<PAGE>
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 3 OMB APPROVAL
-----------------------------
OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: December 31, 2001
Estimated average burden
hours per response ...... 0.5
-----------------------------
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
Kelley, Matthew
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Last) (First) (Middle)
Two Apple Hill Drive
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Street)
Natick, MA 01760
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(City) (State) (Zip)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
3/27/00
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Peritus Software Services, Inc. (PTUS)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
Director XX 10% Owner
----- ------
XX Officer (give Other (Specify
----- title below) ------ below)
Vice President
----------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing
(Check Applicable Line)
[X] Form filed by One Reporting Person
[_] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Table 1 -- Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security 2. Amount of Securities 3. Ownership Forms 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4) Beneficially Owned Direct (D) or (Instr. 5)
(Instr. 4) Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock 10,000,000 I By Rocket Software, Inc.
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially
owned directly or indirectly.
(Over)
<PAGE>
Form 3 (Continued)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Table II -- Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security 2. Date Exer- 3. Title and Amount of Securities 4. Conversion 5. Ownership 6. Nature of
(Instr. 4) cisable and Underlying Derivative Securities or Exercise Form of Indirect
Expiration (Instr. 4) Price of Derivative Beneficial
Date Derivative Security: Ownership
(Month/Day/ Security Direct (D) (Instr. 5)
Year) or
------- ------- ---------------------------------- Indirect (I)
Date Expira- Amount (Instr. 5)
Exer- tion or
cisable Date Title Number
of
Shares
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Option (1) 4/3/2010 Common Stock 150,000 $.875 D
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
- ------------------------------- ------- ------- ------------------------ ------- --------------- --------------- -------------
</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses
(1) The options vest ratably in two (2) equal installments commencing one year
after the date of grant. The date of grant is ten (10) years prior to the
expiration date.
**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal
Violations.
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If
space provided is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.
/s/ Matthew Kelley
_______________________________ Date: April 5, 2000
Matthew Kelley
