Collaborative functions, which enable several people to work on a document simultaneously, and functions that improve workflow are what is making messaging systems so popular, and these are the two areas that Microsoft claims to have improved in its latest version of Exchange.

Microsoft also claims that Exchange 5.5 integrates better with Windows NT - the preferred platform of an increasing number of organisations, and supports more key internet protocols than any other messaging products.

According to Microsoft China product marketing manager Jerry Yang, messaging is one of the elements that contribute to build 'a successful digital nervous system able to react quickly to unplanned events and to execute planned events more efficiently'.

An IDC messaging survey found that users ranked calendaring among the 10 most important features of messaging, and the third most frequently used type of collaboration function.

Planning a meeting within a browser enhances productivity and improves workflow. It also takes advantage of roaming services that more Internet service providers (ISPs) offer to their subscribers.

While roaming, an executive can log in from Paris and set up a meeting with his colleagues in Hong Kong. There is an internet calendaring standard now, called 'vcalendar' on which Microsoft Exchange's own calendaring application is based.

Another example of collaborative application would be Microsoft NetMeeting, a conferencing software that - if fitted on the adequate multimedia hardware - enables several users to watch and edit a document at the same time, set up a video or audio conference, and have a chat over e-mail.

Automatic routing is another way of improving workflow. The automatic routing of expense reporting forms, for example, can speed up substantially the approval process.

Other notable enhancements found in the third version of Microsoft Exchange are the unlimited information storage, which means one server can now support three times more users than before, making it particularly suitable for large or complicated network topology; capability to recover deleted messages and higher clustering capabilities, making maintenance easier.

Another benefit is that users of other messaging systems can communicate with Microsoft Exchange users.

Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 is available in Standard and Enterprise edition packages ranging from about $13,800 for 10 seats to $28,392 for 25 seats.

Simplified and traditional Chinese versions are being developed in China and will be available in March next year.