<PAGE> 1
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO. )*
Best Software, Inc.
-------------------
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
000865791
---------
(CUSIP Number)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
<PAGE> 2
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 2 OF 11 PAGES
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Edison Venture Fund, L.P. 22-2725572
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
- ----------------------- ----- --------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
0
NUMBER OF
----- --------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 3,218,465
----- --------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 0
----- --------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
29.5%
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
PN
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE> 3
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 3 OF 11 PAGES
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Edison Partners, L.P. 22-2703711
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
- ----------------------- ----- --------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
0
NUMBER OF
----- --------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 3,218,465
----- --------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 0
----- --------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- ----- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
29.5%
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
PN
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE> 4
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 4 OF 11 PAGES
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
John H. Martinson ###-##-####
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
USA
- ----------------------- ----- --------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
0
NUMBER OF
----- --------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 3,218,465
----- --------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 0
----- --------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
29.5%
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
IN
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE> 5
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 5 OF 11 PAGES
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Richard J. Defieux ###-##-####
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
USA
- ----------------------- ----- --------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
0
NUMBER OF
----- --------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 3,218,465
----- --------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 0
----- --------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,218,465
- ----- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
29.5%
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
IN
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE> 6
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 6 OF 11 PAGES
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Gustav H. Koven, III ###-##-####
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
USA
- ----------------------- ----- --------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
0
NUMBER OF
----- --------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 3,218,465
----- --------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 0
----- --------------------------------------------------
WITH 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,218,465
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [ ]
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
29.5%
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
IN
- ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE> 7
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 7 OF 11 PAGES
Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: Best Software, Inc. (the "Issuer").
Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 11413 Isaac
Newton Square, Reston, VA 20190.
Item 2(a). Names of Persons Filing: Edison Venture Fund, L.P. ("Edison
Venture Fund"); Edison Partners, L.P. ("Edison Partners");
John H. Martinson, Richard J. Defieux and Gustav H. Koven, III
(collectively, the "General Partners"). The General Partners,
Edison Venture Fund and Edison Partners collectively are
referred to as the "Reporting Persons."
Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office: The principal business
address of the Reporting Persons is 997 Lenox Drive #3,
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Item 2(c). Citizenship: Edison Venture Fund and Edison Partners are
limited partnerships organized under the laws of the State of
Delaware. Each General Partner is a U.S. citizen.
Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, no par value (the
"Common Stock").
Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 000865791.
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b), or
13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:
(a) [ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act").
(b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act.
(c) [ ] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of
the Act.
(d) [ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of
the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(e) [ ] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
(f) [ ] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is
subject to the provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or Endowment
Fund; see Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F) of the Act.
(g) [ ] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Rule
13d-1(b)(ii)(G) of the Act.
(h) [ ] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)
of the Act.
Not Applicable.
<PAGE> 8
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 8 OF 11 PAGES
Item 4. Ownership:
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned: Each of Edison Venture
Fund, Edison Partners, John H. Martinson, Gustav H.
Koven, III and Richard J. Defieux may be deemed to
own beneficially 3,218,465 shares of Common Stock as
of December 31, 1997. Each of the General Partners
expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of any
shares of Common Stock.
Edison Venture Fund, of which Edison Partners is the
sole general partner, is the record owner of
3,218,465 shares of Common Stock as of December 31,
1997. The General Partners are the general partners
of Edison Partners.
(b) Percent of Class: Edison Venture Fund, 29.5%; Edison
Partners, 29.5%; John H. Martinson, 29.5%; Richard J.
Defieux, 29.5%; and Gustav H. Koven, III, 29.5%. The
foregoing percentages are calculated based on the
10,898,698 shares of Common Stock reported by the
Company to be outstanding as of November 10, 1997.
(c) Number of Shares as to Which Such Person Has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: Edison
Venture Fund, 0; Edison Partners, 0; John H.
Martinson, 0; Richard J. Defieux, 0; and Gustav H.
Koven, III, 0.
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
Edison Venture Fund, 3,218,465; Edison Partners,
3,218,465; John H. Martinson, 3,218,465; Richard J.
Defieux, 3,218,465; and Gustav H. Koven, III,
3,218,465.
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: Edison Venture Fund, 0; Edison
Partners, 0; John H. Martinson, 0; Richard J.
Defieux, 0; and Gustav H. Koven, III, 0.
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: Edison Venture Fund, 3,218,465;
Edison Partners, 3,218,465; John H. Martinson,
3,218,465; Richard J. Defieux, 3,218,465; and Gustav
H. Koven, III, 3,218,465.
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
Not Applicable.
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person:
Not Applicable.
<PAGE> 9
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 9 OF 11 PAGES
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company:
Not Applicable.
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
Not Applicable. Edison Venture Fund, Edison Partners and each
of the General Partners expressly disclaim membership in a
"group" as defined in Rule 13d-5(b)(1).
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group:
Not Applicable.
Item 10. Certification:
Not Applicable. This statement on Schedule 13G is not filed
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b).
<PAGE> 10
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 10 OF 11 PAGES
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief,
each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: February 10, 1998 EDISON VENTURE FUND, L.P.
By: Edison Partners, L.P.,
its General Partner
By: /s/ John H. Martinson
------------------------------
General Partner
EDISON PARTNERS, L.P.
By: /s/ John H. Martinson
------------------------------
General Partner
/s/ John H. Martinson
----------------------------------
John H. Martinson
/s/ Richard J. Defieux
----------------------------------
Richard J. Defieux
/s/ Gustav H. Koven, III
----------------------------------
Gustav H. Koven, III
<PAGE> 11
CUSIP NO. 000865791 13G PAGE 11 OF 11 PAGES
Exhibit 1
AGREEMENT
Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(f)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the undersigned hereby agree that only one statement containing the information
required by Schedule 13G need be filed with respect to the ownership by each of
the undersigned of shares of stock of Best Software, Inc.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original.
Dated: February 10, 1998 EDISON VENTURE FUND, L.P.
By: Edison Partners, L.P.,
its General Partner
By: /s/ John H. Martinson
------------------------------
General Partner
EDISON PARTNERS, L.P.
By: /s/ John H. Martinson
------------------------------
General Partner
/s/ John H. Martinson
----------------------------------
John H. Martinson
/s/ Richard J. Defieux
----------------------------------
Richard J. Defieux
/s/ Gustav H. Koven, III
----------------------------------
Gustav H. Koven, III
