<PAGE>   1
    As Filed With the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 17, 1998
                                                  Registration No. 333-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington. D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                          PLATINUM SOFTWARE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                                       33-0277592
(State or other jurisdiction                           (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)

               195 Technology Drive, Irvine, California 92618-2402
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                   ----------

                              KEY EMPLOYEE OPTIONS
                           FOCUSSOFT STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full title of plans)

                                   ----------

                    L. George Klaus, Chief Executive Officer
                          Platinum Software Corporation
                              195 Technology Drive
                          Irvine, California 92618-2402
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (714) 453-4000
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:
                              Perry Tarnofsky, Esq.
                          Platinum Software Corporation
                              195 Technology Drive
                              Irvine, CA 92618-2402

<PAGE>   2

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Proposed maximum   Proposed maximum  
Title of securities    Amount to be      offering price   aggregate offering       Amount of 
 to be registered     registered (1)        per share           price            registration fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                      <C>                   <C>          <C>                     <C>       
Common Stock,            525,206               (2)          $2,520,989 (2)          $   787.81
$.001 par value          shares

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)  This Registration Statement covers an aggregate of 300,000 shares of Common
     Stock which may be issued pursuant to Key Employee Nonqualified Stock
     Option Agreements ("Key Employee Options") and 225,206 shares of Common
     Stock which may be issued pursuant to the FocusSoft Stock Option Plan,
     which is comprised of nonqualified stock option agreements assumed in
     connection with the merger with FocusSoft, Inc. which occurred on November
     14, 1997 ("FocusSoft Options"); together with such additional shares of
     such Common Stock as may be issued to the holders of such options pursuant
     to anti-dilution provisions.

(2)  In accordance with Rule 457(h), the aggregate offering price of 525,206
     shares of Common Stock registered hereby which would be issued upon
     exercise of the Key Employee Options and the FocusSoft Options are based
     upon the per share exercise price of such options, the weighted average of
     which is $4.80 per share.


                                       2
<PAGE>   3
                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The following documents have been filed by the Registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and are incorporated
herein by reference:

        (a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1997.

        (b) Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
September 30, 1997, and December 31, 1997.

        (c) Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated June 30, 1997 (as
amended by Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 11, 1997), July 29, 1997,
October 29, 1997, November 14, 1997 and January 22, 1998.

        (d) All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report referred to
in (a) above.

        (e) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock which is contained
in the Registrant's registration statement on Form 8-A filed on October 15, 1992
pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report
filed for the purpose of updating such description.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement which indicates that all
of the shares of Common Stock offered have been sold or which deregisters all of
such shares then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of
the filing of such documents; except as to any portion of any future annual or
quarterly report to stockholders or document that is not deemed filed under such
provisions. For the purposes of this registration statement, any statement
contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
registration statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

        Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

        Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        (a) As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Second
Restated Certificate of Incorporation eliminates the liability of directors to
the Registrant or its stockholders for 


                                      II-1
<PAGE>   4

monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the
extent otherwise required by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

        (b) The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that
the Registrant will indemnify each person who was or is made a party to any
proceeding by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or
officer of the Registrant against all expense, liability and loss reasonably
incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith to the fullest
extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law. The Registrant's
Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for a similar indemnity to directors and
officers of the Company to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General
Corporation Law.

        (c) The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each
of its directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements provide
for the indemnification of directors and executive officers of the Registrant
against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

        Not Applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

        4.1 Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement between the Company and John
            Lococo.*

        4.2 Nonqualified Option Agreement between the Company and Michael
            Zimmerman.*

        4.3 Form of FocusSoft Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement.

        5.1 Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
            Corporation.

        23.1 Consent of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
             Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.1).

        23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Accountants

        24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to the
             Registration Statement - see pages II-5 and II-6). 

             --------------------
             *Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's current
             report on Form 8-K dated November 14, 1997.

Item 9. Undertakings.

        (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

            (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
            made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                 (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
                 the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act");


                                      II-2
<PAGE>   5

                 (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
                 after the effective date of the registration statement (or the
                 most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                 individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                 change in the information set forth in the registration
                 statement;

                 (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
                 plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                 registration statement or any material change to such
                 information in the registration statement;

        Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
        if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
        information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
        those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
        Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act
        that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

            (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
            Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
            to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
            offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
            shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

            (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
            amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
            at the termination of the offering.

        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
        determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
        Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of
        the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
        benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange
        Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
        shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
        securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
        time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
        Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
        persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
        otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
        Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
        public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
        In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
        (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid
        by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
        successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
        such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
        securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion
        of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
        submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
        indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
        and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      II-3
<PAGE>   6

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Irvine, State of California, on the 12th day of
February, 1998.


                                       PLATINUM SOFTWARE CORPORATION



                                       By:   /s/ L. George Klaus
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           L. George Klaus
                                           Chairman of the Board,
                                           Chief Executive Officer and President


                                      II-4
<PAGE>   7

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        We, the undersigned officers and directors of Platinum Software
Corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint L. George Klaus and Michael J.
Simmons, or either of them, our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents,
each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite are necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that each of said attorney-in-fact and agents, or his substitute
or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
           Signature                                   Title                            Date
           ---------                                   -----                            ----
<S>                                      <C>                                     <C> 
/s/ L. George Klaus                      Chairman of the Board,                  February 12, 1998
------------------------------------     Chief Executive Officer and 
L. George Klaus                          President



/s/ Michael J. Simmons                   Chief Financial Officer                 February 12, 1998
------------------------------------     (Principal Financial Officer)
Michael J. Simmons



/s/ Paul G. Mazzarella                   Corporate Controller                    February 12, 1998
------------------------------------     (Principal Accounting Officer)
Paul G. Mazzarella



------------------------------------     Director
Carmelo J. Santoro



/s/ Arthur J. Marks                      Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
Arthur J. Marks



/s/ L. John Doerr                        Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------
L. John Doerr



/s/ Richard J. Goeglein                  Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
Richard J. Goeglein
</TABLE>


                                      II-5
<PAGE>   8

                 (SIGNATURE PAGE TO POWER OF ATTORNEY CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<S>                                      <C>                                     <C> 
/s/ Donald R. Dixon                      Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
Donald R. Dixon


/s/ W. Douglas Hajjar                    Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
W. Douglas Hajjar


/s/ John Lococo                          Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
John Lococo
</TABLE>


                                      II-6
<PAGE>   9

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit                                                                                 Sequential
Number                           Description                                            Page Number
-------                          -----------                                            -----------
<S>    <C>                                                                              <C>
 4.1   Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement between the Company and John Lococo.
       (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's Current Report
       on Form 8-K dated November 14, 1997.)

 4.2   Nonqualified Option Agreement between the Company and Michael Zimmerman.
       (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's Current Report
       on Form 8-K dated November 14, 1997.)

 4.3   Form of FocusSoft Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement.

 5.1   Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
       Corporation.

 23.1  Consent of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional Corporation
       (Included in Exhibit 5.1).

 23.2  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Accountants.

 24.1  Power of Attorney (Included on the signature page to the Registration
       Statement - see pages II-5 and II-6.)
</TABLE>

                                      II-7
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18904}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PLATINUM SOFTWARE CORP", "cik": "0000891178", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "330277592", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-46393", "film-number": "98541585"}, "business-address": {"street1": "195 TECHNOLOGY DR", "city": "IRVINE", "state": "CA", "zip": "92718-2402", "phone": "7144534000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "195 TECHNOLOGY DR", "city": "IRVINE", "state": "CA", "zip": "92718-2402"}}
1
    As Filed With the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 17, 1998
                                                  Registration No. 333-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington. D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                          PLATINUM SOFTWARE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                                       33-0277592
(State or other jurisdiction                           (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)

               195 Technology Drive, Irvine, California 92618-2402
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                   ----------

                              KEY EMPLOYEE OPTIONS
                           FOCUSSOFT STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full title of plans)

                                   ----------

                    L. George Klaus, Chief Executive Officer
                          Platinum Software Corporation
                              195 Technology Drive
                          Irvine, California 92618-2402
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (714) 453-4000
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:
                              Perry Tarnofsky, Esq.
                          Platinum Software Corporation
                              195 Technology Drive
                              Irvine, CA 92618-2402
2

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Proposed maximum   Proposed maximum  
Title of securities    Amount to be      offering price   aggregate offering       Amount of 
 to be registered     registered (1)        per share           price            registration fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,            525,206               (2)          $2,520,989 (2)          $   787.81
$.001 par value          shares

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  This Registration Statement covers an aggregate of 300,000 shares of Common
     Stock which may be issued pursuant to Key Employee Nonqualified Stock
     Option Agreements ("Key Employee Options") and 225,206 shares of Common
     Stock which may be issued pursuant to the FocusSoft Stock Option Plan,
     which is comprised of nonqualified stock option agreements assumed in
     connection with the merger with FocusSoft, Inc. which occurred on November
     14, 1997 ("FocusSoft Options"); together with such additional shares of
     such Common Stock as may be issued to the holders of such options pursuant
     to anti-dilution provisions.

(2)  In accordance with Rule 457(h), the aggregate offering price of 525,206
     shares of Common Stock registered hereby which would be issued upon
     exercise of the Key Employee Options and the FocusSoft Options are based
     upon the per share exercise price of such options, the weighted average of
     which is $4.80 per share.

                                       2
3
                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The following documents have been filed by the Registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and are incorporated
herein by reference:

        (a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1997.

        (b) Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
September 30, 1997, and December 31, 1997.

        (c) Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated June 30, 1997 (as
amended by Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 11, 1997), July 29, 1997,
October 29, 1997, November 14, 1997 and January 22, 1998.

        (d) All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report referred to
in (a) above.

        (e) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock which is contained
in the Registrant's registration statement on Form 8-A filed on October 15, 1992
pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report
filed for the purpose of updating such description.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement which indicates that all
of the shares of Common Stock offered have been sold or which deregisters all of
such shares then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of
the filing of such documents; except as to any portion of any future annual or
quarterly report to stockholders or document that is not deemed filed under such
provisions. For the purposes of this registration statement, any statement
contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
registration statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

        Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

        Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        (a) As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Second
Restated Certificate of Incorporation eliminates the liability of directors to
the Registrant or its stockholders for 

                                      II-1
4

monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the
extent otherwise required by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

        (b) The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that
the Registrant will indemnify each person who was or is made a party to any
proceeding by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or
officer of the Registrant against all expense, liability and loss reasonably
incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith to the fullest
extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law. The Registrant's
Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for a similar indemnity to directors and
officers of the Company to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General
Corporation Law.

        (c) The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each
of its directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements provide
for the indemnification of directors and executive officers of the Registrant
against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

        Not Applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

        4.1 Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement between the Company and John
            Lococo.*

        4.2 Nonqualified Option Agreement between the Company and Michael
            Zimmerman.*

        4.3 Form of FocusSoft Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement.

        5.1 Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
            Corporation.

        23.1 Consent of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
             Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.1).

        23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Accountants

        24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to the
             Registration Statement - see pages II-5 and II-6). 

             --------------------
             *Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's current
             report on Form 8-K dated November 14, 1997.

Item 9. Undertakings.

        (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

            (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
            made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                 (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
                 the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act");

                                      II-2
5

                 (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
                 after the effective date of the registration statement (or the
                 most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                 individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                 change in the information set forth in the registration
                 statement;

                 (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
                 plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                 registration statement or any material change to such
                 information in the registration statement;

        Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
        if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
        information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
        those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
        Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act
        that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

            (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
            Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
            to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
            offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
            shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

            (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
            amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
            at the termination of the offering.

        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
        determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
        Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of
        the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
        benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange
        Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
        shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
        securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
        time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
        Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
        persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
        otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
        Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
        public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
        In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
        (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid
        by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
        successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
        such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
        securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion
        of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
        submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
        indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
        and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-3
6

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Irvine, State of California, on the 12th day of
February, 1998.

                                       PLATINUM SOFTWARE CORPORATION

                                       By:   /s/ L. George Klaus
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           L. George Klaus
                                           Chairman of the Board,
                                           Chief Executive Officer and President

                                      II-4
7

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        We, the undersigned officers and directors of Platinum Software
Corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint L. George Klaus and Michael J.
Simmons, or either of them, our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents,
each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite are necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that each of said attorney-in-fact and agents, or his substitute
or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                   Title                            Date
           ---------                                   -----                            ----
/s/ L. George Klaus                      Chairman of the Board,                  February 12, 1998
------------------------------------     Chief Executive Officer and 
L. George Klaus                          President

/s/ Michael J. Simmons                   Chief Financial Officer                 February 12, 1998
------------------------------------     (Principal Financial Officer)
Michael J. Simmons

/s/ Paul G. Mazzarella                   Corporate Controller                    February 12, 1998
------------------------------------     (Principal Accounting Officer)
Paul G. Mazzarella

------------------------------------     Director
Carmelo J. Santoro

/s/ Arthur J. Marks                      Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
Arthur J. Marks

/s/ L. John Doerr                        Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------
L. John Doerr

/s/ Richard J. Goeglein                  Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
Richard J. Goeglein
II-5
8

                 (SIGNATURE PAGE TO POWER OF ATTORNEY CONTINUED)
/s/ Donald R. Dixon                      Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
Donald R. Dixon

/s/ W. Douglas Hajjar                    Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
W. Douglas Hajjar

/s/ John Lococo                          Director                                February 12, 1998
------------------------------------
John Lococo
II-6
9

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit                                                                                 Sequential
Number                           Description                                            Page Number
-------                          -----------                                            -----------
4.1   Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement between the Company and John Lococo.
       (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's Current Report
       on Form 8-K dated November 14, 1997.)

 4.2   Nonqualified Option Agreement between the Company and Michael Zimmerman.
       (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's Current Report
       on Form 8-K dated November 14, 1997.)

 4.3   Form of FocusSoft Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement.

 5.1   Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional
       Corporation.

 23.1  Consent of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a Professional Corporation
       (Included in Exhibit 5.1).

 23.2  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Accountants.

 24.1  Power of Attorney (Included on the signature page to the Registration
       Statement - see pages II-5 and II-6.)
II-7