content: <PAGE>
  
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
  
                            ________________________
  
                                    FORM 8-K
  
                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
        Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): March 16, 2000
  
  
                               ACTUATE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
           Delaware                       0-24607              94-3193197
  ------------------------------          -------              ----------
  (State or other jurisdiction          (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation)               File Number)       Identification No.)
  
  
          701 Gateway Boulevard, South San Francisco, California  94080
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
  
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 837-2000
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 2.   Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
            ------------------------------------
  
            Actuate Corporation ("Actuate"), a Delaware corporation, acquired all
  the assets of EnterpriseSoft, a sole proprietorship, in exchange for cash and
  shares of Actuate Common Stock (the "Exchange").  The Exchange was accomplished
  pursuant to the terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement (attached as Exhibit 2.1
                                                                    -----------
  hereto), dated March 16, 2000 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and between Actuate
  and EnterpriseSoft.  The terms of the Purchase Agreement reflected the arm's-
  length negotiations among the parties.
  
            Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, all the assets of
  EnterpriseSoft, which included certain intellectual property and computer
  equipment, were exchanged for 100,000 shares of Actuate Common Stock and
  $2,450,000 from the Company's cash account. The computer equipment acquired was
  used in the development of software and Actuate intends to use such equipment in
  the same manner. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, approximately ten
  percent (10%) of the aggregate consideration to be received by EnterpriseSoft
  was placed in an escrow account with Greater Bay Trust Company as security for
  the agreement of the Owners to indemnify Actuate for certain contingencies.
  
  
  Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  
            (a) The Registrant is not required to file the financial statements of
  EnterpriseSoft.
  
            (b) The Registrant is not required to file pro forma financial
  information in connection with the acquisition.
  
            (c)  Exhibits:
  
             Exhibit   Description
             -------   -----------
             2.1       Form of Purchase Agreement dated March 16, 2000, by and
                       between Actuate Corporation and EnterpriseSoft.
  <PAGE>
  
                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------
  
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
                                Actuate Corporation
  
  
  Date:  March 27, 2000         /s/  William P. Garvey
                                ----------------------
                                William P. Garvey
                                Secretary
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3506}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ACTUATE CORP", "cik": "0001062478", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "943193197", "state-of-incorporation": "DE"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-24607", "film-number": "579260"}, "business-address": {"street1": "999 BAKER WAY", "street2": "STE 270", "city": "SAN MATEO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94404", "phone": "6504252300"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "999 BAKER WAY", "street2": "STE 270", "city": "SAN MATEO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94404"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "ACTUATE SOFTWARE CORP", "date-changed": "19980527"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
  
                            ________________________
  
                                    FORM 8-K
  
                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
        Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): March 16, 2000
  
                               ACTUATE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
           Delaware                       0-24607              94-3193197
  ------------------------------          -------              ----------
  (State or other jurisdiction          (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation)               File Number)       Identification No.)
  
          701 Gateway Boulevard, South San Francisco, California  94080
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
  
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 837-2000
  Item 2.   Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
            ------------------------------------
  
            Actuate Corporation ("Actuate"), a Delaware corporation, acquired all
  the assets of EnterpriseSoft, a sole proprietorship, in exchange for cash and
  shares of Actuate Common Stock (the "Exchange").  The Exchange was accomplished
  pursuant to the terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement (attached as Exhibit 2.1
                                                                    -----------
  hereto), dated March 16, 2000 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and between Actuate
  and EnterpriseSoft.  The terms of the Purchase Agreement reflected the arm's-
  length negotiations among the parties.
  
            Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, all the assets of
  EnterpriseSoft, which included certain intellectual property and computer
  equipment, were exchanged for 100,000 shares of Actuate Common Stock and
  $2,450,000 from the Company's cash account. The computer equipment acquired was
  used in the development of software and Actuate intends to use such equipment in
  the same manner. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, approximately ten
  percent (10%) of the aggregate consideration to be received by EnterpriseSoft
  was placed in an escrow account with Greater Bay Trust Company as security for
  the agreement of the Owners to indemnify Actuate for certain contingencies.
  
  Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  
            (a) The Registrant is not required to file the financial statements of
  EnterpriseSoft.
  
            (b) The Registrant is not required to file pro forma financial
  information in connection with the acquisition.
  
            (c)  Exhibits:
  
             Exhibit   Description
             -------   -----------
             2.1       Form of Purchase Agreement dated March 16, 2000, by and
                       between Actuate Corporation and EnterpriseSoft.
  SIGNATURES
                                   ----------
  
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                Actuate Corporation
  
  Date:  March 27, 2000         /s/  William P. Garvey
                                ----------------------
                                William P. Garvey
                                Secretary