WESTON, Fla., Aug 23, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Ultimate Software (ULTI), a leading provider of Web-based payroll and workforce management solutions, announced today that Noodles & Company, a 110-unit Fast Casual eatery with locations in 11 states, selected Ultimate Software's hosted service model, Intersourcing, in June 2005.

For four years in a row, Noodles & Company has been the highest-ranking restaurant on the Inc. 500 roster of America's fastest-growing private companies, and has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and Hot Concept! by Nation's Restaurant News. As an expanding business, Noodles & Company must deal with the complexities associated with a large, remote workforce of more than 2,500 people. Daily communication with distant teams, appropriate support for them despite time zone changes, as well as collecting time and attendance data from many locations and consolidating it for reporting and compensation purposes are critical to business operations.

To address those issues, Noodles & Company has replaced its internal service bureau with an integrated HR, payroll, and benefits solution from Ultimate Software, which will interface with the company's point-of-sale (POS) system for time and attendance tracking at each of its stores. Noodles & Company also is implementing Web self-service to unite employee information, reduce manual data entry, empower managers, and improve efficiencies.

"With the service bureau, we entered employee information into numerous systems by hand. We plan to use Intersourcing to automate system-to-system information transfers for efficiencies and to create a single repository for workforce information," said David Lehn, director of corporate systems for Noodles & Company. "Self-service can help us give employees and managers more ownership of their own information with the ability to update, as appropriate."

One concern Noodles & Company had when searching for vendors for this project was customer service. That worry was allayed when the Fast Casual company learned that Ultimate Software has a 97% customer retention rate and has received certification from the Support Center Practices (SCP) certification program for 6 consecutive years. Ultimate Software operates its Passion for Perfection customer service program that leverages new technologies and best practices to create the ultimate customer experience 100% of the time.

"The Intersourcing customers we spoke to during the evaluation phase were very pleased with the responsiveness and knowledge of Ultimate Software's customer service representatives," said Lehn. "We look forward to working with the Ultimate Software team and hope to take full advantage of the service and the solution."

"Ultimate Software has a strong foothold in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and we welcome Noodles & Company to a customer team that includes great companies like Ruth's Chris Steak House, Roadhouse Grill, and large franchises like Domino's Pizza, Arby's, and Wendy's," said Greg Swick, senior vice president of sales for Ultimate Software.

About Ultimate Software

Ultimate Software, a leading provider of Web-based payroll and workforce management solutions, markets award-winning UltiPro as licensed software, as a hosted application through Intersourcing, and as a co-branded offering to Business Service Providers (BSPs) under the "Powered by UltiPro" brand. Employing approximately 500 professionals who are focused on developing the highest quality products and services, Ultimate Software was named the 2005 Payroll Provider of the Year by the Human Resources Outsourcing Association and listed among the 2005 top 25 Best Medium Places to Work in America by the Great Place to Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management. Ultimate Software customers represent diverse industries and include such organizations as The Container Store, Elizabeth Arden, The Florida Marlins Baseball Team, The New York Yankees Baseball Team, Nintendo of America, Ruth's Chris Steak House, SkyWest Airlines, and Trammell Crow Residential. More information on Ultimate Software's products and services can be found at http://www.ultimatesoftware.com.

UltiPro and Intersourcing are registered trademarks of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.

For Sales Information: Ultimate Software Phone: (800) 432-1729 Web site: http://www.ultimatesoftware.com

SOURCE Ultimate Software Darlene Marcroft, Ultimate Software, +1-954-331-7444, or darlene_marcroft@ultimatesoftware.com