or Consultant"  means that the
     employment  or  consulting  relationship  with the  Company,  any Parent or
     Subsidiary  is not  interrupted  or  terminated.  Continuous  Status  as an
     Employee or Consultant shall not be considered  interrupted in the case of:
     (i) sick  leave;  (ii)  military  leave;  (iii) any other  leave of absence
     approved by the Administrator,  provided that such leave is for a period of
     not more than ninety (90) days, unless  reemployment upon the expiration of
     such  leave is  guaranteed  by  contract  or  statute,  or unless  provided
     otherwise  pursuant to Company policy adopted from time to time; or (iv) in
     the case of  transfers  between  locations  of the  Company or between  the
     Company, its Subsidiaries or its successor.


                                       -1-


<PAGE>



          (i) "Disability"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section 22(e)(3)
     of the Code.

          (j)  "Employee"  means any person,  including  officers and directors,
     employed by the Company or any Parent or  Subsidiary  of the  Company.  The
     payment of a  director's  fee by the  Company  shall not be  sufficient  to
     constitute "employment" by the Company.

          (k)  "Exchange  Act" means the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as
     amended.

          (l) "Fair Market  Value"  means,  as of any date,  the value of Common
     Stock determined as follows:

               (i) If the  Common  Stock  is  listed  on any  established  stock
          exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the
          Nasdaq  National  Market of the  National  Association  of  Securities
          Dealers,  Inc. Automated Quotation  ("NASDAQ") System, its Fair Market
          Value shall be the closing  sales price for such stock (or the closing
          bid, if no sales were  reported) as quoted on such  exchange or system
          for the last market trading day prior to the time of determination, as
          reported  in The Wall  Street  Journal  or such  other  source  as the
          Administrator deems reliable;

               (ii) If the Common Stock is quoted on the NASDAQ  System (but not
          on the Nasdaq  National  Market) or  regularly  quoted by a recognized
          securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, its Fair Market
          Value shall be the mean  between the high bid and low asked prices for
          the Common Stock; or

               (iii)In  the  absence  of an  established  market  for the Common
          Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith
          by the Administrator.

               (m) "Incentive  Stock Option" means an Option intended to qualify
          as an incentive  stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the
          Code.

               (n)  "Nonstatutory  Stock Option" means an Option not intended to
          qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

               (o) "Option" means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.

               (p) "Optioned  Stock" means the Common Stock subject to an Option
          or a Stock Purchase Right.

               (q)  "Optionee"  means an Employee or Consultant  who receives an
          Option or Stock Purchase Right.

               (r)  "Parent"  means  a  "parent  corporation",  whether  now  or
          hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

               (s) "Plan" means this 1992 Stock Plan.


                                       -2-


<PAGE>



               (t)  "Restricted  Stock" means  shares of Common  Stock  acquired
          pursuant to a grant of a Stock Purchase Right under Section 11 below.

               (u)  "Share"  means a share of the Common  Stock,  as adjusted in
          accordance with Section 12 below.

               (v) "Stock  Purchase  Right"  means the right to purchase  Common
          Stock pursuant to Section 11 below.

               (w) "Subsidiary" means a "subsidiary corporation", whether now or
          hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

     3. Stock  Subject to the Plan.  Subject to the  provisions of Section 12 of
the Plan, the maximum  aggregate number of shares which may be optioned and sold
under  the  Plan  is  2,288,000  shares  of  Common  Stock.  The  shares  may be
authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.

     If an Option or Stock Purchase Right expires, becomes unexercisable without
having been exercised in full, or is surrendered  pursuant to an option exchange
program approved by the Administrator,  the unpurchased Shares that were subject
thereto  shall become  available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless
the Plan has terminated).  Shares that have actually been issued under the Plan,
whether upon  exercise of an Option or Right,  shall not be returned to the Plan
and shall not become available for future  distribution  under the Plan,  except
that if Shares of  Restricted  Stock are  repurchased  by the  Company  at their
original  purchase  price,  and the  original  purchaser  of such Shares did not
receive any  benefits of  ownership  of such  Shares,  such Shares  shall become
available  for  future  grant  under the Plan.  For  purposes  of the  preceding
sentence, voting rights shall not be considered a benefit of Share ownership.

     4. Administration of the Plan.

          (a) Procedure.

               (i) Multiple  Administrative  Bodies. If permitted by Rule 16b-3,
          the Plan may be  administered  by  different  bodies  with  respect to
          Directors,  Officers  who are not  Directors,  and  Employees  who are
          neither Directors nor Officers.

               (ii)  Administration  With  Respect  to  Directors  and  Officers
          Subject to Section  16(b).  With  respect to Option or Stock  Purchase
          Right  grants made to  Employees  who are also  Officers or  Directors
          subject  to  Section  16(b) of the  Exchange  Act,  the Plan  shall be
          administered by (A) the Board, if the Board may administer the Plan in
          a manner  complying  with the rules  under Rule 16b-3  relating to the
          disinterested  administration  of employee  benefit  plans under which
          Section  16(b)  exempt  discretionary  grants  and  awards  of  equity
          securities are to be made, or (B) a committee  designated by the Board
          to administer the Plan, which committee shall be constituted to


                                       -3-


<PAGE>



          comply with the rules under Rule 16b-3  relating to the  disinterested
          administration  of employee  benefit  plans under which  Section 16(b)
          exempt  discretionary grants and awards of equity securities are to be
          made.  Once  appointed,  such Committee shall continue to serve in its
          designated  capacity until otherwise  directed by the Board. From time
          to time the Board may increase the size of the  Committee  and appoint
          additional  members,  remove  members  (with  or  without  cause)  and
          substitute new members,  fill vacancies  (however caused),  and remove
          all members of the Committee and  thereafter  directly  administer the
          Plan,  all to the  extent  permitted  by the rules  under  Rule  16b-3
          relating to the disinterested administration of employee benefit plans
          under which  Section 16(b) exempt  discretionary  grants and awards of
          equity securities are to be made.

               (iii)Administration  With Respect to Other Persons.  With respect
          to  Option  or  Stock  Purchase  Right  grants  made to  Employees  or
          Consultants who are neither Directors nor Officers of the Company, the
          Plan  shall  be  administered  by (A)  the  Board  or (B) a  committee
          designated  by the Board,  which  committee  shall be  constituted  to
          satisfy Applicable Laws. Once appointed, such Committee shall serve in
          its designated  capacity until  otherwise  directed by the Board.  The
          Board may increase the size of the  Committee  and appoint  additional
          members,  remove  members (with or without  cause) and  substitute new
          members,  fill vacancies  (however caused),  and remove all members of
          the Committee and thereafter  directly administer the Plan, all to the
          extent permitted by Applicable Laws.

          (b)  Powers of the  Administrator.  Subject to the  provisions  of the
     Plan,  and in the  case of a  Committee,  subject  to the  specific  duties
     delegated by the Board to such Committee,  the Administrator shall have the
     authority, in its discretion:

               (i) to determine  the Fair Market Value of the Common  Stock,  in
          accordance with Section 2(l) of the Plan;

               (ii) to select the  Consultants and Employees to whom Options and
          Stock Purchase Rights may be granted hereunder;

               (iii)to  determine  whether and to what extent  Options and Stock
          Purchase Rights or any combination thereof, are granted hereunder;

               (iv) to  determine  the  number of  shares of Common  Stock to be
          covered by each Option and Stock Purchase Right granted hereunder;

               (v) to approve forms of agreement for use under the Plan;

               (vi) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with
          the terms of the Plan, of any award granted hereunder.  Such terms and
          conditions  include,  but are not limited to, the exercise price,  the
          time or times when Options or Stock  Purchase  Rights may be exercised
          (which may be based on performance criteria), any vesting acceleration
          or  waiver  of  forfeiture   restrictions,   and  any  restriction  or
          limitation regarding any Option or Stock Purchase Right or the


                                       -4-


<PAGE>



          shares of Common Stock  relating  thereto,  based in each case on such
          factors as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine;

               (vii)to reduce the exercise price of any Option or Stock Purchase
          Right to the then  current  Fair Market Value if the Fair Market Value
          of the Common  Stock  covered by such Option or Stock  Purchase  Right
          shall have declined  since the date the Option or Stock Purchase Right
          was granted;

               (viii) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and awards
          granted pursuant to the Plan;

               (ix) to  prescribe,  amend  and  rescind  rules  and  regulations
          relating  to the Plan,  including  rules and  regulations  relating to
          sub-plans  established for the purpose of qualifying for preferred tax
          treatment under foreign tax laws;

               (x) to  modify  or amend  each  Option  or Stock  Purchase  Right
          (subject to Section 14(b) of the Plan),  including  the  discretionary
          authority  to extend  the  post-termination  exercisability  period of
          Options longer than is otherwise provided for in the Plan;

               (xi) to authorize  any person to execute on behalf of the Company
          any  instrument  required  to  effect  the grant of an Option or Stock
          Purchase Right previously granted by the Administrator;

               (xii)to  determine  the  terms  and  restrictions  applicable  to
          Options and Stock Purchase Rights and any Restricted Stock; and

               (xiii)  to make all  other  determinations  deemed  necessary  or
          advisable for administering the Plan.

          (c) Effect of Administrator's Decision. All decisions,  determinations
     and  interpretations of the Administrator shall be final and binding on all
     Optionees and any other holders of any Options or Stock Purchase Rights.

     5. Eligibility.

          (a)  Nonstatutory  Stock  Options  and Stock  Purchase  Rights  may be
     granted to  Employees  and  Consultants.  Incentive  Stock  Options  may be
     granted only to Employees.  An Employee or Consultant  who has been granted
     an Option or Stock Purchase Right may, if he or she is otherwise  eligible,
     be granted additional Options or Stock Purchase Rights.

          (b) Each Option shall be designated in the written option agreement as
     either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory  Stock Option.  However,
     notwithstanding  such designations,  to the extent that the aggregate Fair
     Market Value of the Shares with respect to which Options


                                       -5-

<PAGE>



     designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by
     any Optionee  during any  calendar  year (under all plans of the Company or
     any Parent or Subsidiary)  exceeds  $100,000,  such excess Options shall be
     treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options.

          (c) For purposes of Section  5(b),  Incentive  Stock  Options shall be
     taken into  account in the order in which they were  granted,  and the Fair
     Market  Value of the Shares shall be  determined  as of the time the Option
     with respect to such Shares is granted.

          (d) The Plan shall not confer upon any Optionee any right with respect
     to continuation of employment or consulting  relationship with the Company,
     nor shall it  interfere  in any way with his or her right or the  Company's
     right to terminate his or her employment or consulting  relationship at any
     time, with or without cause.

          (e) The  following  limitations  shall  apply to grants of Options and
     Stock Purchase Rights to Employees:

               (i) No  Employee  shall be  granted,  in any  fiscal  year of the
          Company,  Options  and Stock  Purchase  Rights to  purchase  more than
          150,000 Shares.

               (ii)  In  connection  with  his or  her  initial  employment,  an
          Employee may be granted  Options and Stock Purchase Rights to purchase
          up to an additional  150,000  Shares which shall not count against the
          limit set forth in subsection (i) above.

               (iii)The foregoing limitations shall be adjusted  proportionately
          in  connection  with any  change in the  Company's  capitalization  as
          described in Section 12.

               (iv) If an Option or Stock  Purchase  Right is  cancelled  in the
          same fiscal year of the Company in which it was granted (other than in
          connection with a transaction  described in Section 12), the cancelled
          Option or Stock Purchase Right will be counted  against the limits set
          forth in  subsections  (i) and (ii) above.  For this  purpose,  if the
          exercise price of an Option or Stock  Purchase  Right is reduced,  the
          transaction  will be treated as a cancellation  of the Option or Stock
          Purchase Right and the grant of a new Option or Stock Purchase Right.

     6. Term of Plan. The Plan shall become  effective upon the earlier to occur
of its adoption by the Board of Directors or its approval by the stockholders of
the Company as described in Section 18 of the Plan. It shall  continue in effect
for a term of ten (10) years unless  sooner  terminated  under Section 14 of the
Plan.

     7. Term of Option.  The term of each Option shall be the term stated in the
Option  Agreement;  provided,  however,  that the term shall be no more than ten
(10) years from the date of grant thereof.  However, in the case of an Incentive
Stock Option granted to an Optionee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns
stock  representing  more  than ten  percent  (10%) of the  voting  power of all
classes of stock of the  Company or any Parent or  Subsidiary,  the term of such
Option shall be


                                       -6-


<PAGE>



five (5) years  from the date of grant  thereof or such  shorter  term as may be
provided in the Option Agreement.

     8. Option Exercise Price and Consideration.

          (a) The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued  pursuant
     to the  exercise of an Option shall be such price as is  determined  by the
     Administrator, but shall be subject to the following:

               (i) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option

                    (A) granted to an Employee  who, at the time of the grant of
               such Incentive Stock Option,  owns stock  representing  more than
               ten percent  (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of
               the Company or any Parent or  Subsidiary,  the per Share exercise
               price  shall be no less  than 110% of the Fair  Market  Value per
               Share on the date of grant.

                    (B) granted to any other  Employee,  the per Share  exercise
               price  shall be no less  than 100% of the Fair  Market  Value per
               Share on the date of grant.

               (ii) In the case of a  Nonstatutory  Stock Option,  the per Share
          exercise price shall be determined by the Administrator.

          (b) Form of  Consideration.  The  Administrator  shall  determine  the
     acceptable form of  consideration  for exercising an Option,  including the
     method  of  payment.  In  the  case  of  an  Incentive  Stock  Option,  the
     Administrator  shall determine the acceptable form of  consideration at the
     time of grant. Such consideration may consist entirely of:

               (i) cash;

               (ii) check;

               (iii) promissory note;

               (iv) other Shares which (A) in the case of Shares  acquired  upon
          exercise of an option,  have been owned by the  Optionee for more than
          six months on the date of surrender,  and (B) have a Fair Market Value
          on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate  exercise price of the
          Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised;

               (v) delivery of a properly executed exercise notice together with
          such other  documentation  as the  Administrator  and the  broker,  if
          applicable,  shall  require  to effect an  exercise  of the Option and
          delivery to the Company of the sale or loan  proceeds  required to pay
          the exercise price;



                                       -7-


<PAGE>



               (vi) a reduction  in the amount of any Company  liability  to the
          Optionee,  including  any  liability  attributable  to the  Optionee's
          participation in any  Company-sponsored  deferred compensation program
          or arrangement;

               (vii) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment; or

               (viii)  such other  consideration  and method of payment  for the
          issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.

     9. Exercise of Option.

          (a)  Procedure  for  Exercise;  Rights as a  Stockholder.  Any  Option
     granted  hereunder  shall be  exercisable  at such  times  and  under  such
     conditions  as  determined  by  the  Administrator,  including  performance
     criteria with respect to the Company  and/or the Optionee,  and as shall be
     permissible under the terms of the Plan.

     An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

     An Option  shall be  deemed to be  exercised  when  written  notice of such
     exercise has been given to the Company in accordance  with the terms of the
     Option by the person  entitled to exercise  the Option and full payment for
     the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised  has been received
     by the  Company.  Full  payment may, as  authorized  by the  Administrator,
     consist of any  consideration and method of payment allowable under Section
     8(b) of the Plan. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry
     on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized  transfer agent of the
     Company) of the stock certificate  evidencing such Shares, no right to vote
     or receive  dividends or any other rights as a stockholder shall exist with
     respect to the Optioned Stock,  notwithstanding the exercise of the Option.
     The  Company  shall  issue (or cause to be issued)  such stock  certificate
     promptly  upon  exercise of the Option.  No  adjustment  will be made for a
     dividend  or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the
     stock certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 12 of the Plan.

     Exercise  of an Option in any  manner  shall  result in a  decrease  in the
     number of Shares which  thereafter  may be available,  both for purposes of
     the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which
     the Option is exercised.

          (b)  Termination  of  Employment  or  Consulting  Relationship.   Upon
     termination  of  an  Optionee's   Continuous   Status  as  an  Employee  or
     Consultant,  other  than  upon  the  Optionee's  death or  Disability,  the
     Optionee  may  exercise  his or her Option,  but only within such period of
     time as is  specified  in the Notice of Grant,  and only to the extent that
     the Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of termination (but in
     no event later than the  expiration of the term of such Option as set forth
     in the Notice of Grant).  In the absence of a specified  time in the Notice
     of Grant,  the  Option  shall  remain  exercisable  for  three  (3)  months
     following the  Optionee's  termination.  In the case of an Incentive  Stock
     Option,  such period of time for exercise shall not exceed three (3) months
     from the


                                       -8-

<PAGE>



     date of termination.  If, on the date of  termination,  the Optionee is not
     entitled to exercise the Optionee's  entire  Option,  the Shares covered by
     the unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan. If, after
     termination,  the Optionee  does not exercise his or her Option  within the
     time specified by the  Administrator,  the Option shall terminate,  and the
     Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.

     Notwithstanding  the above, in the event of an Optionee's  change in status
     from  Consultant  to Employee or Employee  to  Consultant,  the  Optionee's
     Continuous  Status as an Employee  or  Consultant  shall not  automatically
     terminate  solely as a result of such  change in status.  However,  in such
     event,  an Incentive  Stock  Option held by the Optionee  shall cease to be
     treated as an Incentive  Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes
     as a  Nonstatutory  Stock Option three  months and one day  following  such
     change of status.

          (c) Disability of Optionee. In the event that an Optionee's Continuous
     Status  as  an  Employee  or  Consultant  terminates  as a  result  of  the
     Optionee's  Disability,  the Optionee may exercise his or her Option at any
     time within twelve (12) months from the date of such termination,  but only
     to the extent that the  Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of
     such  termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of
     such  Option  as set  forth in the  Notice  of  Grant).  If, at the date of
     termination,  the  Optionee is not  entitled to exercise  his or her entire
     Option, the Shares covered by the unexercisable portion of the Option shall
     revert to the Plan. If, after  termination,  the Optionee does not exercise
     his or her  Option  within the time  specified  herein,  the  Option  shall
     terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.

          (d) Death of Optionee.  In the event of the death of an Optionee,  the
     Option may be exercised at any time within twelve (12) months following the
     date of death  (but in no event  later than the  expiration  of the term of
     such Option as set forth in the Notice of Grant),  by the Optionee's estate
     or by a person who  acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or
     inheritance,  but only to the extent  that the  Optionee  was  entitled  to
     exercise  the  Option at the date of death.  If, at the time of death,  the
     Optionee was not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option,  the Shares
     covered by the unexercisable portion of the Option shall immediately revert
     to the Plan.  If,  after  death,  the  Optionee's  estate  or a person  who
     acquired  the right to exercise the Option by bequest or  inheritance  does
     not exercise the Option within the time specified herein,  the Option shall
     terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.

          (e) Buyout Provisions.  The Administrator may at any time offer to buy
     out for a payment in cash or Shares, an Option previously granted, based on
     such  terms  and  conditions  as  the  Administrator  shall  establish  and
     communicate to the Optionee at the time that such offer is made.

          (f) Rule 16b-3.  Options granted to individuals  subject to Section 16
     of the Exchange Act ("Insiders") must comply with the applicable provisions
     of Rule 16b-3 and shall contain such additional  conditions or restrictions
     as may be required  thereunder  to qualify for the maximum  exemption  from
     Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to Plan transactions.



                                       -9-

<PAGE>



     10.  Non-Transferability  of Options.  The Option may not be sold, pledged,
assigned, hypothecated,  transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by
will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised,  during the
lifetime of the Optionee, only by the Optionee.

     11. Stock Purchase Rights.

          (a) Rights to Purchase.  Stock  Purchase  Rights may be issued  either
     alone,  in addition  to, or in tandem with other awards  granted  under the
     Plan and/or cash awards made outside of the Plan.  After the  Administrator
     determines  that it will offer Stock  Purchase  Rights  under the Plan,  it
     shall  advise  the  offeree  in  writing  of  the  terms,   conditions  and
     restrictions related to the offer, including the number of Shares that such
     person  shall be  entitled to  purchase,  the price to be paid and the time
     within  which such person  must accept such offer,  which shall in no event
     exceed ninety (90) days from the date upon which the Administrator made the
     determination  to grant  the  Stock  Purchase  Right.  The  offer  shall be
     accepted  by  execution  of a purchase  agreement  (the  "Restricted  Stock
     Purchase  Agreement") in the form determined by the  Administrator.  Shares
     purchased pursuant to the grant of a Stock Purchase Right shall be referred
     to herein as "Restricted Stock".

          (b) Repurchase Option. Unless the Administrator  determines otherwise,
     the  Restricted  Stock  Purchase   Agreement  shall  grant  the  Company  a
     repurchase option exercisable upon the voluntary or involuntary termination
     of the purchaser's  employment  with the Company for any reason  (including
     death or Disability). The purchase price for Shares repurchased pursuant to
     the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall be the original price paid by
     the purchaser and may be paid by  cancellation  of any  indebtedness of the
     purchaser to the Company. The repurchase option shall lapse at such rate as
     the Administrator may determine.

          (c) Other  Provisions.  The Restricted Stock Purchase  Agreement shall
     contain such other terms,  provisions and conditions not inconsistent  with
     the Plan as may be determined by the  Administrator in its sole discretion.
     In addition,  the provisions of Restricted  Stock purchase  agreements need
     not be the same with respect to each purchaser.

          (d)  Rights  as a  Stockholder.  Once  the  Stock  Purchase  Right  is
     exercised,  the  purchaser  shall have the rights  equivalent to those of a
     stockholder, and shall be a stockholder when his or her purchase is entered
     upon the records of the duly authorized  transfer agent of the Company.  No
     adjustment  will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record
     date is prior to the date the Stock Purchase Right is exercised,  except as
     provided in Section 12 of the Plan.

          (e) Rule 16b-3. Stock Purchase Rights granted to Insiders,  and Shares
     purchased by Insiders in connection  with Stock Purchase  Rights,  shall be
     subject to any  restrictions  applicable  thereto in  compliance  with Rule
     16b-3. An Insider may only purchase Shares pursuant to the grant of a Stock
     Purchase Right, and may only sell Shares purchased pursuant to the grant of
     a Stock Purchase Right,  during such time or times as are permitted by Rule
     16b-3.

     12. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution or Merger.


                                      -10-


<PAGE>



          (a) Changes in  Capitalization.  Subject to any required action by the
     stockholders  of the Company,  the number of shares of Common Stock covered
     by each  outstanding  Option or Stock  Purchase  Right,  and the  number of
     shares of Common Stock which have been  authorized  for issuance  under the
     Plan but as to which no  Options  or Stock  Purchase  Rights  have yet been
     granted  or which  have  been  returned  to the Plan upon  cancellation  or
     expiration of an Option or Stock Purchase  Right,  as well as the price per
     share of Common  Stock  covered  by each such  outstanding  Option or Stock
     Purchase  Right,  shall be  proportionately  adjusted  for any  increase or
     decrease in the number of issued  shares of Common Stock  resulting  from a
     stock  split,   reverse  stock  split,   stock  dividend,   combination  or
     reclassification  of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in
     the number of issued  shares of Common Stock  effected  without  receipt of
     consideration  by the Company;  provided,  however,  that conversion of any
     convertible  securities  of the  Company  shall  not be deemed to have been
     "effected without receipt of consideration".  Such adjustment shall be made
     by the Administrator,  whose  determination in that respect shall be final,
     binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by
     the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into
     shares of stock of any class,  shall  affect,  and no  adjustment by reason
     thereof  shall be made with  respect  to,  the number or price of shares of
     Common Stock subject to an Option or Stock Purchase Right.

          (b)  Dissolution  or  Liquidation.   In  the  event  of  the  proposed
     dissolution or liquidation of the Company,  to the extent that an Option or
     Stock Purchase Right has not been previously  exercised,  it will terminate
     immediately  prior to the consummation of such proposed  action.  The Board
     may, in the exercise of its sole discretion in such instances, declare that
     any Option or Stock  Purchase  Right shall  terminate as of a date fixed by
     the Board and give each Optionee the right to exercise his or her Option or
     Stock Purchase Right as to all or any part of the Optioned Stock, including
     Shares as to which the Option or Stock  Purchase  Right would not otherwise
     be exercisable.

          (c) Merger or Asset Sale. In the event of a merger of the Company with
     or into another corporation, or the sale of substantially all of the assets
     of the Company,  each outstanding  Option and Stock Purchase Right shall be
     assumed  or an  equivalent  option or right  substituted  by the  successor
     corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation.  In the
     event that the successor  corporation  refuses to assume or substitute  for
     the Option or Stock Purchase Right, Administrator shall have the discretion
     to allow the Optionee to exercise the Option or Stock  Purchase Right as to
     all of the  Optioned  Stock,  including  Shares  as to which  it would  not
     otherwise  be  exercisable.  If  an  Option  or  Stock  Purchase  Right  is
     exercisable in lieu of assumption or  substitution in the event of a merger
     or sale of assets,  the  Administrator  shall notify the Optionee  that the
     Option or Stock Purchase Right shall be fully  exercisable  for a period of
     fifteen  (15) days from the date of such  notice,  and the  Option or Stock
     Purchase Right shall terminate upon the expiration of such period.  For the
     purposes of this  paragraph,  the Option or Stock  Purchase  Right shall be
     considered  assumed if, following the merger or sale of assets,  the option
     or right  confers  the right to  purchase  or  receive,  for each  Share of
     Optioned Stock subject to the Option or Stock  Purchase  Right  immediately
     prior to the merger or sale of assets,  the  consideration  (whether stock,
     cash, or other  securities  or property)  received in the merger or sale of
     assets by holders of Common Stock for each


                                      -11-

<PAGE>



     Share held on the effective  date of the  transaction  (and if holders were
     offered a choice of consideration,  the type of consideration chosen by the
     holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares);  provided,  however, that
     if such  consideration  received  in the  merger or sale of assets  was not
     solely  common  stock  of the  successor  corporation  or its  Parent,  the
     Administrator may, with the consent of the successor  corporation,  provide
     for the  consideration  to be received  upon the  exercise of the Option or
     Stock  Purchase  Right,  for each Share of  Optioned  Stock  subject to the
     Option or Stock Purchase  Right, to be solely common stock of the successor
     corporation  or its  Parent  equal in fair  market  value to the per  share
     consideration  received by holders of Common Stock in the merger or sale of
     assets.

     13. Date of Grant.  The date of grant of an Option or Stock  Purchase Right
shall,  for all  purposes,  be the date on which  the  Administrator  makes  the
determination  granting such Option or Stock Purchase  Right, or such other date
as is determined by the  Administrator.  Notice of the determination  shall be
given to each Employee or Consultant to whom an Option or Stock  Purchase  Right
is so granted within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.

     14. Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

          (a) Amendment and Termination. The Board may at any time amend, alter,
     suspend or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment,  alteration,  suspension
     or  discontinuation  shall be made  which  would  impair  the rights of any
     Optionee under any grant  theretofore  made without his or her consent.  In
     addition,  to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Section 422
     of the Code (or any other applicable law or regulation),  the Company shall
     obtain  stockholder  approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to
     such a degree as required.

          (b)  Effect  of  Amendment  or  Termination.  Any  such  amendment  or
     termination of the Plan shall not affect Options  already  granted and such
     Options  shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been
     amended  or  terminated,  unless  mutually  agreed  otherwise  between  the
     Optionee  and the  Administrator,  which  agreement  must be in writing and
     signed by the Optionee and properly on behalf of the Company.

     15. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued pursuant
to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance
and  delivery of such Shares  pursuant  thereto  shall  comply with all relevant
provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and
the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed,
and shall be further  subject to the  approval of counsel  for the Company  with
respect to such compliance.

     As a condition  to the  exercise of an Option,  the Company may require the
person  exercising  such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such
exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any
present intention to sell or distribute such


                                      -12-

<PAGE>



Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company,  such a representation  is
required by any of the aforementioned relevant provisions of law.

     16. Reservation of Shares. The Company,  during the term of this Plan, will
at all  times  reserve  and keep  available  such  number  of Shares as shall be
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

     The inability of the Company to obtain  authority from any regulatory  body
having  jurisdiction,  which authority is deemed by the Company's  counsel to be
necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve
the  Company of any  liability  in respect of the  failure to issue or sell such
Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

     17.  Agreements.  Options and Stock  Purchase  Rights shall be evidenced by
written agreements in such form as the Administrator  shall approve from time to
time.  Such  agreements may contain such other terms and  conditions,  including
rights of repurchase and rights of first refusal,  as the  Administrator  may in
its sole discretion deem appropriate.

     18.  Stockholder  Approval.  Continuance  of the Plan  shall be  subject to
approval by the  stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or
after the date the Plan is adopted.  Such stockholder approval shall be obtained
in the degree and manner required under applicable state and federal law.




                                      -13-

<PAGE>



                              ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.

                                 1992 STOCK PLAN

                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT


     Unless otherwise  defined herein,  the terms defined in the Plan shall have
the same defined meanings in this Option Agreement.

I.  NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

[Optionee's Name and Address]

     You have been  granted an option to purchase  Common  Stock of the Company,
subject to the terms and  conditions of the Plan and this Option  Agreement,  as
follows:

         Grant Number                                 _________________________

         Date of Grant                                _________________________

         Vesting Commencement Date                    _________________________

         Exercise Price per Share                   $ _________________________

         Total Number of Shares Granted               _________________________

         Total Exercise Price                       $ _________________________

         Type of Option:            ___      Incentive Stock Option

                                    ___      Nonstatutory Stock Option

          Term/Expiration Date:                       _________________________


          Vesting Schedule:

         This Option may be exercised,  in whole or in part, in accordance  with
the following schedule:

          20% of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest twelve months after
     the  Vesting  Commencement  Date,  and 1/60th of the Shares  subject to the
     Option shall vest each month thereafter.



                                       -1-


<PAGE>



          Termination Period:

               This  Option  may be  exercised  for  _____  [days/months]  after
          termination  of the Optionee's  employment or consulting  relationship
          with the Company.  Upon the death or Disability of the Optionee,  this
          Option may be  exercised  for such  longer  period as  provided in the
          Plan. In the event of the Optionee's change in status from Employee to
          Consultant  or  Consultant to Employee,  this Option  Agreement  shall
          remain in effect.  In no event  shall this Option be  exercised  later
          than the Term/Expiration Date as provided above.

II.  AGREEMENT

     1. Grant of Option.  The Plan Administrator of the Company hereby grants to
the Optionee  named in the Notice of Grant  attached as Part I of this Agreement
(the  "Optionee") an option (the "Option") to purchase the number of Shares,  as
set forth in the Notice of Grant,  at the exercise  price per share set forth in
the Notice of Grant (the "Exercise Price"),  subject to the terms and conditions
of the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 14(b)
of the Plan, in the event of a conflict  between the terms and conditions of the
Plan and the  terms  and  conditions  of this  Option  Agreement,  the terms and
conditions of the Plan shall prevail.

     If designated in the Notice of Grant as an Incentive  Stock Option ("ISO"),
this Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive  Stock  Option under  Section
422 of the Code.  However,  if this Option is intended to be an Incentive  Stock
Option,  to the extent that it exceeds the $100,000 rule of Code Section  422(d)
it shall be treated as a Nonstatutory Stock Option ("NSO").

     2. Exercise of Option.

          (1) Right to Exercise.  This Option is exercisable  during its term in
     accordance with the Vesting Schedule set out in the Notice of Grant and the
     applicable  provisions of the Plan and this Option Agreement.  In the event
     of  Optionee's  death,   Disability  or  other  termination  of  Optionee's
     employment or consulting relationship,  the exercisability of the Option is
     governed  by  the  applicable  provisions  of  the  Plan  and  this  Option
     Agreement.

          (2) Method of Exercise.  This Option is  exercisable by delivery of an
     exercise notice, in the form attached as Exhibit A (the "Exercise Notice"),
     which shall state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares
     in respect of which the Option is being exercised (the "Exercised Shares"),
     and such other  representations  and  agreements  as may be required by the
     Company  pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Exercise  Notice shall
     be signed by the  Optionee and shall be delivered in person or by certified
     mail  to the  Secretary  of the  Company.  The  Exercise  Notice  shall  be
     accompanied by payment of the aggregate  Exercise Price as to all Exercised
     Shares.  This Option  shall be deemed to be  exercised  upon receipt by the
     Company  of  such  fully  executed  Exercise  Notice  accompanied  by  such
     aggregate Exercise Price.

     No Shares shall be issued  pursuant to the  exercise of this Option  unless
     such issuance and exercise complies with all relevant provisions of law and
     the requirements of any stock exchange


                                       -2-


<PAGE>



     or quotation  service upon which the Shares are then listed.  Assuming such
     compliance,   for  income  tax  purposes  the  Exercised  Shares  shall  be
     considered  transferred to the Optionee on the date the Option is exercised
     with respect to such Exercised Shares.

     3. Method of Payment.  Payment of the aggregate  Exercise Price shall be by
any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of the Optionee:

          (1) cash;

          (2) check;

          (3) delivery of a properly executed exercise notice together with such
     other  documentation as the  Administrator  and the broker,  if applicable,
     shall  require to effect an  exercise  of the Option  and  delivery  to the
     Company of the sale or loan proceeds required to pay the exercise price; or

          (4) surrender of other Shares which (i) in the case of Shares acquired
     upon  exercise of an option,  have been owned by the Optionee for more than
     six (6) months on the date of surrender,  and (ii) have a Fair Market Value
     on the date of  surrender  equal  to the  aggregate  Exercise  Price of the
     Exercised Shares.

     4. Non-Transferability of Option. This Option may not be transferred in any
manner  otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may
be exercised during the lifetime of Optionee only by the Optionee.  The terms of
the  Plan  and this  Option  Agreement  shall  be  binding  upon the  executors,
administrators, heirs, successors and assigns of the Optionee.

     5. Term of Option.  This Option may be  exercised  only within the term set
out in the  Notice  of  Grant,  and may be  exercised  during  such term only in
accordance with the Plan and the terms of this Option Agreement.

     6.  Tax  Consequences.  Some of the  federal  and  state  tax  consequences
relating to this  Option,  as of the date of this  Option,  are set forth below.
THIS SUMMARY IS NECESSARILY  INCOMPLETE,  AND THE TAX LAWS AND  REGULATIONS  ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  THE OPTIONEE SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISER BEFORE  EXERCISING
THIS OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE SHARES.

          (1) Exercising the Option.

               (1)  Nonstatutory  Stock  Option.  The Optionee may incur regular
          federal  income tax and state income tax liability  upon exercise of a
          NSO.  The  Optionee  will be treated as having  received  compensation
          income (taxable at ordinary income tax rates) equal to the excess,  if
          any, of the Fair Market Value of the  Exercised  Shares on the date of
          exercise over their  aggregate  Exercise  Price. If the Optionee is an
          Employee  or a  former  Employee,  the  Company  will be  required  to
          withhold from his or her compensation or collect from Optionee and pay
          to the applicable taxing


                                       -3-

<PAGE>



          authorities   an  amount  in  cash  equal  to  a  percentage  of  this
          compensation  income at the time of exercise,  and may refuse to honor
          the exercise and refuse to deliver Shares if such withholding  amounts
          are not delivered at the time of exercise.

               (2) Incentive Stock Option.  If this Option  qualifies as an ISO,
          the Optionee will have no regular  federal  income tax or state income
          tax liability upon its exercise,  although the excess,  if any, of the
          Fair Market Value of the Exercised Shares on the date of exercise over
          their  aggregate  Exercise  Price will be treated as an  adjustment to
          alternative  minimum  taxable  income for federal tax purposes and may
          subject  the  Optionee  to  alternative  minimum  tax in the  year  of
          exercise.  In the event that the Optionee undergoes a change of status
          from  Employee  to  Consultant,  any  Incentive  Stock  Option  of the
          Optionee  that  remains  unexercised  shall  cease  to  qualify  as an
          Incentive  Stock  Option and will be  treated  for tax  purposes  as a
          Nonstatutory  Stock Option on the  ninety-first  (91st) day  following
          such change of status.

          (2) Disposition of Shares.

               (1) NSO. If the Optionee  holds NSO Shares for at least one year,
          any gain  realized  on  disposition  of the Shares  will be treated as
          long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes.

               (2) ISO. If the  Optionee  holds ISO Shares for at least one year
          after  exercise and two years after the grant date,  any gain realized
          on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain
          for  federal  income tax  purposes.  If the  Optionee  disposes of ISO
          Shares  within one year after  exercise  or two years  after the grant
          date,  any  gain  realized  on such  disposition  will be  treated  as
          compensation  income  (taxable at ordinary income rates) to the extent
          of the excess, if any, of the lesser of (A) the difference between the
          Fair Market  Value of the Shares  acquired on the date of exercise and
          the aggregate  Exercise Price, or (B) the difference  between the sale
          price of such Shares and the aggregate Exercise Price.

               (3) Notice of  Disqualifying  Disposition  of ISO Shares.  If the
          Optionee  sells or  otherwise  disposes of any of the Shares  acquired
          pursuant  to an ISO on or before the later of (i) two years  after the
          grant date,  or (ii) one year after the  exercise  date,  the Optionee
          shall  immediately  notify the Company in writing of such disposition.
          The  Optionee  agrees  that he or she may be  subject  to  income  tax
          withholding by the Company on the compensation  income recognized from
          such early  disposition of ISO Shares by payment in cash or out of the
          current earnings paid to the Optionee.

     7. Entire  Agreement;  Governing  Law. The Plan is  incorporated  herein by
reference. The Plan and this Option Agreement constitute the entire agreement of
the parties with  respect to the subject  matter  hereof and  supersede in their
entirety all prior  undertakings and agreements of the Company and Optionee with
respect to the subject matter hereof,  and may not be modified  adversely to the
Optionee's  interest  except by means of a writing  signed  by the  Company  and
Optionee.  This  agreement is governed by California law except for that body of
law pertaining to conflict of laws.



                                       -4-


<PAGE>



     By your signature and the signature of the Company's  representative below,
you and the Company  agree that this Option is granted under and governed by the
terms  and  conditions  of the Plan  and this  Option  Agreement.  Optionee  has
reviewed  the Plan and  this  Option  Agreement  in their  entirety,  has had an
opportunity  to obtain the  advice of counsel  prior to  executing  this  Option
Agreement and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and Option Agreement.
Optionee hereby agrees to accept as binding,  conclusive and final all decisions
or  interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan
and Option  Agreement.  Optionee  further  agrees to notify the Company upon any
change in the residence address indicated below.

OPTIONEE:                                                  ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.



____________________________________     By:____________________________________
Signature

____________________________________     Title:_________________________________
Print Name

- - ------------------------------------
Residence Address

- - ------------------------------------





                                       -5-


<PAGE>



                                CONSENT OF SPOUSE

     The  undersigned  spouse of Optionee has read and hereby approves the terms
and conditions of the Plan and this Option  Agreement.  In  consideration of the
Company's  granting his or her spouse the right to purchase  Shares as set forth
in the Plan and this  Option  Agreement,  the  undersigned  hereby  agrees to be
irrevocably  bound by the  terms  and  conditions  of the  Plan and this  Option
Agreement  and further  agrees that any  community  property  interest  shall be
similarly bound.  The undersigned  hereby appoints the  undersigned's  spouse as
attorney-in-fact  for the undersigned  with respect to any amendment or exercise
of rights under the Plan or this Option Agreement.

                                         
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                           Spouse of Optionee


                                       -6-

<PAGE>



                                    EXHIBIT A

                                 1992 STOCK PLAN

                                 EXERCISE NOTICE


Advent Software, Inc.
301 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA  94107

Attention:  Secretary

     1. Exercise of Option. Effective as of today, ________________,  199__, the
undersigned  ("Purchaser") hereby elects to purchase  ______________ shares (the
"Shares") of the Common Stock of Advent Software, Inc. (the "Company") under and
pursuant  to the 1992 Stock Plan (the  "Plan")  and the Stock  Option  Agreement
dated , 19___ (the "Option Agreement").  The purchase price for the Shares shall
be $ , as required by the Option Agreement.

     2. Delivery of Payment. Purchaser herewith delivers to the Company the full
purchase price for the Shares.

     3. Representations of Purchaser.  Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has
received,  read and understood  the Plan and the Option  Agreement and agrees to
abide by and be bound by their terms and conditions.

     4.  Rights  as  Stockholder.  Until  the  issuance  (as  evidenced  by  the
appropriate  entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized  transfer
agent of the Company) of the stock certificate  evidencing such Shares, no right
to vote or receive  dividends or any other rights as a  stockholder  shall exist
with respect to the Optioned Stock,  notwithstanding the exercise of the Option.
A share  certificate for the number of Shares so acquired shall be issued to the
Optionee as soon as practicable after exercise of the Option. No adjustment will
be made for a dividend  or other right for which the record date is prior to the
date the stock  certificate  is issued,  except as provided in Section 12 of the
Plan.

     5. Tax  Consultation.  Purchaser  understands  that  Purchaser  may  suffer
adverse tax  consequences as a result of Purchaser's  purchase or disposition of
the Shares.  Purchaser  represents  that  Purchaser has  consulted  with any tax
consultants  Purchaser  deems  advisable  in  connection  with the  purchase  or
disposition  of the Shares and that  Purchaser is not relying on the Company for
any tax advice.

     6. Entire  Agreement;  Governing  Law.  The Plan and Option  Agreement  are
incorporated  herein  by  reference.  This  Agreement,  the Plan and the  Option
Agreement  constitute  the entire  agreement  of the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and
agreements  of the  Company and  Optionee  with  respect to the  subject  matter
hereof, and may not be modified  adversely to the Optionee's  interest except by
means of a writing


                                       -1-


<PAGE>


signed by the Company and Optionee. This agreement is governed by California law
except for that body of law pertaining to conflict of laws.


Submitted by:                                        Accepted by:

OPTIONEE::                                           ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.


__________________________________         By: _________________________________
Signature

__________________________________        Its: ________________________________
Print Name


Address:                                             Address:

___________________________                          301 Brannan Street
___________________________                          San Francisco, CA  94107



                                       -2-

<PAGE>
                            
                             ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.

                        1995 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN


     The following constitute the provisions of the 1995 Employee Stock Purchase
Plan of Advent Software, Inc.

     1. Purpose.  The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the Company
and its Designated  Subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock of
the Company through accumulated  payroll deductions.  It is the intention of the
Company to have the Plan  qualify as an  "Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan" under
Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  The provisions of
the  Plan,   accordingly,   shall  be  construed  so  as  to  extend  and  limit
participation  in a manner  consistent with the  requirements of that section of
the Code.

     2. Definitions.

          (a) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

          (b) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          (c) "Common Stock" shall mean the Common Stock of the Company.

          (d) "Company" shall mean Advent Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation
     and any Designated Subsidiary of the Company.

          (e)  "Compensation"  shall mean all base straight time gross earnings,
     including  commissions,  but  exclusive  of payments  for  overtime,  shift
     premium,  incentive  compensation,  incentive payments,  bonuses, and other
     compensation.

          (f) "Designated  Subsidiaries"  shall mean the Subsidiaries which have
     been  designated  by the Board from time to time in its sole  discretion as
     eligible to participate in the Plan.

          (g)  "Employee"  shall mean any  individual  who is an Employee of the
     Company for tax purposes whose customary  employment with the Company is at
     least  twenty  (20)  hours per week and more  than  five (5)  months in any
     calendar year. For purposes of the Plan, the employment  relationship shall
     be treated as  continuing  intact while the  individual is on sick leave or
     other leave of absence  approved by the Company.  Where the period of leave
     exceeds  90  days  and  the  individual's  right  to  reemployment  is  not
     guaranteed  either by statute or by contract,  the employment  relationship
     will be deemed to have terminated on the 91st day of such leave.


          (h)  "Enrollment  Date"  shall  mean the  first  day of each  Offering
     Period.



                                       -1-


<PAGE>



          (i) "Exercise Date" shall mean the last day of each Purchase Period.

          (j) "Fair  Market  Value"  shall  mean,  as of any date,  the value of
     Common Stock determined as follows:

               (1) If the  Common  Stock  is  listed  on any  established  stock
          exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the
          Nasdaq  National  Market of the  National  Association  of  Securities
          Dealers,  Inc. Automated Quotation  ("NASDAQ") System, its Fair Market
          Value  shall be the  closing  sale price for the Common  Stock (or the
          mean of the closing bid and asked prices,  if no sales were reported),
          as quoted on such exchange (or the exchange  with the greatest  volume
          of  trading   in  Common   Stock)  or  system  on  the  date  of  such
          determination,  as reported  in The Wall Street  Journal or such other
          source as the Board deems reliable, or;

               (2) If the Common  Stock is quoted on the NASDAQ  System (but not
          on the Nasdaq  National  Market  thereof) or is regularly  quoted by a
          recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported,  its
          Fair  Market  Value  shall be the mean of the  closing  bid and  asked
          prices  for the  Common  Stock on the date of such  determination,  as
          reported in The Wall Street  Journal or such other source as the Board
          deems reliable, or;

               (3) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock,
          the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the
          Board.

          (k)  "Offering   Period"  shall  mean  the  period  of   approximately
     twenty-four (24) months during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan
     may be exercised, commencing on the first Trading Day on or after September
     1 and March 1 of each year and  terminating  on the last Trading Day in the
     periods  ending  twenty-four  months  later.  The  duration  and  timing of
     Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan.

               (l) "Plan" shall mean this Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

          (m)  "Purchase  Price"  shall mean an amount  equal to 85% of the Fair
     Market  Value of a share of Common Stock on the  Enrollment  Date or on the
     Exercise Date, whichever is lower.

          (n) "Purchase  Period" shall mean the  approximately  six month period
     commencing  after one Exercise Date and ending with the next Exercise Date,
     except that the first Purchase Period of any Offering Period shall commence
     on the Enrollment Date and end with the next Exercise Date.

          (o) "Reserves" shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock covered
     by each  option  under the Plan which have not yet been  exercised  and the
     number of shares of Common  Stock which have been  authorized  for issuance
     under the Plan but not yet placed under option.



                                       -2-


<PAGE>



          (p)  "Subsidiary"  shall mean a corporation,  domestic or foreign,  of
     which not less than 50% of the voting  shares are held by the  Company or a
     Subsidiary,  whether or not such  corporation  now  exists or is  hereafter
     organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary.

          (q) "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which national  stock  exchanges
     and the Nasdaq System are open for trading.

     3. Eligibility.

          (a) Any Employee (as defined in Section  2(g)),  who shall be employed
     by the Company on a given  Enrollment Date shall be eligible to participate
     in the Plan.

          (b) Any  provisions  of the Plan to the contrary  notwithstanding,  no
     Employee  shall be  granted  an option  under the Plan (i) if,  immediately
     after the grant,  such  Employee  (or any other person whose stock would be
     attributed to such Employee  pursuant to Section  424(d) of the Code) would
     own  capital  stock of the  Company  and/or  hold  outstanding  options  to
     purchase  such  stock  possessing  five  percent  (5%) or more of the total
     combined  voting power or value of all classes of the capital  stock of the
     Company or of any  Subsidiary,  or (ii) which  permits his or her rights to
     purchase  stock under all employee  stock purchase plans of the Company and
     its  subsidiaries  to accrue at a rate which exceeds  twenty-five  thousand
     dollars  ($25,000)  worth of stock  (determined at the fair market value of
     the shares at the time such option is granted)  for each  calendar  year in
     which such option is outstanding at any time.

         4. Offering  Periods.  The Plan shall be  implemented  by  consecutive,
overlapping  Offering Periods with a new Offering Period commencing on the first
Trading Day on or after September 1 and March 1 each year, or on such other date
as the Board shall  determine,  and continuing  thereafter  until  terminated in
accordance with Section 19 hereof.  The Board shall have the power to change the
duration of Offering  Periods  (including the  commencement  dates thereof) with
respect to future  offerings  without  shareholder  approval  if such  change is
announced at least five (5) days prior to the  scheduled  beginning of the first
Offering Period to be affected thereafter.

         5.       Participation.

          (a) An  eligible  Employee  may  become a  participant  in the Plan by
     completing a subscription  agreement  authorizing payroll deductions in the
     form of  Exhibit A to this Plan and  filing it with the  Company's  payroll
     office prior to the applicable Enrollment Date.

          (b) Payroll  deductions for a participant  shall commence on the first
     payroll  following the Enrollment Date and shall end on the last payroll in
     the  Offering  Period to which such  authorization  is  applicable,  unless
     sooner terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.



                                       -3-


<PAGE>



         6.       Payroll Deductions.

          (a) At the time a participant files his or her subscription agreement,
     he or she  shall  elect  to have  payroll  deductions  made on each pay day
     during the Offering  Period in an amount not exceeding ten percent (10%) of
     the  Compensation  which  he or she  receives  on each pay day  during  the
     Offering Period,  and the aggregate of such payroll  deductions  during the
     Offering  Period  shall not exceed ten percent  (10%) of the  participant's
     Compensation during said Offering Period.

          (b) All payroll deductions made for a participant shall be credited to
     his or her account under the Plan and will be withheld in whole percentages
     only. A participant may not make any additional payments into such account.

          (c) A participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan
     as provided in Section 10 hereof,  or may  increase or decrease the rate of
     his or her payroll  deductions  during the Offering Period by completing or
     filing with the Company a new subscription  agreement  authorizing a change
     in payroll  deduction  rate.  The Board may, in its  discretion,  limit the
     number of participation rate changes during any Offering Period. The change
     in rate shall be  effective  with the first full payroll  period  following
     five (5) business days after the Company's  receipt of the new subscription
     agreement   unless  the  Company  elects  to  process  a  given  change  in
     participation  more quickly. A participant's  subscription  agreement shall
     remain in effect for  successive  Offering  Periods  unless  terminated  as
     provided in Section 10 hereof.

          (d) Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  to the extent necessary to comply
     with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) hereof, a participant's
     payroll  deductions may be decreased to 0% at such time during any Purchase
     Period  which is  scheduled  to end during the current  calendar  year (the
     "Current  Purchase  Period") that the  aggregate of all payroll  deductions
     which were  previously  used to  purchase  stock  under the Plan in a prior
     Purchase  Period  which ended  during that  calendar  year plus all payroll
     deductions  accumulated  with respect to the Current  Purchase Period equal
     $21,250.  Payroll  deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in such
     participant's subscription agreement at the beginning of the first Purchase
     Period which is scheduled to end in the  following  calendar  year,  unless
     terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.

          (e) At the time the option is  exercised,  in whole or in part,  or at
     the time some or all of the Company's Common Stock issued under the Plan is
     disposed of, the participant must make adequate provision for the Company's
     federal, state, or other tax withholding  obligations,  if any, which arise
     upon the exercise of the option or the  disposition of the Common Stock. At
     any time, the Company may, but will not be obligated to,  withhold from the
     participant's  compensation  the amount  necessary  for the Company to meet
     applicable withholding  obligations,  including any withholding required to
     make available to the Company any tax  deductions or benefits  attributable
     to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the Employee.



                                       -4-


<PAGE>



         7. Grant of Option.  On the  Enrollment  Date of each Offering  Period,
each eligible Employee participating in such Offering Period shall be granted an
option to purchase on each  Exercise  Date during such  Offering  Period (at the
applicable  Purchase  Price) up to a number of  shares of the  Company's  Common
Stock  determined by dividing such  Employee's  payroll  deductions  accumulated
prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participant's  account as of the
Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price;  provided that in no event shall
an Employee be permitted  to purchase  during each  Purchase  Period more than a
number of Shares  determined  by dividing  $12,500 by the Fair Market Value of a
share of the Company's Common Stock on the Enrollment Date, and provided further
that such purchase  shall be subject to the  limitations  set forth in Sec tions
3(b) and 12 hereof.  Exercise of the option shall occur as provided in Section 8
hereof,  unless the participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10 hereof. The
Option shall expire on the last day of the Offering Period.

         8. Exercise of Option.  Unless a participant withdraws from the Plan as
provided in Section 10 hereof, his or her option for the purchase of shares will
be exercised  automatically on the Exercise Date, and the maximum number of full
shares  subject  to  option  shall  be  purchased  for such  participant  at the
applicable  Purchase Price with the accumulated payroll deductions in his or her
account.  No  fractional  shares  will  be  purchased;  any  payroll  deductions
accumulated  in a  participant's  account which are not sufficient to purchase a
full share  shall be retained in the  participant's  account for the  subsequent
Purchase  Period or  Offering  Period,  subject  to earlier  with  drawal by the
participant  as provided in Section 10 hereof.  Any other  monies left over in a
participant's  account  after  the  Exercise  Date  shall  be  returned  to  the
participant. During a participant's lifetime, a participant's option to purchase
shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.

         9.  Delivery.  As promptly as  practicable  after each Exercise Date on
which a purchase of shares  occurs,  the Company  shall  arrange the delivery to
each  participant,  as  appropriate,  of a certificate  representing  the shares
purchased upon exercise of his or her option.

         10.      Withdrawal; Termination of Employment.

          (a) A  participant  may withdraw all but not less than all the payroll
     deductions  credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his
     or her option  under the Plan at any time by giving  written  notice to the
     Company  in the form of Exhibit B to this  Plan.  All of the  participant's
     payroll  deductions  credited  to his or her  account  will be paid to such
     participant  promptly  after  receipt  of  notice  of  withdrawal  and such
     participant's   option  for  the  Offering  Period  will  be  automatically
     terminated,  and no further  payroll  deductions for the purchase of shares
     will be made for such Offering Period.  If a participant  withdraws from an
     Offering Period, payroll deductions will not resume at the beginning of the
     succeeding Offering Period unless the participant delivers to the Company a
     new subscription agreement.



                                       -5-


<PAGE>



          (b) Upon a  participant's  ceasing to be an  Employee  (as  defined in
     Section  2(g)  hereof),  for any  reason,  he or she will be deemed to have
     elected to withdraw  from the Plan and the payroll  deductions  credited to
     such  participant's  account during the Offering Period but not yet used to
     exercise the option will be returned to such participant or, in the case of
     his or her death, to the person or persons  entitled  thereto under Section
     14 hereof, and such participant's option will be automatically  terminated.
     The preceding sentence notwithstanding,  a participant who receives payment
     in lieu of  notice  of  termination  of  employment  shall  be  treated  as
     continuing  to be an Employee  for the  participant's  customary  number of
     hours per week of employment  during the period in which the participant is
     subject to such payment in lieu of notice.

         11. Interest.  No interest shall accrue on the payroll  deductions of a
participant in the Plan.

         12.      Stock.

          (a) The maximum  number of shares of the Company's  Common Stock which
     shall be made  available  for sale under the Plan shall be 300,000  shares,
     subject to  adjustment  upon  changes in  capitalization  of the Company as
     provided in Section 18 hereof.  If, on a given Exercise Date, the number of
     shares with respect to which options are to be exercised exceeds the number
     of shares then available  under the Plan, the Company shall make a pro rata
     allocation of the shares  remaining  available for purchase in as uniform a
     manner as shall be practicable and as it shall deter mine to be equitable.

          (b) The  participant  will have no interest or voting  right in shares
     covered by his option until such option has been exercised.

          (c) Shares to be  delivered  to a  participant  under the Plan will be
     registered in the name of the participant or in the name of the participant
     and his or her spouse.

         13.      Administration.

          (a)  Administrative  Body. The Plan shall be administered by the Board
     or a committee of members of the Board appointed by the Board. The Board or
     its  committee  shall have full and  exclusive  discretionary  authority to
     construe,  interpret  and  apply  the  terms  of  the  Plan,  to  determine
     eligibility  and to  adjudicate  all disputed  claims filed under the Plan.
     Every  finding,  decision  and  determination  made  by  the  Board  or its
     committee  shall, to the full extent permitted by law, be final and binding
     upon all parties.

          (b)  Rule  16b-3  Limitations.   Notwithstanding   the  provisions  of
     Subsection (a) of this Section 13, in the event that Rule 16b-3 promulgated
     under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
     or any successor  provision ("Rule 16b-3") provides  specific  requirements
     for the  administrators  of plans  of this  type,  the  Plan  shall be only
     administered by such


                                       -6-


<PAGE>



     a  body  and  in  such  a  manner  as  shall  comply  with  the  applicable
     requirements of Rule 16b-3.  Unless  permitted by Rule 16b-3, no discretion
     concerning  decisions regarding the Plan shall be afforded to any committee
     or person that is not "disinterested" as that term is used in Rule 16b-3.

         14.      Designation of Beneficiary.

          (a) A participant may file a written  designation of a beneficiary who
     is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the  participant's  account
     under the Plan in the event of such partici  pant's death  subsequent to an
     Exercise  Date on which the option is  exercised  but prior to  delivery to
     such  participant of such shares and cash. In addition,  a participant  may
     file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from
     the participant's account under the Plan in the event of such participant's
     death prior to exercise of the option.  If a participant is married and the
     designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent shall be required
     for such designation to be effective.

          (b) Such  designation of beneficiary may be changed by the participant
     at any time by written  notice.  In the event of the death of a participant
     and in the absence of a beneficiary  validly  designated under the Plan who
     is  living  at the time of such  participant's  death,  the  Company  shall
     deliver  such shares  and/or cash to the executor or  administrator  of the
     estate of the participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been
     appointed  (to  the  knowledge  of  the  Company),   the  Company,  in  its
     discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one
     or more  dependents  or  relatives  of the  participant,  or if no  spouse,
     dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as
     the Company may designate.

         15.   Transferability.   Neither  payroll  deductions   credited  to  a
participant's account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or
to  receive  shares  under the Plan may be  assigned,  transferred,  pledged  or
otherwise  disposed of in any way (other  than by will,  the laws of descent and
distribution or as provided in Section 14 hereof) by the  participant.  Any such
attempt at assignment,  transfer,  pledge or other  disposition shall be without
effect,  except  that the  Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw
funds from an Offering Period in accordance with Section 10 hereof.

         16.  Use of  Funds.  All  payroll  deductions  received  or held by the
Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and
the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions.

         17.   Reports.   Individual   accounts  will  be  maintained  for  each
participant  in the Plan.  Statements of account will be given to  participating
Employees  at least  annually,  which  statements  will set forth the amounts of
payroll  deductions,  the Purchase Price, the number of shares purchased and the
remaining cash balance, if any.

     18. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization,  Dissolution,  Liquidation,
Merger or Asset Sale.


                                       -7-


<PAGE>



          (a) Changes in  Capitalization.  Subject to any required action by the
     shareholders of the Company, the Reserves as well as the price per share of
     Common  Stock  covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been
     exercised shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in
     the number of issued shares of Common Stock  resulting  from a stock split,
     reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the
     Common Stock,  or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of
     Common Stock  effected  without  receipt of  consideration  by the Company;
     provided,  however,  that conversion of any  convertible  securities of the
     Company  shall  not be deemed to have been  "effected  without  receipt  of
     consideration".   Such  adjustment  shall  be  made  by  the  Board,  whose
     determination  in that  respect  shall be final,  binding  and  conclusive.
     Except as expressly  provided herein,  no issuance by the Company of shares
     of stock of any class,  or securities  convertible  into shares of stock of
     any class,  shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made
     with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common  Stock  subject to
     an option.

          (b)  Dissolution  or  Liquidation.   In  the  event  of  the  proposed
     dissolution  or  liquidation  of the  Company,  the  Offering  Periods will
     terminate  immediately  prior to the  consummation of such proposed action,
     unless otherwise provided by the Board.

          (c) Merger or Asset  Sale.  In the event of a proposed  sale of all or
     substantially  all of the  assets  of the  Company,  or the  merger  of the
     Company with or into another corporation,  each option under the Plan shall
     be assumed or an equivalent  option shall be  substituted by such successor
     corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless
     the Board determines, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of
     such assumption or  substitution,  to shorten the Offering  Periods then in
     progress by setting a new Exercise Date (the "New Exercise  Date").  If the
     Board shortens the Offering  Periods then in progress in lieu of assumption
     or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of assets, the Board shall
     notify each  participant in writing,  at least ten (10) business days prior
     to the New Exercise  Date,  that the Exercise  Date for his option has been
     changed  to the New  Exercise  Date and that his option  will be  exercised
     automatically  on the New Exercise  Date,  unless prior to such date he has
     withdrawn  from the Offering  Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.  For
     purposes  of this  paragraph,  an option  granted  under the Plan  shall be
     deemed to be assumed if, following the sale of assets or merger, the option
     confers the right to purchase,  for each share of option  stock  subject to
     the  option  immediately  prior  to the  sale  of  assets  or  merger,  the
     consideration  (whether  stock,  cash  or  other  securities  or  property)
     received  in the sale of assets or merger by  holders  of Common  Stock for
     each share of Common Stock held on the  effective  date of the  transaction
     (and if such holders were  offered a choice of  consideration,  the type of
     consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares
     of Common Stock); provided, however, that if such consideration received in
     the sale of assets or merger was not solely  common stock of the  successor
     corporation or its parent (as defined in Section  424(e) of the Code),  the
     Board may, with the consent of the successor  corporation,  provide for the
     consideration  to be  received  upon  exercise  of the  option to be solely
     common  stock of the  successor  corporation  or its  parent  equal in fair
     market value to the per share  consideration  received by holders of Common
     Stock and the sale of assets or merger.


                                       -8-


<PAGE>



         19.      Amendment or Termination.

          (a) The Board of  Directors of the Company may at any time and for any
     reason  terminate  or amend the Plan.  Except as  provided  in  Section  18
     hereof, no such termination can affect options previously granted, provided
     that an Offering  Period may be terminated by the Board of Directors on any
     Exercise Date if the Board  determines  that the termination of the Plan is
     in the best  interests  of the  Company  and its  shareholders.  Except  as
     provided  in  Section 18 hereof,  no  amendment  may make any change in any
     option  theretofore  granted  which  adversely  affects  the  rights of any
     participant.  To the extent  necessary  to comply  with Rule 16b-3 or under
     Section 423 of the Code (or any  successor  rule or  provision or any other
     applicable  law  or  regulation),  the  Company  shall  obtain  shareholder
     approval in such a manner and to such a degree as required.

          (b) Without  shareholder  consent  and  without  regard to whether any
     participant rights may be considered to have been "adversely affected," the
     Board (or its committee) shall be entitled to change the Offering  Periods,
     limit the frequency  and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during
     an Offering  Period,  establish  the exchange  ratio  applicable to amounts
     withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars,  permit payroll withholding
     in excess of the amount  designated by a participant in order to adjust for
     delays or  mistakes  in the  Company's  processing  of  properly  completed
     withholding elections,  establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods
     and/or  accounting and crediting  procedures to ensure that amounts applied
     toward  the  purchase  of  Common  Stock  for  each  participant   properly
     correspond with amounts withheld from the participant's  Compensation,  and
     establish  such  other  limitations  or  procedures  as the  Board  (or its
     committee) determines in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent
     with the Plan.

         20. Notices.  All notices or other  communications  by a participant to
the Company  under or in  connection  with the Plan shall be deemed to have been
duly given when  received in the form  specified by the Company at the location,
or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

         21. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued with
respect to an option  unless the  exercise of such option and the  issuance  and
delivery of such  shares  pursuant  thereto  shall  comply  with all  applicable
provisions  of law,  domestic or foreign,  including,  without  limitation,  the
Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended,  the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder,  and the requirements
of any stock  exchange  upon which the  shares may then be listed,  and shall be
further  subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such
compliance.

                  As a condition to the  exercise of an option,  the Company may
require the person  exercising  such option to represent and warrant at the time
of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and
without  any  present  intention  to sell or  distribute  such shares if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Company,  such a representation is required by any of
the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.


                                       -9-


<PAGE>



         22. Term of Plan.  The Plan shall become  effective upon the earlier to
occur  of its  adoption  by the  Board  of  Directors  or  its  approval  by the
shareholders of the Company.  It shall continue in effect for a term of ten (10)
years unless sooner terminated under Section 19 hereof.

         23.  Automatic  Transfer to Low Price  Offering  Period.  To the extent
permitted  by Rule 16b-3 of the  Exchange  Act, if the Fair Market  Value of the
Common Stock on any Exercise  Date in an Offering  Period is lower than the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock on the Enrollment Date of such Offering Period,
then all participants in such Offering Period shall be  automatically  withdrawn
from such Offering Period immediately after the exercise of their option on such
Exercise  Date  and  automatically  re-enrolled  in  the  immediately  following
Offering Period as of the first day thereof.



                                      -10-


<PAGE>



                                    EXHIBIT A


                              ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.

                        1995 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                             SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT



_____ Original Application                         Enrollment Date: ___________
_____ Change in Payroll Deduction Rate
_____ Change of Beneficiary(ies)


1.       hereby elects to participate in the Advent Software, Inc. 1995 Employee
         Stock Purchase Plan (the "Employee Stock Purchase Plan") and subscribes
         to pur chase shares of the Company's  Common Stock in  accordance  with
         this Subscription Agreement and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

2.       I hereby authorize payroll  deductions from each paycheck in the amount
         of ____% of my  Compensation on each payday (1-10%) during the Offering
         Period in accordance  with the Employee Stock  Purchase  Plan.  (Please
         note that no fractional percentages are permitted.)

3.       I understand that said payroll  deductions shall be accumulated for the
         purchase of shares of Common  Stock at the  applicable  Purchase  Price
         determined  in  accordance  with the Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan. I
         understand  that if I do not  withdraw  from an  Offering  Period,  any
         accumulated  payroll deductions will be used to automatically  exercise
         my option.

4.       I have  received a copy of the complete " Advent  Software,  Inc.  1995
         Employee Stock Purchase  Plan." I understand that my  participation  in
         the Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan is in all  respects  subject to the
         terms of the Plan. I understand  that my ability to exercise the option
         under this Subscription  Agreement is subject to obtaining  shareholder
         approval of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

5.       Shares  purchased for me under the Employee  Stock Purchase Plan should
         be issued in the name(s) of (Employee or Employee and spouse only):
                                 
         ----------------------------------------------------------

6.       I understand that if I dispose of any shares received by me pursuant to
         the Plan within 2 years after the Enrollment Date (the first day of the
         Offering Period during which I purchased such shares) or one year after
         the Exercise Date, I will be treated for federal income tax purposes as
         having received  ordinary income at the time of such  disposition in an
         amount  equal to the excess of the fair  market  value of the shares at
         the time such shares were purchased over the


                                       -1-


<PAGE>



         price which I paid for the shares. I HEREBY AGREE TO NOTIFY THE COMPANY
         IN  WRITING  WITHIN  30 DAYS  AFTER THE DATE OF ANY  DISPOSITION  OF MY
         SHARES AND I WILL MAKE ADEQUATE  PROVISION FOR FEDERAL,  STATE OR OTHER
         TAX WITHHOLDING  OBLIGATIONS,  IF ANY, WHICH ARISE UPON THE DISPOSITION
         OF THE COMMON  STOCK.  The Company may,  but will not be obligated  to,
         withhold  from  my  compensation  the  amount  necessary  to  meet  any
         applicable  withholding  obligation including any withholding necessary
         to make  available  to the  Company  any  tax  deductions  or  benefits
         attributable  to sale or early  disposition of Common Stock by me. If I
         dispose of such shares at any time after the  expiration  of the 2-year
         and 1- year holding  periods,  I understand  that I will be treated for
         federal income tax purposes as having  received income only at the time
         of such  disposition,  and that such  income  will be taxed as ordinary
         income  only to the extent of an amount  equal to the lesser of (1) the
         excess  of the  fair  market  value of the  shares  at the time of such
         disposition over the purchase price which I paid for the shares, or (2)
         15% of the fair  market  value of the  shares  on the  first day of the
         Offering Period. The remainder of the gain, if any,  recognized on such
         disposition will be taxed as capital gain.

7.       I hereby agree to be bound by the terms of the Employee  Stock Purchase
         Plan. The  effectiveness  of this  Subscription  Agreement is dependent
         upon my eligibility to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

8.       In the  event of my  death,  I hereby  designate  the  following  as my
         beneficiary(ies)  to receive all  payments  and shares due me under the
         Employee Stock Purchase Plan:


NAME:  (Please print)______________________________________________
                      (First)         (Middle)               (Last)


- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relationship



- - ---------------------------------------------
(Address)



                                       -2-


<PAGE>




Employee's Social
Security Number:  ____________________________________



Employee's Address:                         ____________________________________

                                            ____________________________________

                                            ____________________________________


I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION  AGREEMENT SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT
SUCCESSIVE OFFERING PERIODS UNLESS TERMINATED BY ME.



Dated:_________________________         ________________________________________
                                                     Signature of Employee


                                         ---------------------------------------
                                                  Spouse's Signature 
                                            (If beneficiary other than spouse)


                                       -3-


<PAGE>


                                    EXHIBIT B


                              ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.

                        1995 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                              NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL



         The  undersigned  participant  in the  Offering  Period  of the  Advent
Software,  Inc. 1995 Employee Stock  Purchase Plan which began on  ____________,
19____ (the "Enrollment Date") hereby notifies the Company that he or she hereby
withdraws from the Offering Period.  He or she hereby directs the Company to pay
to the  undersigned  as  promptly  as  practicable  all the  payroll  deductions
credited  to his or her  account  with  respect  to such  Offering  Period.  The
undersigned  understands  and agrees  that his or her  option for such  Offering
Period will be automatically  termi nated. The undersigned  understands  further
that no further  payroll  deductions  will be made for the purchase of shares in
the current Offering Period and the undersigned shall be eligible to participate
in  succeeding  Offering  Periods  only  by  delivering  to  the  Company  a new
Subscription Agreement.

                                           Name and Address of Participant:

                                           --------------------------------


                                           --------------------------------


                                           --------------------------------


                                           Signature:


                                           --------------------------------


                                           Date:__________________________



                                       -4-


<PAGE>



                             ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC.
               PROXY FOR 1998 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
          THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS


     The  undersigned   stockholder  of  ADVENT   SOFTWARE,   INC.,  a  Delaware
corporation,  hereby  acknowledges  receipt of the  Notice of Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders and Proxy Statement, each dated March 30, 1998, and hereby appoints
Stephanie  G.  DiMarco  and Irv H.  Lichtenwald,  and each of them,  proxies and
attorneys-in-fact, with full power to each of substitution, on behalf and in the
name of the undersigned, to represent the undersigned at the 1998 Annual Meeting
of Stockholders of ADVENT SOFTWARE, INC. to be held on Thursday, April 30, 1998,
at 9:00 a.m.,  local  time,  at the  Sheraton  Palace  Hotel  located at Two New
Montgomery  Street,  San  Francisco,   California  and  at  any  adjournment  or
adjournments  thereof,  and to  vote  all  shares  of  Common  Stock  which  the
undersigned would be entitled to vote, if then and there personally  present, on
the matters set forth on the reverse side.

     A majority of such  attorneys or  substitutes as shall be present and shall
act at said meeting or any adjournment or  adjournments  thereof (or if only one
shall  represent  and act, then that one) shall have and may exercise all of the
powers of said attorneys-in-fact hereunder.


                  CONTINUED AND TO BE SIGNED ON REVERSE SIDE
                                                                     -----------
                                                                     SEE REVERSE
                                                                         SIDE
                                                                     -----------
<PAGE>
 
[X]  Please mark
     votes as in
     this example


THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED,  OR IF NO CONTRARY DIRECTION IS INDICATED,
WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS, FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE 1992 STOCK
OPTION PLAN, FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE 1995 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN,FOR THE
RATIFICATION  OF THE  APPOINTMENT  OF COOPERS & LYBRAND,  L.L.P.  AS INDEPENDENT
ACCOUNTANTS OF THE COMPANY,  AND AS SAID  PROXIES DEEM  ADVISABLE ON SUCH OTHER
MATTERS AS MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING.

1.  Election of Directors

    NOMINEES:  Stephanie G. DiMarco; Frank H. Robinson; 
               Wendell G. Van Auken; William F. Zuendt; Monte Zweben

                         FOR                   WITHHELD
                         ALL                   FROM ALL
                       NOMINEES                NOMINEES 
                         [_]                     [_]
             
    [_] _____________________________________________________________________
         For all nominees except as noted above.


    [_]  MARK HERE FOR ADDRESS CHANGE AND NOTE BELOW



                                                     FOR      AGAINST    ABSTAIN
2.  Proposal to approve an amendment to the          [_]        [_]        [_]
    Company's 1992 Stock Option Plan to increase
    the number of shares reserved for issuance 
    thereunder by 500,000 shares.
                                                     FOR      AGAINST    ABSTAIN
3.  Proposal to approve an amendment to the          [_]        [_]        [_]
    Company's 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
    to increase the number of shares reserved 
    for issuance thereunder by 200,000 shares.

                                                     FOR      AGAINST    ABSTAIN
4.  Proposal to ratify the appointment of            [_]        [_]        [_]
    Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., as the independent
    accountants of the Company for fiscal 1998.


    In their discretion the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
    matter or matters which may properly come before the meeting or any 
    adjournment or adjournments thereof.
    


(This Proxy should be marked, dated and signed by the stockholder(s) exactly as 
his or her name appears hereon, and returned promptly in this enclosed envelope.
Persons signing in a fiduciary capacity should so indicate. If shares are held 
by joint tenants or as community property, both should sign.)


Signature:_________________ Date:______ Signature:_________________ Date:______ 



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